Air fryer hot dogs are quick, easy, and come out just right , crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle, and totally kid-approved. You can make these hot dogs plain or wrap them in bacon for a fun little upgrade, especially if you’ve got a few leftover slices hanging out in the fridge. It’s one of those low-effort dinners that still gets a big smile from everyone at the table.
Why We Love Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Easy To Make – I love my air fryer for how quick and easy everything is to make. Plus you can open it to check your hot dogs without slowing down the cooking time.
- Tasty – Take regular old hot dogs up a step, but you can also cook bacon wrapped dogs next to plain dogs no problem.
- Fun – Listen, you add a slice of bacon to almost anything and my family comes running. It makes a regular ol’ hot dog feel special.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- hot dogs – use your favorite
- bacon optional! – I prefer regular cut, not thick cut bacon. Thick cut is just harder to wrap around the hot dogs
- hot dog buns
- toppings – add any of your favorite optional hot dog toppings
How To Make Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Use a pairing knife to lightly score the hot dogs, being careful not to cut through the hot dogs. This helps keep the hot dogs from popping when cooked.
- Wrap the bacon around the length of the hot dog. Start the bacon from the top, back of the hot dog, and wrap tightly around the length of the dog ending at the bottom, back side of the dog. This will help keep the bacon secured around the hot dog. You can wrap all the hot dogs, or cook some without the bacon.
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F for 2-3 minutes. Add the cold hot dogs to the air fryer in a single layer to avoid overcrowding, and cook for 10 minutes.
How Do I Keep The Air Fryer From Smoking?
When bacon (or anything on the greasier side) cooks in the air fryer, it can sometimes drip and then smoke. Placing a slice of bread under the air fryer basket can absorb that bacon grease and keep it from smoking in the air fryer.
You can use a stale slice of bread, or the end of the loaf then simply discard the bread. While you could grill the bread in a pan after if you want to save waste, we usually just use the end of bread that we don’t like eating anyways.
Make sure to wipe out the air fryer after cooking so any additional oil doesn’t smoke the next time you cook.
- Remove the hot dogs from the air fryer and place into the buns. Add the hot dogs with the buns back into the air fryer for an additional 2 minutes to warm the buns, working in batches to heat all the buns. Serve with your favorite toppings!
Air Fryer Hot Dog Toppings
Usually we keep our dogs pretty simple and mostly just raid the fridge for toppings. If you want to get fancy or lay out a toppings bar for a crowd, here are some options.
Sauce – Ketchup and mustard are classic choices, but you can also go a little crazy if that’s your style. Try your favorite bbq sauce, sriracha for those who like it spicy.
Onions – Dice dome onions fine and give them a good sprinkle.
Relish – Pickle fans will love a good relish. If you don’t have relish, just dice up your favorite pickles! I also love adding pickled red onions, but I’m the only one in my family who loves them. Pickled jalapenos are also great for those who like a kick, or banana peppers are delicious if you like them.
Coleslaw – Coleslaw can add some crunch and flavor. Try my 10 minute coleslaw using bagged shredded cabbage to make it fast.
Guacamole – I could put guacamole on anything, but a good dollop on a hot dog is tasty and delicious. Also try some pico de gallo simple salsa or just some diced tomatoes.
Cheese – Shredded cheese is another great option, and you only need a sprinkle. Try cheddar, Monterrey jack or Pepper Jack if you like a kick.
FAQ About Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Plain hot dogs usually take about 6–10 minutes, depending on your air fryer and how crispy you like them. Bacon-wrapped hot dogs take a little longer, about 9-10 minutes.
Yes! Just pop them in plain straight from the freezer. Add a couple of extra minutes to the cook time, usually around 8–10 minutes at 360°F until they’re heated through and sizzling. If you are wrapping the frozen hot dogs in bacon expect they will likely take 10-12 minutes.
Not at all. They’re delicious either way! The bacon just adds a little something extra if you’ve got a few slices to use up. You can even do a mix, some hot dogs wrapped in bacon and others plain.
Lightly scoring the hot dogs with a knife helps prevent them from splitting while they cook.
Not quite, the buns can get too toasty before the dogs are done. I like to warm the buns for 1–2 minutes in the air fryer after the hot dogs are done. This works great in batches.
Bacon can drip grease, which can burn inside of the air fryer. Try placing a slice of bread under the basket to soak up excess grease, and be sure to clean the tray after cooking to help prevent smoke. The bread is not needed for plain hot dogs.
How Long Will Air Fryer Hot Dogs Last?
Hot dogs will taste their best if enjoyed within 3-4 days after cooking. Store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the buns separately from the hot dogs to keep the buns from getting soggy.
Air Fryer Hot Dogs
These air fryer hot dogs cook up crisp, juicy, and fast, with or without bacon! An easy meal for when you want that grilled flavor without firing up the grill.
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
Use a pairing knife to lightly score the hot dogs, being careful not to cut through the hot dogs. This helps keep the hot dogs from popping when cooked.
8 pieces hot dogs
-
Wrap the bacon around the length of the hot dog. Start the bacon from the top, back of the hot dog, and wrap tightly around the length of the dog ending at the bottom, back side of the dog. This will help keep the bacon secured around the hot dog. You can wrap all the hot dogs, or cook some without the bacon.
8 strips bacon
-
Preheat the air fryer to 360°F for 2-3 minutes. Add the cold hot dogs to the air fryer in a single layer to avoid overcrowding and cook for 9-10 minutes.
-
Remove the hot dogs from the air fryer and place into the buns. Add the hot dogs with the buns back into the air fryer for an additional 2 minutes to warm the buns, working in batches to heat all the buns. Serve with your favorite toppings!
8 regular hot dog buns
I prefer to use regular cut bacon and not thick cut, it just doesn’t wrap as well. You can use flavored bacon (like maple) if you prefer.
When bacon cooks in the air fryer, it can sometimes drip and then smoke. Placing a slice of bread under the air fryer basket can absorb that bacon grease and keep it from smoking in the air fryer. You can use a stale slice of bread, or the end of the loaf.
If you are cooking a plain hot dog without bacon, they can sometimes be done a little quicker. Start checking them for doneness after 6-7 minutes.
Hot dogs are precooked, but they taste their best when they are cooked within 150-160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer. Under 150 degrees and the flavor just isn’t as great, and over 160 degrees and the dog will burst more often.
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
