Air Fryer Hot Dogs (Fresh or Frozen!)

You won’t believe how easy it is to make Air Fryer Hot Dogs from fresh or frozen! They’re just as good as grilling without all the hassle. This easy hot dog cooking method takes less than 10 minutes, including the toasty bun!

I’m sure there are some of you wondering why I’m putting a hot dog cooking method recipe on my site? Here’s the thing. I will never cook hot dogs any other way again. This method is so quick and easy, I need to tell the world about it.

As a kid, I’m pretty sure hot dogs were cooked in the microwave or in a pot of boiling water. Both not super appetizing. Grilled hot dogs are great, but that’s a lot of work for just a hot dog.

Enter the air fryer. It’s the most hands-off, easy clean up, no brainer way to cook hot dogs, I swear. Takes less than 10 minutes for a hot dog plus toasted bun to be on your plate. You’ll agree once you give it a try!

What are the ingredients in these Air Fryer Hot Dogs?

The ingredients for this Air Fryer Hot Dog recipe are super obvious, but I’d still like to chat about my favorites and give a couple tips.

• hot dogs – You’ll definitely need hot dogs for this recipe! Any kind of hot dogs you want to use will work. If you use thicker polish sausages, you may need to increase cook time by a minute or so.
• hot dog buns – Pick your favorite buns, any will work! Thicker, larger hot dog buns may need an extra minute to toast up.
• all your favorite toppings – Just like any hot dog, feel free to load it up with your favorite toppings. The easy classics are ketchup, mustard and relish!

How do you make these Air Fryer Hot Dogs?

This Air Fryer Hot Dog Recipe is seriously next level simple. Dinner doesn’t get easier than this!

Start by using a knife to cut slits into the hot dog every inch or so along one side. This is an optional step, but I like it for a couple reasons:

1) it mimics grill marks and looks pretty cool; 2) gives the hotdog space to expand; and 3) keeps the hotdog from exploding when you bite into it.

Next, throw those hot dogs into the air fryer basket. If you have a larger air fryer like mine, I think you could fit up to 4 hot dogs at once (we add buns later).

For fresh from the refrigerator: Set the air fryer to 350F and air fry the hot dogs for 5 minutes. For frozen: Set the air fryer to 330F and air fryer the hot dogs for 7-8 minutes. 

Be sure to check in the hot dogs as they cook. Not all air fryers are created equal, so our cook times and preferences may vary.

Next, using tongs because it’s *hot*, grab the dogs and stuff them into buns. Using the tongs again or your hands carefully, put the dog stuffed buns back into the air fryer basket.

Air fry again at 350F for another 2 minutes, this time to get the bun all warm and toasty. Add another minute depending on how golden brown you want your bun!

And that’s it! Top with your faves and think about how easy dinner was! I like to serve with something simple like a side salad or chips.

Testing notes for Air Fryer Hot Dogs:

While testing these Air Fryer Hot Dogs, I noticed the following: 

• Any kind of hot dog works, but thicker dogs/sausages needed an extra minute.
• Cutting slits into the hot dogs is cool but not required. They looked better but it didn’t change taste or hot dog execution.
• I couldn’t tell the difference between fresh and frozen! 

Is this a meal prep friendly recipe?

No, this is generally not a meal prep friendly recipe. 

This is a quick weeknight dinner recipe that’s perfect when nothing is thawed or you don’t feel like doing too much work (or both!). It’s also great because you only have to make as many as you need, and you shouldn’t have any leftovers.

What should you serve with these Air Fryer Hot Dogs?

Of course anything you serve with these hot dogs is good with me, but let me give you some ideas!

• potato chips – When I took photos of these hot dogs, I served them with some yummy kettle style potato chips. It was delicious!
• potato wedges – Hot dogs would also go very well with my Air Fryer Jojo Potato Wedges. I would cook the potatoes first, then cook the hot dogs while the potatoes cool.
• tots – Another potato option (a trend!) is tater tots. I have directions for How to Cook Tater Tots in an Air Fryer too!
• a side salad – An option that is not potatoes is a side salad! Load it up with whatever you want! Hot dogs go with anything!
• pesto pasta salad – Always a favorite of mine! Get my recipe here!

Alternative customization ideas for Air Fryer Hot Dogs:

You can definitely take these super basic hot dogs up a few notches by adding a few other ingredients! Here are a couple ideas:

• chili dogs – After cooking, cover the hot dogs with chili! 
• cheesy dogs – After cooking, cover the hot dogs with shredded cheddar cheese!
• shredded pork dogs – When you add the bun, add some leftover pulled pork as well. After cooking, add some barbecue sauce
• field roast dogs – try a vegan sausage option like field roast!

What kind of air fryer do you use?

The air fryer I have currently, and the one that is pictured in this post is the Cosori XL 5.8 qt Air Fryer (affiliate link!). If you’re going to invest in an air fryer to cook things for 2 or more people, you should opt for a larger size like this one, in my opinion!

I previously had a slightly smaller Philips Air Fryer with a metal grate basket which I liked, but I prefer the larger Cosori model with the nonstick coated basket.

For this recipe, I think you could make up to two hot dogs in a smaller air fryer. I do think up to 4 hot dogs + buns could fit into the air fryer pictured here.

How to store, freeze & reheat:

This recipe is best enjoyed when it’s prepared right before eating! I would recommend only cooking as many hot dogs as you need. Extra hot dogs can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.