What the heck is this?
Remember being a kid and wanting pizza AND hot dogs at the same time? Well, adult you just figured out how to make that dream a reality. These Air Fryer Pizza Dogs are basically hot dogs wrapped in pizza dough, stuffed with cheese, and loaded with all your favorite pizza toppings. It’s like a corn dog and a pizza slice had a baby, and that baby grew up to be the MVP of game day snacks.
Think crispy, golden pizza dough wrapped around a juicy hot dog, with melted mozzarella oozing out and mini pepperonis scattered all over. It’s handheld comfort food that takes about 10 minutes to make and approximately 30 seconds to devour. Fair warning: once you make these, regular hot dogs are going to seem tragically boring.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Takes two kid favorites and makes them even better
- Perfect for game day, movie night, or Tuesday dinner
- Way more fun than regular hot dogs
- Uses stuff you probably have in your freezer
- Ready in under 15 minutes
- Kids think you’re a culinary genius
- Customizable with whatever pizza toppings you love
- No need to heat up the whole oven
- Makes terrible-for-you food feel slightly less terrible
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For Basic Pizza Dogs:
- 6-8 hot dogs (whatever kind you like)
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni (or regular chopped up)
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping)
- 1 egg, beaten (for that golden glow)
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
Optional Toppings (Go Wild):
- Cooked crumbled sausage
- Diced bell peppers
- Sliced mushrooms (patted dry)
- Black olives, chopped
- Jalapeños for heat
- Parmesan cheese
- Everything bagel seasoning (trust me)
For Serving:
- More pizza sauce for dunking
- Ranch dressing (because why not)
- Marinara sauce
- Garlic butter for brushing
Let’s Do This
Step 1: Prep Your Station
Roll out pizza dough on a clean surface.
Cut into 6-8 strips, each about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Pat your hot dogs dry with paper towels — nobody wants soggy dough.
Step 2: Assembly Line Time
Brush each dough strip lightly with pizza sauce (don’t go crazy here).
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese down the middle of each strip.
Add your pepperoni and any other toppings you’re using.
Place a hot dog at one end and roll it up, pinching the seams to seal.
Make sure the ends are tucked under so cheese doesn’t escape everywhere.
Step 3: The Magic Touch
Brush each wrapped dog with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
If you’re feeling fancy, add a little more cheese on top because cheese makes everything better.
Step 4: Air Fry Heaven
Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 2 minutes.
Place pizza dogs seam-side down in the basket, making sure they’re not touching.
Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
The dough should be cooked through and the cheese should be melty and slightly bubbly.
Step 5: The Final Touches
Let them cool for 2-3 minutes (that cheese is molten lava hot).
Brush with garlic butter if you want to be extra.
Serve with pizza sauce for dipping and watch them disappear.
Pro Tips That’ll Save Your Life
Seal it tight: Really pinch those seams or you’ll have cheese explosions everywhere. Not the worst problem, but still.
Don’t overstuff: Less is more with the fillings. Overstuffed dogs burst open and make a mess.
Dry your toppings: Pat everything dry, especially if using mushrooms or peppers.
Spacing matters: Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
Temperature check: The internal temp should hit 165°F if you want to be precise about it.
Switch It Up
Breakfast Pizza Dogs: Use breakfast sausages, scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese.
BBQ Style: Hot dogs with BBQ sauce, cheddar, and crispy onions.
Buffalo Chicken: Chicken sausages with buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and celery.
Veggie Supreme: Veggie dogs with bell peppers, mushrooms, and extra cheese.
Mac Attack: Hot dogs with mac and cheese mixed right into the dough. Yes, really.
Jalapeño Popper: Cream cheese, jalapeños, and bacon bits.
Make-Ahead Game
Prep ahead: Wrap the dogs and freeze them raw. Cook straight from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes.
Leftover storage: Keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
Party planning: Make a bunch of different varieties for a pizza dog bar situation.
Serving Ideas
Game day spread: Make different varieties and let people choose their adventure.
Quick dinner: Serve with a simple salad and call it a meal.
Kid’s party: These are guaranteed crowd-pleasers with the under-12 set.
Late night snack: Perfect for when you want something ridiculous and delicious.
Questions People Actually Ask
Q: Can I use different dough? A: Absolutely! Crescent roll dough, puff pastry, or even biscuit dough work. Just adjust cooking time.
Q: What if I don’t have mini pepperoni? A: Chop up regular pepperoni, use salami, or skip it entirely. It’s your pizza dog world.
Q: Can I make these in a regular oven? A: Yes! Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Q: Why is my dough not browning? A: Make sure you’re using the egg wash and your air fryer is properly preheated.
Q: Can I use turkey dogs or veggie dogs? A: Totally! Any kind of sausage or hot dog works here.
Q: How do I prevent cheese leakage? A: Don’t overfill, seal the edges really well, and make sure your dough strips are wide enough to wrap properly.
Print
Air Fryer Pizza Dogs: When Hot Dogs and Pizza Have the Ultimate Crossover Episode
- Total Time: 4 minute
- Yield: 6–8 pizza dogs 1x
Description
Remember being a kid and wanting pizza AND hot dogs at the same time? Well, adult you just figured out how to make that dream a reality. These Air Fryer Pizza Dogs are basically hot dogs wrapped in pizza dough, stuffed with cheese, and loaded with all your favorite pizza toppings. It’s like a corn dog and a pizza slice had a baby, and that baby grew up to be the MVP of game day snacks.
Think crispy, golden pizza dough wrapped around a juicy hot dog, with melted mozzarella oozing out and mini pepperonis scattered all over. It’s handheld comfort food that takes about 10 minutes to make and approximately 30 seconds to devour. Fair warning: once you make these, regular hot dogs are going to seem tragically boring.
Ingredients
For Basic Pizza Dogs:
- 6–8 hot dogs (whatever kind you like)
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni (or regular chopped up)
- 1/4 cup pizza sauce (plus extra for dipping)
- 1 egg, beaten (for that golden glow)
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
Optional Toppings (Go Wild):
- Cooked crumbled sausage
- Diced bell peppers
- Sliced mushrooms (patted dry)
- Black olives, chopped
- Jalapeños for heat
- Parmesan cheese
- Everything bagel seasoning (trust me)
For Serving:
- More pizza sauce for dunking
- Ranch dressing (because why not)
- Marinara sauce
- Garlic butter for brushing
Instructions
Roll out pizza dough on a clean surface.
Cut into 6-8 strips, each about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Pat your hot dogs dry with paper towels — nobody wants soggy dough.
Brush each dough strip lightly with pizza sauce (don’t go crazy here).
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese down the middle of each strip.
Add your pepperoni and any other toppings you’re using.
Place a hot dog at one end and roll it up, pinching the seams to seal.
Make sure the ends are tucked under so cheese doesn’t escape everywhere.
Brush each wrapped dog with beaten egg.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
If you’re feeling fancy, add a little more cheese on top because cheese makes everything better.
Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 2 minutes.
Place pizza dogs seam-side down in the basket, making sure they’re not touching.
Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
The dough should be cooked through and the cheese should be melty and slightly bubbly.
Let them cool for 2-3 minutes (that cheese is molten lava hot).
Brush with garlic butter if you want to be extra.
Serve with pizza sauce for dipping and watch them disappear.
Notes
Seal it tight: Really pinch those seams or you’ll have cheese explosions everywhere. Not the worst problem, but still.
Don’t overstuff: Less is more with the fillings. Overstuffed dogs burst open and make a mess.
Dry your toppings: Pat everything dry, especially if using mushrooms or peppers.
Spacing matters: Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
Temperature check: The internal temp should hit 165°F if you want to be precise about it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~320 kcal
- Fat: ~18g
- Carbohydrates: ~25g
- Protein: ~14g