5-Minute Air Fryer Hot Dogs

This air fryer hot dogs recipe is a quick and easy way to cook this BBQ classic, giving you juicy and slightly crispy dogs every time.

When it’s too cold to grill, I do things a little bit differently and use my air fryer. From air fryer hamburgers to air fryer brats and even air fryer sausage links, anything you can grill, I can air fry better. Enter my new favorite- hot dogs!

Making hot dogs in the air fryer is a perfect way to curb my BBQ cravings without the effort of grilling. Best of all, this amazing kitchen tool gives me crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside hot dogs every time!

Recipe highlights

• Incredibly fast and easy. With only one main ingredient, 5 minutes of cooking time, and minimal clean-up, it doesn’t get simpler than cooking hot dogs in the air fryer (like air fryer bacon and air fryer turkey bacon).
• Versatile. I’ll whip up a few air fryer hot dogs when I want a simple yet filling dinner or when the grill is already crowded.
• Fun to customize. For the best air fryer hot dogs, pile them high with your favorite condiments and toppings. I’ve included plenty of ideas for you below!

Ingredients needed

Ingredient lists don’t get much shorter than this one! Just grab your favorite hot dogs from the store, and you’re good to go.

• Hot dogs. Any store-bought hot dogs will work perfectly with this easy air fryer recipe.
• Hot dog buns. While they aren’t technically necessary, I prefer to serve my hot dogs on buns.
• Toppings. I like to top my dogs with mustard, ketchup, and pickle relish, but feel free to use your favorites!

How to cook hot dogs in an air fryer

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Score hot dogs. Use a sharp knife to cut diagonal slits into each hot dog.

Step 2 – Air fry hot dogs. Arrange the hot dogs in the air fryer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3 – Assemble and serve. Place the hot dogs in toasted buns and top with your favorite condiments. Enjoy!

Recipe tips and variations

• Leave room in the air fryer. I found that cooking the hot dogs in batches gave me the juiciest and crispiest hot dogs. Do not pile the hot dogs on top of each other, or else the outsides won’t crisp up well. 
• Line the air fryer. Clean-up in my kitchen just wouldn’t be as easy without my disposable air fryer liners. They work just the same as parchment paper but fit perfectly in the round air fryer basket. If you don’t have these liners, you can use aluminum foil instead.
• Always score the hot dogs. And try to keep the slits even for the best results. You’ll want to slice on a diagonal, making short little slits. 3 to 4 slits per hot dog should be good.
• Make bacon-wrapped hot dogs in the air fryer. You can elevate this recipe by wrapping each hot dog with a piece of bacon and air frying for an extra 1 to 3 minutes. 
• Cook from frozen. Cooking hot dogs from frozen is a great way to save even more time when making this meal. I usually add 4 to 5 minutes to the cooking time to ensure they’re thawed and cooked through.

How to store leftovers

To store: Place the leftover hot dogs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

To reheat: The best way to reheat leftover hot dogs is in the air fryer until they’re juicy and heated through once again. They can be reheated right from frozen, but you’ll need to add an extra 4 to 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Air fryer favorites to serve

If you own a dual air fryer or want to keep the machine going to make some sides to pair with these hot dogs, try these: