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If you’re in need of a quick dinner that will be a hit with your family and friends, these Baked Chili Cheese Dogs are the answer! They’re so easy to make thanks to the oven and require little to no prep; you can forget the hassle of having everyone build their own. Customize with your favorite hot dog toppings for a dish that will have many asking for seconds.
It’s officially summer, and what says summer better than Baked Chili Cheese Dogs? These are truly one of my husband’s favorite things to eat. And I can easily say that I love how quickly I can make them in about 30 minutes, even on the busiest weeknight. They’re also the perfect way to use up any leftover chili from the night before.
I can’t even begin to explain how much these are always a crowd-pleaser with any group! They are devoured in minutes whenever they’re brought to the table. Serve these baked hot dogs with Instant Pot corn on the cob, a spaghetti pasta salad, or a cool and creamy coleslaw! They’ll definitely be a hit!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Chili Cheese Dogs
- Simple & Easy Meal: This recipe is so simple – just assemble the 4 main ingredients and bake.
- Customize to Your Liking: You can use your favorite hot dogs or even any cooked sausage. Change up the cheese and use your favorite chili recipes you love.
- Family Favorite Even with Picky Eaters: Everyone loves chili dogs, adults and kids alike, so it’s perfect for the whole family!
Baked Chili Cheese Dogs Ingredients
- Hot Dogs: You really can use any brand you want to use in this recipe. I love Nathan’s All Beef Hot Dogs. They are skinless, nitrate-free, and come in a variety of lengths and thicknesses.
- Hot Dog Buns: Again, choose the ones your family loves the most. I like to buy a little bit more of a sturdier bun for this recipe so it can hold up to the chili.
- Chili: You can make an easy homemade hot dog chili sauce, or buy your favorite canned sauce to make it easy chili. This is also a great way to use up that leftover chili. Both a bean chili and a no-bean chili work well.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: For optimal melt, shred a block of cheese. If you want to keep it easy and buy pre-shredded cheese, just realize there may be a difference, as they usually contain caking agents; however, I have had great results with Sargento brand off-the-block cheese (this is not sponsored – I just love their cheese).
- Toppings: Don’t forget your favorite toppings!
What is the Best Cheese for Chili Cheese Dogs?
When it comes to chili cheese dogs, you want a cheese that melts into that gooey, irresistible blanket over the top. My go-to is sharp cheddar. It melts beautifully and has that classic, bold flavor that pairs perfectly with the rich, meaty chili. My best tip is to grab a block and shred it yourself if you can, because pre-shredded cheese has that coating that keeps it from melting smoothly.
If you want to mix things up, Monterey or Colby Jack melt like a dream and give you that extra stretchy, gooey pull. For a little kick, pepper jack adds just the right amount of heat. You really cannot go wrong, so pile it on. There is no such thing as too much cheese on a chili cheese dog!
How to Make Oven Baked Chili Dogs
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 | Preheat Oven and Place Hot Dogs in Pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the hot dog buns in a 9 X 13 baking dish or pan.
TIP: Line the pan with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup.
Step 2 | Spoon Chili and Cheese on the Top
Evenly top each hot dog with a spoonful or two of chili and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Step 3 | Bake and Enjoy
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the hot dogs are fully cooked and heated through.
Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Chili Cheese Dogs in the Oven vs on the Grill
Both the oven and the grill make a delicious chili cheese dog, they just give you a little something different.
- Baking them in the oven is my favorite for a reason: you can load up a whole pan of dogs at once, the buns toast up just right, and the cheese melts into that perfect gooey layer over the chili. It is completely hands-off and ideal for feeding a crowd, which is exactly why this recipe is baked.
- The grill, on the other hand, gives your hot dogs that smoky char and a little snap that is hard to beat. The trade-off is that it is tricky to melt cheese and keep the chili in place out there.
- For the best of both worlds, char your dogs on the grill first for that smoky flavor, then nestle them into the buns, top with chili and cheese, and finish them in the oven so everything gets melty and perfect!
Tips for the Best Baked Chili Dogs
- If you like a crispy hot dogs, pan fry, grill, bake, or air fry hot dogs before putting them in the bun to bake.
- Extra toasty buns: Spread the bun with a little butter or spray with olive oil and place them in the oven a few minutes before adding the hot dogs, chili, and cheese. This will help keep the chili dogs from becoming soggy.
- Broil to finish for a golden brown top: These baked chili dogs will come out nice and melty delicious, but if you’d like the cheese just a little to brown up even more turn on the broiler for just a minute or two.
- If you don’t have leftover chili or time to make homemade chili, you can easily use store-bought.
- Shred the cheese yourself if possible. This makes for the gooiest melt, since the pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking powder that prevents it from melting as well.
Variations:
While these baked chili cheese dogs are great as is, I’ve tried many other versions over the years, and here are some others my family loved:
- Other Delicious Toppings: Chili dogs are tasty on their own, but even more scrumptious with the traditional toppings like ketchup, mustard, and dill or sweet relish. Onions are another favorite topping that my daughter loves – diced yellow, white, red onions, or even sliced green onions.
- Make them Spicy: Sliced pickled jalapenos, diced fresh jalapenos, green chilis, or even banana peppers will bring up the heat factor with chili cheese dogs.
- Drizzle with a Sauce: A little of your favorite hot sauce will complement these chili cheese dogs nicely. Try some ranch or blue cheese dressing with a little buffalo sauce for a new combination. A dollop of sour cream and some tortilla strips are delish too!
- Add a Little Crunch: Sprinkle with dried fried onions or fried jalapeños. You can find these in the salad dressing aisle at the grocery store.
- Swap the Cheese: Try Monterey Jack or pepper jack for a fun flavor twist .
- Slaw is a perfect topping for hot dogs! Try my creamy classic coleslaw, Mexican Slaw, or my blue cheese coleslaw for a nice tang.
Storage Instructions and Tips
- Leftovers don’t keep as well for this dish. However, you can adjust by only making the amount you plan to eat. If you do have leftovers, you can pull the hot dog buns off and use a fresh bun for best results (this will prevent a soggy bun).
- Cover leftover baked chili dogs with foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days.
- To reheat individual servings, place the desired amount on a microwave-safe dish and reheat. Start with 1 minute, then add 30-second intervals until heated to your liking. You can also place it in a new bun and reheat it in the oven at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Another tip that I tried recently for reheating is that these also heat well in the air fryer at 350°F for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- I also don’t recommend assembling these hot dogs too far in advance since the chili can make the buns soggy. You can prep the chili in advance to cut down on prep time and then assemble and bake right before dinnertime.
What to Serve with Baked Chili Dogs
Baked hot dogs are a nice, simple supper for busy weeknights. They are perfect for a backyard BBQ, game night, or picnic. Keep it simple: serve them with chips. With the chips, you need some dips, right? Try it with French onion dip made with my homemade onion soup mix, million-dollar dip, or my dill pickle dip, which are all favorites!
If you want to get a little fancy, French fries or onion rings always pair perfectly. Baked beans and coleslaw are also traditional side dish choices.
FAQs
Really, any kind of hot dog will work for these chili cheese dogs. I like to use an all-beef hot dog like Nathan’s as they are nitrate-free and have great taste. They also come in a variety of sizes that will fit nicely into a hot dog bun.
This will depend on the brand you choose. Just be sure to check the label. These are brands that I know of that currently carry a gluten-free hot dog.
– Applegate Farms’ beef, chicken, turkey, and pork varieties
– Boar’s Head
– Dietz & Watson (certified gluten-free by the National Celiac Association)
– Nathan’s Famous hot dogs (produced in a gluten-free facility)
– Sabrett hot dogs
If making these gluten-free, you will need to choose a bun, chili, and cheese that are all gluten-free (shredding your own cheese will help, as pre-shredded cheese often contains gluten). The seasonings for the chili are also a place you really need to check.
You may have added too much chili on top or spooned the chili on too early before baking. Assemble right before heating for the best results.
You sure can. If you are making homemade chili, go ahead and make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge. When you are ready, just assemble your dogs and bake. I would not assemble the whole pan too far ahead, though, since the buns are happiest when they go in fresh.
A thick, meaty chili is what you want here, since a thin or soupy chili will leave your buns soggy. My homemade hot dog chili sauce or my no-bean chili are my favorites for these, but a good thick canned chili works great when you are short on time. If your chili runs a little thin, simmer it down for a few minutes to thicken it up before spooning it over the dogs.
Soggy buns are the number one thing folks worry about when making chili cheese dogs! I have a few easy tricks keep them sturdy:
– Toast the buns before you build your dogs. A light brush of butter or a spritz of olive oil and a few minutes in the oven gives them a barrier against the moisture.
– Adding a layer of shredded cheese inside the bun before the chili helps too.
– Go easy on the chili, just a spoonful or two per dog so they bake up melty instead of mushy. – Lining your pan with parchment or foil helps with cleanup and keeps the bottoms from getting wet too.
More Easy Dinner Ideas to Try
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Cheesy Baked Ground Beef Tacos
- Easy Baked Stuffed Shells
- Roast Beef Po Boys
- Baked Reuben Sliders
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Baked Chili Cheese Hot Dogs Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 hot dog buns
- 8 hot dogs - I use Nathan's Beef Bun Length
- 1.5 cups hot dog chili - or leftover chili
- 2 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place hot dog buns in a 9 x 13 dish. Place a hot dog in each hot dog bun.
- Then, spoon leftover chili, canned chili, or homemade hot dog chili evenly on each hot dog. Sprinkle on cheddar cheese.
- Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese melted and the hot dogs are cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and top with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
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