A Chili Cheese Dog Bake screams ballpark, game day, FUN! And these chili cheese dogs make the crowd grow wild, with a quick homemade chili con carne and gooey cheese all baked so everyone can enjoy them at the same time!
Growing up, my mom made chili cheese dogs regularly. I remember her buying chili con carne from the Mexican food section at the grocery store, and honestly, I wasn’t a fan (sorry mom). I’ve created a meaty chili that is easy and delicious, and let’s be honest, with bacon in it, it’s a homerun! Sorry for mixing all of my sports metaphors!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Homemade – We make a quick chili con carne or hot dog chili and ba-da-bing you have an amazing meal!
- Make Ahead – Make the chili con carne up to 3-5 days ahead of time, then a quick assembly and bake them and ta-da!
- Tailgating Win – This crowd-pleasing recipe is perfect for a Super Bowl party! It’s great to take to a tailgate party!
Try my Easy Roast Beef Sliders Recipe on Hawaiian Rolls for a simple yet filling dish everyone will love. Or serve this fan-favorite Cowboy Crack Dip with chips, crackers, veggies, and more. I also love this Beer and Cheese dip recipe with my soft and salty Bavarian Pretzel Recipe!
Simple Ingredients for Chili Cheese Dogs
Homemade Hot Dog Chili (aka Chili con carne sauce)
Hot dog chili is a hearty chili with more concentrated flavors than regular chili recipe – try my Firecracker cinnamon chili.
- Bacon | Real bacon adds so much flavor; it’s unreal!
- Ground beef | I like using grass-fed lean beef for less fat.
- Onion | I prefer using a yellow or white onion for chili, but you can use red onions too!
- Garlic | Minced garlic adds great flavor to the ground beef mixture.
- Spices | I used chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin.
- Salt and pepper | Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Flour | Thicken the sauce with flour; this is optional; feel free to omit.
- Tomato | We’ll use tomato sauce and tomato paste.
- Brown sugar | Just a touch to help balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Water | Rinse your can and use that water to thin the chili to your liking.
Chili Dog with Cheese
- Buns | I love using a quality bun for this chili dog recipe; the taste is in the quality.
- Cheese | Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the chili – Yum!
- Onions | Garnish the chili cheese dogs with more diced and sliced green onions, if desired.
- Hot Dogs | This recipe requires 8 juicy hot dogs. I like to use uncured all-beef frankfurters, but use your favorite hot dog!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Fresh Tips
- This recipe easily doubles or halves for smaller families. I suggest making the full chili con carne recipe and freezing what you don’t use! Then you will have a ready-made dinner for you! That’s what I did!
How to Make Chili Cheese Dogs
Step 1 | Prep and cook bacon
If making the chili dog chili and using it immediately, preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C) and line a baking sheet or a large casserole dish with parchment paper.
Add the bacon pieces to a Dutch oven or large skillet heated over medium-high heat, cooking for about seven to eight minutes until nice and crisp. Then, remove the cooked bacon with a spider or slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pot.
Fresh Tips – Too much bacon fat?
- If you have a lot of bacon fat, drain off all but about 2 tablespoons (and keep it in the fridge to saute onions or veggies in the future).
Step 2 | Cook the beef, onions, and garlic
Over medium heat add the ground beef to the same pot used for the bacon. Break the beef into smaller pieces and add the diced onions, cooking until the meat is no longer pink and the onions soften. In the last minute of cooking, add the minced garlic, stirring for 1 minute. Then, drain the excess liquid from the pot.
Step 3 | Add spices and simmer
Stir in the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in the meat mixture, called blooming the spices. Add the flour and stir until it coats the meat. Stir in the tomato sauce and paste, then the brown sugar.
Mix the ingredients well and let them simmer in the pot for 10 to 12 minutes uncovered, thickening the sauce. Add the bacon and more brown sugar, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes until the dish is thick and rich.
Fresh Tip
- Add a little more water if you like your chili a little thinner and looser. I wanted it nice and thick so it stayed put on the hot dogs.
Step 4 | Assemble chili dogs
Remove the pot from the heat and place the hot dog buns in a casserole dish or baking sheet. Place a hot dog in each bun, top with the homemade chili, and sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese.
Pro Tip – Packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking additives, making it harder to melt. Shred your cheese from a block for optimal melting!
Step 5 | Bake and serve!
Now it comes together! Bake the chili cheese dogs for about 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted; if you don’t want a golden brown toasty bun, loosely place a piece of foil over the top and remove during the last 5 minutes. If you’d like, garnish the dish with diced onions, then serve hot and fresh!
Fresh Tips
- It’s easy to double the chili recipe for serving over french fries, tater tots, baked potatoes, and other delicious foods.
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Variations
Gluten-Free Chili Cheese Dogs Recipe
This recipe can easily be made gluten-free. Just use gluten-free buns or leave them out of the dish, then replace the flour with a gluten-free alternative to thicken the sauce or omit it altogether.
Make it into a casserole by lining up the hot dogs, spooning the chili sauce over the top, sprinkling with cheese, covering it with foil, and baking until the cheese is melted!
Chicago-Style Chili Cheese Dog
Make this recipe the perfect Chicago-style game day snack by topping it with yellow mustard, a dill pickle spear, sweet pickle relish, and sliced fresh tomatoes.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
- If preferred, swap the hot dog buns for crescent rolls or tortillas. Wrap the hot dog in the crescent dough or tortilla and set them in the baking dish, proceeding with the recipe as directed.
- Turn up the heat by adding pickled jalapenos on top.
- Choose healthier alternatives, like turkey bacon, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- Classic chili cheese dogs don’t have beans in the chili sauce. However, you can add beans or use whatever type of chili you prefer.
- Try brats or chorizo instead of hot dogs.
- More delicious toppings are sliced banana peppers, pickled onions, crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream, or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- Make it a hot chili by adding hot paprika, diced jalapenos, or red pepper flakes.
Recommended Tools
- I love these Staub bakers in three sizes!
- These spiders are great for straining in your cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Like many recipes, the origins of chili dogs are a debated subject with an unclear answer. Some say that the owner of Jackson Coney Island Restaurant invented and named the Coney Island Chili sauce, then created the first chili dog in 1914. Others claim that LA’s hot dog stand owner made the first chili dog in 1929. Does it matter? 😉
Yes! I prefer the fresh ingredients used to make the homemade chili recipe. However, you can make this recipe extra easy and quick by using canned chili or make your favorite chili recipe and cook it down until thick.
Storage Tips
Store leftover chili cheese dogs completely cooled in an airtight container (or cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Remember that the buns may become soggy after sitting in the dish for a few hours. Wrap chili dogs individually in foil.
You can prepare the chili sauce to prep for this recipe, then warm it up in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop before assembling the dish. If too thick, add a little water. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to one week or freeze up to 3 months.
What to serve with this Chili Cheese Dog Bake
Best side dishes for hot dogs
Go traditional and serve with crispy potato chips! These hot dogs stand alone! But, they would also be fabulous with steak fries, baked beans or a potato salad!
Easy Air Fryer Steak Fries Recipe from Scratch
Experience the delicious crispiness of air fryer steak fries – golden wedges with a perfect balance of crunch and tenderness. Elevate your meal or snack time with these irresistible treats.
Best Ever Cowboy Baked Beans
BEST EVER Cowboy Baked Beans are the perfect hearty side dish for your summer BBQ, Father’s Day, Picnic or July 4th celebration!
Best Drinks to Serve with Chili Hot Dogs
While planning your game day part, you will want a cocktail or a mocktail in your hand. Try making this Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail, these 4-ingredient Margaritas, or whip up a Maple Whiskey Sour. Any of these cocktails would be a welcomed addition to your game day menu!
Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail
This Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail recipe will warm your soul on these chilly autumn evenings. Fresh apple butter, classic apple cider, rich vanilla, and orange flavors beautifully blend with bourbon's sweet and bitter notes.
4 Ingredient Margaritas (Regular or Frozen)
The best, most simple and flavorful margarita, with a secret ingredient. This 4 ingredient recipe is so easy to throw together and always brings rave reviews, serve them over the rocks or freeze them for slushies.
Maple Whiskey Sour
Ditch your sweet and sour mix for this delightfully bright and easy to make seasonal Maple Whiskey Sour. Perfect for a crisp fall afternoon, game day and more!
This is a great recipe for college students to make in their apartments! Check out all of my college student-friendly recipes here!
More Fun and Easy Casserole Recipes
- Best Cheesy Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
- Easy Hatch Green Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
- Best Philly Cheesesteak Casserole Recipe (Low-Carb)
Classic chili dogs are meant to be personalized with all your favorite toppings and add-ins, so make this baked chili cheese dogs casserole your own!
I hope you loved this Chili Dog with Cheese — if you did, be sure to share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest?
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Chili con Carne
- ½ pound bacon diced into ¼ inch pieces, I like using uncured nitrate and nitrite free bacon
- 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10 but use your favorite
- 1 medium onion Finely diced, about 1 cup; divided – reserve ¼ -⅓ cup to serve with hot dogs
- 2-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika regular paprika may also be used.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour or sub with GF AP flour, may be omitted if desired.
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- ½ cup water rinse out tomato sauce can, and pour into chili
Chili Dog Bake
- 8 hot dog buns Use a quality hot dog bun here!
- 8 beef hot dogs all beef frankfurters preferred
- 1-1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- ⅓ cup onions diced
- 1-3 green onions chopped (optional)
- 1 recipe Chili con carne sauce above
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large pot, over medium-high heat until hot. Add diced bacon (½ pound) and cook until crisp, about 7-8 minutes; remove with spider or slotted spoon leaving bacon drippings behind.
- To the same pot, reduce heat to medium and add ground beef (1 pound) breaking into smaller pieces; add the diced onions (½ cup) and cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are soft. During last minute, stir in the minced garlic (2-4 cloves) and saute until fragrant. Drain any excess liquid.
- Stir in the chili powder (1 tablespoon), smoked paprika (1 ½ tsp), cumin (1 tsp), salt (½-1 tsp) and pepper, stirring for about 1-2 minutes until spices bloom (you can smell them!). Then stir in the flour (1 TBL), until the meat is coated, about 1 minute.
- Add tomato sauce (8 ounces), tomato paste (2 tablespoons), and brown sugar (2 tsp). Stir to combine, and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Pour ½ cup of water into the tomato sauce can, swirl around and add to thin out the chili to desired consistency.
- Stir in cooked bacon and water, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes until chili is thick and rich. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a large casserole dish.
- Place hot dog buns on a large baking sheet or casserole dish if desired, line with parchment paper. Open up the buns, then place a hot dog on each hot dog bun.
- Top each hot dog with chili (about ¼ – ½ cup) and a few tablespoons of shredded cheese.
- Cover with foil, then bake chili cheese dogs in for 10 minutes, uncover and bake additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with reserved diced onions and serve immediately.
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Notes
Substitutions and Add-Ins
- If preferred, swap the hot dog buns for crescent rolls or tortillas. Wrap the hot dog in the crescent dough or tortilla and set them in the baking dish, proceeding with the recipe as directed.
- Use red onions instead of yellow or white onions
- Add pickled jalapenos on top.
- Chicago style Chili Cheese Dog: Top with a little yellow mustard, a dill pickle spear, sweet pickle relish and sliced tomatoes.
- Make double batch of chili and serve over french fries, baked potatoes.
- Turn up the heat by adding pickled jalapenos on top.
- Choose healthier alternatives, like turkey bacon, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
- Classic chili cheese dogs don’t have beans in the chili sauce. However, you can add beans or use whatever type of chili you prefer.
- Try brats or chorizo instead of hot dogs.
- More delicious toppings are sliced banana peppers, pickled onions, crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream, or a drizzle of hot sauce.
- Make it a hot chili by adding hot paprika, diced jalapenos, or red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Mahy
Love it! These chili dogs are perfect entertainers for a small party. My friends will love it!
Yay!!!
DK
I love this recipe! It reminds me of when I was a kid… after tee-ball practice my mom would always buy me a chili dog at the stand. Except this recipe tastes so much better! Hearty chili on top of a delicious dog – can’t get any better!
What’s great story!! Thanks for sharing!
Shelby
This is such a delicious take on a comforting classic!
Thank you!
MacKenzie
Such a fun recipe I just added it to the menu for the Super Bowl. We are going to love this one.
Perfect!!!!
Gianne
The combination of juicy hot dogs, savory chili, and melted cheese was a game changer. So easy to make and perfect for a quick and tasty meal.
So glad you liked them!