Turn an ordinary corn dog into the cutest lunch or dinner. These Corn Dog Bumble Bees are easy to make and will brighten your kid's day.
I originally made these bumble bee corn dogs for our Carnival of the Creepy Crawlers Halloween party. I served them along with Mini Corn Dog Centipedes and Caterpillars, a Giant Cake Ball Spider, an OREO Cheese Ball Rat, a Slithering Snake Snack, and Spider Infested Chocolate Chip Cookies.
They are so cute that they'd be fun to make for other holidays too.
When I began creating recipes for Valentine's Day, I looked at so many images of bumble bees on Valentine's Day cards that say, "Be mine" or "Bee Mine." I thought it would be fun to serve a bumble bee corn dog for that holiday too.
Serve them on a heart-shaped plate and pipe "Bee Mine" in mustard on the plate to create this cute family-friendly Valentine's Day recipe.
Let's make some Corn Dog Bumble Bees
Ingredients
corn dogs - Use store-bought corn dogs or make your own homemade corn dogs.
black food coloring - Gel or paste coloring will work best to give you nice opaque stripes on your bumble bees.
Tortilla chips - You'll want triangle-shaped chips to make the bumble bee wings.
chow mein noodles - Use 2 noodles to create antennae for the bumble bees.
Supplies
½-inch or 1-inch wide sponge roller or a ¼-inch wide flat paintbrush
small paintbrush
non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper
disposable plate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Unwrap the corn dogs and set them on a piece of non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Pour some black coloring onto a disposable plate. Do not dip a brush or roller directly into the jar of food coloring or you will contaminate the coloring in the jar.
To make thick stripes on your bumble bees, roll a brush into the food coloring and roll the coloring onto each corn dog to create two stripes (or use a paintbrush to paint 4-5 stripes on the corn dog.
If using a paintbrush instead, dip the brush into the coloring and then paint stripes onto your corn dogs. I liked the bumble bee that is pictured at the top of the post which has thinner stripes.
Paint eyes and a smile onto each corn dog.
Set the corn dogs on the lined baking sheet.
Bake the corn dogs according to package instructions. I don't recommend using the microwave, as the cornbread coating will be too soft to hold the tortilla chip wings in place.
Remove the corn dogs from the oven.
Press two corn tortilla chips into the middle of each corn dog bee, to create its wings. Add two chow mein noodles above the bee's eyes to create its antenna.
Serve hot.
Make ahead for a party.
If you are serving these at a party, bake the corn dogs according to the package instructions then add the wings and antenna and return to a 200-degree oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
Do not bake at 350 degrees with the corn chips and chow mein noodles attached as they will burn.
Note about black food coloring.
The black food coloring will turn your kid's tongue black. This is temporary! The coloring will go away once the kids brush their teeth.
The kids at our Halloween party thought that their black mouths were super cool. They all giggled as they showed off their colored tongues.
Variations
If you don't want to use a lot of black food coloring, you can make Corn Dog Butterflies instead! They are equally cute.
To make a butterfly, you'll insert four tortilla chip wings into the corn dog. I used nacho cheese tortilla chips so they'd have a fun orange color.
Insert the chow mein noodles coming out of the top of the corn dog and paint on a face using black food coloring.
If your kids don't like corn dogs, you can use chicken nuggets instead. Make these Chicken Nugget Butterflies for lunch or dinner. Your kids will love them!
Related Recipes
You might also like to make these other bumble bee cookies and cakes.
Recipe
Decorate a store-bought corn dog to look like a bumble bee using tortilla chip wings and choe mein noodle antennae.
- 4 corn dogs
- black food coloring, gel or paste color works best
- 8 tortilla chips
- 8 chow mein noodles or potato sticks
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
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Pour a small amount of black food coloring onto a disposable plate.
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Dip a paintbrush or foam roller into the black coloring and paint stripes onto the corn dog.
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Bake the corn dogs according to the package instructions (16-20 minutes).
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Remove the corn dogs from the oven and immediately insert two tortilla chip wings and two chow mein noodle antennae for each bumble bee corn dog.
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Serve while the corn dogs are hot.
These corn dogs are best served immediately after they are made but you can decorate your corn dogs with their stripes up to 2 days ahead. Keep them in the refrigerator then bake and decorate just before serving. DO NOT bake with the tortilla chip wings and chow mein noodle antennae. They will burn in a hot oven.
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Nicole says
In a comment above you suggested, "make thin stripes of black on your bumble bees and make them a day ahead of your party so the stripes have plenty of time to dry."
How would you make them a day ahead? Would you make the black icing stripes and put them back in the freezer (you do put the icing on them straight out of the freezer, right?)? or do you cook them, refrigerate them, and then re-heat them the next day?
Beth says
I would bake them and refrigerate them and reheat them. I actually did try this at one point years ago and the black stripes bled a little bit around the edges but it was nice to have them all made before my guests arrived.
Dawn Lindsey says
Super Cute! I did this for our letter B pre-school, home-school. My daughter loved it! I posted picture of our corndog Bee and posted a link to your blog on my facebook preschool page :0) https://www.facebook.com/dawnsdesigns22#
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Pinned! Thanks so much for sharing at Taking A Timeout Thursday!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thank you for the pin:)
MiaB says
Too Cute!! I've pinned this 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Sharing Saturday.
~MiaB
www.mamamiasheart2heart.com
Beth (www.livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com) says
Waaaaaaaaaay cute!!
Beth =-)
Not Your Ordinary Agent says
Oh my gosh! These are the cutest and most clever things I've ever seen. I'm making these for v-day!! Not Your Ordinary Agent Not Your Ordinary Recipes New Follower!
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks. If you make them, be sure to snap some pictures and send them to me at beth@hungryhappenings.com so I can post them in my Reader's Gallery. If you post them on your blog, I'll add a link too.
Crafty Mischief says
This is adorable! I love making fun meals for my kiddos! I found you through Making the World Cuter. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
About Mrs. G says
Could not be cuter! I will be making these soon!
new follower from food friday!
http://www.growingupgardner4.blogspot.com
Beth @ Hungry Happenings says
Hi Anonymous - The great thing about the corn dogs is that they are on sticks, so the kids have something to hold onto. The kids at our party thought it was fun that the bumble bee corn dogs temporarily turned their lips and teeth black (actually kind of purple). As soon as they drank something the color washed away, but that didn't stop the kids from showing off their colored teeth. The kids all thought the corn dog bumble bees were so much fun and this treat was much less messy than the cupcakes a friend brought to the party that were frosted in neon green icing. I found the icing on the back of my couch, on the carpet, and in the bathroom.
My suggestion is to make thin stripes of black on your bumble bees and make them a day ahead of your party so the stripes have plenty of time to dry. You can even roll the painted dogs in a paper towel to dab off any excess coloring.
Have fun and hope the kids enjoy your party!
Anonymous says
I love this idea!! I want to use it for my daughter's birthday party, but I'm worried about the black food coloring getting allover the children. Did you have the problem?
Kat says
That is too funny!