Coney Island Inspired Mini Hot Dogs with Chili Cheese Queso
Meet Your Future Party Staple
Coney Island Inspired Mini Hot Dogs with Chili Cheese Queso is a snack that will impress your guests. This is perfect for a football Sunday or game night.
Easy to prep and assemble ahead of time and bake when ready to be served. Be prepared to get asked to make these for every party!
My Hot Dog Inspiration
I had never had a TRUE Coney Dog until Mister Tipsy and I drove up to Detroit for WWE SummerSlam, a couple of summers ago. We stopped off in a town called Ypsilanti, MI to try a Coney at a place called Bill’s Drive In.
We had these Coney Dogs that had a delicious chili, cheese, and very small, tiny, cut onions. I have been thinking about them ever since.
This is how the idea of these Coney Island Inspired Mini Hot Dogs with Chili Cheese Queso was born.
NOT Authentic
In no way, shape, or form am I claiming that this appetizer is a TRUE Coney Dog. I simply said it was inspired by this delicious dog I had in Michigan.
I like the idea of the chili cheese dip I made for these because you can also serve tortilla chips with this dip and you have a double appetizer.
Keep It Warm
You can make the chili cheese queso ahead of time and keep it warm in a slow cooker at your party. This has a long life in a slow cooker.
Another great idea is to make this as a topper for baked potatoes. I have the best method for making Perfect Baked Potatoes on my site.
The Makings Of The Queso
The chili cheese queso is very simple to make. You will see on the one page recipe card below for how it all comes together.
One ingredient I like to use is the McCormick Chili Seasoning Packet. You can find this in any grocery store.
It is in the aisle with the gravy mixes. It adds great flavor without adding heat that burns your mouth.
Puffy Dogs
I used the Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets. You can also use crescent rolls if you don’t want to deal with the puff pastry, but I find the puff pastry really easy to use.
I use the cheddar mini smokies, but you can use any small wieners that you like.
Wrap Your Wieners
You will see the step where you wrap each dog in the dough. You do not have to cover the whole dog, you sort of wrap it like a taco.
This is so they puff up when baking and split open like a hot dog bun. This way you have a place to put the toppings.
Serve As A “Build Your Own” Board
I put all the toppings in small bowls on a board, along with the dogs, so that guests could top their dogs how they wanted. This is a fun appetizer that everyone can customize themselves!
They also keep better then if topped all at once.
Coney Island Inspired Mini Hot Dogs with Chili Cheese Queso
Coney Island Inspired Mini Hot Dogs with Chili Cheese Queso. Platter these babies up for a snack that will impress your guests. This is perfect for a football Sunday or game night. Easy to prep and assemble ahead of time and bake when ready to be served. Be prepared to get asked to make these for every party!
Ingredients
- 2 twelve ounce package of Little Smokies (or other mini sausages)
- 1 lb of lean ground beef
- 1 twenty eight ounce jar of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons of dried, minced onion
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper *optional
- 7 ounces of diced, canned tomatoes
- 1 packet of McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning (found by the gravy packets)
- 1 small, white onion, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard
- 1 package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets *thawed
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon of water
Instructions
- In a skillet, brown your ground beef.
- Dice your green pepper very finely and add to the beef as it is cooking.
- Fully cook the beef and break it up into a fine crumble as you cook it. Cook until it is done and the peppers are soft.
- Add the minced onion, garlic, and onion powders and cayenne if using. Cook together for 5 minutes. Then add the diced, canned tomatoes. Add the packet of chili seasoning, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the entire jar of the salsa con queso, stir occasionally and simmer covered for 20 minutes on low.
- While this simmers, cut your puff pastry dough into circles or small squares and wrap each mini sausage with the pastry dough. The sausage does not have to be fully covered. I wrap them like a taco so you have room for toppings after they bake. Place them on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray with room for them to expand slightly.
- Whisk the egg with the water and brush each mini dog with this mixture.
- Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
- Serve on a platter with the chili cheese dip you made, a little bowl of the finely minced white onion, and a small bowl of the mustard.
- Everyone can top their dogs how they like.