Baked chili cheese dogs topped with beef chili, a creamy smoked cheddar cheese sauce, and a few choice garnishes are a fun dinner or game day meal. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover chili.

A bowl of chili is great on a cold day, but eating the same leftovers for days is not my idea of fun. So here’s an idea: repurpose the leftover chili and make baked chili cheese dogs.

Any chili you like will work (I have some suggestions later in the post), but what makes these special is the creamy smoked cheddar cheese sauce. It’s a breeze to make, and the velvety sauce takes the dogs to a whole new level.

Ingredients

Chili: I like my slow cooker no-bean chili for chili dogs. It’s easy to make, and the consistency is perfect for spooning over the dogs. That said, any chili you like will work. For other ideas, see my chili recipes round-up.
All-beef hot dogs
Top-sliced hot dog buns
Unsalted butter
Shredded smoked cheddar cheese: You can swap the smoked cheddar cheese for regular cheddar cheese or try pepper jack cheese.
Cornstarch
Half and half
Kosher salt
Parsley
Garnishes: I like finely chopped red onion and parlsey or cilantro.

How to Make Them

☑️ Warm the Hot Dogs

Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the hot dogs and cook them for a few minutes until the skin crisps. Remove them from the pan.

process shots on how to make the cheese sauce.

☑️ Make the Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Toss the cornstarch with the shredded cheese in a bowl, so it’s evenly coated.

In the same skillet, warm the heavy cream over medium heat. Add the cheese and salt and stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.

☑️ Bake the Chili Dogs

Place the buns in a baking dish and a hot dog in each. Spoon chili over the top, and then add the cheese sauce.

Bake the chili dogs for 20 minutes at 350°F or until the chili is warmed.

process photos showing how to assemble the hotdogs.

☑️ Garnish and Serve

Garnish the chili cheese dogs with chopped parsley and diced onion, and sprinkle more shredded cheese on top.

More Recipes to Try

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

Baked chili cheese dogs topped with beef chili, a creamy smoked cheddar cheese sauce, and a few choice garnishes are a fun dinner or game day meal. Plus, It’s a great way to use up leftover chili.

5 from 1 rating

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Author: April Anderson

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 all-beef hot dogs
6 top-sliced hot dog buns
1/2 cup no-bean chili or another chili you like
1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional garnishes: Chopped parsley finely diced red onion, shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the hot dogs and cook them for a few minutes until the skin crisps up. Take them out of the pan.
In a bowl, toss the cornstarch with the shredded cheese so it’s evenly coated.
In the same skillet, warm the heavy cream over medium heat. Add the cheese and salt and stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Place the buns in a baking dish and place a hot dog in each. Spoon chili over the top and then add the cheese sauce.
Bake the hot dogs for 20 minutes or until the chili is warmed through.
Garnish the chili dogs with chopped parsley, diced onion, and a little more shredded cheese.