If you’re looking for the kind of easy, comforting supper that makes everyone at the table smile, these Garlic Butter Grilled Cheese Dogs are about to become a new favourite. They take everything we love about a classic grilled cheese and a good old-fashioned hot dog and bring them together in the most irresistible way — buttery, golden, cheesy, and just a little bit indulgent.
This is one of those fun, simple recipes that feels like a treat without asking much of you in the kitchen. A quick homemade garlic butter, a handful of melty cheese, and a few hot dogs are all you need to create something that tastes like summer fairs, childhood cookouts, and cozy weekend lunches rolled into one.
Whether you’re feeding kids, sharing a casual meal with friends, or just craving something nostalgic and delicious, these grilled cheese dogs hit the spot every single time. They’re easy, they’re satisfying, and they’re the kind of recipe you’ll want to tuck away for those nights when comfort food is calling your name.
Every Friday night when I was growing up my mother would cook us hotdogs for supper. Mom made the best hotdogs. She would slit the wieners almost all the way through and opening them up like a book. These would be placed cut side down on an electric grill that she had and they would be carefully toasted until golden brown on both sides.
She used the soft-sided, top-cut buns and those would be buttered and toasted on both sides as well. The two together . . . those crisp buttery buns and those golden crusty franks . . . were heaven on earth. I think that extra addition of love that she added made them even tastier.
I saw this recipe on All Recipes and decided to give them a go. I did cut the amounts in half and I made them my own way. But for the most part I did as they did and I had no problems to speak of. I do recommend you use a quality large frankfurter and not the regular sized ones for the best results, especially if you score them as per the recipe suggestion. I used regular sized ones first and they shrunk to half the size.
I have never been one for enjoying tomato ketchup on my hotdogs, just mustard, sometimes relish . . . and chopped raw onion. There was just enough cheese and garlic butter in these. I didn't brush any garlic butter on the franks themselves. I felt they held enough fat without adding more.
I think you could add some crispy salad onions (French's or Durkee's) for an additional layer of flavor, but all told these were pretty tasty as they were. A nice once-in-a-blue-moon treat as my daughter would say. We enjoyed with some cheeky potato chips on the side.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
GARLIC BUTTER GRILLED CHEESE DOGS
Simple. Simple. Simple.
- 1/4 cup (60g) garlic butter, softened (see notes)
- 4 hot dogs
- 4 hot dog buns
- 1 cup (115g) grated cheddar cheese
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
- I made my own garlic butter. I tell you how in the recipe notes. You can use a readymade garlic butter if you wish, but be aware that they use margarine and vegetable oils to make them.
- I used all beef juicy jumbo frankfurters. I actually used regular hot dogs first and I am not sure what they are doing these days when they make frankfurters, but they shriveled up into nothing. I discarded them and moved to the juicy jumbos. A good quality frank is a must. When it comes to frankfurters/wieners, you get what you pay for.
- Use a good sturdy bun, but a fresh one. You do not want them to tear apart while you are heating them up, grilling them, or eating them.
- I used strong cheddar cheese and I grated my own. I used a mix of white and orange, just what I had left in my cheese drawer.
HOW TO MAKE
GARLIC BUTTER GRILLED CHEESE DOGS
These are not all that difficult to make.
- Score your hotdogs and cook on a grill, according to your desired preference. (We like ours well done, with crispy skins. You may like yours done to a lesser degree. The original recipe recommended cooking them in an oven, but I felt that a grill gave me more control in that I could flip them, etc.)
- While the dogs are cooking, open out your hot dog buns and spread each with a portion of the garlic butter on the cut sides. (Be careful not to tear them through the whole way. You want both sides to stay attached to each other.)
- Place into a large skillet and toast butter side down over medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the skillet. Turn off the heat from the burner. (The pan will retain enough of the heat to melt the cheese without it scorching or burning.)
- Working with one bun at a time, place 1/4 of the cheese into the hot skillet. Place one bun, toasted side down on top of the cheese. Leave until the cheese melts. (Don't let the cheese brown.)
- Using a spatula, carefully remove and then repeat with the remaining buns and cheese. (It helps to use a non-stick pan.)
- Insert the grilled hot dogs into the buns and serve immediately with your favorite condiments. (We enjoyed a honey mustard sauce and chopped red onions.)
HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Score the hot dogs for more flavor
Scoring helps them brown more evenly and gives the garlic butter a place to cling, boosting that savory flavor.
Use softened, not melted, garlic butter
Softened butter brushes on smoothly and clings to the buns and dogs without soaking in too fast. Melted butter tends to run off and pool.
Toast the buns slowly for maximum golden color
The recipe calls for skillet-toasting the buns until golden brown . Medium heat gives you control — too hot and they scorch before crisping.
Choose a cheese that melts beautifully
The skillet cheese technique is the star of this recipe. A melty cheese like mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a cheddar works best.
Let the cheese fully melt before lifting the bun
Waiting until the cheese is fully melted and releasing naturally makes a big difference.
Don’t rush the “cheese blanket” step
When you lay the bun face-down on the cheese, leave it undisturbed until the cheese melts and adheres properly . Movement = sticking.
Bake the buns instead if you prefer less mess.
Cheese is at its best when warm and stretchy
Try different cheeses for fun variations
Sharp cheddar, Italian blends, smoked provolone — each gives a different personality.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT KIND OF HOT DOG BUNS ARE BEST?
You can use any type of hotdog buns that are available and that you enjoy. Make sure that your buns are fresh and large enough to hold the frankfurters you have chosen.
WHAT KIND OF HOT DOGS/FRANKFURTERS ARE BEST?
We prefer all-beef frankfurters. I used large ones this time, called Juicy Jumbos. I would also recommend Kirkland all-beef frankfurters. Use a good quality frankfurter.
WHAT KIND OF CHEESE DO YOU RECOMMEND?
I do like to grate my own cheese and I recommend a strong/sharp cheddar to give you the most flavor.
CAN THESE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
I do not recommend making these ahead of time.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED?
Absolutely. You can make as many of these as you wish by doubling or tripling the ingredients needed if you are feeding a crowd.
DO YOU NEED TO COOK THE FRANKFURTERS ON A GRILL?
No, you can pan fry them, or cook them in the oven. It's up to you.
WHAT TOPPINGS DO YOU SUGGEST?
I drizzled mine with honey mustard sauce and added some chopped red onions. You can use any hot dog toppings which you enjoy. Ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.
A FEW OTHER HOT DOG RECIPES TO ENJOY
If you are a fan of hot dogs, or frankfurters, you might also enjoy the following options.
CROISSANT HOT DOGS - The gold standard of hot dog extravagance. Toasted all butter croissants, filled with cheese and frankfurters. The croissants are split, filled with the cheese and toasted in the air fryer until the cheese melts. Top with the grilled hot dogs and your favorite condiments. Delicious. A rare treat.
BAKED CHILI CHEESE DOGS - This fabulously tasty and hearty recipe goes together in a flash and uses only a few simple ingredients. This family friendly recipe goes down a real treat and is perfect for those days when life gets really busy but you still want to feed your family a delicious meal! They are a real convenience meal, using store cupboard ingredients.
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Yield: 4 Hotdogs
Garlic Butter Grilled Cheese Dogs
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
Garlic buns filled with plenty of cheese and a nice all beef dog. Its simple really.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60g) garlic butter, softened (see notes)
- 4 hot dogs
- 4 hot dog buns
- 1 cup (115g) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Score your hotdogs and cook on a grill, according to your desired preference.
- While the dogs are cooking, open out your hot dog buns and spread each with a portion of the garlic butter on the cut sides.
- Place into a large skillet and toast butter side down over medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the skillet. Turn off the heat from the burner.
- Working with one bun at a time, place 1/4 of the cheese into the hot skillet. Place one bun, toasted side down on top of the cheese. Leave until the cheese melts.
- Using a spatula, carefully remove and then repeat with the remaining buns and cheese.
- Insert the grilled hot dogs into the buns and serve immediately with your favorite condiments.
Notes
To make your own garlic butter, whip the butter together with 1 tsp of garlic powder (not salt) and 1 tsp of parsley flakes.
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If you love deviled eggs and a good pasta salad, this Deviled Egg Pasta Salad is about to become your new summertime favourite. It’s creamy, tangy, and loaded with all the comforting flavours you’d expect — tender elbow macaroni, perfectly cooked hard‑boiled eggs, smoky bacon, and a deviled‑egg inspired dressing that brings everything together in the most delicious way.
It’s rich without being heavy, easy to make ahead, and just right for BBQs, potlucks, or simple weekday lunches when you want something satisfying and familiar. A true crowd‑pleaser that tastes even better after a little chill time in the fridge.
This was a salad that I had wanted to try for quite a while. We all love Deviled Eggs and we love pasta salad, so combining the two loves just seemed like genius to me! This is salad season and I am trying to give as many cold salads a go as I can. Variety is the spice of life!
This was a particularly delicious version with tender pieces of macaroni and a rich egg yolk dressing, which was flavored with all of the usual deviled egg suspects, a snappy Dijon mustard, delicious kewpie mayonnaise and a slight tang from the use of cider vinegar. Salt, pepper, garlic and paprika completed the flavor profile of the dressing.
In addition to the macaroni there were chopped egg white, smoky crumbled crispy bacon bits and sharp spring onions. A delicious trifecta of tastes and textures.
This was really delicious and did indeed taste quite a bit like Deviled Eggs! All of the flavors and textures went very well together, with the balance between them being perfect. We enjoyed this along with some other goodies for our Canada Day celebrations! I did cut the original recipe in half and this was just enough for both Eileen and I to enjoy on the day and as leftovers the next day.
If you enjoy pasta salads and are looking for something a tiny bit different I highly recommend!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
DEVILED EGG PASTA SALAD
As I always say, simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way.
- 1 cup (230g) elbow macaroni
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 cup (115g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp paprika plus more to sprinkle
- 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed, chopped and divided
- 2 TBS crumbled cooked bacon
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
- I used elbow macaroni, but you can use any short or small shaped pasta. Use one which will hug the dressing.
- I use my electric egg boiler to hard boil my eggs. It gives perfectly cooked eggs every time.
- When boiling eggs, bear in mind that older eggs peel easier than fresh eggs.
- I used Kewpie Mayonnaise.
- Dijon mustard gives a mellow warmth without it being to vinegary.
- You could use one clove of garlic, peeled and finely minced instead of the garlic powder
- I used Kirkland cooked bacon crumbles. They are made from real bacon.
HOW TO MAKE
DEVILED EGG PASTA SALAD
This is not very difficult to make at all. Just follow the directions and you will be in like Flynn!
- Cook the macaroni to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well. Rinse in cold water and drain again. Place into a medium sized bowl. (Rinsing it is very important. This helps to rinse off any starch and will help to keep the pasta from sticking together. It is also important that you drain it very well.)
- Remove the yolks from the eggs and coarsely chop the whites. Place the whites in the bowl with the pasta. (Don't chop the egg whites too finely, neither should you leave them in really large pieces.)
- Mash the yolks really well in a smaller bowl. (I usually grate mine with a micro plane grater.) Stir in the Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and all of the seasonings. Mix well together. Taste and adjust as desired. (Its important to taste and adjust as needed.)
- Add the crumbled bacon and all but 2 TBS of the chopped onion to the pasta and egg whites. Toss together to combine. (The reserved onion will be used as a garnish. If desired you can save a bit of the bacon to sprinkle over top as well.)
- Fold in the yolk and mayonnaise mixture. Combine thoroughly. Spoon into a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle the top with a bit more paprika and the remaining green onions. (As I said you can also save a bit of bacon to sprinkle over top.)
- Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. (This will keep for up to four days.)
FIVE RULES TO FOLLOW
WHEN MAKING PASTA SALADS
1. Always make sure to use the right type of pasta shape for your particular salad. This depends on the dressing you are using. A vinaigrette dressing is suited to almost any shape, but if you are using a creamy dressing you will want to use a pasta which will hug onto and hold the dressing.
2. Take care not to over cook the pasta, or under cook the pasta. Remember your pasta will absorb some of the dressing and soften a bit upon standing, so you want your pasta to be cooked just to al dente. Crunchy under-cooked pasta is never good any time. Follow the directions included on your package of pasta to get it right!
3. Make sure you season your pasta right, which means cooking it in salted boiling water, and then tasting it when its done. If you think it needs a bit more salt or pepper then add it. Just be careful not to add too much. You cannot remove what is already done.
4. Unless otherwise directed do not dress your pasta salads while the pasta is still warm. Warm pasta will soak up all of your dressing and leave you with a dry pasta salad. You can add half of the dressing while it is still warm, but hold off on adding the remainder until the salad is completely cold.
5. Take care not to make your salad too far in advance or you will end up with a bowl of soggy pasta. Making it on the day you are actually going to serve it is a great rule of thumb to follow.
If you follow these five rules there is no reason why your pasta salads can not all be delicious and popular at any gathering!
One final rule, less is more! Don't be tempted to go overboard with either the dressing or the add ins!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CAN THIS TASTY SALAD BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, in fact it tastes even better after sitting for a time. Just make, cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. You may need to add a bit more mayonnaise as the macaroni will absorb some of the dressing as it sits.
WHAT PASTA SHAPES WORK BEST IN THIS SALAD?
Small shapes that will cup the dressing work best. Elbow macaroni, small shell macaroni, ditalini, rotini.
CAN I LEAVE OUT THE BACON?
Yes, for a vegetarian version you can absolutely leave out the bacon.
HOW LONG WILL THIS SALAD KEEP?
Tightly covered and refrigerated, this salad will keep for up to four days.
A FEW OTHER PASTA SALAD RECIPES TO ENJOY
We love pasta salads and there is no end to their variety. Here are a few more for you to enjoy!
BACON & TOMATO PASTA SALAD - A hearty, summer‑ready salad. Tender fusilli is tossed with crisp smoky bacon, sweet cherry tomatoes, snappy spring onions, and crunchy celery, all wrapped in a creamy, tangy blend of good mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, and a splash of cider vinegar for brightness. It’s the kind of dish that feels familiar and comforting, yet still special enough for luncheons, potlucks, or a sunny supper on the patio. Save a handful of bacon to sprinkle over the top before serving — that final smoky crunch makes every bite irresistible. A true winner‑winner, and one guaranteed to disappear quickly from the bowl.
MACARONI COLESLAW - Macaroni Coleslaw is the kind of joyful summer mash‑up that makes you wonder why we haven’t all been combining these two classics forever. It’s crisp, creamy, and wonderfully textured — a tumble of crunchy cabbage, carrots, cucumber, celery, green pepper, spring onions, and those irresistible little bites of water chestnut for extra snap . Tender ditalini (or any nook‑and‑cranny pasta you love) catches every drop of the sweet, tangy, creamy dressing, making each forkful a perfect balance of freshness and comfort
Pin this delicious recipe to your Salad or Pasta Recipe boards and remember to FOLLOW ME on Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram!
That way you can be assured that you are always up to date with fresh content as soon as I post it. You can also sign up to receive a weekly newsletter from Grow. Thank you!
Yield: Serves 4
Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
A rich and delicious pasta salad with a tangy deviled egg dressing. Perfect to serve for picnics and cook-outs!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230g) elbow macaroni
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 cup (115g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp paprika plus more to sprinkle
- 2 spring onions, washed, trimmed, chopped and divided
- 2 TBS crumbled cooked bacon
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni to al dente according to the package directions. Drain well. Rinse in cold water and drain again. Place into a medium sized bowl.
- Remove the yolks from the eggs and coarsely chop the whites. Place the whites in the bowl with the pasta.
- Mash the yolks really well in a smaller bowl. (I usually grate mine with a micro plane grater. Stir in the Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and all of the seasonings. Mix well together. Taste and adjust as desired.
- Add the crumbled bacon and all but 2 TBS of the chopped onion to the pasta and egg whites. Toss together to combine.
- Fold in the yolk and mayonnaise mixture. Combine thoroughly. Spoon into a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle the top with a bit more paprika and the remaining green onions.
- Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.
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