A corn dog is a sausage coated in cornmeal batter and deep-fried, often served on a stick in the United States.
The batter forms a crisp, golden shell around the sausage. The sausage is commonly a hot dog, although regional versions can use other types of cooked sausage. Sticks make the snack easy to hold at fairs, sporting events, and food stands.
The corn dog became strongly associated with American state fairs during the twentieth century. Several vendors and inventors have claimed credit for its creation, so no single universally accepted inventor is established.
Corn dogs differ from pigs in blankets, which generally wrap sausages in pastry or bread dough and are baked. The defining feature of a corn dog is its cornmeal batter and fried coating.