You can’t sink your teeth into this tiny version of a hotdog. But the satisfaction of molding a miniature replica of one of America’s favorite foods with your kids will come from the mashing, rolling, and slicing it takes to get it to look just right. Start by using colors that match the real thing. Although most brands sort of look the same in the supermarket, these cousins to the sausage can vary from a lighter pink to deep red. Choose a brand and shade of dough you have on hand that works for your little frankfurter, then find some white and light brown for the bun, and some bright red and yellow for the condiments.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Modeling dough (pink, white, tan, yellow and red).
- Library card for slicing and spreading.
- Magic marker for rolling.
- Non-toxic sealer for finishing (optional).


Instructions:
- Pull off a piece of red or pink dough, roll it into a ball, then roll it into a worm.
- Use a library card to slice off about an inch and a half of the cylinder.
- Use the card to make a star imprint on each end of the fake hotdog and set it aside.
- Roll a thicker piece of white dough into a ball, then roll it into a thicker cylinder about twice the thickness but the same length of the hotdog. Round the ends with your fingers and set it aside.
- Roll your light brown dough into a ball and use a roller to spread it very thin but make sure there are no holes in it.
- Wrap the thin brown sheet around the white dough shape. Try to wrap it as tightly as you can without tearing it. Use scissors to trim the overlapping brown, but make sure you completely cover the white. Gently tap and press the brown around the white to smooth it.
- Use your card to cut a slit, lengthwise across the brown and white shape, but don’t cut it in half. This will be your hotdog bun. Once you’ve sliced it about halfway through, gently pull it open and sit your hotdog in it.
- Almost done. Now let’s add some ketchup and mustard. Take a small piece of red and roll it into a skinny string. Arrange it on top of your hotdog like the ketchup on a real hotdog.
- Repeat Step. 8 with your yellow dough. Roll it into a thin string and arrange it on your hotdog.
- Let your little hotdog air dry for about a week.
- You can go a step further to preserve it by adding a coat of gloss, non-toxic finisher. Be sure to give the sealer about a week to dry (cure) as well.
Voila!
Miniature Hot Dog Replica
Materials
- Pink or red modeling dough.
- White dough.
- Yellow dough.
- Red dough.
- Library card or scraper.
- Marker or Acrylic Roller.
- Modge Podge optional
- Brush optional
Instructions
- Pull off a piece of red or pink dough, roll itinto a ball, then roll it into a worm.
- Use a library card to slice off about an inchand a half of the cylinder.
- Use the card to make a star imprint on each endof the fake hotdog and set it aside.
- Roll a thicker piece of white dough into a ball,then roll it into a thicker cylinder about twice the thickness but the samelength of the hotdog. Round the ends with your fingers and set it aside.
- Roll your light brown dough into a ball and usea roller to spread it very thin but make sure there are no holes in it.
- Wrap the thin brown sheet around the white doughshape. Try to wrap it as tightly as you can without tearing it. Use scissors totrim the overlapping brown, but make sure you completely cover the white.Gently tap and press the brown around the white to smooth it.
- Use your card to cut a slit, lengthwise acrossthe brown and white shape, but don’t cut it in half. This will be your hotdogbun. Once you’ve sliced it about halfway through, gently pull it open and sityour hotdog in it.
- Almost done. Now let’s add some ketchup and mustard. Take a small piece of red and roll it into a skinny string. Arrange it on top of your hotdog like the ketchup on a real hotdog.
- Repeat Step. 8 with your yellow dough. Roll itinto a thin string and arrange it on your hotdog.
- Let your little hotdog air dry for about a week.
- You can go a step further to preserve it by adding a coat of gloss, non-toxic sealer. Be sure to give the sealer about a week to dry (cure) as well.
About Post Author
Joey Johnson
Joey is a graphic artist, a maker, and a producer. She owns Bulb Graphics, LLC (bulbgraphics.com), a twenty-year-old boutique graphic design agency.