Creamed Corn – A quick, easy, and comforting side dish made with fresh off-the-cob corn. It’s simmered in butter, milk, and cream with savory garlic and a kick of spice. Undeniably delicious! 😋
I’ve never served this creamed corn recipe to someone who didn’t go for seconds. Even picky eaters are over the moon with this recipe. There may be a million tasty ways to prepare corn, but creamed corn is always right up there at the top of my “favorite corn recipes” list.
Cutting corn kernels straight off the cob and pulsing them in the blender releases a milky deliciousness that makes the base for this cozy side dish. That, combined with the creamy milk “sauce,” and you’ve got the perfect balance of savory and sweet. It’s one of those dishes that goes well with just about any main course.
Why Make Creamed Corn From Scratch?
Now, I know you can buy canned creamed corn and warm it up on the stove in just 5 minutes, but this recipe doesn’t take that much longer to make (only about 15 minutes), and it tastes infinitely better! I promise that once you try it, you’ll never want to go the canned route again.
Another plus? You can customize creamed corn at home to fit your taste buds. And my final argument: you’ll have the “I made this from scratch” bragging rights that come with all homemade dishes. 😉
Recipe Ingredients
- Corn – I love to make this recipe with fresh corn, but you could easily use canned or frozen corn instead.
- Dairy – Butter, milk, and cream make this dish rich and flavorful.
- Seasonings – Minced garlic and jalapeno pepper, Creole seasoning, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce give this dish a surprising but delightful complexity of flavors. (Not to mention a nice little kick for all you spicy fans out there! 😜)
How to Make Creamed Corn
- Prep the Corn – Remove the corn’s husk and, using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob from top to bottom. Collect the kernels with their juices in a large bowl or cake pan. Using the back of the knife, squeeze the corn milk from the cobs. Repeat with each cob of corn. (Photos 1-2)
- Saute the Seasonings – Add your butter to a large skillet over medium heat, let it melt, then toss in the garlic, jalapeno peppers, and Creole seasoning. Stir for about a minute until it’s fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic. (Photo 3)
- Add the Corn – Combine fresh corn, flour (omit if going gluten-free), and milk, stirring until the flour absorbs into the liquid. Add the corn mixture to the pan, followed by the Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste. (Photo 4-5)
- Simmer – Bring it all to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. If desired, you may add cream at this point. Continue cooking for 7-10 minutes or more, depending on your preferred thickness. (Photo 6)
- Taste Test the creamed corn and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
- Serve – Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Add some creative toppings. Bacon bits, broccoli florets, finely diced ham, or toasted breadcrumbs all make great creamed corn toppers.
- Make it cheesy! Stir in a handful (or more) of your favorite melty cheese for a unique twist on this cream corn recipe. I’d go with cheddar myself, but you do you! 😁
- Make a milder, sweeter version of creamed corn by leaving out the jalapenos and the Creole seasoning and adding just a tablespoon of sugar. It almost tastes like dessert this way. 💕
Tips and Tricks
- For an extra smooth and creamy creamed corn, blend up about ½ of the corn before cooking.
- If, when you’ve finished cooking this meal, it seems too thick to you, adjust the consistency by adding milk, a little at a time, until it’s perfectly creamy.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can easily make creamed corn ahead of time. Just follow the recipe and let it cool completely before storing it in a sealable container in the fridge. Then warm it up over medium-low heat, stirring frequently on the stovetop when ready to serve.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve cream corn piping hot with some pretty garnishes if you feel fancy. Add some extra butter if you want it extra buttery, too.
You can store leftover cream corn in the fridge for 3-4 days. Or you can freeze it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for three months. Thaw it out in the fridge the night before serving it.
Reheat it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until it’s heated through. Or pop individual servings in the microwave to reheat.
FAQs
The flour thickens the liquids in cream corn, giving it its well-known consistency. You’ll also get an excellent, thick cream corn if you blend half the corn instead of leaving it all whole.
You may want to give the cream corn a little longer on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. The last part of this recipe, where the creamed corn cooks on low heat, is super important. This is when the cream elements really start to thicken up. If you’ve been cooking it a while and it’s still too runny, mix a spoonful of flour with a tablespoon of cool water to make a slurry, then slowly add it to the pan while constantly stirring.
Season it up! If you’re in a pinch and all you’ve got is canned cream corn, imitate the seasonings used in this recipe to give it plenty of flavor. Creole seasoning, sauteed garlic and jalapeno, Worcestershire sauce, and butter will ensure the canned corn doesn’t taste too bland.
What Goes With Creamed Corn
Cream corn goes fantastic with a mouthwatering whole roast chicken and green beans and bacon! But it can take on a whole life of its own if you let it.
Try pouring this cream corn recipe over a healthy serving of garlic mashed potatoes. It tastes amazing! Or use this homemade cream corn as a component of a jalapeno corn casserole. Also insanely delicious. 🤤
More Soul-Satisfying Corn Recipes to Try
- Scalloped Corn
- Mexican Cornbread
- Trinidad-Style Corn Soup
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Southern Corn Salad
- Couscous Mango Corn Salad
Conclusion
Corn lovers, this one is for you! Creamy and just a little spicy, I am happy to share this go-to corn side with ya. Have you tried this recipe yet? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in September 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Creamed Corn
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cob about 5 cups of corn (any variety or color)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- ½ jalapenos pepper minced
- 1-2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½-¾ cup cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the corn's husk and, using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob from top to bottom. Collect the kernels with their juices in a large bowl or cake pan. Using the back of the knife, squeeze the corn milk from the cobs. Repeat with each cob of corn.
- Add your butter to a large skillet over medium heat, let it melt, then toss in the garlic, jalapeno peppers, and Creole seasoning. Stir for about a minute until it's fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Combine fresh corn, flour, and milk, stirring until the flour absorbs into the liquid.
- Add the corn mixture to the pan, followed by the Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. If desired, you may add cream at this point. Continue cooking for 7-10 minutes or more, depending on your preferred thickness.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. If desired, you may add cream here or continue cooking for about 7-10 minutes or more depending on preference.
- Taste the creamed corn and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
- Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- For an extra smooth and creamy creamed corn, blend up about ½ of the corn before cooking.
- If, when you’ve finished cooking this meal, it seems too thick to you, adjust the consistency by adding milk, a little at a time, until it’s perfectly creamy.
- You can also use frozen or canned corn in place of fresh corn.
- Serve with extra butter if you want more buttery flavor into it.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
April says
What is the cream that is used?
Imma says
Hi April, it is heavy cream.
Wifeofthelacq says
Love all your recipes
ImmaculateBites says
So glad to hear this :)!
RG says
Fiber is so important. Can you provide the fiber/serving? I really like your blog. Thanks, Rodney
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Rodney, Thanks for trying out my recipes, I will definitely pass this on to the developers of the plugin. They seem to make it all happen.