Corn pudding is creamy, buttery, sweet, custardy, and the perfect side dish for special occasions or a weeknight family meal. A few pantry staples and no need for mixers give you an easy dump, mix, and bake comfort food in a casserole!
This barely-sweet side dish is one of my favorites to pair with decadent holiday meals because it’s pretty, custardy, and creamy, but that’s not the only time you’ll find it on my table. When corn hits its peak season in the summer, one of the first things I make with it is this corn pudding.
Honestly, I eat it for breakfast or an afternoon snack because, believe it or not, corn pudding and coffee are amazing together. Besides ticking all the boxes for a corn lover like me, this recipe is seriously easy to make. You literally toss all the ingredients in a casserole dish, mix them up, and bake for just under an hour. It cannot get any easier than that!
Corn Pudding: A Southern Delicacy
If you aren’t familiar with this dish, you may be wondering, just what is it? This Southern classic is essentially a rich custard dish featuring sweet corn and cornmeal. It’s slightly sweet (thanks to the corn) and has a beautiful pudding-like texture. Trust me, one bite, and you’ll be hooked.
How to Make Corn Pudding
- Whisk milk, eggs, heavy cream, sour cream, and melted butter in a large bowl. (Photos 1-2)
- Add flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, sweet corn, grated nutmeg, and jalapenos, and mix thoroughly. (Photos 3-4)
- Pour the corn pudding batter into your prepared casserole dish. (Photo 5)
- Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until set and golden brown on top. (Photo 6)
- Serve – Cool for a few minutes before serving so it firms up a little and doesn’t burn your tongue.
Recipe Variations
- You can really go crazy with variations. You can make it cheesy by adding ½ cup of Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Colby Jack cheese.
- You could make a Mexican version by adding a can of chopped green chilies, sauteed onions and peppers, cumin and chili powder, some chopped cilantro, and even browned sausage or chorizo!
- Add feta cheese, chopped olives, roasted peppers, and some fresh rosemary if you’re big on Mediterranean food. This dish does great with all kinds of add-ins.
Tips and Tricks
- Other recipes call only for milk, but I suggest not skipping the heavy cream because it’s way more decadent with the heavy cream in the mix.
- Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while whisking until smooth for a smoother texture.
- If you want a soufflé-like texture, don’t overbake this corn pudding. Pull it out of the oven when it’s just set.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Prepare this dish ahead of time by mixing up all the ingredients, sealing your mixing dish with plastic wrap, and letting it sit in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
Alternatively, you can bake it two days before serving it. Let the casserole cool completely before sealing your casserole dish with a lid or plastic wrap and storing it in the fridge. To reheat, pop it in a 300℉ (150℃) oven for 10-20 minutes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, you can put the whole casserole dish back in the oven, uncovered, for 10-20 minutes at 300℉ (150℃). You can also reheat individually-sized portions in the microwave.
FAQs
Cornbread is a quick bread featuring cornmeal. It’s dry enough that you can slice and butter it before digging in. However, corn pudding is moister and best eaten with a spoon. Plus, it features dairy and eggs, making it more of a custard than bread.
Corn pudding is quite moist, but it shouldn’t be runny. If it is, you may have underbaked it. You’ll know it’s done when the edges are slightly browned, and it’s only just jiggly in the center. You can also insert a toothpick in the pudding to test its doneness. If it comes out clean, the corn pudding is ready.
There are two possibilities. First, you may have been off on your measurements with the liquid ingredients. Baking usually requires exact measurements, so stick to the recipe. The second possibility is that you overbaked it. Remember the tips mentioned in the last question to get a perfectly baked, moist corn pudding.
What Goes With Corn Pudding
I love it with roasted meat, like roasted chicken, turkey, or even ham. It also pairs well with other sides, particularly Southern favorites. Try it with green bean casserole, sweet potato salad, or Southern mustard greens.
More Fabulous Corn Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
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