Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (2024)

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (1)

Corn pudding is a buttery, gluten-free Southern side dish that's great to make for the holidays and other special occasions, especially Thanksgiving. Made with creamed corn, corn kernels, butter, milk, and seasoned with various spices, corn pudding has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory – just like grandma's. It's technically a casserole with a creamy custard-like texture on the inside and a crisp outside.

This easy-to-make side dish is ideal when you want to serve up a hearty, flavorful recipe that doesn't take too much effort. Whether you're making it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because, your family is sure to love this old-fashioned corn pudding recipe!

What is Corn Pudding?

Corn pudding is a classic creamy side dish with an almost custard-like consistency that's incredibly popular throughout the Southern United States and along the East Coast. Also called pudding corn, hoppy glop or spoon bread, corn pudding is said to be a recipe of Native Americans who combined corn, milk and water.

Nowadays, thanks to a thickening agent such as cornstarch, it's thicker, creamier and richer than a traditional corn casserole and cornbread as the recipe calls for five eggs too. Corn pudding tastes amazing served hot straight out of the oven, but it's easy to make ahead and warm up before serving.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (2)

Corn Pudding Ingredients

Corn pudding is made from two types of corn – whole corn kernels and canned creamed corn.

Milk and melted butter give this dish its creamy, fluffy texture.

A little sugar makes corn pudding perfectly sweet while cornstarch will thicken the mixture, and salt will balance flavors.

Use eggs at room temperature for making this corn pudding soft, fluffy on the inside.

Unlike cornbread, which is often made with Jiffy cornbread mix, corn pudding is completely gluten-free!

How to Make Corn Pudding

Corn pudding is virtually effortless to make. Start by heating your oven to 400°F/205°C and greasing a baking dish with cooking spray or butter. In a bowl, beat eggs lightly. Mix in the drained corn kernels, and creamed corn.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the dry ingredients until they're well-combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the corn mixture and stir. Beat in the milk and melted butter, then pour the batter into your greased baking dish. Bake your corn pudding for 1 hour, then take it out of the oven and serve it warm.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (3)

Tips for Making the Best Corn Pudding

Use any type of milk to make your corn pudding. Whole, skim, or plant-based all work well in this recipe.

If your corn pudding is runny, try adding a little extra cornstarch.

If you don't have any cornstarch on hand, you can substitute it with flour or arrowroot powder. You'll need some type of thickening agent otherwise, your corn pudding will wind up watery.

For a more savory corn pudding, leave out sugar and add shredded cheese.

If you want to bulk out your corn pudding, you can use Jiffy cornbread mix.

It's easy to mix in tasty additions to your corn pudding. Add in dry mustard, onions, ham, sausage, spring onions, broccoli, bell peppers, chopped herbs, and more! For a Tex-Mex variation, add in jalapeños and pepper jack cheese.

Can You Make Corn Pudding Ahead of Time?

You can make raw corn pudding up to two days ahead of time. Just assemble the mixture, refrigerate it and pop it in the oven until warm through before serving it. If have frozen the mixture, add extra 35-45 minutes to the baking time.

What to Serve with Corn Pudding

Corn pudding is a phenomenal side dish that you can serve with all sorts of tasty meals. Serve it with roast turkey or chicken, corned beef, fried chicken, ham, or chili. A side of green beans, roasted carrots or potatoes, and a green salad are perfect for making a complete meal.

How to Store and Reheat Corn Pudding

Wrap cool corn pudding or place it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.Before serving, reheat it in the oven or microwave until warmed through.

Can You Freeze Corn Pudding?

You can definitely freeze corn pudding. Once it has cooled, transfer the corn pudding to an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that the texture may change once thawed as it's rich in dairies.

In case you want to freeze the corn pudding from the beginning, it is best to cook it directly in a pan. Let it cool completely, then wrap the whole pan tightly in food wrap and then in another layer of foil. When you want to serve it, remember to thaw it first in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in the oven or microwave.

Ingredients

Whole Kernel Corn, drained

1 15-ounce can

Large eggs

5

Granulated sugar

1/2 cup

Cornstarch

4 tbsp

salt

1 1/2 tsp

Milk

1/2 cup

butter, melted

1/2 cup

Instructions

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (4)

Step 1

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F/205°C. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.

Preheat your oven to 400°F/205°C. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (5)

Step 2

Step 2

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, then combine creamed corn, and drained corn kernels.

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs, then combine creamed corn, and drained corn kernels.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (6)

Step 3

Step 3

In a separate small bowl, whisk sugar and cornstarch to combine.

In a separate small bowl, whisk sugar and cornstarch to combine.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (7)

Step 4

Step 4

Pour the dry ingredients into the corn mixture and stir.

Pour the dry ingredients into the corn mixture and stir.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (8)

Step 5

Step 5

Pour in the milk.

Pour in the milk.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (9)

Step 6

Step 6

Pour in the melted butter. Stir to combine.

Pour in the melted butter. Stir to combine.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (10)

Step 7

Step 7

Transfer the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Transfer the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (11)

Step 8

Step 8

Bake for 1 hour until it has set and is lightly browned but still tender and soft on the inside. Then remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Bake for 1 hour until it has set and is lightly browned but still tender and soft on the inside. Then remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Use a 9×13-inch baking dish to make your corn pudding.

Read more on Cookist Wow

Make Ahead Real Wow Factor

Corn Pudding: the creamy side dish for your holiday dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cornbread and corn pudding? ›

Cornbread is a classic semi-sweet Southern quick bread made with yellow cornmeal. Cornbread pudding is made with whole corn, creamed corn, and cornbread mix to create a softer, more souffle-like cake with more moisture content than cornbread.

What is corn pudding made of? ›

Corn pudding is a creamy side made with stewed corn, butter, and milk. It often features a thickening agent, such as cornstarch, to make the dish extra decadent. Corn pudding originated in the American South and can be served all year long, but it's frequently associated with Thanksgiving.

Why is my corn pudding watery? ›

Wrong Liquid: If you use any liquid other than rich, thick, heavy cream, your pudding is likely to be watery. 2. Under baking: Corn pudding needs to be baked until it's set and slightly jiggly in the center. Under baking can result in a pudding that hasn't fully thickened because the eggs are not fully cooked.

Does corn casserole need to be refrigerated? ›

DOES sweet CORN CASSEROLE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED? This cream Corn Casserole recipe is so moist, the leftovers stay perfectly tender for days! To store, let casserole cool to room temperature, cover a couple times in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Why do Southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

What is the difference between creamed corn and corn pudding? ›

The main difference is the texture. Corn pudding has a similar gelatinous texture to dessert pudding, hence its name, so it's creamy and loose. In comparison, corn casserole has a thicker consistency and holds its shape better than the pudding because it uses thickening agents like instant cornbread mix.

Why does my corn pudding separate? ›

If corn pudding cooks too quickly, the eggs can curdle and the solids separate from the liquid – resulting in a watery pudding. When this happens, leave pudding in the oven for a few more minutes, then take out and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes.

Why is my corn casserole mushy? ›

My corn pudding casserole is mushy; what did I do wrong? If the corn pudding is mushy, it's likely because there was too much liquid! Make sure you drain the whole kernel corn before adding it to the mixture.

Why is my Christmas pudding soggy? ›

The basin is wrapped in a layer of foil to help prevent the lid from popping off during steaming. This should keep the pudding watertight, but if the water in the pan boils too hard then it can still seep into the pudding basin.

How to know when corn casserole is done? ›

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, or until golden brown and the casserole has a slight jiggle when shaken.

Can corn pudding be reheated? ›

Can I reheat corn pudding? Yes, you can reheat one piece at a time in the microwave. Or, you can cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 325°F until heated.

Can cornbread be left out overnight? ›

Make sure the cornbread has fully cooled down before you store it. Wrap the loaf in aluminum foil or plastic wrap two times, and then place it in a zip-tight plastic bag. Make sure to eliminate all the air as you seal it. Cornbread will last up to three days stored at room temperature.

What is the difference between New York cornbread and southern cornbread? ›

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

Is cornmeal and cornbread the same thing? ›

No. Cornbread made with cornmeal, but the two aren't the same thing. To achieve a golden loaf of cornbread, it takes more than just cornmeal.

Is there a difference between corn muffin and cornbread mix? ›

Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal that may or may not contain sugar and is usually baked in a skillet, pan, or into sticks. Corn muffins are baked in muffin tins and contain cornmeal and generous amounts of sugar; most are more cake-like in texture.

What did cornbread used to be called? ›

The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake. Because cornbread traveled well, some began calling it journey cake, which evolved into the name Johnny cake. But whatever it was called, it was all cornbread.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6124

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Birthday: 1996-12-09

Address: Apt. 141 1406 Mitch Summit, New Teganshire, UT 82655-0699

Phone: +2296092334654

Job: Technology Architect

Hobby: Snowboarding, Scouting, Foreign language learning, Dowsing, Baton twirling, Sculpting, Cabaret

Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.