Name: The Best Homemade Creamed Corn Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon unsalted butter; 2-12oz bags frozen corn, thawed (690 g); 1/2 cup heavy cream (118 ml); 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 3 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 cup whole milk (237 ml); 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Jump to Recipe

This is seriously the best homemade creamed corn recipe you'll ever taste! It's so easy to make and it tastes so good you'll barely believe you made it in such a short amount of time. Ready in under 10 minutes, this recipe is ideal for a fast side dish for a weekend barbecue, weeknight meal, or even that holiday dinner!

Homemade Creamed Corn

Creamed corn is great for holiday meals but it is also perfect as a side dish for a typical weeknight dinner. With this simple recipe, you are able to skip the canned cream corn, which leaves a lot to be desired, and create an incredible recipe. It takes just minutes to make and tastes delicious.

The richer flavor of homemade makes it well worth the extra few minutes to make it on your own. You'll never go back to canned versions after you see just how easy it is to make this at dinnertime!

What is the Best Corn for Making Creamed Corn?

There are two types of corn used for making creamed corn. The first is what people typically think of when they envision this classic side dish - yellow sweet corn. This type has a high water content but it does not have a very strong flavor. It has a nice sweetness that contrasts the creaminess of the sauce in this recipe.

The second type of corn is white sweet corn. This type is more commonly used for eating fresh off the cob served with butter and salt. When this type is used, it tastes just like buttery kernels of fresh summer corn.

You can use canned corn in a pinch, but I much prefer the freshness and flavor of frozen corn or fresh off the cob. For this recipe, I chose frozen corn I had on hand, and the result was a nice creamy and buttery flavor. Growing up in the South, creamed corn was almost exclusively made with fresh corn on the cob when you sliced the kernels from the cob and kept some of the liquid as part of the cooking liquid. In a pinch, frozen works perfectly.

How Do You Thicken Homemade Creamed Corn?

There are several ways you can thicken homemade creamed corn. Some people prefer making a flour and butter roux as a base before adding corn and cream. I, however, found that adding the milk and flour into the mixture after it has heated up allows me to control the thickness a bit better.

If you fear the flour will not cook out enough and leave an unpleasant taste, you can also use cornstarch to thicken this mixture instead. While not exactly interchangeable in all recipes, they both work great for thickening sauces like this one. If you go the route of using cornstarch, you will only need 1 ½ tablespoons or half the amount of flour used in the recipe.

Can I Use Creamed Corn in Other Recipes?

Yes, you can use homemade creamed corn in all sorts of recipes. Try adding this to your next batch of chili. It is also great in soups and stews - both hot and cold. It can be used to make cream corn dip and can even be added to things like frittatas and quiches. You can also use it as a topping for chicken or fish dishes.

It might fit into one of these soup and stew recipes or perhaps added into this cheeseburger soup or even the pork stew as an added level of flavor and creaminess. I personally think it would be an excellent base for almost any chowder recipe!

Can This Be Made Ahead of Time?

Creamed corn can be made the day before serving. In fact, it is best to make this ahead of time because then you can heat it up as soon as you are ready to eat. It will sit perfectly warm in a slow cooker if you are serving a crowd and don't want to have to worry about the food getting cold.

You can even make it several days ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use. Just reheat gently on the stovetop so that it doesn't get too thick or curdle from the milk.

It is best eaten within 3 to 4 days of preparing but has the freshest flavor the first 2 days. When reheating, watch for separation of the sauce and whisk it back together if needed before serving.

Can You Freeze Homemade Creamed Corn?

You can freeze homemade creamed corn but it does not keep for very long. When freezing it, make sure to put it in a freezer bag or other airtight container that is freezer safe. Leave at least an inch at the top of the container for liquid expansion when freezing.

It should be thawed out before using and heated gently so that the texture is just right. If the corn gets too thick you can add more milk to get it just the way you like it.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter
Frozen corn
Heavy cream
Kosher salt
Balck pepper
Granulated sugar
Nutmeg
Whole milk
All-purpose flour

Handy Kitchen Tools

How do You Make Creamed Corn from Scratch?

Place the frozen corn into a large food processor and pulse for 20 to 30 seconds to break up the kernels into smaller pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.

To the skillet, add corn, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and sugar. Stir to combine.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly and making sure not to scald or burn the cream.

While the corn mixture heats, in a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until no lumps remain.

Pour the flour slurry into the corn mixture in the skillet and stir or whisk to combine.

Stirring regularly, continue cooking the corn mixture for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the creamed corn has thickened.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.

If the flour taste remains, continue simmering over low heat for an additional 5 minutes, making sure to stir it regularly to prevent sticking.

Easy Side Dish Recipes

If you want easier to make side dishes, we have some great options that are sure to please a crowd. Whether you want a vegetable or starch with your meal, below are some of our family favorites that are full of flavor and easy to make. Make sure you bookmark, print, or pin these recipes to reference in your next menu plan!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8