Corn fritters are one of those Southern staples that just feel like home to me, boos. I can put a hot batch on the table and baby, they are GONE before I know it! Mine are loaded with sweet corn, peppers, onion, and a lil cheddar, then fried up with crispy edges and a tender center. I especially love making them when summer corn is poppin. Add a cold dollop of sour cream on top and get into it y’all!
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How to Make Corn Fritters
These step-by-step photos show how to make Southern corn fritters, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Easy Corn Fritters Recipe
1. Sauté the corn and veggies
Add the corn, onion, and green pepper to the skillet and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then set the mixture aside.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients
Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne to a large bowl and whisk until evenly combined.
PRO TIP: Cutting fresh corn off the cob can have kernels flying all over the kitchen. Stand the cob upright in the center hole of a Bundt pan and slice downward so the pan catches everything. If you don’t have a Bundt pan, a large bowl works too.
3. Add the buttermilk and egg
Pour the buttermilk and egg into the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together.
4. Fold in the corn mixture and cheese
Add the sautéed corn and veggies, then fold in the shredded cheddar until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
5. Scoop the corn fritters batter into the hot oil
Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet, then scoop in the batter and gently spread each portion into a small pancake.
6. Flip and fry your crispy corn fritters
Once the bottoms are golden brown, flip and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with a little salt, and serve hot with sour cream.
PRO TIP: Drop a tiny bit of batter into the skillet. It should sizzle right away and float up without browning too fast. If it just sits there soaking up oil, wait a little longer!
Full Corn Fritters Recipe
Corn Fritters Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen corn kernels that have been thawed)
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
- 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
- 7 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp yellow corn meal
- 1 3/4 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- vegetable oil
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add corn, onion and green pepper, season with a little salt and pepper and cook until softened (about 4-5 minutes) then add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper and whisk until combined.
- Next add buttermilk and egg and combine with dry ingredients. Fold in sauteed corn and veggies and then add cheese.
- Heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet or dutch oven skillet and heat until about 365 degrees.
- Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of fritter batter to the skillet and spread out like a small pancake and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes or so) then flip and do the same. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and serve.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Let your corn fritters cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled fritters in a single layer first, then transfer them to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Pop them in a 350°F air fryer, toaster oven, or oven until hot and crispy again. Skip the microwave if you can, boos. It’ll soften up the edges.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Pick the best corn. Look for ears with bright green, tightly wrapped husks and plump kernels. Skip any with husks or silks that look super dry.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make your fritters more dense than tender.
- Keep the corn fritters small. About 2-3 tablespoons of batter is plenty. Spread each fritter out a bit so the center cooks through before the outside gets too dark.
- Don’t crowd that skillet! Fry in batches, and leave some room between each fritter. Adding too many at once will drop the oil temp and keep them from getting crispy.
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Serving Ideas
- Breakfast or Brunch: Make these corn fritters part of a real Southern breakfast with salmon cakes, cheese grits, or candied bacon.
- Southern Supper: Add them alongside fried catfish, smothered pork chops, or buttermilk fried chicken for a full-on comfort food plate.
- Beans and Greens: These babies are great with pinto beans, red beans and rice, or collard greens.
- Snack Attack: I can eat these straight out the skillet with a dollop of sour cream, but you can also serve them with remoulade sauce, pepper jelly, or a lil chow chow relish.
Recipe Help
Your oil is probably too cool. Keep it around 365°F, fry in batches, and pat thawed frozen corn dry before adding it to the batter.
You might be flipping them too soon. Let that first side get golden and set before you go in with the spatula. Keeping the fritters small also makes them much easier to flip.
They’re either too thick or your oil is too hot. Flatten the batter into small pancakes and lower the heat if they’re browning too quickly.
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Maybe a stupid question, but do you cook the corn on the cob first – like boil it? Or throw it in raw?
Nope you just throw it in raw.
These are really tasty but I only got 12 fritters, so I’ll double the recipe next time
These were delicious! We ended up subbing a different cheese and red pepper flakes due to what was on hand. The bit of heat was a fabulous layer of flavor. Only note is that to yield 25, yours must have been the size of a half dollar! We doubled the recipe and yielded 11-12 palm sized cakes. 1-2 each was perfect.
Can you substitute buttermilk with regular milk?
You can actually make your own buttermilk using this substitution with regular milk and lemon juice or vinegar https://grandbaby-cakes.com/baking-substitutions/
Can you bake these?
I have never baked them but feel free to do this and report back to let us know how they turned out.
I haven’t made this yet, but I can see they look great, and I can imagine that they taste even better so I’m giving them five stars in advance. Can you “fry” them in an air fryer?
These are sooo good. I made a few adjustments to use what I had on hand but will definitely be adding into permanent rotation at my house. ❤️
I made today. These are amazing! Another yummy recipe for my for my files.
Loved these!! I didn’t have cayenne pepper so I used Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning and instead of regular corn meal I used Tony Chachere’s Creole Fish Fry plus I added in a 6 oz can of crab meat. My friend and I ate them all except for the few I saved for my mom to try. Fresh corn gave them a nice, crunchy sweetness. Probably will make another batch this week. Thank you for this recipe!
Can I use canned corn?
Someone mentioned that they did and they turn out just great.
Delicious!