Y’all I just had to give you boos a delish and easy corn recipe to throw together for the holidays, and this creamed corn is it! I toss sweet corn with cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, and a few sweet and savory ingredients until it’s super creamy and loaded with flavor. I swear you won’t be reaching for that can of creamed corn anymore. You can legit throw this baby together in 15 minutes and get your entire life!
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Homemade Creamed Corn Ingredients
- Corn: Fresh sweet yellow corn is my fave, boos. Look for tight green husks and plump kernels. Frozen works too, just thaw and drain it well. If you only have canned, use whole-kernel corn, rinse and drain it thoroughly.
- Butter and aromatics: Unsalted butter, diced shallot, and fresh garlic. You can swap the shallot for finely diced yellow onion.
- Cream sauce: Heavy cream, whole milk, and all-purpose flour make this corn creamy and thick. You can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and add in a bit more flour in the slurry to thicken up the sauce.
- Sugar and seasonings: Granulated sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. If your corn is already really sweet, start with less sugar. Go easy on the cayenne if you don’t want much heat.
- Parmesan: Always grab freshly grated Parmesan. It melts smoother. Asiago or Pecorino Romano both taste bomb in creamed corn too! Go lighter on the salt if you use Pecorino, though.
- Garnish: Chopped parsley and extra black pepper. Skip the parsley if you don’t have any.
How to Make Creamed Corn
These step-by-step photos show how to make creamed corn, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Best Creamed Corn Recipe
1. Sauté the shallot and garlic in butter
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the shallot until soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add the corn, cream, and seasonings
Stir in the corn, heavy cream, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne, then cook for a few minutes.
3. Thicken the creamed corn
Whisk the milk and flour together in a small bowl, slowly stir it into the corn, and cook while stirring until the sauce is thick and heated through.
4. Stir in the Parmesan and garnish
Take the skillet off the heat, stir in the Parmesan until melted, then taste for seasoning and finish with chopped parsley and extra black pepper.
PRO TIP: Whisk out every little flour lump in the slurry. It’s much easier to get it smooth in the bowl than chase lumps around the corn.
Full Creamed Corn Recipe
Creamed Corn Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot diced
- 2 garlic cloves grated or minced
- 5 cups fresh sweet yellow corn kernels or frozen, thawed and drained
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper plus more for garnish
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large nonstick or cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced shallot and sauté until soft, translucent, and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the corn, heavy cream, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until smooth. Slowly pour the mixture into the corn and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thick and heated through. If still not thick, cook a bit longer until you achieve the thickness you like.
- Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan until it’s melted. Season to taste.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and cracked black pepper. Serve while hot.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Cool your creamed corn down to room temperature before storing it up. Then store any leftovers in an airtight container and pop in the fridge. It should last about 3 days.
- Freezer: Throw your cream style corn into an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag. It should last about 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of milk as needed. For the microwave, heat in short intervals and stir between each until hot and creamy.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- If you’re cutting fresh corn, stand the cob upright. Set it on a cutting board or in the center hole of a Bundt pan, then carefully cut off the kernels with a sharp knife, slicing downward. I use my Bundt pan to catch the kernels and save myself some cleanup!
- Stir the shallots often. Also, lower the heat if they start browning before they soften. Burnt bits will carry right into your sauce.
- Stir across the whole bottom of the skillet. Once the sauce starts thickening, get into the edges too so nothing sticks or scorches.
- Stop when the sauce coats the corn. It should still be spoonable, with tender kernels that have a lil bite. It thickens more as it sits, so don’t cook it down until stiff!
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Serving Ideas
- Holiday Table: This Southern cream corn fits right in with turkey, dressing, green beans, and collard greens. One quick stovetop side means more room in the oven for everything else!
- Sunday Supper: I love this as a side with fried chicken, smothered pork chops, candied yams, Southern green beans, collard greens, and Southern cornbread. Now that’s good eatin y’all!
- Weeknight Dinner: Serve it up with meatloaf, cream cheese mashed potatoes, and Jiffy cornbread.
- Tex-Mex Snack: Grab some tortilla chips and get to dipping. It tastes so great this way. Especially when you serve it up with birria tacos, steak fajitas, and Mexican rice.
- Summer Cookout: Ain’t nothing like this on the table with some baby back ribs, potato salad, cole slaw and sweet tea.
Recipe Help
It usually needs more cooking time. Let it gently simmer uncovered, stirring, until the sauce thickens. If it’s still thin, whisk a teaspoon of flour with a tablespoon of cold milk, stir it in, and cook for a few minutes. Don’t sprinkle dry flour straight into the skillet.
The flour needs more time to cook, boo. Keep the corn at a gentle simmer for another couple of minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick. If it’s already thick, add a splash of milk first.
Stir in milk a tablespoon at a time until creamy.
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Do you thaw the frozen corn before cooking?
Hi Audrey! Yes, you want to thaw and drain it before cooking.