Creamed Corn

Ultra creamy with just the right amount of sweetness, this creamed corn recipe is a special side dish worthy of holiday tables and weeknight meals alike. Made with a from-scratch white sauce and finished off with Parmesan cheese, this cream-style corn recipe can be made in under a half hour. That leaves plenty of time to tend to the dinner entree. May I suggest cozy southern comfort dishes and hearty steak recipes?

Creamed Corn Ingredients

• Roux: Equal parts of butter and flour are used to make a roux, the thickened mixture you’ll use as the starter for your homemade cream sauce.
• Heavy whipping cream and whole milk: Heavy whipping cream and whole milk make your cream sauce’s rich, velvety base.
• Sugar: Sugar sweetens the sauce, complementing the natural sweetness of the corn.
• Salt and pepper: You’ll want just a touch of savory seasoning to balance the other flavors.
• Frozen corn: Thaw the corn before adding it to the cream mixture to prevent the cream sauce from turning runny.
• Parmesan cheese: Grated Parmesan adds its gentle nutty flavor, which tastes so good with sweet corn. Fresh cheese doesn’t have the stabilizers that bagged shredded cheese contains, which makes it superior when you need it to melt smoothly.

Directions

Step 1: Make the roux

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In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

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Stir in the flour until it’s smooth.

Editor’s Tip: If you want a deep caramelized butter flavor in your sauce, you can cook the flour for a few minutes in this step, stirring it constantly, until it turns golden.

Step 2: Add the remaining cream sauce ingredients

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Gradually add the cream, milk, sugar, salt and pepper to the flour mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, then continue to boil, stirring, for two minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Whisk or stir the mixture constantly. Once it starts to boil, it will bubble and thicken rapidly, and you want to prevent the dairy from scorching or bubbling over.

Step 3: Add the corn

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Add the corn to the cream sauce and cook until it’s heated through.

Editor’s Tip: Keep stirring occasionally as the corn warms up. You want to be sure the cream sauce doesn’t burn as it cooks.

Step 4: Finish the creamed corn

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Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 1-1/2-quart broiler-proof dish.

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Sprinkle the mixture with Parmesan cheese. Broil it 5 inches from the heat source for three to five minutes or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly.

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Creamed Corn Variations

• Make old-fashioned creamless creamed corn: The traditional cream corn recipe uses the natural “milk” from the corn instead of dairy. Scrape the corn kernels and milk from fresh corn cobs. Cook the corn and its milk in a large skillet with butter, sugar, salt and pepper in the amounts called for in the recipe above. Cook until it takes on a porridge-like consistency, adding a splash of water as needed to prevent it from burning.
• Add bacon: For sultry, smoky creamed corn, skip the butter in the roux. Instead, cook chopped bacon in the skillet until it’s crisp. Set the bacon aside, and drain all but 1/3 cup drippings in the skillet. If you don’t have 1/3 cup of drippings, add butter as needed. Use the bacon drippings in place of the butter, and proceed with the recipe as directed. Sprinkle the broiled creamed corn with the cooked bacon.
• Add more vegetables: Add earthy vegetables like wild mushrooms and sweet ones like green peas to your corn. Get started with our recipe for creamed corn with peas.

How to Store Creamed Corn

You can store your creamed corn in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Note that the cream sauce may turn a bit grainy once frozen and then thawed. Stir well to re-emulsify the sauce when reheating it.

How long does creamed corn last?

Your creamed corn will keep for up to three or four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To freeze it, let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer containers. Store it in the freezer for up three months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before gently reheating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Creamed Corn Tips

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Can you make creamed corn with fresh corn?

You sure can, and it’s absolutely delicious to do so. Scrape corn kernels from your corn cobs until you reach the amount needed for this recipe. To use that creamy corn “milk,” scrape the corn cobs with the blunt edge of your kitchen knife to extract the white juice. Add that to the pan with your corn for some natural creamy sweetness.

How can you turn this into a creamed corn casserole?

With a few modifications, you can turn this recipe into a corn casserole. In Step 3, remove the mixture from the heat, then stir in the corn and Parmesan cheese. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, stirring to release the steam, until it’s cooled to room temperature. Once it has cooled, whisk in two eggs (if the mixture is still hot, it will scramble the eggs—not what you want). Bake the mixture in a 350°F oven until the casserole is golden on top and has formed a slight crust. Depending on the thickness of your cream sauce, this will take around an hour.

What can you serve with creamed corn?

Creamed corn goes great with southern recipes. To cook for a small group, try our small-batch southern recipes. For a special gathering, explore southern Sunday suppers like chicken-fried steak and baby back ribs. And if you want something fast, go with one of our quick southern recipes. From cornbread to crispy chicken to buttermilk biscuits, your southern feast awaits!