My favorite recipe for creamed corn that’s creamy, sweet, and flavorful. I grew up eating it, and now I’ve passed the tradition down to my kids, who love it too!
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My Easy Creamed Corn Recipe
My mom always made creamed corn growing up so it’s no surprise it ended up on the site! I took her recipe and revamped it to have a little more flavor and creaminess.
I love that I get to pass the traditional down to my kids. And my daughter, who loves corn, eats it all up as soon as I put it on her plate and then asks for seconds.
I tried to pass off the canned version to her recently and her face said it all. She knew it wasn’t my recipe and now asks to help make it every time to make sure she’s getting the kind she likes. It’s a good thing it’s easy to make so she can basically do all the steps on her own at this point!
And if you love a good corn recipe, try my air fryer corn on the cob, corn casserole, corn dip, macaroni corn casserole, Cajun corn on the cob, and creamy jalapeno corn recipes.
Ingredients for This Cream Style Corn Recipe
- Sweet Corn
- Butter – unsalted
- All-Purpose Flour
- Half-and-Half
- Cayenne
- Ground Onion
- Dried Thyme
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
How to Make Creamed Corn
STEP ONE: Place a medium-sized pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and flour to create a roux. Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly while you incorporate it into the roux. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes so it thickens.
STEP TWO: Introduce the corn into the pot along with the cayenne, ground onion, and dried thyme. Allow it to simmer for 15 more minutes — stir occasionally so nothing sticks.
STEP THREE: Lower the heat to medium-low and remove 1 cup of the corn from the pot. Pulse in a food processor until smooth, then add it back to the pot. Stir to combine and let the corn simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove from the heat, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cream Corn
- Give the roux time to simmer a little before adding the corn and seasonings. I’ve found that it lets the flour taste to cook off and I’m left with smoother and creamier results.
- Use fresh corn when possible. I love using fresh corn on the cob when it’s in season. It just has a fresher taste.
- Incorporate the half-and-half gently while stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming. Slow and steady wins here!
- Puree more corn for an even smoother texture. Sometimes, I’ll puree the 1 cup as written in my recipe, and other times, I’ll do 2 cups.
Variations and Substitutions for Cream Style Corn
- Use frozen or canned corn instead of fresh corn. I use frozen corn when fresh corn is out of season. Canned corn also works, but I’m not a huge fan of the flavor or texture of canned corn.
- Stir in cheese for a cheesy variation. My kids and I love cheese, so sometimes I’ll stir in some shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Parmesan cheese.
- For a richer flavor and consistency, use heavy cream instead of half-and-half. I don’t recommend using whole milk in place of it as it won’t get as creamy.
- Fresh herbs like parsley, chives, and/or thyme would add a pop of color and flavor.
- Add in some bacon! I love to cook some bacon in the same pan right before I melt the butter to bring the bacon grease flavor to the full dish. Then I’ll crumble some on top of the corn before serving.
What to Serve with Cream Corn
I like to pair my cream corn recipe with all the classics: steak, chicken, or fried pork chops for my main, plus some mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. And when I’m craving some more vegetables, I’ll air fry some onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini to go along with it — the sweetness of the corn goes great with those other veggies.
This dish is a holiday favorite in my house too, so I often make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Creamed Corn FAQs
How to Store Cream Corn
My cream style corn recipe is best enjoyed fresh, but store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
I usually reheat single servings in 30-second bursts in the microwave or larger portions over medium on the stove for about 5-7 minutes. I don’t recommend freezing this as the texture will change… and not in a good way.
More Easy Recipes
- Tzatziki sauce
- Sweet potato casserole with canned yams
- Air fryer hot dogs
- Smothered pork chops
- London broil recipe
- Grape salad
- Steak fajitas
- Jello salad
Easy Creamed Corn
Ingredients
- 5 cups sweet corn fresh, frozen (thawed or heated), or canned corn
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups half and half
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon ground onion
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Measure out 5 cups of sweet corn. Set it aside.
- In a medium size pot, on medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the salt, pepper and flour to create a roux.
- Slowly pour the half and half, whisking while it incorporates the roux. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, while it thickens.
- Add in the corn and the remaining seasonings. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Scoop out 1 cup of the corn from the pot. Place into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Add the pulsed corn back to the pot and stir to combine. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes longer.
Notes
- If using canned corn, a 15-ounce can equals about 1 ½ cups of corn. Make sure to drain them completely.
- If using fresh corn, remove the husk and silk and then shave the kernels off with a knife. Depending on their size, it could take 3-5 fresh corn cobs to get 5 cups.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
