Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
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The dreamiest creamed corn! So velvety and creamy, and unbelievably easy to make with just 5 ingredients. Simply set and forget. SO GOOD!
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Why you’ll love slow cooker creamed corn
- Frees up oven space. You can simply let the creamed corn do its own buttery, creamy thing without taking up any precious oven or stovetop real estate during the holidays.
- Dump and go. This is one of those favorited hands-off crockpot recipes where you can simply drop all your ingredients in the slow cooker, stir, and cover – no babysitting needed! The slow cooker is also portable, making it so easy to travel and transport to your next holiday gathering.
- Creamy, velvety goodness. Say goodbye to the canned stuff! Nothing beats homemade creamed corn. And the slow cooker really allows the corn to soak in that buttery, creamy, velvety goodness.
- Stays warm without drying out. The creamed corn can be left on the warm setting in the slow cooker, allowing the finished dish to stay warm throughout serving without overcooking or drying out.
Key Ingredients
- Corn: Fresh, canned, and frozen corn all works well here (more on that below).
- Milk: Whole milk will provide enough fat and body to form a velvety consistency without becoming overly heavy.
- Sugar: Add a little bit of sugar for a hint of sweetness. If sweet creamed corn is not to your liking, you can omit completely or lessen the amount of sugar to 1 teaspoon.
- Cream cheese: Be sure to use “brick” cream cheese, not whipped. It will add all the lovely rich and creamy textures here.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for added richness, giving the corn a glossy restaurant-style finish.
Types of corn to use
- Fresh corn on the cob (6 ears, roughly 4.5-6 cups corn kernels): fresh corn will provide the best flavor and texture, slicing the kernels off the cobs prior to using
- Pro tip: scrape the cob (after cutting off the kernels) to release some of the sweet corn milk
- Canned whole kernel corn (3 15-ounce cans): using canned corn offers pantry convenience, shelf stability, and a fast prep time, draining the cans thoroughly before adding to the slow cooker
- Frozen sweet whole kernel corn (32 ounces): frozen corn is another popular option as it is budget-friendly, available year-round, and does not require any thawing
how to make slow cooker creamed corn
- Combine. Place the corn, milk, sugar, and pepper in a 6-qt slow cooker, stirring until well combined. Then top with cream cheese and butter in an even layer without stirring.
- Cook. Cover with a lid and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours. Then stir in the butter and cream cheese until well combined, cooking for an additional 15 minutes on high heat.
- Serve. Stir well before serving as the creamed corn will thicken upon standing.
CREAMED CORN VARIATIONS
Make it spicy.
Stir in finely chopped, seeded jalapeño peppers, or diced green chiles.
Fold in cheese.
Stir in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, sharp cheddar, or Pepper Jack cheese at the end of cooking for a cheesy twist.
Finish with bacon.
Top the creamed corn with crisp, crumbled bacon (or pancetta).
Add a garnish.
Sprinkle the finished dish with chopped fresh chives, sliced green onions, or fresh thyme sprigs.
How to make creamed corn ahead of time
- Cook ahead of time and reheat 1-3 days in advance.
- Cool completely. Once cooled completely, transfer the corn to an airtight container in the fridge.
- Reheat in the slow cooker. Add the chilled creamed corn to the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 1-2 hours until warmed through. Adjust the consistency as needed by adding a splash of milk to loosen.
- Cook and keep warm the same day.
- Cook ahead of time. Cook the creamed corn as directed the day of serving.
- Keep warm. Switch the slow cooker function from low to warm, keeping it warm for no longer than 2 hours.
- Stir as needed. Stir every 30 minutes, adding a splash of milk, if needed.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMED CORN
Tools For This Recipe
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn: Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh, canned, and frozen corn are all excellent options.
2% or low-fat milk can certainly be substituted but it will contribute to some of the lost richness in the dish.
The cream cheese and the whole milk in the recipe will naturally thicken the creamed corn. For an even thicker consistency, you can blend some of the mixture using an immersion blender prior to serving.
Yes! Creamed corn, once cooled completely, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop, with a splash of milk, until warmed through.
Freezing creamed corn is not recommended as it tends to separate and become grainy once thawed.
Yes! If you do not have a slow cooker, this is another one of my favorite creamed corn recipes.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Video
Ingredients
- 3 (15.25-ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into thin slices
Instructions
- Place corn into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in milk, sugar and pepper until well combined.
- Without stirring, top with butter and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.
- Uncover and stir until butter and cream cheese are well combined. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Make it extra creamy. Blend 1 cup of the creamed corn before returning to the slow cooker or use a potato masher directly in the slow cooker to break down some of the corn kernels.
- Add a garnish. Garnish with crumbled bacon or chopped fresh chives for a restaurant-quality finish.
- Keep it warm. Keep the slow cooker warm for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally every 30 minutes or so.
- Add a splash of milk. If the creamed corn thickens too much upon sitting, stir in a splash of milk to loosen as needed.
- Skip freezing. The dairy may separate when thawed.
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Just bought the ingredients for this and looking forward to making it tomorrow! Thank you for so many great recipes :))
Looks great and I will make tomorrow in my slow cooker. Question tho, why do you show a pic with Thyme in it but you do not put that ingredient in your instructions. Thanks much !!
BrianG, the thyme is simply used as a garnish and for photographic purposes.
can frozen corn be used? way too much salt in canned corn-i have a bad heart and watch my salt intake but i love creamed corn
Yes, frozen corn should work just fine.
I doubled this recipe for thanksgiving and it came out perfectly! It was creamy cheesy goodness ! It was a hit for my family and I have been asked to make it again for Christmas ! Thank you!
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and found it to be wayyy too creamy and cheesy. It was really watery so I added more corn, but it still tasted too creamy and cheesy. I love creamed corn, and I usually love cream cheese, but I thought this was overwhelming. I would cut back on the cream cheese next time. Thanks for sharing though 🙂
Kristin, thank you for trying my recipe! And yes, feel free to cut down on th cream cheese as needed. Some like more, and some like less. Although I’m not entirely sure how it came out “too cheesy” – aside from the cream cheese, there’s actually no cheese really in here!
I was looking for a yummy side dish for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner and this was the perfect fit! Super easy to put together, didn’t take up precious oven/stove space, and basically took care of itself while I prepared other dishes! Everyone loved it! Thanks for the tasty recipe!!
Awesome! Headed to the store. I need to get the fresh thyme and grated Parmesan cheese. I’m really excited about this dish. Thank you so much. Peace&Love Happy Thanksgiving!
The cream corn recipes has unsalted butter; can I use I can’t believe it’s not butter? I’m only asking because I have all the ingredients but that. If I can avoid going to the store that would be great. However, if not I’m headed to the store. Thanks
I personally have never used that ingredient so I cannot really answer with certainty how much it will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. It is always best to use the ingredients listed in the recipe to obtain the best results possible.
What spices/condiments did you sprinkle on top? Never been a creamed corn kind of gal but I am gonna give it a shot for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Nevermind, I see your response above!
This looks awesome! I’m not normally a fan of creamed corn, but I would love to give this a try!
I featured this post in a Thanksgiving round-up today. I hope you don’t mind!
I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving! but in your picture what is the red & green garnish sprinkled on top? Also looks like parmesan cheese?
This is garnished with fresh thyme leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
I have about 50 people coming for thanksgiving. How much more do you think i will need to make than what is called for in the recipe… Surely i will have to do more than just double the recipe. PLEASE HELP lol! (I have a 6 qt crockpot)
Natalie, this recipe yields about 6-8 servings so please make the adjustments accordingly. But if you plan on quadrupling this recipe, a 6 quart crockpot may be too small.
I wonder if leftover could be frozen? Only have 3 for dinner and not sure if we could eat 3 cans worth even as leftovers…hmm maybe we could 🙂
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Hi There, what kind of milk did you use? Will skim milk work?
Whole milk would really work best.
Yummmmmmmmmmmmm,
making this for Thanksgiving! thanks!!!
I have made this for several years for church pot-luck dinners. For something different I started adding a can of green chilies and it was well received! Love your site!! Especially like the Crumble Pumpkin Bread recipe!!
If I were to double this recipe for Thanksgiving, should I adjust the cooking time? Thanks!
I recommend adding about an additional hour if you are planning to double this recipe.
Made this dish on Saturday. At first I thought it was pretty disgusting — then I added salt! Definitely add salt before serving. Now I can’t stop thinking about it and I can’t wait to have leftovers during lunch today!
I’m so glad this turned out for you. And yes, a little bit of salt goes a long way!
8 slices of cooked crumbled bacon take this dish over the top!
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! My family loved it so much that I decided to place it on my food blog as well with a link back to your blog 😉 http://www.cookingwithlibby.com/2014/11/slow-cooker-creamed-corn-slow-cooker.html
How do you know when it’s done? you say 2-3 hours.. when do you know it’s been cooking long enough? I’ve never made this before, but I love creamed corn, and your recipe looks amazing!!
Once the cream cheese has softened and everything has heated through, you’re pretty much set!