Easy Creamed Corn
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Fool-proof easy creamed corn! Rich, creamy, and so buttery. An absolute must-have Thanksgiving or holiday side dish that everyone will love!
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Why you’ll love HOMEMADE CREAMED CORN
- Comes together so quickly. Skip the canned creamed corn! This easy side dish comes together lightning fast with just 15 minutes in the oven using easy-to-find ingredients and pantry staples.
- Great for all occasions. Whether it’s a high holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter), a quick weeknight dinner, or a casual get-together with friends, creamed corn is a side dish that just goes well with anything and everything.
- Make-ahead recipe. You can easily make this ahead of time, reheating in the microwave, stovetop, or slow cooker for easy serving (and warming).
- Completely customizable. This recipe is incredibly flexible and forgiving. You can easily double the recipe as needed to feed a large crowd, use frozen or canned corn, stir in some cayenne pepper for heat, or top with crispy, crumbled bacon.
What is creamed corn?
Also called cream-style corn or soup corn, creamed corn is a traditional American side dish made by cooking whole sweet corn kernels with butter, heavy cream, milk, flour, and cheese.
Key Ingredients
Cream cheese
Use “brick” cream cheese, not whipped. It will add all the lovely rich and creamy textures here.
Butter
For more added richness (and because it’s the holidays).
Garlic
Bringing in all the flavor here.
Milk
Whole milk is ideal for a creamier consistency but 2% can also be used.
Corn
Use fresh, canned, or frozen – whichever one you have on hand (more on that below).
Thyme
Dried or fresh thyme will work beautifully here. You can also add other herbs on hand such as rosemary, sage, or oregano.
Cheese
Shredded cheddar cheese really seals the deal here! You can also substitute freshly grated Parmesan.
Types of corn to use
- Fresh corn on the cob (3-4 ears, roughly 2 cups corn kernels): fresh yellow or white 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 (1 15-ounce can): using canned corn offers pantry convenience, shelf stability, and a fast prep time, draining well before using
- Frozen sweet whole kernel corn (12 ounces): frozen corn is another popular option, especially when fresh corn is out of season; thawing and draining thoroughly
How to make creamed corn
- Combine the base. Combine the cream cheese, butter, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until it is fully blended and a smooth sauce forms. Pour in the milk, stirring occasionally, until it is heated through.
- Add the corn and seasonings. Stir in the corn, fresh or dried thyme, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Bake. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375°F for 15-17 minutes until bubbly. Pro tip: use an oven-safe skillet to combine and heat the mixture and bake without transferring to a new baking dish.
- Serve. Sprinkle with parsley or chives, and serve warm.
CREAMED CORN VARIATIONS
- Add some sweetness. A little bit of sugar, about 1-3 teaspoons, can offset some of the flat tasting out-of-season corn.
- Make it spicy. Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper to add a kick of heat.
- Finish with bacon. Stir in or sprinkle crispy bacon crumbles or pancetta on top when serving (crowd-favorite option).
- Add vegetables. Add diced red bell peppers to the mix, adding flavor, texture, and a pop of color to the dish.
- Use a different cheese. Swap out the cheddar cheese for Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) for a savory, nutty kick or smooth-melting Gruyère cheese for mild, sweet, nutty flavors.
How to make creamed corn ahead of time
Cook ahead of time and reheat 1-3 days in advance.
- Cook fully. Prepare the creamed corn as directed in the recipe.
- Let cool. Let the creamed corn cool completely.
- Store in the fridge. Once cooled completely, transfer the creamed corn to an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheat. Adjust the consistency as needed by adding a splash of milk to loosen.
- Stovetop option: Warm the creamed corn gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often until warmed through.
- Slow cooker option: Add the chilled creamed corn to a 6-qt slow cooker and cook on low heat for 1-2 hours until warmed through. Switch the slow cooker function from low to warm, keeping it warm for no longer than 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes, adding a splash of milk, if needed.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMED CORN
Tools For This Recipe
Easy Creamed Corn: Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe works well with any corn on hand – fresh, canned, or even frozen corn.
Thyme, rosemary, chives, and scallions are all excellent options. If substituting dried herbs for fresh, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.
The cream cheese and the whole milk in the recipe will naturally thicken up the creamed corn. But for an even thicker consistency, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour can be whisked in with the cream cheese and butter.
Yes! Creamed corn, once cooled completely, can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days, reheating in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through.
Creamed corn is not an ideal candidate for freezing as it will separate once frozen and thawed.
Easy Creamed Corn
Video
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 2 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned or frozen
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Combine cream cheese, butter and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until blended.
- Stir in milk until smooth.
- Stir in corn, thyme, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Spread corn mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Place into oven and bake until bubbly, about 15-17 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Scrape the cob. If using fresh corn, scrape the bare cobs (once the kernels have been cut off) directly into the saucepan to collect some of the sweet, starchy liquid and pulp, serving as a natural thickener.
- Drain canned corn. Canned whole-kernel corn is a great option in a pinch but be sure to drain the canning liquid thoroughly prior to using to avoid a watered-down, overly salty dish.
- Thaw frozen corn. Frozen corn kernels should be thawed and drained thoroughly beforehand to prevent a watery creamed corn.
- Make it extra creamy. Blend 1 cup of the creamed corn with a splash of milk, stirring it back in for a thick, velvety consistency.
- Add a garnish. Garnish with crumbled bacon or chopped fresh chives for a restaurant-quality finish.
- Loosen with a splash of milk. If the creamed corn thickens too much upon sitting, stir in a splash of milk to loosen as needed.
- Save on oven space. Need extra oven or stovetop real estate? Try this slow cooker version instead.
- Skip freezing. The dairy in the creamed corn may separate once thawed.
Did you make this recipe?
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Made this Xmas 2017 with roasted corn. I used about 1/2 the cream cheese and added in ripe brie slices to replace it with a layer of brie on top.
I tripled the recipe and still had no leftovers.
Thanks
Tried and loved this recipe!
So easy, and so delicious.
Hi, thank you. Can oregano be used? What other herb do you suggest? Thank you
Yes! You can also use basil.
Can I use another herb besides dried thyme if I do not have thyme? Thank you
Yes, absolutely.
What is the serving size and nutritional values for this recipe?… particularly interested in Carbs/fiber/sugars and Protein. Thank you.
Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, I recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps!
I don’t recommend 1\3 cup milk. Was too soupy.
Would this recipe work ok if used my “fresh frozen” corn off the cob that I froze myself this past summer? I was thinking of roasting it first…
Yes, absolutely. What a great idea!
Well, here is corn season, August, and hubby has bought corn and asked me to pleaseeeeeeee make that creamed corn again,your recipe. Made it last year and ,boy, it was a hit. Thank you! !!!!!
I made this a year ago for my husbands family, and now its is a staple at our dinners. Sometimes I’ll make it for just us , too. The smell of the butter and fresh garlic cooking…. makes my mouth water now! Hands down one of the best recipes.
This looks decadent! You did a great job with the photos. Makes me want to reach into the screen for a bite!
Hi. Made for Thanksgiving. I have so many requests for your recipe, so of course i sent it. The creamed corn was awesome. My mom, who strongly dislikes creamed corn, loved it. I had to double since it was Thanksgiving, but it was soooo good.. Thx.
I just made this for my family’s thanksgiving yesterday (30+ people, everyone brings a dish). This was the first dish to be gobbled up and I received so many compliments! So easy!
Totally making this for Thanksgiving this year only I’m going to attempt it in my crock pot. I saw your other crock pot recipe but I REALLY want to use this one. We travel an hour away for our Thanksgiving and oven space is limited so I’m going to attempt using my crock pot instead. I’ll try to remember to let you know how it works.
Just remembering to update this, haha. I think it worked ok in the crockpot. I tripled the recipe (big family) and put it in my large crock pot. I think it might be better cooked in a pan in the oven though because the corn to cheese ratio would be better. Someone stirred my corn without me knowing and it mixed the cheese up in it and so some people didn’t get any cheese and some got big giant globs. It still tasted really good though and I used the leftovers to make a potato, bacon, and corn chowder.
If I want to double up on the recipe, would the cooking time change? And what size pan do you recommend??
Yes, cooking time will have to be adjusted as needed. A 9×13 baking dish should be fine but without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
I know you have the slow cooker recipe – I bought all of the ingredients to make this recipe, but the slow cooker would make things easier. Which recipe do you think is tastier? I want to choose based off of flavor rather than ease!!!
I actually love both so it’s really up to you! 🙂
Which did you choose and liked better? 🙂 I had the same question!
Could this be made in a crock pot? If so, any ideas how (i.e. cook until warmed or longer)?
Nancy, here is my slow cooker creamed corn recipe that you can try out.
This looks so yummy!! I’m making for Easter tomorrow. Have fresh corn on the cobb and was thinking of roasting and cutting off the cobb.
haven’t tried this yet, but how did you get the roasted appearance of the corn, if you add the corn to the skillet after the butter, cream cheese, and milk?
Anthony, I used Trade Joe’s frozen roasted corn.
Can you double the recipe and cook it in the same 9 inch baking dish?
The 9-inch baking dish may be too small when doubling the recipe.
I am making Brunswick stew, which calls for 2 cans of cream corn. Will this recipe work just as well? Thank you
It really depends on the recipe but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!