Julie Clark
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Corn Pudding Recipe
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This corn pudding recipe is a true custard corn pudding with eggs, half and half and a little cornstarch whisked with cream corn and whole kernel corn. It’s baked until golden on top and slightly set in the middle.
This corn side dish mixes in one bowl and bakes in 45 minutes. No jiffy mix and no flour! It’s a great make-ahead side for your Thanksgiving menu and Christmas table.
The secret to this recipe is a little vanilla and pinch of nutmeg. They make the sweet corn taste richer and more like the old fashioned corn pudding recipe from church potlucks and Grandma’s holiday table.
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Louise says, “I made this dish tonight. Very delicious. Tastes like the dish that the daughter of a woman I took care of during the day in 1974 made when she came to visit her mother. I will definitely be making this again.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Jenny says, “I’ve used this sweet corn pudding recipe a couple of times now for holiday get togethers. It’s so easy and everyone seems to enjoy it.”
Want the fluffier, cornbread-style version? Try our jiffy corn casserole recipe with Jiffy cornbread mix and sour cream. And try our scalloped corn with saltines, too.
What’s the difference between corn pudding and corn casserole?
Corn pudding is a custard. Eggs and dairy hold the corn together, so it bakes up soft, creamy, and spoonable. Corn casserole uses a cornbread mix like Jiffy, so it bakes up fluffier and closer to moist cornbread. This recipe is a true corn pudding with no mix.
What makes this corn pudding creamy instead of eggy?
Cornstarch is the difference. Whisked into the half-and-half first, it stabilizes the eggs so the custard sets smooth instead of separating into curds. Here’s what else makes it work:
- Room temperature eggs and cooled butter. Hot butter can start cooking cold eggs, and cold eggs can firm up warm butter into specks. Both lead to a grainy texture.
- Pulling it from the oven at the right moment. Custard keeps cooking after it leaves the oven. Pull it when the center still has a slight wobble, and it finishes setting as it rests. Don’t overbake it.
What ingredients do you need for corn pudding?
You need eggs, half-and-half, cornstarch, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cream-style corn, and white whole kernel corn. That’s it, with no mix and no flour.
Tips about the ingredients (and recipe variations you might like):
- Use large, room temperature eggs. Using eggs at room temperature ensures a smoother mixture. Cold eggs might cause the melted butter to solidify, leading to an uneven texture in the pudding. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, you can place them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes.
- Canned cream corn makes this recipe easy and extra creamy.
- If you don’t have half and half on hand, you can use a combination of milk and heavy cream.
- If you don’t want to use cornstarch, you can use arrowroot starch or tapioca flour in the same amount.
- A touch of vanilla and nutmeg enhances the flavor of the casserole. It’s our own secret ingredients. Try it with homemade vanilla extract.
How do you make corn pudding?
Whisk the custard, stir in both corns, and bake at 400°F until the edges are set and the center barely wobbles.
- Whisk the base. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the melted, cooled butter and the sugar.
- Make the slurry. In a separate cup, whisk the half-and-half and cornstarch until no lumps remain, then stir it into the eggs. Tip: Cornstarch sinks, so give it a quick whisk right before pouring.
- Add flavor and corn. Stir in the vanilla and nutmeg, then the drained whole kernel corn and the cream-style corn.
- Bake. Pour into a greased 9×13 and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges are set, and the center jiggles slightly like Jell-O. A knife inserted halfway between the edge and the center should come out clean, or check for about 160°F in the center. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
Easy Corn Pudding (Creamy Custard, No Jiffy)
A true custard corn pudding with cream-style and whole kernel corn, a hint of vanilla and nutmeg, and no Jiffy mix. Mixes in 10 minutes.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup salted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 15.25 ounces white shoepeg or whole kernel corn, drained (1 can)
- 29.50 ounces cream-style corn (2 cans)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add melted butter and sugar. 5 large eggs, ⅓ cup salted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- In a small bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch until smooth. Stir the cornstarch/milk mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk again just before adding, as cornstarch settles. ½ cup half and half, ¼ cup cornstarch
- Add the vanilla extract and dash of nutmeg. Stir in the drained corn and creamed corn. Mix well. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 15.25 ounces white shoepeg or whole kernel corn, drained, 29.50 ounces cream-style corn
- Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges are set, and the center jiggles slightly. A knife inserted halfway between the edge and center should come out clean (about 160°F in the center). Rest 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Doneness: Pull when the center still wobbles slightly; it sets as it rests. Overbaking is what makes corn pudding eggy.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours ahead, refrigerate, stir, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake.
- Baking at 350°F: Bake about [TEST] minutes.
- Salt: Canned corn and salted butter season this. If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Can you make corn pudding ahead for Thanksgiving?
Yes! Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead. Then cover and refrigerate. The casserole will settle as it sits, so whisk lightly before baking. Bake straight from the fridge, but it will take an extra 5-10 minutes to bake.
Recipe Variations
- Fresh corn: Use about 1 ½ cups of kernels cut from 2 to 3 ears in place of the canned whole kernel corn. Keep the cream-style corn for body.
- You can try adding a touch less sugar if you’d like. Some readers have wanted it sweeter and doubled the sugar. It’s up to you!
- Add jalapeños, cheddar cheese or shredded pepper jack cheese for a little spice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is corn pudding served hot or cold?
We prefer this served warm, but you will regularly find family members pulling out the casserole and eating it straight from the fridge if there are leftovers after a potluck. The creamy sweet texture makes it good either hot or cold.
Is this like Tee’s Corn Pudding?
They’re similar, but different in method. Tee’s Corn Pudding is a Southern Living recipe that uses fresh corn and is thickened with flour. Mine uses cream-style and canned corn with cornstarch.
Can I halve or double this recipe?
Halve it into an 8×8 pan, and start checking doneness 10 minutes early. For a crowd, bake two 9×13 pans rather than one deep dish, so the center sets before the edges overcook.
Storage and Reheating Corn Pudding
- Storing Leftover Corn Pudding: Allow the corn pudding to cool completely. Transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating Instructions: For the best results, reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, checking and stirring every 30 seconds to ensure even heating. If using an oven, cover the pudding with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out and reheat at 325°F (165°C) until warmed through, which might take about 15-20 minutes.
- Freezing for Later: I recommend enjoying corn casserole fresh for the best taste and texture, but it can be frozen. Let the pudding cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container, leaving a small space at the top for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as instructed above. Please note that the texture may change slightly when thawing and reheating.
What main dish goes well with corn pudding?
Here are some of our favorite main dishes to serve with this corn side dish:
- Slow Cooker Meatloaf. The ultimate comfort food.
- Electric Roaster Turkey. Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Oven Baked Ham. Think Easter or Christmas!
- Glazed Ham Loaf. The sweetness of this ham loaf recipe goes well with the creamy rich corn pudding.
- Grandma’s Pork Chops. Grandma’s corn pudding needs grandma’s pork chops. 😋
Can this dish be assembled the night before and baked the following day? I’ve been making it for a few years but have never tried prepping it the night before. Thank you!
followed the easy directions, it is the best most flavorful corn custard pudding I have ever made, and I have made a lot. It was custardy, corny not too sweet, fresh nutmeg is the best. I saved this to my favorite file and will not be looking for other corn custard pudding receipes. We eat it at room temp…. and the leftovers, what leftovers. But they would be good like any other cooked food properly sealed and kept in fridge for at least 3 days. Follow the directions as written and you will not have an issue.
Can this be made in a crockpot?
beyound yummy for yipour tummy !!
Yummy, moist and crusty, not too sweet
Could you cook in electric Roaster?
I have made this a couple times now and it is always delicious! Everyone likes it.
I have used this recipe but instead of corn, I used spaghetti squash. Pretty good.
Great recipe easy to follow taste great!
My grandmother made a scrumptious dish she called corn pudding, and I swear she used a box of Jiffy cake mix in it, like the corn casserole, but not cornbread. The corn casserole tastes a lot like it but not as puddingy. I’ve never seen a recipe for anything like what we all think she made. Unfortunately, I never got the recipe for it, but it was one of the highlights of holiday dinners.
I’m going to make this for thanksgiving dinner but just realized all of my other side dishes are being cooked at 350. Can I make this in the morning and heat up prior to serving? Or would there be a way to adjust the cooking time? This sounds delicious!
Came out like scrambled eggs with a ton of corn in it. Very little flavor. Not sure what I did wrong
Instead of using a Pyrex dish Can I divide the mixture into a muffin try (12 individual muffins)
Do I still cook it all for the same amount of time and temp
Thank you
Sheryl
Gonna serve a mini ice cream scoop of it in “Charro Red bean chili ( chorizo, ground chuck. Diced braised pork shoulder.