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With a rich custardy texture, sweet corn, and a slight hint of vanilla aroma, this easy corn pudding casserole recipe is a great make-ahead side dish, and it’s made without Jiffy cornbread mix! It’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors, and it’s a beautiful addition to any home-cooked or holiday meal.
Thanksgiving is swiftly approaching and you might already have your menu planned and all your side dishes picked. But I’m going to make the case as to why this rich, creamy, custardy corn pudding should be on your Thanksgiving table. (Or bookmark this recipe now and make it as part of Christmas dinner!)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- For starters, this recipe is delicious! And I mean surprisingly way more delicious than you think it’s going to be. It blurs the lines between sweet and savory, similar to everyone’s favorite marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole!
- If you’re feeding people with dietary restrictions, this recipe comes in handy. It’s a wonderful gluten free side dish recipe to have up your sleeve if you need gluten free options.
- Additionally, this is a budget-friendly, inexpensive side dish. If you have a well-stocked pantry and fridge, you might already have just about everything on hand to make this corn casserole.
- And it’s so easy to make! It only requires 10 minutes of active prep time, which is just dumping everything in a bowl and mixing. Also, it cooks up pretty fast, in just 35 minutes.
- But maybe best of all is that you can make this side dish ahead of time. Thanksgiving Day is busy enough without having to make all the side dishes on the day of, right?! You can store this covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, or wrapped well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The Best Easy, Creamy Corn Pudding Recipe
With sweet corn, sugar, and the slightest hint of vanilla you might think this custardy pudding is dessert. But then the savory side hits with a touch of black pepper and aromatic chives, and it’s a perfect balance.
This corn casserole is perfect served with roast chicken, turkey dinner, or pot roast. It makes a beautiful addition to a holiday meal (or any fall or winter dinner), and you can make it ahead of time!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Cornstarch – this helps to thicken and set our custardy pudding
- Half and half – don’t skimp out and use milk here; half and half adds richness and velvety texture
- Butter – because who doesn’t love the flavor of buttery corn?!
- Eggs – makes our pudding smooth and custardy
- Sugar – I know this seems strange, but trust me on this one
- Corn – canned corn is fine here, just make sure to drain it
- Creamed corn – this is the first secret ingredient; make sure you don’t drain the creamed corn
- Salt and black pepper – these simple seasonings are all we need
- Baking powder – this leavening agent provides just a little lift
- Vanilla – the second secret ingredient, and this one takes it over the top
- Chives – fresh chives added as a garnish really brighten up the flavor
How to Make Easy Corn Pudding Without Jiffy Cornbread Mix
It’s so easy to make this recipe (no cornbread mix required!), that it’s sure to become one of your go-to holiday side dishes.
- Whisk together the half and half and cornstarch to make a slurry.
- Melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Whisk together the cornstarch slurry, melted butter, and all other ingredients.
- Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake.
- Garnish with chives and enjoy!
Tips For Success
- This ingredient list might seem like the oddest combination ever, but trust the process. For the perfect balanced flavor and rich texture, don’t make any changes.
- Make sure you drain the right thing! Here we drain the regular can of corn, but don’t drain the cans of creamed corn.
- Be careful not to over or under-bake this. It’s done when it’s golden on the top and slightly jiggly in the center. Additionally, when you insert a paring knife in the middle, it should come out clean.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Once cool, you can store corn pudding casserole covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw the casserole if it was frozen. Put however much you want to reheat into an oven safe dish and heat it (uncovered) at 350F until warm throughout. If you’re reheating the entire casserole, cover it with foil and reheat for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating (uncovered) until it’s warm throughout, about 10 to 20 minutes more.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! Corn pudding should have a creamy, custardy texture, but it should not be runny.
It should be golden on the top and slightly jiggly in the center. When you insert a paring knife in the middle, it should come out clean.
In this recipe, you can use frozen corn (thawed and drained) instead of the can of regular corn. However, don’t try to substitute frozen corn for the canned creamed corn here! Creamed corn helps create the perfect rich, custardy texture.
More Make-Ahead Side Dishes
- Cauliflower Gratin Recipe with Buttery Ritz Topping
- Garlic Roasted Mushrooms Recipe
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Let’s Connect
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Easy Corn Pudding Recipe Without Jiffy Mix
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Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup half and half at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 15 ounce can corn drained
- 2 15 ounce cans creamed corn
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray the inside of a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and half and half in a small bowl to form a slurry.
- Whisk together the cornstarch slurry, melted butter, eggs, sugar, drained corn, creamed corn, salt, pepper, baking powder, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake until it’s golden on top but still jiggly in the center, and a paring knife inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chives on top and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store this covered in the fridge for up to 5 days or wrapped well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat, thaw the casserole if it was frozen. Put however much you want to reheat into an oven safe dish and heat it (uncovered) at 350F until warm throughout. If you’re reheating the entire casserole, cover it with foil and reheat for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating (uncovered) until it’s warm throughout, about 10 to 20 minutes more.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on November 24, 2020 and updated on November 25, 2024.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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