Homemade Cream Style Corn
How to make the best homemade Cream Style Corn with frozen, fresh or canned corn kernels with just a few simple ingredients and two secrets that make it the best creamed corn ever!
There’s nothing better than sweet, fresh corn in the summer! It’s good on the cob or creamed, but if you’re looking for a good ole’ Southern cream style corn recipe, look no further!
Easy recipes like this are just proof that not all Southern foods are fried! Granted, we like our fried catfish, fried okra and fried yellow squash, but often times, we rely on fresh vegetables for recipes like this, candied sweet potatoes, smothered okra and tomatoes and more!
Two key reasons why this recipe works
- One of the secrets to making the best cream style corn is to start with a roux. A roux is a combination of equal parts of fat and starch – in this case, the fat is butter and the starch is all-purpose flour- so you’ll use equal parts of butter and flour for this recipe.
- The second secret is to soak it in milk. Yes, milk.
Food Science Tip
Even though some corn isn’t as sweet as others, when you soak the it in milk for a few minutes, the sugars from the milk permeate the kernels ,resulting in a super sweet corn side dish.
If you can, purchase corn from Iowa, Illinois or Nebraska. These states produce the best around! No need to add much to really good corn…but if you’re like most of us, we have to get corn from the grocery store and let’s face it, sometimes it’s not as sweet as we’d like.
I like to serve this with meatloaf or salmon croquettes!
Ingredients
Sometimes, simple is better and in this case, in order to make the best cream style corn, you don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients.
- 4 cups (32 ounces) of corn, which yields 8 1/2 cup (4 ounce) servings. I use canned corn but you can use fresh or frozen.
- Milk-2% or whole
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Sugar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
The melted butter and flour make a roux, which is a thickening agent. This is what makes the cream style corn “thick and creamy.”
How to make cream style corn
This is an overview of how to make it. For exact ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Soak the corn first in enough milk to cover (2% milk or whole milk) for about 10-15 minutes. (This is optional, but recommended for a super sweet flavor.)
- Set the heavy cream and milk out and bring to room temperature.
- In a large skillet on low heat, melt butter; whisk in flour and continue to cook on low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in room temperature cream and milk.
- Bring to high heat (uncovered) for 5-8 minutes; add milk and sugar (optional) and continue to cook on high for another 15-30 minutes or so-until the kernels are tender and the sweet cream corn is thick to your liking; taste for salt; and pepper; serve
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn kernels , frozen, fresh or canned; rinsed and drained
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour , all-purpose
- ½ cup heavy cream , room temperature
- ½ cup milk , room temperature for the roux: See recipe notes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- salt and pepper , to taste
- extra milk (enough to cover the corn) , 2% or whole (to soak corn); optional
Instructions
- Set heavy cream and milk out on the counter to get to room temperature½ cup heavy cream
- Prep corn: rinse and drain4 cups corn kernels
- If you want super sweet corn, let it soak in milk for 10-15 minutesextra milk (enough to cover the corn)
- In a large skillet on medium high heat, melt butter6 tablespoons butter
- Sprinkle in flour and whisk; let cook on low heat for 2 minutes; stir in milk and heavy cream and continue to whisk2 tablespoons flour, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup milk
- Add corn; bring to boil uncovered, stirring frequently4 cups corn kernels
- Turn heat to medium, stir in sugar if you want more sweetness; combine well1 tablespoon sugar
- Allow to cook about 20-minutes until kernels are tender; stirring frequently; taste for salt and peppersalt and pepper
Notes
- Be sure to use heavy cream that is about room temperature; otherwise, it may curdle when you add it to the hot butter
- If you want to ensure sweet corn, soak it in milk for about 15 minutes, then resume recipe. (just put the corn in a big bowl and pour milk over it)
- Use salted or unsalted butter; don’t add salt until the very end after you taste it
- If your corn isn’t sweet enough, add more sugar, but keep in mind, sugar is a thickening agent so…if you add more sugar, you may have to add a little milk back into the skillet
- Cook the corn until tender; add more milk if it’s too thick
- Corn may thicken when stored in fridge
- Reheat on stove top or in microwave; if it’s too thick, stir in a little water or milk
Nutrition Estimate
Tips for making sweet homemade cream style corn
- Make sure the cream is room temperature first
- Sometimes yellow corn and white corn aren’t sweet enough, so if you want really sweet cream style corn, soak the corn in milk for about 15-minutes. (If you’re using canned corn, drain it first then soak it in milk.)
- The sugars from the milk permeate the corn kernels, resulting in super sweet cream corn!
- If you’re using fresh corn on the cob, the best way to shuck fresh corn is to cut a flat end on the corn cob, stand it up, then slide a super sharp knife down and around the cob.
Storage
Store homemade cream style corn in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to three days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Reheating
Homemade creamed corn may thicken after being stored in the fridge or freezer. Reheat and cook the corn on the stove top or microwave; if it’s too thick, stir in a little water or milk.
Variations
Make this easy Southern creamed corn dish for any ethnic cuisine! In the South, you’ll often find cream style corn as a side dish to fried catfish, fried chicken, chicken fried steak or Southern fried oysters!
- Mexican/Southwestern – add in diced green chiles and/or chopped jalapeno; season with ground cumin, coriander and chile powder
- Italian – add in drained and diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
- Mediterranean – add chopped garlic, chopped kalamata olives and dill
FAQs
Canned cream style corn is typically thinner and does not contain dairy, thus it’s long shelf life. Homemade cream style corn is thicker and uses dairy products such as heavy cream and milk.
The short answer is yes. You can substitute with whole fat milk, low fat milk, half ‘n half or evaporated milk. If using any of these substitutions, the result will not be as thick as if you had used heavy cream.
For best results, reheat on the stovetop over low heat. It thickens upon refrigeration, so you may need to add a little milk or water.
You can make homemade cream style corn in advance and just reheat on the stove when you’re ready to serve!
Planning on taking this to a church function, after cooking on stove, can this be placed in a crock pot on low heat to keep it warm until ready to eat?
Yes!
I needed this for a corn soufflé recipe. Oh my goodness! I used frozen corn and it came out soooo good! Thanks so much! So much better than canned cream corn!
Oh that makes me so happy, Elizabeth! Thank you for your kind words.
The cream style corn is easy to make and excellent taste.
My husband loved it. I used fresh corn that’s in season!
Will be making again soon.
Love it!!💕
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the cream style corn!
What started out as a search for cream style corn last fall has now become a regular addition to many meals. It’s delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
The first time I made this, I followed the directions that were in the article, not in the “skip to recipe.” Big mistake haha. There are differences! Not in amounts, but in where certain ingredients are added, and cook times. The first time I ended up with a mess! But fortunately, I had plenty of time left to try it again, and some spare corn in the freezer. The next time I followed the actual printed recipe and it was SO wonderful! I actually came here to see if anyone else had noted the differences. I guess most people skip to the recipe anyway. And I do too, but I was looking for specifically if you cook the corn covered or not. So when I started looking closely at the description, I discovered the differences. I’ve saved the printed copy and I will definitely make it again. My husband raved about it!
Thank you, Nancy! I’m not sure what “differences” you’re referring to between the post description and the recipe card. Both indicate you cook the corn uncovered. Generally, when a recipe does not call for a “cover”, that implies you cook the dish uncovered; however, I will add “uncovered” to the recipe card just to clarify. Thank you for bringing this to my attention:) I’m glad you liked it and thank you very much!
Loved it! It was delicious. It was like my mother and grandmother in the 1950’s used to make!
Thank you!
I love this recipe! Simple and delicious. We skip the sugar and up the salt and pepper slightly. Definitely one of my kids favorite corn recipes. Thank you!
I’m glad your family enjoys this easy corn dish! Thank you, Stephanie!
Sounds perfect! I tend to go easy on the salt so it’s totally understandable…thank you for your kind comment!
The creamed was a hit! My husband loves creamed corn and making it using your recipe was top notch. He loved it. I added another tablespoon of sugar and put a tablespoon of minced garlic. What a delicious addition to my spinach stuffed chicken breast’s.
This was the best cream style corn I have EVER tasted. I will definitely be making this again.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your kind comment.
takes a little time with the stirring but well worth it.
Thank you for sharing!
I’m excited to try this recipe for thanksgiving this year. I love easy to do recipes. I have no doubt it’ll be awesome.
I had a bunch of corn on the cob leftover from a crawfish boil, so I just took the corn off the cob and used that. I came out delicious with a little Cajun kick to it.
Oh I bet that was delicious! Thank you for sharing this!
Can’t imagine making this with any corn other than fresh!!! Canned corn is okay but doesn’t give the same “umph” that one gets from fresh corn! Just my preference.
I agree! Fresh corn is best, but if you don’t have it, frozen or canned works, too! Thank you !
I used more cream because I thought it was to thick and I blended the corn. It was delicious.
Great idea Martha! Thank you!
This recipe was super easy and super delicious!! I cut it in half because I only needed 3 servings, and I had to add just a little more cream to make it thinner for my personal preference. This will definitely go into a regular rotation of recipes for me!
Thank you, Amanda! I’m glad you liked it!