Make homemade Cream Style Corn with frozen, fresh or canned corn kernels and have it on the table in less than 30-minutes!
There's nothing better than sweet, fresh corn in the summer! It's good on the cob or creamed!
You'll be amazed how easy this Southern recipe is--nothing fancy or gourmet...and you can use this recipe to make canned corn taste fresh and creamy with no cream cheese or fillers!
Southerners just love creamy side dishes and this one is fail-proof and delicious every time! It pairs well with just about everything from smoked barbecue to Easter ham!
Why this recipe works
The secret to making really good creamy corn from scratch 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.
This forms a thickening base which makes any kind of corn creamy!
The second important thing is to soak the corn in milk. Yes, milk.
Even though some corn isn't as sweet as others, when you soak the corn in milk for a few minutes, the sugars from the milk permeate the corn kernel, resulting in a super sweet corn.
- Affordable - you can make a big "company" size batch for your next potluck without breaking the bank
- Quick and Easy - one pan cook and clean-up! This dish comes together in less than 30-minutes!
- Flavorful - creamed corn recipe has a nice touch of sweetness but isn't too sweet
- A family favorite--kids love this!
If you can, purchase corn from Iowa, Illinois or Nebraska. These states produce the best corn around! No need to add much to really good corn...
I like to serve this with meatloaf or salmon croquettes!
What you'll need
A few basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen to make delicious "creamed" corn from scratch. (Ugh...I forgot to put a little sugar in the picture below...)
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 it
You'll need about 4 cups (32 ounces) of corn, which yields 8 ½ cup (4 ounce) servings.
Prep the corn first: (read Tips below for making super sweet corn)
Frozen - rinse in colander and drain
Canned corn - drain
Fresh - slice the kernels off the cob; rinse and drain
Melt butter in a skillet; whisk in flour and continue to cook on low heat. Add heavy cream and corn. Bring to high heat (uncovered) for 5-8 minutes; add sugar (optional) and continue to cook on high for another 5 minutes; taste for salt; serve
Tips for making sweet cream style corn
White corn isn't as sweet as yellow, so if you want really sweet, soak the corn in milk for about 15-minutes.
The sugars from the milk permeate the corn kernals, resulting in super sweet corn!
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 the refrigerator up to three days or in the freezer up to 3 months
Reheating
Creamed corn may thicken after being stored in the fridge or freezer. Reheat on stove top or microwave; if it's too thick, stir in a little water.
What type of corn?
Unfortunately, corn is one of the most genetically modified foods in our food supply. For this reason, I recommend you use Certified Organic - either frozen, fresh or canned.
White corn is typically not as sweet as yellow; you can sweeten this dish by soaking the corn in milk or by adding a little sugar.
Variations
Make this easy corn dish for any ethnic cuisine!
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
You can make homemade cream style corn in advance and just reheat on the stove when you're ready to serve!
Related recipes
- Orange Glazed Carrots
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Sweet Heat Country Ribs
- How to Cook Sweet Pan Roasted Corn
- Potato Cakes (Potato Patties)
♥ If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a rating and comment below! Thank you!
Homemade Cream Style Corn
Ingredients
- 4 cups corn kernels , frozen, fresh or canned; rinsed and drained
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour , all-purpose
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- salt and pepper , to taste
- milk 2% or whole (to soak corn); optional
Instructions
- Prep corn: rinse and drain4 cups corn kernels
- If you want super sweet corn, let it soak in milk for 10-15 minutesmilk
- In a large skillet on medium high heat, melt butter6 tablespoons butter
- Sprinkle in flour and whisk; stir in heavy cream and continue to whisk2 tablespoons flour, ½ cup heavy cream
- Add corn; bring to boil; stirring frequently4 cups corn kernels
- Stir in sugar; combine well1 tablespoon sugar
- Allow to cook for 10-minutes, stirring frequently; taste for salt and peppersalt and pepper
Notes
- Use salted or unsalted butter; don't add salt until the very end after you taste it
- Corn may thicken when stored in fridge
- Reheat on stove top or in microwave; if it's too thick, stir in a little water
Nutrition Estimate
Amanda Maxwell says
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!
Anecia says
Thank you, Amanda! I'm glad you liked it!