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Best Ever Creamed Corn

This Homemade Creamed Corn recipe is the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. Creamy, buttery, super sweet corn is a delicious addition to your holiday table or Sunday supper. Don’t skimp on the fat, just embrace this indulgent dish for what it is!
small saucepan with homemade creamed corn and topped with green onions
I have to admit, until I made this homemade creamed corn with cream cheese for myself, I wasn’t really a big fan of this dish. Maybe that’s because I remember the canned version of cream-style corn from my childhood. 

Trust me, the homemade version with cream cheese and real butter is infinitely better!

When cooked on the stovetop, the milk (or cream) that the corn cooks in slowly reduces down into the signature thick and creamy sauce. The addition of cream cheese in this creamed corn recipe helps to thicken the sauce quicker. 

Cream cheese is a common addition when making creamed corn in the slow cooker because it helps to thicken the sauce in the closed environment (read: no evaporation). I also love the flavor that it adds!

saucepan of creamed corn with cream cheese

What Is Creamed Corn?

Creamed corn is made by combining pieces of whole sweetcorn with the starchy, milky residue from pulped corn kernels scraped from the cob. It is commonly eaten in the Midwest and Southern states when corn is in season or around the holidays. 

Easy Creamed Corn Ingredients

Homemade creamed corn is one of my favorite corn dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy cream-style corn:

  • Sweet corn
  • Whole milk
  • Cream cheese
  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Green onions

How to Make Creamed Corn

  1. Cube the cream cheese and butter, then add to a saucepan.
  2. Add the milk and stir continuously until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Reduce heat and add the sugar, spices, and corn.
  4. Continue stirring until the corn is heated through, about 5 minutes.

small crock of thanksgiving creamed corn

Should I Use Canned, Fresh, or Frozen Corn?

This cream cheese corn can be made with frozen, fresh, or canned corn. I have only tried this recipe with frozen kernels. I prefer this method because the sweet corn is frozen at its peak and I don’t have to mess with shucking whole corn.

Can I Freeze Creamed Corn?

I’m not sure how well this Thanksgiving corn recipe will freeze. I worry that the dairy in it will separate once frozen. If you do freeze this homemade creamed corn, leave me a comment below letting me know how it turned out!

Tips for the Best Creamed Corn

  • I like to use whole milk for this recipe because that is what we always keep on hand.You can substitute with 2% milk if that’s all you have, I haven’t personally tried this, and it may not be as creamy, but with the cream cheese the difference may be negligible.
  • I recommend using full-fat cream cheese and real butter for best results!
  • Some recipes separate and blend a portion (1/4 – 1/2) of the cooked creamed corn for added creaminess. I like the texture of this recipe with the bursts of corn so I don’t do this. (I also don’t want to dirty any more dishes or kitchen tools!)

More Holiday Side Dishes:

This recipe is the best creamed corn I've tried! Simple ingredients, a little bit of spice, and just a few minutes on the stovetop.

Creamed Corn

4.14 from 239 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 230kcal
Author: Emily Grace

Ingredients

  • 3 cups frozen sweet corn
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granualted sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon green onions , finely diced

Instructions

  • Cube the cream cheese and butter, add to a medium size sauce pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the milk and stir continuously until the mixture is smooth.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add the sugar, spices, and corn.
  • Continue stirring until the corn is heated through, about five minutes.

Video

Notes

  • I like some heat with this so I use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne.
  • Also, be sure to stir this continuously, you do not want the milk mixture to scald or burn on the bottom. If it starts to boil, adjust your temperature down quickly.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 6.1mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Did you make this recipe? Mention @GraceGoodEats or tag #graceandgoodeats!

This post was published November 11, 2016 and updated August 19, 2019.

Recipe Rating




Patsy Carbonette

Tuesday 21st of November 2023

This will be my second year making your cream corn. Only change I will be making is doubling the recipe. Thank you

Charlie

Wednesday 10th of February 2021

Delicious!

Tracy Cheek

Monday 21st of December 2020

Can this be made the day before? If so, how do you reheat it?

Emily Grace

Wednesday 23rd of December 2020

Hi Tracy, I haven't tried that. I have made it and then refrigerated the leftovers and reheated the next day. If it is a small amount, I would reheat in the microwave. If you are reheating the whole batch, I would do this on the stove.

Pam

Thursday 26th of November 2020

This was quick and amazing. I had left over corn from the summer. I used heavy cream because I didn't have any milk. This will be on our Thanksgiving table this afternoon. Peace and blessings

Tracy

Sunday 22nd of November 2020

Can this be made in advance??

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