Creamy Cheddar Corn Pudding (Side Dish) - Budget Bytes (original) (raw)

Corn pudding is a staple at southern Thanksgiving tables, but honestly, it’s a great side dish any time of year! This rich corn casserole is made with sweet corn, cornmeal, eggs, cream, and cheddar, and then baked to perfection. And even though our corn pudding recipe is made 100% from scratch (no boxed cornbread mix or canned creamed corn), it’s still incredibly easy and it will definitely leave you wanting seconds. ;)

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What is Corn Pudding?

Corn pudding is essentially a corn casserole made with sweet corn, cornmeal, and cheddar cheese baked into a custard made with eggs, cream (or half and half), sour cream, and seasoning. The texture is a bit like stuffing or dressing, in that it is soft, moist, and scoopable. While the ingredients may look similar to cornbread, corn pudding is far more rich and moist.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this corn pudding recipe:

• Corn: We used frozen sweet corn for convenience, but if you happen to have an abundance of inexpensive fresh corn, you can boil it or roast it, slice it off the cob, and then add it to the casserole.
• Half and Half: This creamy mixture is the base for the custard. If you don’t have half and half you can use a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream, or just whole milk, although that won’t be quite as rich as the half and half.
• Eggs: Eggs combine with the half and half to create the rich custard. They firm up when baked, giving the pudding its scoopable texture.
• Cornmeal: Cornmeal gives body and structure to the pudding, so it’s not just a milk custard, but half-way between a custard and a cornbread in texture. Use yellow cornmeal for the best color.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream adds moisture, richness, and even more flavor to the corn pudding.
• Cheddar Cheese: Cheese gives the pudding depth of flavor and makes it extra rich!
• Sugar: A little bit of sweetness contrasts the savory pudding in all the right ways!
• Seasoning: The pudding is seasoned simply with a little salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper for sparkle. It’s not enough cayenne to make it spicy, just to give the pudding some personality!

What to Serve with Corn Pudding

Corn pudding is a classic side dish served on Thanksgiving, but it’s also great the rest of the year paired with dishes like Pulled Pork, Baked Beans, or BBQ chicken. It’s a classic American comfort food that goes with any stick-to-your-ribs meal!

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover corn pudding can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (if you don’t eat it all first!). Or, once chilled in the refrigerator, you can divide it into single-serving portions and freeze for up to three months. Allow frozen corn pudding to thaw completely in the refrigerator first before reheating in the microwave. Just be careful not to overheat the corn pudding as it can cause it to get a little watery.

Cost 6.36recipe/6.36 recipe / 6.36recipe/0.80 serving

This homemade corn pudding recipe is made with sweet corn, cornmeal, cheddar cheese, eggs, and dairy to make a rich and cozy corn casserole.

• ▢ 4 cups frozen sweet corn ((thawed), divided, $1.67)

• ▢ 1 cup half and half (see notes, $0.75)

• ▢ 3 large eggs ($0.32)

• ▢ 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal ($0.24)

• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.63)

• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar ($0.09)

• ▢ 2 tsp salt ($0.10)

• ▢ 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.05)

• ▢ 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)

• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided, $2.49)

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place 2 cups of the thawed sweet corn in a blender with the half and half, then blend until mostly smooth.

• Add the blended corn to a large bowl with the remaining 2 cups of corn, the eggs, cornmeal, sour cream, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until evenly combined.

• Fold 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese into the pudding mixture.

• Pour the pudding into a greased 2 quart casserole dish, then top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar.

• Bake the pudding for 50 minutes, or until the outer edges are golden and the center jiggles just a little when you shake the dish. Let the corn pudding cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

* You can use a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream, or all whole milk (although this will not be quite as rich).

Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 347kcal (17%)Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)Protein: 14g (28%)Fat: 19g (29%)Sodium: 817mg (36%)Fiber: 3g (13%)

The nutrition data is automatically calculated using all ingredients listed on the recipe card, including any listed as optional. Percentages are of daily value.

How to Make Corn Pudding

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add 2 cups of thawed frozen corn to a blender with 1 cup half and half. Blend the mixture until mostly smooth. Reserve the remaining 2 cups of thawed corn for the next step.

Add the blended corn and half and half to a large bowl with the remaining 2 cups of corn, 3 large eggs, ½ cup yellow cornmeal, ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until evenly combined.

Fold 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the corn pudding batter.

Pour the corn pudding mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish, then top with another 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake the corn pudding in the preheated 350ºF oven for 50 minutes or until the outer edges are golden and the center only slightly jiggles when you shake the casserole dish. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes after removing from the oven, then serve.

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Beth MoncelI’m a food lover, number cruncher, and meticulous budgeter. I love science and art, and the way they come together when I cook. I love to create, problem solve, and learn new things. Making great food is my passion, my purpose, and my favorite thing to share with others.More About Beth