Pan-fried corn fritters are perfectly golden and crispy with a pillowy soft sweet and savory corn filled inside. Summer sweet corn has never tasted so good!
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Better Than The Rest: Here's Why
✅ Super Versatile: You can use either fresh sweet corn, canned corn, or frozen corn-- whatever you have on hand!
✅ Complements so many dishes: These corn fritters go with grilled meats, scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables, or hearty salads.
✅ Restaurant Quality Flavor: A delicious contrast of textures and flavors. You'll love biting into the crispy golden outside to find a soft, sweet corn-filled inside with a mixture of sweet and savory flavors. It's the perfect appetizer or side dish!
Corn Fritter Recipe: What To Know & Recipe Highlights
- Key Ingredient: Yep - it's corn! You can use fresh ears of corn, canned corn, or thawed frozen corn! Fresh corn adds a sweeter, fresher taste. You'll need about 6 to 7 ears to get 3 cups of kernels.
- Type of Skillet You'll Need: I recommend a 10 to 12-inch wide pan, which allows enough space to prevent overcrowding the fritters. You want your pan to be deep enough that an inch or two of oil can settle at the bottom without splattering out of the pan when the fritters are added. Cast-iron skillets work best, but you can use any heavy-bottomed pan for this recipe.
- Best Oil To Pan Fry: You'll want to use an oil with a high smoke point that's appropriate for frying. Vegetable, peanut, canola, or safflower oils will all work.
- Dip Them!! I love dipping these corn fritters in this homemade garlic aioli and my creamy homemade guacamole!
- Different Types of Cheese: I use medium shredded cheddar cheese, but if you want a more robust and tangy flavor, you can use sharp cheddar. Feel free to switch this up as well with a mixture of cheeses like Colby Jack or havarti.
- Gluten-free: Swap all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Add Some Spicy! Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Corn: You can't have corn fritters without corn! The kernels add a sweet, juicy crunch which makes up the base of this recipe.
- Flour: Acts as the binding agent, giving the fritters structure and helping hold everything together while they're frying.
- Granulated Sugar: A little sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the corn.
- Baking Powder: Helps the fritters puff up and become light and airy on the inside during cooking.
- Old Bay Seasoning: A blend of warm spices, including celery salt, black pepper, and paprika, that adds a savory and deep flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavors of the fritters and balances the sweetness of the corn and sugar.
- Black Pepper: Adds a little kick of heat, complementing the sweetness.
- Eggs: Work as a binder with the flour to hold all the ingredients together, ensuring the fritters don't fall apart when cooked.
- Buttermilk: Adds a tangy richness to the batter as well as moisture for a tender texture. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can use 2% or whole milk.
- Fresh Parsley: Provides a burst of fresh, earthy flavor and brightens up the dish with a pop of color.
- Mild Cheddar Cheese: Melts within the fritters for a gooey texture and a mild, creamy flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for frying, giving the fritters a golden, crispy outside while keeping the inside soft and moist.
👩🏼🍳 Scroll down to the recipe card below for all the details you’ll need to make this recipe!
🥣 Here's How To Make It
Step 1: Place the corn kernels, flour, sugar, baking powder, Old Bay Seasoning, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 2: Using a large spoon, mix well to combine.
Step 3: Add the eggs and buttermilk to the bowl with the combined dry ingredients. Stir until a thick batter forms.
Step 4: Add the fresh chopped parsley and shredded cheddar cheese and gently stir to combine.
Step 5: Once the batter is combined, it should look like this ⬆️⬆️⬆️.
Step 6: Heat 1½ cups of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, place 2 tablespoon size mounds of the corn fritter mixture in the skillet, then flatten them with a spatula.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tip: Drop a dime size amount of batter into the hot oil. If the batter sizzles and starts to turn golden brown within a few seconds, the oil is hot enough to start cooking the fritters.
Step 7: Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they're golden brown and crispy. Repeat the process with any remaining batter.
Step 8: Add toppings such as bacon, scallions, and shredded cheese. Serve immediately.
Amazingly delicious, serve these while they are hot! I love serving these as an appetizer, side dish, or for a snack. And when you add this homemade chipotle lime aioli sauce on top, it really kicks the flavor up a notch! It's seriously so delicious and savory!
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🙋🏼 Top Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe
You can bake them, but the texture won't be as crispy on the outside. To bake them, just spray both sides of the fritters with cooking spray and place them on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400°F until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Absolutely, yes! To do this, fill your deep fryer with 2–3 inches of oil (like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil) and then heat the oil until it reaches 350°F. Drop the formed spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil.
Work in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the deep fryer (this keeps the oil temperature from dropping). Deep fry them for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator in a single row or with a sheet of Parchment paper between them. Store refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F until heated through.
The air fryer works best. Just preheat to 350°F and then place them in a single layer and heat for 3–5 minutes, flipping halfway. You can also reheat them in the oven or a toaster oven. Preheat to 375°F and then place the fritters on a wire rack or baking sheet and heat for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Expert Tips
- Cook in batches so you don't overcrowd the fritters, causing them to undercook or stick together.
- Wait until the bottom half is fully browned and cooked before flipping your fritters, so keep them from falling apart during the flip.
- To discard the oil, wait until it's fully cooled and add it to an empty jar or bottle and then toss in the trash.
- Garnish with shredded cheese, chives, sour cream, or aioli.
🥘 Here's What I Serve With These Corn Fritters
😋 Next-Level Appetizers You Need To Try!
If you tried these corn fritters or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below ✍🏼. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Corn Fritters
Equipment
- 1 Skillet deep and heavy bottom
- measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¾ cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1½ cups vegetable oil for pan frying
Instructions
- Place the 3 cups of corn kernels, 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add 2 eggs and ½ cup buttermilk to the bowl with the combined dry ingredients. Stir until a thick batter forms.
- Add the fresh chopped parsley and ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese and gently stir to combine.
- Heat the 1½ cups of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Expert Tip: Drop a dime size amount of batter into the hot oil. If the batter sizzles and starts to turn golden brown within a few seconds, the oil is hot enough.
- Place 2 tablespoon size mounds of the corn fritter mixture in the skillet, then flatten them with a spatula.
- Cook the corn fritters for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they're golden brown and crispy. Repeat the process with any remaining batter.
- Add toppings such as bacon, scallions, and shredded cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
-
- I recommend a 10 to 12-inch wide pan, which allows enough space to prevent overcrowding the fritters. You want your pan to be deep enough that an inch or two of oil can settle at the bottom without splattering out of the pan when the fritters are added.
-
- You'll want to use an oil with a high smoke point that's appropriate for frying. Vegetable, peanut, canola, corn, or safflower oils will all work.
-
- Before adding the corn fritters, ensure your oil is at the correct temperature. For a quick and easy way to test, just add a dime-sized drop of batter to the pan. If it sizzles and starts to cook, the oil is ready.
-
- Cook in batches so you don't overcrowd the fritters, causing them to undercook or stick together.
-
- Wait until the bottom half is fully browned and cooked before flipping your fritters, so keep them from falling apart during the flip.
-
- To discard the oil, wait until it's fully cooled and add it to an empty jar or bottle and then throw it away.
-
- Garnish your corn fritters with shredded cheese, chives, sour cream, or aioli sauce.
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Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!
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