This classic corn fritters recipe delivers crispy, golden brown bites of Southern comfort — light and fluffy on the inside, with bursts of sweet corn in every bite. Perfect as a snack, side, or appetizer, they’re deep-fried to perfection and impossible to resist.
If you’re looking for even more classic Southern sides, don’t miss this hush puppies recipe, okra and tomatoes, or this Southern squash casserole recipe, too!
These corn fritters are everything you want in a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish: quick to mix up, fried to crispy perfection, and loaded with the natural sweetness of fresh corn in every bite. The batter fries up into golden brown rounds with a delicate crunch on the outside and a soft, pillowy center, making them just as perfect for a casual weeknight dinner as they are for a weekend fish fry or family gathering.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Fresh sweet corn cut off the cob is the best when it’s in season during the warm summer months. If you’re craving corn fritters at other times of the year, you can use frozen and thawed corn or canned, drained corn. Just make sure that the thawed or canned corn is really dry.
- Salted butter adds richness to the batter, but you can sub with bacon grease for an even more authentic Southern treat! The bacon grease lends a smoky flavor that you don’t get with the butter.
- Thick, whole buttermilk is a tangy, acidic component that reacts with the leavening agents (baking powder + baking soda) to give the fritters that light, puffy texture.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own substitute. To do so, place 1 ½ teaspoons of white vinegar (or lemon juice) in a measuring cup. Fill with whole milk up to the ½ cup line. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes at room temperature. The milk will slightly curdle (this is normal and exactly what you want).
- Vegetable oil works great for frying since it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Canola oil or peanut oil are also good options.
How to Make Corn Fritters
This recipe for corn fritters is so dang easy. The hardest part is just waiting for the oil to come to temperature! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Pour the oil into a large Dutch oven until it’s 2 inches deep, and bring it to 365°F. This always takes longer than I expect!
- While the oil heats, prepare the batter. First, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and pepper). The sugar doesn’t make these overly sweet. If you want a sweeter fritter, you’ll need to increase the sugar.
- Next, whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, buttermilk, and melted butter).
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until everything is combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll activate the gluten in the flour and end up with dry, tough fritters. Fold in the corn.
- When the oil is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pot. Use a spoon to gently turn them for even browning. They will puff up and turn golden. This typically takes about 3-4 minutes. Work in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pot and bring down the temperature of the oil. Keep an eye on the temp and adjust the heat so that it stays within the range of about 350-365 degrees F. Too low and you’ll wind up with greasy corn fritters that absorb too much oil. Too hot, and you’ll wind up with fritters that are burned on the outside before they’re totally done on the inside.
- Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While they’re still warm, season them with a little bit of salt.
Serving Suggestions
These corn fritters aren’t too sweet, so they pair well with both sweet and savory garnishes. For instance, try honey, maple syrup, honey butter, sweet chili dipping sauce, or a dusting of powdered sugar if you like it sweeter. For savory options, we love a creamy Ranch dip, remoulade sauce, comeback sauce, a dollop of sour cream, or pimento cheese.
If you’re serving the corn fritters as a side dish, they’re great with Southern fried catfish, Mississippi pulled pork, Southern crispy fried chicken, chicken taquitos, peach chicken, smothered pork chops, slow cooker chili, flank steak marinade, the best grilled hamburgers, or blackened shrimp. You can add the corn fritters to a Southern veggie platter with collard greens, okra and tomatoes, and soup beans, too. YUM!
Did you make this recipe?
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Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted (or sub with bacon drippings for smoky flavor)
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned and well drained, or thawed from frozen and well drained)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
- Optional, for serving: honey butter, maple syrup, honey, Ranch dressing, remoulade sauce, comeback sauce, pimento cheese, or a sweet chili dipping sauce
Instructions
Heat the Oil
- Pour about 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil until it reaches 365°F.
Mix the Batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (don’t overmix). Fold in the corn.
Drop and Fry
- Using a cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter directly into the hot oil. Fry in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Turn with a slotted spoon for even browning.
Drain and Serve
- Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt while they’re still hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Refrigerator: Let the fritters cool completely, then store them in an airtight container lined with paper towels. They’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, place the cooled fritters on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container; they’ll keep for up to 2 months.
- How to Reheat: Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the fritters on a baking sheet for about 5 -10 minutes, or until hot and crispy. You can also warm them in a microwave; however, they will not staying crispy on the outside and instead will have a softer, mushier texture.
Corn Fritters Recipe Variations
- Make the fritters sweeter by increasing the sugar.
- Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives or green onions. Fresh herbs like rosemary, parsley, cilantro, or thyme would also be nice.
- Make the fritters spicy with cayenne pepper or minced jalapeño, or give them some earthy, smoky flavor with ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
- Add a little grated cheese to the batter for a fun twist.
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For us, this recipe was always a sweet treat. After the oil drained off the cooked fritters, mom would roll them in powdered sugar and we would enjoy them warm.
What great memories!
My husband and I made these tonight. The only change I made was reducing the amount of pepper. They tasted just like my Mother-inLaw’s! We loved them and will make them part of our routine. Super easy.
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Margie!