These Southern hush puppies fry up crackly and golden on the outside, tender and fluffy inside, all from a simple cornmeal batter. They come together in about 30 minutes and are the classic side for fried fish, seafood, or anything off the grill!
More Southern cornmeal favorites:
Before You Get Started
Hush puppies are quick, but the frying is where they are won or lost. Keep these three things in mind and you will get a crackly shell and a fluffy center every time:
- Keep the oil at 350°F. Too hot and they brown before the centers cook. Too cool and they soak up grease. A thermometer takes out the guesswork.
- Fry in small batches. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature and gives you pale, greasy puppies. Stick to 3 or 4 at a time.
- Stir just until combined. Over-mixing makes them dense and tough. The batter should look like wet sand.
How to Make Hush Puppies from Scratch
This is about as simple as frying gets. You stir together a cornmeal batter, scoop it into hot oil, and fry until golden. Here is how it comes together, step by step:
Step 1: Heat the Oil
In a large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat about 2 inches of oil to 350°F.
Peanut oil or vegetable oil both work well here, since you want a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
⇢ No thermometer? Use a wooden spoon. Dip the handle into the oil. Steady bubbles around the wood means it is ready. Vigorous bubbling means it is too hot, and no bubbles means it needs more time.
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Whisk the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and grated onion or chives.
⇢ No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of regular milk, let it sit 5 minutes, and use it as directed.
Step 4: Stir Together the Batter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter should be thick and look like wet sand, not smooth or pourable.
⇢ Want to change it up? For sweeter puppies, bump the sugar to 1 or 2 tablespoons. Stir in ½ to 1 cup of corn kernels for extra texture, or add a little Cajun seasoning and diced bell pepper for a spicier batch.
Step 5: Fry in Batches
Line a cooling rack with paper towels and set it near the stove.
Scoop the batter into golf ball-sized rounds and drop them into the hot oil, 3 or 4 at a time.
Fry until deep golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes, then drain on the paper towels.
Season the warm puppies with a little extra salt if you like, and keep finished batches warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you fry the rest.
What to Serve With Hush Puppies
Hush puppies were born at the fish fry, so they are right at home next to anything crispy and Southern!
For the Classic Pairing:
For Cookouts:
For dipping, they love a creamy sauce like my Buttermilk Dressing, or a little pepper jelly for sweet heat.
Storage & Reheating
To Store: Hush puppies are best served hot and fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To Freeze: Freeze cooled hush puppies in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
To Reheat: Warm them in a 350°F oven to bring back the crisp. Thawed hush puppies need about 5 minutes, and frozen ones need about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make hush puppies with Jiffy or cornbread mix?
You can, though the texture leans more like a fried corn muffin than a true hush puppy. If you want to try it, stir a beaten egg and a splash of buttermilk into a box of cornbread mix until you get a thick, scoopable batter, then add a little grated onion and fry as directed.
For the crackly-outside, fluffy-inside result this recipe is known for, the from-scratch cornmeal batter is worth the couple of extra minutes.
How do you get hush puppies crispy outside and fluffy inside?
It comes down to three things: a thick cornmeal batter that holds its shape, baking powder for lift, and oil held steady at 350°F.
Fry them in small batches so the temperature stays put, and pull them the moment they turn deep golden. Overmixing the batter or crowding the pot is usually what leads to dense or greasy puppies.
Can you bake hush puppies instead of frying them?
I have not tested a baked version myself, but a few readers have had luck spooning the batter into a greased mini muffin tin and baking at 425°F for about 15 to 20 minutes.
They come out more like little corn muffins than classic fried hush puppies, but it is a nice option if you would rather skip the oil.
More Southern Breads and Fritters
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Hush Puppies
Equipment
- Large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar (increase to 2 tablespoons for a sweeter batter)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon grated Vidalia onion or minced fresh chives (optional)
- Optional, for serving: remoulade sauce, pepper jelly, Ranch dressing, tartar sauce, comeback sauce, or honey butter
Instructions
- In a large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over high heat until it reaches 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- In a second bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and onion (or chives).
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until combined.
- Line a cooling rack with paper towels and set it near the stovetop.
- Using a cookie dough scoop or large spoon, drop the batter into the hot oil in batches of 3 to 4.
- Fry until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch, then set on the rack to drain.
- Season the warm hush puppies with additional salt if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Oil temperature is everything. Hold it at 350°F. Too hot and the outsides brown before the centers cook; too cool and they turn greasy.
- Fry in small batches of 3 to 4 so the oil temperature does not drop.
- No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk, rest 5 minutes, and use as directed.
- Onion swap: Omit the onion, use a pinch of onion powder, or swap in sliced green onion or chives.
- Sweet version: Increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons and serve with honey butter or pepper jelly.
- Add-ins: Stir in ½ to 1 cup corn kernels, or add diced bell pepper and a little Cajun seasoning for a spicier batch.
- Keep warm: Hold fried batches on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you finish the rest.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes if thawed or 10 minutes from frozen.
Nutrition
Originally published in July, 2020, this post was updated in August, 2026.
I really like your recipes.
Thank you, Carol! I’m so happy to hear that. 🙂
I like the recipe which is close to mine, but your history to where the name “hush puppy” came originated isn’t fully correct. It came from the slaves that ran away from their slave masters, and when the dogs barked when they were found the slave threw bread at the dogs to keep them quiet and they said, “shh, hush puppy,” so the slaves could escape. This is another narrative to keep black history and the true of black history hidden.
I’m glad to know that! Thank you for sharing the story — I’ll update my post to reflect that. 🙂
I do love recipes… And those beautiful landscapes there where you are… Thank you….
Is there a tweak to the recipe to bake them instead of frying? If so, would you provide this modification? Thank you!
Hi, Barb! I haven’t ever tried it, but I love that idea. I bet they’d taste like mini corn muffins. Here’s a recipe online for baked hush puppies if you want to use that method with this recipe (baking in mini muffin tins at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes). Let me know if you give it a shot!