Hush Puppies

These Southern hush puppies fry up crispy and golden outside, tender and fluffy inside, all from a simple cornmeal batter. They are the classic side for fried fish, seafood, or any summer cookout, and they come together in about 30 minutes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword homemade hush puppies, hush puppies, hush puppies recipe, southern hush puppies recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings fritters

Calories 64kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Large cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
Deep fry thermometer
Cookie dough scoop

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.

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