Easy Corn Fritters
Just finished making a batch and I can’t stop eating them. So easy ad delicious. ~Olivia
Quick Look: Corn Fritters
- 🕐 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏱ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 8 (about 24 fritters)
- 🔥 Calories: 237 kcal
- 🥘 Cook Method: Pan-Fried
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Cheesy, savory, with a sweet pop of corn
- 📊 Difficulty: Easy
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Why Are My Corn Fritters So Good!
- I use fresh corn cut right off the cob, so every fritter has that real sweet pop of corn kernels.
- Scraping the cob after cutting the kernels pulls out the milky starch that helps thicken the batter naturally.
- Fresh grated Parmesan melts into the batter itself, so the cheese flavor runs through the whole fritter, not just the top.
- Keeping the fritters small and flat means they cook through evenly and get crispy.
- A short rest before frying lets the flour hydrate, which is one of the easiest ways to stop a fritter from falling apart in the oil.
What Type of Corn To Use For Fritters?
Preferred type of corn for the fritters is fresh corn on a cob, hands down. It truly tastes the best and has the best sweetness when you use uncooked corn kernels cut right off the cob. You also have the added benefit of scraping the cob for extra cornstarch.
If you don’t have access to corn on the cob, you can substitute canned corn or frozen corn. Both of these options will have excess liquid though.
- To use canned corn: strain it well and then spread it out on paper towel and pat it dry before mixing it into the batter.
- To use frozen corn: pull the bag of frozen corn out the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator. It has to be completely thawed before mixing with the batter. Strain off any excess liquid, spread it on the paper towel, and pat it dry.
Other Key Ingredients and Allergy Substitutions
- Cilantro: Cilantro adds a fresh, herby note, but if you’re in the camp that thinks it tastes soapy, just leave it out or swap in the same amount of chopped parsley or a little extra green onion.
- Chives: since chives and so thin, they incorporate very nicely into the batter and have a more mild onion flavor. If needed, swap out for green onion/scallions.
- Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan rather than the pre-shredded bagged kind. Bagged cheese is coated in anti-caking powder that keeps it from melting smoothly into the batter, plus fresh grated Parmesan has a much better flavor.
- Gluten Free: I make gluten free corn fritters all the time and it always comes out just as good as regular. You only have to make one substitution of gluten free all purpose flour instead of regular all purpose flour.
- Milk Substitute: You can use lactose free milk if lactose is the problem. Parmesan cheese is lactose free because it’s aged so that shouldn’t be a problem. (Double check the label though.) If you are trying to keep these fritters dairy free, you can use almond milk as a substitute. As far as Parmesan cheese, you can try substituting it for vegan Parmesan cheese although I have not tried it myself.
How To Make Corn Fritters: Steps and Tips
Lyuba’s Tip: you can use two larger pans at the same time to make more in one batch. That will save you a lot of time and keep the earlier batch from being cold when done cooking.
- Cut the kernels off the cob over a bowl. Stand the cob upright and slice downward with a sharp knife, following its natural curve. Standing the cob in the bowl or a rimmed baking sheet catches every kernel and the milky juice along with it.
- Scrape the starch off the cob. Run the dull back edge of your knife up and down the cob after the kernels are off. You’ll see a thin, milky paste come away, that’s the natural corn starch, and it’s what helps thicken and bind the batter without making it gummy.
- Rest the batter before you heat the oil. A few minute rest gives the flour time to fully hydrate, which thickens the batter and is what keeps the fritters from falling apart in hot oil.
- Watch for the shimmer, not the clock, on your oil. Neutral oil like avocado or canola is ready around 350°F. Drop in a tiny test bit of batter first, it should bubble and sizzle immediately. If it just sits there quietly, the oil needs more time.
- Use about a #40 scoop (1.5-2 Tbsp) to keep the fritter batter amount even for each one and keeping them small.
- Give the fritters room to breathe in the pan. Crowding drops the oil temperature fast, and you’ll hear the sizzle go quiet almost as soon as you add a batch. Keep a couple of inches between fritters so each one keeps that steady, active sizzle the whole time it cooks.
- Wait for a deep, dark gold before you flip. The edges will look browned on the bottom, and they should release easily from the pan with barely a nudge. If it resists or looks pale and wet, it needs another minute; forcing a flip too early is the most common reason fritters break apart.
- How to flip: it’s best to use a thin metal spatula and gently slide it under a fritter. Quickly flip the fritter and try not to move them around too much. As long as you keep the fritters around 3 inches in diameter and no bigger, you shouldn’t have a problem flipping them.
- Cool them on a rack, not a plate. Air needs to move underneath the fritters or the bottoms turn soft from trapped steam within minutes. A wire rack keeps that satisfying crackle intact until you’re ready to serve.
Best Way To Store, Freeze and Reheat Corn Fritters
- Store: You can store leftover cooked corn fritters in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container for about 5 days.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat them and still be crispy on the outside is on stove-top. Preheat a cooking pan over medium heat. No oil is necessary but you can add only a little bit of oil to grease the pan. Reheat the fritters, flipping them half way, until hot throughout.
- Freezing: They are actually quite freezer friendly. Place cold fritters onto a cutting board or a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours. (Set the timer so you don’t forget.) Once frozen, you can stack them in a large freezer zip-top bag or portion it among several freezer bags. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, pull some out of the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat on stove-top over medium heat. OR in an air-fryer at 360°F for 2-3 minutes.
Ways to Serve Corn Fritters
Corn fritters are a flexible side that can dress up almost any meal, and they hold their own on a table:
- Alongside a piece of flaky fish, like blackened salmon or grilled salmon with brown butter citrus sauce.
- As a crispy side for tacos like my fried fish tacos instead of chips.
- Next to a light, refreshing side like cucumber salad or cucumber broccoli salad to balance out the fried richness.
- Topped with a fried or poached egg for an easy summer breakfast.
- With the dipping sauce from the recipe card, or a simple sour cream, guacamole, ranch, or a squeeze of lime.
Corn Fritters Recipe FAQs
The batter that is too thin or wasn’t given enough time to rest. Make sure canned or frozen corn is well drained and patted dry, let the batter sit for the full 15 minutes, and let the first side sear undisturbed before flipping.
Another plus of using fresh corn is extra natural corn starch, which helps hold them together.
This almost always comes down to oil temperature. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the batter absorbs oil instead of searing, which leaves you with greasy, soft fritters. Keep the oil at a steady 350°F and let it come back up to temperature between batches.
Not from raw batter. This batter is loose enough to fry into shape in hot oil, but it won’t hold together on an air fryer tray. Leftovers reheat beautifully in the air fryer though, at 360°F for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Both are fried and made with corn, but hush puppies rely mostly on cornmeal and are usually round and cakey all the way through. They also have more batter to corn ratio, if containing corn kernels at all. Corn fritters use whole corn kernels folded into a flour-based batter, so you get distinct pops of corn in a crispier, flatter bite.
No, I do not recommend it since this batter has baking powder. The batter should be cooked right away. You can cook the fritters, cool, and store them but they won’t be quite as good reheated as fresh.
More Fritter Recipes To Try!
- Apple Fritters Recipe – Apple Fritters are super easy little fried donuts packed with apple chunks and slathered with vanilla glaze.
- Zucchini Fritters – the tastiest way to use up fresh zucchini by mixing it with eggs, Panko bread crumbs, garlic, and two types of cheese.
- Potato Cakes – classic potato pancakes made with a simple combination of raw grated potatoes, onions, eggs, and four and shallow-fried in the pan.
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Corn Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cob (about 3 cups of kernels)
- 1/3 cup whole or 2% milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup diced chives
- 2 Tbsp cilantro
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt
Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp minced chives
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
For Frying:
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Place a couple of sheets of paper towel on a wire rack for the cooked fritters. Set it aside.
- Expert tip: you can use two larger pans at the same time to make more in one batch. That will save you a lot of time and keep the earlier batch from being cold when finished.
Cut Cork Off The Cob:
- Take off the husks and as many silk fibers as you can. Cut off leftover part of the stalk, if any, at the bottom of the cob and stand it up inside a wide, rimmed baking sheet or in a mixing bowl.
- Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife from top to bottom, following the natural curve of the cob.
- Collect all the kernels and add them to the mixing bowl. Run the back of the knife up and down the corn cob, scraping leftover corn pieces and starch over the bowl.
Prepare The Batter:
- Combine all ingredients with corn and mix until it’s all evenly incorporated. Let the batter sit for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oil.
- Pour 1/2 cup of oil into a large cooking pan and let it preheat to 350°F over medium heat.
Cooking Fritters:
- Use #40 cookie scoop (you can use a little smaller or a little larger but not much) to scoop out some corn fritter batter. Keeping them small will be much easier to manage, flip, and they will cook evenly. This will also help keep them crispy.
- Add a scoop of batter to the oil carefully and gently push on the top to slightly flatten. Repeat with a few more scoop but don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Let fritters cook for about 3 minutes, until deep golden on the bottom and carefully flip with a metal fish spatula. Fry them for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- Take cooked fritters out of the pan and place them on the prepared wire rack.
- For the dipping sauce: simply whisk all ingredients together.
- Other serving options: some sour cream, Greek yogurt, flavored aioli, creamy sriracha, avocado ranch, ranch, jalapeno cilantro crema, and many other creamy sauces like the one I included!
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free: use 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour.
- Store: store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container for about 5 days.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat them and still be crispy on the outside is on stove-top or air fryer. Reheat in a preheated and oiled pan until hot throughout over medium heat. Reheat in the air fryer at 360°F for about 2-3 minutes.
- Freeze: place cooled fritters on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, stack them in a large freezer zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition: note that nutrition is calculated with the sauce provided.
Nutrition
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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Just finished making a batch and I can’t stop eating them. So easy ad delicious.
I love hearing that! I am so glad you liked the recipe, Oliva!
Would these cook in the air fryer okay. Need to stay away from fried food if possible.
Hi Karen, I don’t have an air fryer so I can’t say for sure if you can or can’t. But let me know if you try it how they turn out!
I made these last night and even my picky 7 year old loved them! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Caroline,
I am so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by!