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!
These corn fritters are the perfect blend of sweet and savory with sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and a touch of warmth from the Old Bay seasoning and black pepper, all pan-fried and perfectly crispy! The only thing that makes them better is a side of cilantro lime aioli for dipping!
You can make Corn Fritters as an appetizer or snack or as a side dish for Chicken Thighs or these Garlic Butter Steak Bites. Once you heat the oil and combine the ingredients, they take just minutes to pan-fry. Corn fritters are the perfect way to use up fresh summer sweet corn, but frozen or canned works as well, so you can enjoy the sweet flavors of summer anytime of year!
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Why This Recipe Works
1. It's versatile. Use either fresh sweet corn, canned corn, or frozen corn-- whatever you have on hand!
2. It complements many dishes. Corn fritters go with grilled meats, scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables, or hearty salads.
3. 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.
🛒 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.
- 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.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
📋 Variations
- Corn: 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.
- Milk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can use 2% or whole milk for this recipe.
- 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 cheddar or havarti.
- Gluten-free: Swap all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour. (Most baking powder is gluten-free, but double-check yours to be sure.)
- Add some spice: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
🥣 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
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 the 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.
Step 8: Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they're golden brown and crispy. Repeat the process with any remaining batter.
Step 9: 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!
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes! If using frozen corn, thaw the kernels and drain any excess water first. For canned corn, be sure to drain and rinse the corn to remove any excess salt and water.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator in a single row or with a sheet of wax 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.
You can bake them, but the texture won't be as crispy on the outside. 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.
💭 Expert Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- Before adding the batter, 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 to toss in the trash.
- Garnish with shredded cheese, chives, sour cream, or cilantro lime aioli.
🥘 More Appetizer Recipes
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
- skillet deep and heavy bottom
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¾ cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1½ cup 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 to toss in the trash.
- Garnish your corn fritters with shredded cheese, chives, sour cream, or cilantro lime aioli.
Katie Crenshaw
These were so fun to make and turned out delicious. They were the first thing to disappear at my dinner party.
Amanda Mason
So glad to hear they turned out so great and that everyone enjoyed them!
Veronika
I'm so glad I came across these fritters, they were amazing! I make grilled corn and fresh corn salad often in the summer but somehow never actually tried making corn fritters at home. These are gonna become a staple!
Amanda Mason
Yes, this can easily become a staple recipe...they are that good! So glad you enjoyed them!
Amy Liu Dong
This looks awesome! The fritters are cooked to perfection and the flavors are going well with each other!
Amanda Mason
Enjoy!