Corn Pudding Without Jiffy Mix

Similar to our corn casserole with cream cheese, but this corn pudding without Jiffy Mix is homemade from scratch so you know exactly what is in it! Creamy and cheesy on top if you like, this is going to be your favorite cheap holiday side dish ever.

OMG I had this dish when I first met my husband and my soon to be sister in law brought her version over. It was so delicious I hardly had any turkey with it! When I began creating my own recipes I took hers and over the years have changed it up a few different ways, this is the first that is truly made from scratch. (affiliate links present)

Why we love this Thanksgiving corn side dish

There are many ways to change the basics up along the way depending on your preferences. If you want a bit of spice, add diced jalapeno peppers. We like to melt a layer of shredded cheddar cheese on the top and it is great with bits of bacon in there too if you like! Super versatile, tender and everyone always asks for seconds. 😉

Below is the most common way to cook this, in the oven. Some years that is so full that I have figured out how to make Easy Crockpot Corn Casserole which is nice to make and keep warm for a good hour while everyone serves themselves. Then we tweaked it again and made a smaller version in a mini bundt pan with our Instant Pot Corn Casserole instructions too!

Ingredients for Vegetable Casserole

• All purpose flour will provide a bit of stiffness so it is a cross between cornbread and pudding
• 3 tbsp corn flour gives it more flavor, I prefer this vs. cornmeal that is grittier
• A pinch of sugar will create a bit of sweetness
• Baking powder allows it to rise
• You always want a bit of salt
• Melted butter or a vegan plant based product that is dairy-free works too
• Sour cream keeps it moist, Greek yogurt would be a good alternative
• 2 eggs will provide a bit of a rise to this too
• Canned corn drained was used in this case
• 8×8 baking dish size used
• Large bowl

With Jalapeno Peppers

Ok so let’s talk about variations to this popular holiday side dish. Want it a bit spicy to heat up your big get together? Great idea but you don’t need much. Either dice up a fresh one after removing seeds and membrane, use 1 tbsp of canned chopped or make roasted jalapeños in the oven for a bit of a smoky pop.

With Fresh Corn on the Cob

Want to really go all out from scratch and prefer using fresh produce all the way, I get it. In this case you will just want to slice kernels off the cob and add the appropriate amount listed below in the recipe card. Only difference with this is you will get a bit more texture, which I actually love so go for it!

With Frozen Corn

In this case you can make our casserole with corn with frozen vegetables but you will want to defrost first. You can do this by setting on the counter for an hour or so just to get rid of the frost or cover with water and microwave for 30 seconds and then drain.

How to Make Corn Pudding with Canned Corn

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and in another bowl mix wet ingredients like sour cream, melted butter and eggs.
• Combine both, then gently fold in the drained corn kernels.
• Spray a 8×8 inch pan with non stick spray.
• Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes cooking time or until the top of the casserole is golden brown.
  • a toothpick comes out in the middle with wet crumbs attached, not dry or with uncooked batter (fine balance but you don’t want to dry it out).
• Remove, set on cooling rack and allow to set for 10 minutes.

We used a can of kernel corn for this version, as well as our Jiffy Cream Corn Casserole Recipe using that little blue box. I can’t say that one is necessarily better than the other, it’s just choosing homemade vs. using a dry mix as the base ingredient really.

Tips

1. My #1 MOST important thing to tell you when making corn pudding casserole is do NOT bake it too long. It is supposed to be mushy, like an underbaked cookie where there isn’t raw dough in the middle but super tender. Check in the middle with a toothpick near the end. If there is wet batter attached, give it another 2 minutes. You want moist crumbs attached for perfection.
2. Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. This gives it time to solidify just enough to be able to slice it into pieces but not dry out if cooled completely (a fine balance for sure).
3. Serve it warm for the best texture and flavor.
4. When storing leftovers, wait until completely cooled. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil with the least amount of air. Keep in fridge for up to 3 days and microwave it for 30 seconds before enjoying it again.