Our easy Crockpot creamed corn recipe with frozen corn and cream cheese is the best creamy side dish we love to serve with dinner at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.
Homemade creamed corn is something my Grandmother always made for all the holidays. I assumed that all families made this so I took it for granted until I married into another family and realized that is not true. SO a few years in it was time to introduce it to all of them and it has been a hit ever since!
For years I made honey butter skillet corn which is amazing too but didn’t have the same memories of this one so it was time to figure out how she made it. It was creamy, packed with flavor with chunks of sweet corn kernels.
It took me a few batches of experimenting until I landed on these measurements which brought me right back to sitting next to her at the table. 😉 I will explain why I use each item below as well as substitutions you can make if needed.
Ingredient Notes
The main star of the show is the vegetable itself. I have tested them all from fresh off the cob, canned and frozen corn and the latter is best. If you don’t want to achieve a mushy texture you need to believe me on this one.
Can you use canned corn to make homemade creamed corn?
Yes and I would suggest that you do so if you don’t like chunks in there and would rather have it smoother like the canned version. You would want to drain the liquid from the cans before adding if you choose this method.
To make it creamy you need a few things. You will want to start with a block of cream cheese. Don’t get the low fat version, it isn’t as good or as creamy and we aren’t counting calories during the holidays anyway friends. 😉
To add to this you want butter and heavy cream. I like Kerrygold salted butter for the best result and creaminess.
For seasonings I went with garlic powder, a bit of sugar to add sweetness and a pinch of salt (pepper if you like). If you want just savory you can skip the sweet and/or can use a sugar-free alternative like Splenda.
What can you use other than cream cheese to make creamed corn?
If you need a dairy free option there are blocks of lactose free cream cheese at most grocery stores. If you don’t want or have that option you could blend cottage cheese or firm tofu in a blender until smooth and use that. Some prefer plain Greek yogurt instead (though none of these will be as thick).
How Long to Cook Creamed Corn in Crockpot
You only need a few hours, 3-4 hours on low ideally. At Christmas time what I do is wait until noon to start it because we typically eat on the earlier side and I have some time to breathe right around then. I love it because it doesn’t need room in the oven because typically that is already full.
Can you cook this on high?
You can but in a slow cooker I prefer slllllooooooooow because that is the best result overall for texture purposes. You can cut down the cook time by about an hour on high. I will say that the outside edges will get a bit crusty with this high heat though and I like it super creamy so it isn’t suggested.
How do you know when it is done?
This is all about testing the texture. You want it to thicken, have all cream cheese melted and super creamy, and the kernels still somewhat firm. If it is too thick it probably cooked too long, too thin and it needs more time. Test a small spoonful.
How long can you keep creamed corn in a Crockpot on warm?
When this is done another huge plus is you can switch it to the “keep warm” setting and allow guests to enjoy it for another hour or two after it is done. Keep in mind that the longer it sits and is in the heat the thicker it will become. You can thin it out a bit with a dash of milk, and then stir. I would suggest you do this after every hour it sits.
Crockpot Creamed Corn Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cube cream cheese and add all ingredient into Crockpot, stir to combine.
- Cover and set to low for 3-4 hours or high for 2-3 hours (stirring 1-2 times during this time) until you reach a thick, smooth and creamy texture.
- Stir at the end. If you want creamier texture you can mash some of the corn kernels with the back of a spoon, serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How do you save leftovers?
You want to wait until it has cooled to room temperature first. Then transfer to a container with a tight lid on it. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will become very thick so when reheated in microwave or on the stove you want to add a few tbsp of milk, stir, and then reheat.
