Classic Corn Casserole

Name: Classic Corn Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups corn kernels, drained if canned; 1 can (14.75 ounces) cream-style corn; 1 cup sour cream; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 large eggs; 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, optional

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Whisk eggs, sour cream, and melted butter, stir in whole and cream-style corn, then fold in a cornmeal-flour mix seasoned with sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes until the edges turn golden and pull from the dish while the center stays soft, moist, and set like good corn pudding.

Jump to Recipe

Corn casserole lives in the useful middle ground between cornbread and spoon pudding: sturdy enough to serve by the scoop, soft enough that nobody mistakes it for a side of drywall. Whole corn kernels give it bite, cream-style corn brings moisture and sweetness, and sour cream, melted butter, and eggs keep the center tender while cornmeal and a little flour give it enough structure to hold together.

Mix the wet ingredients and corn first, whisk the dry ingredients separately, then fold the two together only until the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing is unnecessary here; the casserole is not applying for a tougher crumb. Sharp cheddar can go in if you want a savory edge, but the base version already balances sweet corn, butter, salt, and black pepper. Bake at 350°F until the edges are golden and pulling slightly from the dish while the center remains soft and moist. Then give it ten minutes before serving. That short rest is when the inside firms enough to scoop cleanly instead of slumping across the plate and introducing itself to the gravy without permission.

Prep15 minutes

Cook45 minutes

Total1 hour

Serves8 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

Corn Casserole

2 cups corn kernels, drained if canned
1 can (14.75 ounces) cream-style corn
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, optional

Instructions

1Heat the oven and prep the dish. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish.
2Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and melted butter until smooth.
3Stir in both corns. Stir the whole kernel corn and the cream-style corn into the wet mixture until evenly distributed.
4Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
5Fold together. Add the dry ingredients to the corn mixture and fold just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Fold in the shredded cheddar now if using.
6Pour and spread. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
7Bake until golden and set. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are golden and pulling slightly away from the sides of the dish and a knife inserted an inch from the center comes out clean, while the very center stays soft and moist.
8Rest before serving. Let the casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. It will firm up slightly as it cools, making it easier to portion with a spoon.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 8 servings.

380Calories

11 gProtein

38 gCarbohydrates

22 gTotal Fat

12 gSaturated Fat

4 gFiber

10 gTotal Sugars

410 mgSodium

110 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Don't overmix once the dry ingredients go in. Fold just until the streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which turns the texture rubbery instead of tender.
Two corns, two jobs. Whole kernels give you texture and pop; cream-style corn gives you body and helps bind the batter. Leaving either one out changes the texture noticeably, not just the flavor.
Drain the whole kernel corn well. Canned corn carries more liquid than the batter is built for. A quick shake in a strainer keeps the texture from turning loose and wet.
Check doneness with a knife, not a toothpick. This bakes more like a custard than a cake. A knife inserted an inch from the center should come out clean while the very middle stays soft — a fully dry toothpick usually means it's overbaked.
Let it rest before you cut it. Ten minutes out of the oven lets the custard finish setting, so you get clean spoonfuls instead of a puddle.

Substitutions

canned corn → fresh or frozen corn kernels Use fresh cut off the cob or thawed frozen corn 1-to-1. You'll lose a little of the canned sweetness but gain fresher corn flavor.

sour cream → full-fat plain Greek yogurt Similar tang and richness. The texture will be very slightly less creamy but still works well.

yellow cornmeal → white cornmeal Purely a color and very minor flavor difference. The texture and ratios stay identical.

sharp cheddar → pepper jack Adds gentle heat along with the melt. Good if you want the casserole to have a little kick.

from-scratch dry mix → one box (8.5 ounce) Jiffy corn muffin mix Swap it in for the cornmeal, flour, sugar, and baking powder as a shortcut. The texture will be a little sweeter and softer, closer to the boxed-mix version many people grew up on.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole dish covered at 325°F for about 15 minutes until warmed through.

Make Ahead

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately up to a day ahead and refrigerate each, covered. Combine and bake just before serving, since the baking powder starts working the moment the batter comes together and loses lift if it sits too long already mixed.

Freezer

Freeze the baked, cooled casserole for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered at 325°F until warmed through, about 20 minutes. The texture softens slightly after freezing but the flavor holds up well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between corn casserole and cornbread?

Corn casserole has much more liquid relative to dry ingredients than cornbread does, so it bakes up soft and moist like a pudding instead of firm enough to slice into wedges. It also has actual corn kernels folded through it, both whole and creamed, which cornbread does not.

Why does my corn casserole come out too runny?

Most often it simply needed more time. This bakes low and relatively long because it has to set a real custard, not just brown a top. If the center still jiggles like liquid rather than wobbling as one set mass, give it another 5 to 10 minutes rather than pulling it early.

Can I use only canned corn, no fresh?

Yes, and that is exactly how this recipe is written. Canned whole kernel corn and canned cream-style corn both work well here; just drain the whole kernel corn before adding it so you are not introducing extra liquid the batter is not built for.

Is this the same as Jiffy corn casserole?

No, and that is deliberate. This version builds its own dry mix from cornmeal, flour, sugar, and baking powder instead of a boxed muffin mix, so you control the sweetness and the texture directly. If you specifically want the boxed-mix version, swap it in using the substitution above.

Can I add cheese to corn casserole?

Yes, it is a common and welcome addition. Fold 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar into the batter before baking, or scatter it over the top for the final 10 minutes so it melts into a browned layer instead of disappearing into the center.

How do I know when corn casserole is done?

The edges should be visibly golden and slightly pulling from the sides of the dish, and a knife inserted an inch from the center should come out clean while the very center stays soft and moist rather than dry. It should look like a spoon can lift out a clean, cohesive portion.