Cornbread Pudding is a savory-sweet Southern side dish perfect for serving at the holiday table! The cornbread base bakes up delectably moist with a custard-like texture and pops of whole-kernel corn speckled throughout. It's guaranteed to delight any cornbread lovers sitting at the table!
For best results, we whipped this rendition up totally from scratch (no Jiffy needed), and it only takes a mere 15 minutes to assemble! Better flavor with an extra decadent, velvety smooth bite, and still easy to make? Now that's a win-win.
This Cornbread Pudding is a well-received addition at any Thanksgiving side dish at any table, and is also amazing alongside shrimp and seafood as well!
Love corn-flavored anything? Check our yummy recipes for Jalaepeño Cornbread and simple Corn Soufflé!
A QUICK HISTORY OF INDIAN CORNBREAD PUDDING
Corn was one of the first ingredients discovered by Europeans in the New World, and as you can probably recall from your elementary school studies, it was Native Americans that taught the new settlers how to grow, cook with, and eat corn.
The original "Indian Pudding" was made with cornmeal (made from dried/dehydrated, ground corn) and water, cooked together in a pot until it was formed into a thick mush.
It was English settlers who took this Native American creation (known as "pone"), and turned it into more of a pudding. They added eggs, milk, cream, and butter, which lent the dish a custard-like texture.
Cornbread Pudding, as we know and love it today, is best known as a holiday Southern side dish staple more-so than anything else. Many recipes call for Jiffy cornbread mix and cans of creamed corn, but we can do better than that.
Making Cornbread Pudding from scratch results in richer flavor and a creamier texture. The best part? It's seriously easy to make.
INGREDIENTS
The ingredient list for Homemade Cornbread Pudding can be broken into three simple parts: corn, the dry ingredients, and the wet ingredients.
WHAT KIND OF CORN TO USE
This recipe was developed using canned, whole kernel corn. You'll need three cans total and you'll want to make sure you drain them! You can use any corn you like: white, yellow, a mix of the two, sweet, super sweet...the choice is yours.
CAN I USE FROZEN OR FRESH CORN INSTEAD?
The options don't stop there. You could also use frozen corn (thawed, of course) or even fresh corn in this recipe. You will need about 4 ½ cups of whole corn kernels to replace the 3 cans. Three cups will be pureed and 1 ½ cups will be added in at the end.
HOW TO COOK FRESH CORN
If you're using fresh corn, you'll have to give it a bit of a head start on the stovetop. Canned (and frozen) corn, have both undergone a heating process before packing, which in turn cooks the corn through a bit.
To catch your fresh corn up to speed for this recipe, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter to a pan over medium heat. Then, add the corn kernels and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, just until the color of the corn has intensified and no longer tastes raw.
DRY INGREDIENTS
The dry mix for Cornbread Pudding consists of all-purpose flour, fine yellow cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Be sure only to use all-purpose flour and not to confuse baking powder with baking soda.
WET INGREDIENTS
For the wet ingredients, you'll need sour cream, unsalted butter, half-and-half, and one egg.
HOW TO MAKE CORNBREAD PUDDING (WITHOUT THE MIX)
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a greased, 2 ½ to 3-quart baking dish.
- Puree the Corn – The first step in making your Cornbread Pudding from scratch is to puree the corn. You can do this in a food processor or a blender. Add the corn to your device and pulse until the corn is smooth and creamy in appearance.
- Make the Cornbread Mix – Now for the dry ingredients: Add flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Mix Wet Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, half-and-half, melted butter, and the egg. Once this mix is looking smooth and well-combined, stir in the pureed corn.
- Add Dry Ingredients - Then, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finish off the Cornbread Pudding batter by stirring in the reserved can of corn.
- Bake – Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish, smooth over the top, and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
5 MORE THANKSGIVING RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Easy Yeast Rolls
- Sweet Potato Souffle
- Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
Easy Cornbread Pudding with a savory-sweet, custard-like cornbread base speckled with sweet corn! Perfect for serving at both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- 3 (15 ounce) cans of sweet, whole kernel corn, drained (separated)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup finely ground cornmeal
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup half-and-half
- 1 large egg
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Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a greased, 2 ½ - 3-quart baking dish.
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Add 2 drained cans of corn to a food processor or blender and process until pureed. Set aside until ready to use. Make sure NOT to add all 3 cans of corn.
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Add flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, half-and-half, melted butter, and egg. Stir in the pureed corn. Then, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the reserved, drained can of corn.
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Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish, smooth over the top, and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
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Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
