Easy Corn Fritters

This corn fritters recipe is quick and simple! Pan fry the batter into golden, savory patties and serve with a creamy dipping sauce.

Anything fritter always captures our imagination, since they’re essentially fried dough balls (who could resist?). So with corn season underway, it’s only natural that we’d end up here. Try this irresistible and easy corn fritters recipe! They come out crisp-edged and golden, with a savory sweet batter of cornmeal and spices and big sweet pops from the corn kernels. Dip them into a creamy sauce and there’s nothing better! They’re great as an appetizer, though we also love them warm from the stovetop as a simple dinner with some summery salads.

Ingredients in corn fritters

A fritter is a food where vegetables, fruit, meat, or seafood are coated in batter and fried. Fritters are eaten all over the world, but corn fritters were most likely invented in the American South, where they are a popular food today.

There are lots of tasty dessert fritters (like apple or cherry), but we prefer frying up savory ones like these zucchini fritters. This corn fritters recipe is similar but even simpler, with a batter that uses both all-purpose flour and cornmeal to give it a nuanced corn flavor. Here are the ingredients in this corn fritters recipe:

• Fresh corn (or canned)
• Green onion
• Eggs
• Milk
• All-purpose flour
• Cornmeal
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Garlic powder
• Kosher salt
• Oil, for frying

Fresh corn vs canned

The best way to make corn fritters is using fresh, in-season corn on the cob. The sweet, juicy flavor is irreplaceable. Of course, it’s only available certain months of the year, so a close second is canned corn! It has added sugar and salt and a more mellow flavor (it’s partially cooked, so the texture is different as well).

We prefer canned corn instead of frozen corn for this recipe, and it’s also superior to out-of-season corn on the cob packed in plastic. You can use either if you’d like, but know the flavor is not nearly as good. If you do, make sure to boil them first so that the texture is softer.

Tips for frying corn fritters

This corn fritters recipe is pan fried instead of deep fried. Deep frying submerges a fritter in oil, and with this method you can make them into ball shapes. (You can certainly use this method for the recipe if you like!) Pan frying uses less oil and cooks each side of the fritter, so the pancake shape is needed to get everything cooked to golden brown. Here are a few tips for cooking corn fritters:

• Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. The corn fritters are pretty thin, so you can get away with a moderate amount of oil.
• The timing depends on the heat of the oil. All stoves and pans are different, so the timing varies. Cook until just golden on each side. It will likely take about 2 to 3 minutes, but you can judge by eye versus setting a timer.
• Add more oil for the second batch, and keep in mind the pan will be hotter. The fritters will cook differently for the next batch since the pan is already very hot. Add a drizzle more oil as needed.
• Remove the fritters to a baking rack. This helps them cool without getting soggy on the bottom.
• Sprinkle with extra salt before serving. We like a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to really make the flavors pop!

Storage and make-ahead info

One thing to know about corn fritters: they’re best hot from the pan! You’ll want to eat them as close to cooking as possible. However if you’d like, you can store leftovers refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. They do become more soggy when stored, so reheat them in a pan with a drizzle of oil before serving.

Want to make them ahead? You can prep some of the batter ingredients in advance, but cook them the day of. Cut the corn from the cob and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator, then mix up the dry ingredients and store them separately at room temperature. The day of making, whisk together the batter and fry the fritters.

Sauce ideas for corn fritters

How to serve corn fritters? They taste great as is, but you can dunk them into a creamy sauce for a next level experience. Here are a few top ideas for dipping:

• Sour cream
• Garlic aioli, a punchy, pungent creamy sauce
• Remoulade sauce, a French sauce made with mayo, capers and spices
• Ranch dressing, that classic American dip
• Cilantro sauce, a creamy, bright green sauce
• Pesto aioli, bursting with basil
• Sour cream sauce, a spiced, saucy version
• Chipotle aioli, a dip with a little kick

More corn recipes

Want more with fresh or canned corn? Try these corn recipes to feature this seasonal ingredient:

• Mix up a zingy Corn Salsa or go for creamy Corn Dip
• Try classic Creamed Corn or easy Skillet Fried Corn
• Make Classic Corn Salad or Grilled Corn Salad
• Mix up a pot of Corn Chowder or Chicken Corn Chowder
• Fire up the grill for Grilled Corn or Elote

01

Corn Salsa

02

Creamed Corn

03

How to Grill Corn on the Cob (3 Ways!)

04

Skillet Fried Corn

This corn fritters recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Print