Old-Fashioned Corn Pudding

Oh my goodness, this corn pudding is what comfort food dreams are made of!

Creamy, sweet, and impossibly addictive, it’s the kind of side dish that people will actually fight over at the dinner table.

I’ve literally seen folks use their spoons to mark territory on the casserole dish—”this section is MINE.”

The magic happens when those two types of corn blend with the custardy base.

The whole kernels pop with juicy sweetness while the cream-style corn creates this velvety texture that’s somewhere between pudding and soufflé.

It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory that complements everything from holiday turkey to weeknight chicken—and honestly, I’ve been known to eat the leftovers straight from the fridge at midnight.

Ingredients

For the Corn Pudding:

• 5 large eggs
• ⅓ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream-style corn

Steps

1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Thoroughly grease a 2-quart casserole dish, making sure to coat the sides well to prevent sticking.
2. In a large bowl, whisk 5 eggs lightly until just combined. Don’t over-whisk—you want to incorporate some air without making them foamy.
3. Add ½ cup milk, ⅓ cup melted butter (make sure it’s not hot or it will cook the eggs), ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ cup cornstarch to the eggs; whisk until well combined with no lumps. The cornstarch tends to clump, so whisk vigorously to ensure a smooth mixture.
4. Drain the whole kernel corn completely—excess liquid will make your pudding runny. Then stir in the drained whole kernel corn and 2 cans of cream-style corn until fully blended. The mixture will be quite loose at this point, which is exactly what you want.
5. Pour the corn mixture into the prepared casserole dish, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top as it will puff slightly during baking.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the center is set but still slightly jiggly, about 1 hour. Insert a knife into the center—it should come out mostly clean with just a bit of moisture. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil after about 40 minutes.

Smart Swaps

• Use coconut oil instead of butter (use ⅓ cup) for a dairy-free version with a subtle coconut undertone
• Substitute almond milk for regular milk in equal amounts for a nutty flavor profile
• Try ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg added to the batter for a warm, spiced variation

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace ¼ cup sugar with 3 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener to reduce carbs by approximately 12g per serving
• Use unsweetened almond milk instead of regular milk to cut another 6g carbs per serving
• Reduce corn by using 1 can cream-style corn and 1 can whole kernel corn, adding 1 cup diced bell peppers for bulk and nutrients (reduces carbs by approximately 8g per serving)
• Serve in ½ cup portions (about 15g carbs) paired with protein to slow glucose absorption

Pro Tips

• Let the melted butter cool for at least 5 minutes before adding to eggs—hot butter will start cooking them
• The pudding will appear slightly loose when done but firms up while cooling for 10-15 minutes
• For extra richness, substitute half-and-half for the milk
• Fresh corn works beautifully in summer—use 3 cups fresh kernels plus 1 cup pureed fresh corn with a splash of cream