Best and easy cream corn recipe with a combination of whole sweetcorn in a lightened up creamed sauce. This cream-style corn is so good as a side dish with pork, chicken, or ham.
It's creamy with a light sauce, melts in your mouth, has hints of sweet flavor, and only takes 10 minutes to make. What is not to love about this cream corn recipe! Serve it at your holiday feast as a side dish with garlic mashed potatoes, gluten-free cornbread muffins, and a roasted brussels sprouts salad.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 2 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: about 8 minutes on medium-low
- ⏳ Total Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4
- 🥣 Ingredients: canned corn, whole milk, whipped cream cheese, butter, gluten-free flour, garlic, sugar, salt and black pepper
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy, buttery and lightly sweet with a hint of garlic
- 🥛 Dairy: yes, it has milk, cream cheese and butter
- ✋ Difficulty: Warm, stir, puree a little, serve
Quick Answer
In a medium saucepan, warm 2 (14.5 ounce) cans of corn with ¾ cup whole milk over medium-low heat. Add ⅓ cup whipped cream cheese, 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon sugar, salt to taste and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and stir until the cream cheese and butter melt and the sauce turns thick, about 5 minutes. Remove ¾ cup of the corn, puree it in a food processor or blender, and stir it back into the pot. Garnish with chives or fresh parsley. It takes about 10 minutes and serves 4.
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In this version the addition of cream cheese makes it creamy and thick, and I use light cream cheese for less fat. It is what makes this creamed corn recipe thick and rich!
Why This Cream Corn Is So Creamy
Click to see why it works
- Cream cheese melts into the milk. It makes the sauce creamy and thick without heavy cream.
- A spoonful of flour thickens it. Gluten-free flour works, and tapioca flour does too.
- Pureeing some of the corn. Blending ¾ cup releases the liquid contents of the kernels, which is what makes it cream-style.
- Grated garlic. It is fine, so it cooks quickly.
- Low heat. If time allows, simmer on low until it is as thick as you like, stirring the whole time.
Why You'll Love This Cream Corn
- Ready in 10 minutes or less.
- Lightened up. Whipped or light cream cheese keeps it lower in fat.
- Gluten-free, thickened with gluten-free flour.
- A holiday classic. Cream corn is most commonly eaten as a southern food and often at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Works with canned or frozen corn.
Key Ingredients
- Corn - 2 (14.5 ounce) cans, or 1 (16 ounce) bag of frozen corn, thawed.
- Gluten-free flour - you can use regular flour if gluten is not an issue.
- Milk - whole tastes best. For a lighter dish, use non-fat, 1% or 2%.
- Butter - unsalted.
- Light or whipped cream cheese - this makes it lower in fat.
- Freshly grated garlic, sugar, salt and pepper - I used monk fruit for the sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
What Is Creamed Corn?
If you are new to creamed corn (or cream-style corn) it is a side dish originating in Native American cuisine, most commonly eaten as a southern food and often at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Creamed corn is partially pureed, releasing the liquid contents of the kernels. It is basically corn in a creamy sauce.
Corn also earns a spot on my list of vegetables that start with C.
How to Make Creamed Corn From Scratch
1Warm and add. In a medium size saucepan heat the corn and milk until warm on medium-low heat. Add the grated garlic, cream cheese, flour, butter, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
2Stir until thick. Mix together until the cream cheese and butter are warmed and melted and it becomes thick, about 5 minutes.
3Puree a little. Remove ¾ cup of the creamed corn and puree it in a food processor or blender. Then add it back into the pot and mix together before serving.
4Serve. Serve right away garnished with chives or fresh parsley.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Using frozen corn? Use 1 (16 ounce) bag and let it thaw first before using.
- To make cream corn lower in fat, use whipped cream cheese or light cream cheese and 2%, 1% or non-fat milk.
- Simmer low if you have time. Simmer on low heat rather than medium-low until desired thickness, mixing continuously.
- Grate the garlic. I recommend grated garlic as it is more fine and cooks quickly.
- Need it thicker? Flour acts as a wonderful thickener, along with tapioca flour.
What Does Creamed Corn Go With?
Cream corn is a wonderful side dish to serve with ham, pork (even jackfruit pork), chicken, or steak. Also, serve it next to these other side dishes: Brussels Sprouts Gratin, Easy Roasted Asparagus and Carrots, Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Parmesan Carrot Fries and Asian Green Beans.
Making a holiday spread? Add my Gluten-Free Stuffing.
Cream Corn FAQs
Yes, both cream style corn and creamed corn are the same thing, both made with a milk or cream, a thickener, and corn partially pureed.
Yes, you can simply use 1 (16 ounce) bag of frozen corn and let it thaw first before using.
If you are using a cream corn can, you can make it better by mincing in 1 garlic clove, fresh corn, and 1-2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese to give it more flavor.
Unfortunately yes, as cream corn sauce is from milk, butter, and in this case the addition of cream cheese. If you want a cream corn recipe without dairy in it, please comment in the comments and let me know!
Flour acts as a wonderful thickener, along with tapioca flour.
To make cream corn lower in fat, use whipped cream cheese or light cream cheese and 2%, 1% or non-fat milk.
Corn Related Recipes
More ways to enjoy corn: Vegan Corn Chowder Soup, Corn and Tomato Salad, Vegetarian Mexican Stuffed Peppers and Stovetop Popcorn. I hope you enjoy this Cream Corn Recipe! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Cream Corn Recipe (Cream-Style Corn)
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Ingredients
- 2 14.5 ounce canned corn
- ¾ cup whole milk (for a lighter dish, use non-fat, 1% or 2% but whole tastes best)
- ⅓ cup whipped cream cheese or regular
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 1 teaspoon sugar (I used monk fruit)
- salt to taste (I used about ¼ teaspoon-½ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium size saucepan heat the corn and milk until warm on medium-low heat. Add the cream cheese, flour, butter, grated garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix together until the cream cheese and butter are warmed and melted and it becomes thick, about 5 minutes.
- Remove ¾ cup of the creamed corn and puree it in a food processor or blender. Then add it back into the pot and mix together before serving. Garnish with chives or fresh parsley.
Mariah says
I'm making this recipe as I type and I see you mention butter in the explanation above the recipe and in the directions for the recipe but it's not actually listed as an ingredient. Could you please clarify if butter is needed/used in this recipe? Thanks!
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Hi Mariah! Thank you for noticing that. It is 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter- add it with the cream cheese and remaining ingredients and blend in.