This Hush Puppies Recipe is the best, easiest Southern favorite side dish. It has crispy outer edges and lightly sweetened, soft, tender centers. They are by far the best I have ever made or tried.
I love to serve them with pan-fried chicken, collard greens, and oven-roasted corn. Maybe it has been quite some time since you have had any. Maybe it feels like forever. They are so simple to mix and fry up.
I like to fry mine in my deep fryer, but you can also use a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven. They are delicious by themselves or dipped in Southern comeback sauce.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
- Cornmeal: both white and yellow cornmeal are good for making hush puppies. White cornmeal is slightly sweeter.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar: just a touch to suit your taste
- Leavening agents: baking soda and baking powder
- Seasonings: Cajun or Creole, salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Milk: 2% or whole
- White vinegar: or apple cider vinegar
- Vegetable oil: or canola or peanut oil
- Egg: a large one
- Onion: a sweet yellow or Vidalia grated
How to make Hush Puppies
This is the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
Start by whisking the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
Add your milk and vinegar to make buttermilk in another bowl or large measuring cup. Let that sit for about five minutes. Whisk in the egg, vegetable oil, and grated onion. Then, stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until incorporated.
Heat the oil to 365 degrees and drop the cornmeal batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, working in small batches so you don’t crowd the fryer.
Cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
Preparations Tips
- If you like yours extra sweet, add a little more sugar.
- Mix the ingredients just until incorporated, and let the batter sit while you heat the oil.
- Try maintaining a constant oil temperature using a deep fryer or heavy pot with a thermometer.
- Drain the hush puppies on paper towels after frying.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftover hush puppies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
Taste Variations
- Jalapeno and cheddar: add 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno and 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- Corn and scallion: add 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed) and 2 scallions minced
- Gouda and chive: add 1/2 cup finely grated Gouda and 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
More Southern Recipes
Hush Puppies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal see notes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup milk room temperature
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 tablespoons grated onion
- Oil for frying canola, vegetable or peanut
Instructions
- Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, add your milk and vinegar; let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in vegetable oil, egg, and onion. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until incorporated.
- Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a Dutch Oven or heavy skillet to 365 degrees. Using two small spoons, scoop a rounded spoonful onto one spoon and gently push it off with the second spoon. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve promptly.
Video
Notes
- Both white and yellow cornmeal are good for making hush puppies. White cornmeal is slightly sweeter.
- If you like yours extra sweet, add a little more sugar.
- Mix the ingredients just until incorporated, and let the batter sit while you heat the oil.
- Try maintaining a constant oil temperature using a deep fryer or heavy pot with a thermometer.
- Drain the hush puppies on paper towels after frying.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Emily
Love the suggestion of using white cornmeal in these hush puppies. It makes them just a tad sweeter. The texture is perfection, too!
Sarah Jane Skaggs
Very good! This was my first time making hush puppies and they were easy and delish,
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you liked them!!
Kara
My kids are already begging me to make these again. They are addicting!! 🙂
Natalie
Mmmm…great as a snack, appetizer, or side!! Love that they are easy to make & easy to pop in your mouth! So delicious!!
Liz
Absolutely delicious! Yum! I love these! Perfect with fish nights and also chicken! So wonderfully crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Delicious!
will
We have to have hush puppies when we fry catfish and we loved your recipe! So dang good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! So glad that you liked them!!
Maigen
Can you make the batter and fry at a later date – like the next day?
Beth Pierce
No sorry. That does not work.
sme
I’ve done this a number of times and it worked fine. Just be sure to let the batter come to room temp, and make any necessary adjustments for moisture level (I usually have to add a bit of milk to get the consistency that I want).
Laura
This sound so good, I want to try and make them but I need to get a deep fryer first. I looked online and was immediately overwhelmed by the choices. Would you please let me know what fryer you would recommend? Thank you!
Beth Pierce
I fry almost all my stuff in a dutch oven using a candy thermometer. I do own a deep fryer. I will look and see what brand it is as soon as I go down to the basement.
Penelope
Can I use this recipe in the air fryer?
Beth Pierce
Sorry! These will not work in an air fryer.
Beth Pierce
Here is Southern Comeback Sauce
Elliot
Can you freeze these?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can. Let them cool completely and then flash freeze on a cookie sheet. Transfer to freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 5-6 minutes.
Angela
Such a treat! They came out perfectly. Crunchy on the outside moist and delicious on the inside. I am definitely trying the jalapeno and cheddar version next time!
Toni Dash
My kids really loved these!! A huge hit every time!
Beth
These look so crispy and tasty! I know they are meant as a side dish but I may just eat these as a main dish! YUM!
Charla
It’s been a while since I had hush puppies, these look great and I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
Julia
Been looking for a tasty recipe to use up corn flour and I found it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Julia!