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
Dannii L
These were amazing. The flavour was perfect and total comfort food.
Dina and Bruce
Had a fish fry last weekend, and these were the absolute hit of the party! So tasty!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dina and Bruce!
Paula
These hush puppies are so tasty! Serving them up for dinner again this weekend.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Paula! So glad that you like the hush puppies!
Angela
I’ve only tried hush puppies once before on a visit to the US so was definitely intrigued to try making my own. This recipe was easy to follow and I love the flavours. We’ll be making this again for sure!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angela! We love them too!
suja md
I love how versatile this recipe is! So delicious!
CC
Had every single ingredient!!
Beth Pierce
Awesome!
Trish
Haven’t used this recipe y, but sounds delicious. My question is: can the cooked hush puppies be kept warm in the oven?
We are cooking for a large group and being able to keep them warm would be beneficial. Thanks
Beth Pierce
They are always best right out of the fryer but cooking for a large group can be a challenge. Do you have a warm setting on your oven or set your oven to 200 degrees. Place them on a baking sheet uncovered.
Cashey Davis
Super fun and easy recipe! They turned out to be perfect!! I added an extra tablespoon of sugar for sweetness and added some canned corn because I like mines Corny 😋. Definitely stowing this recipe away for another time!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Cashey! I am so glad that you liked the hush puppies!
CynB
This is the best recipe I’ve tried so far and I’ve tried many.. I subed Old Bay for Creole seasoning. Everyone loved them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! So glad that everyone liked the hush puppies!
Rose
Just made a test batch today in prep for a fish fry this weekend (using yellow corn meal). I substituted Old Bay for the Creole for one batch, and did Old Bay and Jalapeno Powder (1 tsp) for a second batch. After tasting, I loved the crispy outside and fluffy inside, but they need a bit more flavor for my taste. I will make two more test batches later today, bumping up all seasonings by double, and using the Creole listed in the original recipe, and adding chopped Jalapeno to the second batch.
Joni
These turned out absolutely fantastic, fried them on a night we had a fish fry and they was a hit!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Joni! So glad that everyone liked them!
grace
they were very tasty! i added a little bit more seasoning. i just wondered if you can freeze the batter to have later?!
Beth Pierce
I would not freeze the batter but I do freeze the cooked hush puppies and reheat them in the air fryer. Delicious!
Roy
This is a good start but very under seasoned and not enough salt. The batter stuck nice and it fried very crispy, the texture was good. Just no detectable spice
Erika
Delicious. My family loved them and they were so easy. I did not have Cajun seasoning and forgot to add the oil, but they were still good. I added Shredded cheese, Diced Jalapeños (seeds removed), and a little more milk (since i forgot the oil). Great recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Erika! So glad that you and your family enjoyed them.
Sean
Definitely under seasoned, but a good start for a recipe. Going to probably double the Cajun, salt, pepper.
Janet
Does the oil have too cover the puppies or do you flip them?
Beth Pierce
Just flip them when needed. They float as you fry them anyway so you do need to flip them.