A little spicy, a little sweet and a lot delicious, this Spicy Cheddar Cornbread Pudding is our most-requested side dish ever. We use two kinds of cheeses — extra-sharp cheddar and pepper jack — to give it loads of flavor. Make it with fresh summer corn when it’s in season, but it’s just as good with frozen corn the rest of the year.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
35 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cheese, corn, cornbread
Servings: 6servings
Author: Emily Clifton, Nerds with Knives
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Ingredients
4earsfresh cornshucked (or 16 oz frozen corn, defrosted and drained)
Heat the oven to 400ºF and set a rack in the middle. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish or ovenproof ceramic baker.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the corn and cook until the kernels are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then cut the kernels off using a sharp knife. (Alternatively, add the corn and 1/4 cup water to a large sealable bag, fold the top of the bag over loosely, and microwave on full power until the kernels are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully remove the bag and open it to let the steam escape; let the corn rest for 10 minutes.)
Add both boxes corn muffin mix to a large bowl. Add the eggs, garlic, sour cream and butter to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add the creamed corn, fresh corn kernels, all but 1/2 cup of the Seriously Sharp Cheddar, all of the Pepper Jack and the scallions. Gently stir the batter together until there are no large streaks of muffin mix, but be careful not to over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheddar. Bake until the top is golden brown and the centre is still slightly jiggly, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Notes
If you want a spicier pudding, substitute 2 oz of the grated Pepper Jack with 2 oz of Cabot Habanero CheddarIf you don't have or don't want to use boxed corn muffin mix, see recipe below.