Sourdough Corn Fritters Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: Emma Laperruque

July20,2020

4

6 Ratings

  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 8 minutes
  • Makes 8 to 10 fritters

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Corn fritters, cakes, and breads—hinging on roasted and ground corn—have been staples of Indigenous American cuisine for centuries. In the generations since, corn fritters also took hold in the American South, where you'll find cornmeal-based hush puppies and fresh corn–filled pancakes. This streamlined version falls into the latter camp—mostly corn kernels, tenuously bound by a tangy, yeasty batter. These are just as happy alongside a summery lunch of lettuces dressed with oil and vinegar, as they are a puddle of warm maple syrup or honey.

If you don’t have a sourdough starter, all you need is flour and water and a little patience. This guide from Sarah Owens is an unintimidating place to start. Before you get fritter-ing, make sure your sourdough starter is active—which is to say, recently fed, lively and bubbly—and passes the float test. (Fill a glass with water and add a tablespoon or so of starter. If it floats, you’re good to go. If it sinks, your starter is hungry and wants to be fed.)

Instead of tossing those stripped, seemingly spent corn cobs, consider this instead: corn stock, which can and should be kept in the freezer, to preserve summer as long as we possibly can. Use any place you would use vegetable stock, as a sweet, subtle, and scrappy alternative.

This is one of our Big Little Recipes, our weekly column all about dishes with big flavor and little ingredient lists. Do you know (and love) a recipe that’s low in ask, high in reward? Let us know in the comments.Emma Laperruque

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 ears corn
  • 2 large eggs
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cupactive sourdough starter
  • Unsalted butter
Directions
  1. Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
  2. Use a sharp knife to strip the corn kernels from their cobs. Save the cobs for stock (link in the Author Notes) or discard.
  3. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a couple big pinches of salt, and whisk with a fork until smooth. Add the starter and mix until mostly cohesive. Stir in the corn kernels.
  4. Add a hunk of butter to the pan. Once it melts, it should generously lacquer the bottom (just like for making pancakes).
  5. When the butter is foaming, scoop in the batter—figure about 2 tablespoons per fritter, evenly spaced out so you have enough room to flip. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until tiny bubbles form on top of the fritters and their bottoms are deeply golden brown. Flip and press down if needed to flatten. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until they feel firm-ish and slightly bouncy to the touch. Transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle with salt.
  6. Cook the remaining corn fritter batter in the same way if needed. Let cool for a few minutes before digging in—these are too hot straight out of the pan.

Tags:

  • Fritter
  • American
  • Corn
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Vegetarian
  • Lunch
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Karen Brooks

  • Taylor Downs

  • Kathleen Stout

  • Emma Laperruque

Recipe by: Emma Laperruque

Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

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11 Reviews

Karen B. August 25, 2022

Yum! Definitely use fresh corn kernels, not frozen. For some variation add any or all of: chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh dill, or chopped crisp bacon.

Taylor D. September 15, 2020

Really like this recipe. I served these for dinner with a green salad. The only change I made to the recipe was roasting the corn on the cob to get a bit of char going. I think next time I would pump the batter up with black pepper, chili powder, or even crushed chili flake. It needs a little heat, in my opinion. They’re great plain, but I put some spicy aioli on them and they are A+!

Kathleen S. September 5, 2020

I’m planning on making these in a couple days. I’m thinking of doing them in a waffle iron. Thoughts?

Emma L. September 7, 2020

I'm not sure how this batter would hold up in a waffle iron, but if you give it a go, please report back!

Kathleen S. September 15, 2020

Worked great in a waffle iron!! More crispy edges.

Emma L. September 16, 2020

Amazing!! Thanks for letting us know, Kathleen! Gotta try it.

Ken K. August 3, 2020

These were very nice. I wish they were a little bit crisper, but that's probably on me.

I tossed in a couple of chopped scallions and a bit of black pepper, which added just the right amount of zip.

Jane E. July 28, 2020

These were delicious! I was worried because my starter was a little runny, but the fritters cooked up and held together fine. We ate them with sliced tomatoes, though they were tasty enough on their own. The sourdough starter gave them a really nice flavor - definitely a recipe that is more than the sum of its parts.

LaMar July 21, 2020

I'm going to guess these work well with sourdough discard, also...perhaps you won't get a bit of puffy rise since the starter/discard isn't active, but would still be mighty tasty. And since discard is what those of us keeping starters have a lot of, that makes it a recipe worth looking into!

Bonnie A. August 4, 2020

The King Arthur recipe for crumpets with sourdough discard adds 1 T of baking powder ... perhaps that would be a good addition if using discard?

MegBakes September 30, 2023

I tried it with discard and the batter seemed thin, so I ended up adding a couple of Tbsps of cornmeal and I like the outcome...might've worked without but I didn't feel like risking it. They had a little bit of a bouncy texture. Seems like they would be fluffier with the addition of baking powder

Sourdough Corn Fritters Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What are corn fritters made of? ›

These corn fritters use fresh, whole kernels, mixed with spices, scallions and a simple batter. Corn fritters come in many types, from the cornmeal-based, deep-fried hush puppies, to the more patty-shaped, pan-fried fritters.

What goes well with corn fritters? ›

Crisp, tangy coleslaw is a classic side dish that works wonderfully with corn fritters. The cool, crunchy cabbage and carrots, coated in a creamy dressing, provide a refreshing counterpoint to the warm, crispy fritters. Plus, the vibrant colors of the coleslaw make it a visually appealing addition to your plate.

What are the ingredients in petite cuisine corn fritters? ›

Corn Kernel [38%), Creamed Corn [18%), Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Butter (cream, Water), Cheddar Cheese (6%) [milk, Salt, Cultures, Enzyme, Anti-caking Agent (460), Preservative (200]], Egg, Parmesan Cheese, Milk Powder, Baking Powder, Parsley (1%), Red Capsicum, Lemon Juice [preservative (223), Antioxidant (300]], Salt, ...

Why are my fritters not crispy? ›

The oil must be hot, otherwise the batter will absorb more oil and become soggy. By adding eggs, it can also make the dough for crispy fritters fluffy and soft.

Why do you put baking powder in fritters? ›

So we use both to get the best of both worlds; Baking soda (bi-carb) OR baking powder – just a touch, to aerate the batter every so slightly (without it, it's slightly denser); Parmesan – for a good hit of savoury flavour AND to make the fritters extra crispy! Green onion and coriander – for a hit of freshness.

What is another name for corn fritters? ›

Corn fritters can be made to have a similar appearance to, and thus be mistaken for, johnnycake. They are sometimes called corn nuggets.

Are fritters unhealthy? ›

Fritters are usually always fried in oil. So no matter what kind you make, like the ground chickpeas with whole wheat flour and spices, they are going to have bad saturated fats from oil. You want to lose weight? Cut out all oils, butter, margarine.

Why are my corn fritters falling apart? ›

If your oil temperature drops, the fritters will soak up excess oil while cooking, leaving them soggy. Why are my corn fritters falling apart? If using frozen or canned corn, make sure to drain well to eliminate excess moisture. Always spoon and level dry ingredients to make sure your measurements are consistent.

Can I use cornstarch instead of flour for fritters? ›

Ingredients. *I have found that rice flour will yield a batter that fries up light and crisp, while cornstarch will yield a batter with firmer crunch. Both are delicious.

Are corn fritters and hush puppies the same? ›

What Is the Difference Between Corn Fritters and Hush Puppies? Though similar in their ingredients, corn fritters are different from hush puppies. Corn fritters feature corn kernels and have a pancake shape, while hush puppies feature a cornmeal batter rolled into balls before frying.

What's the difference between corn nuggets and corn fritters? ›

Corn fritters are almost always sweet and come in a thin, flat shape. They are also pan fried. Nuggets, on the other hand, are deep fried and can be seasoned in a variety of ways- spicy, sweet, or my personal favorite, filled with mozzarella cheese.

What is deep-fried fritters made of? ›

In America, fritters are usually made like doughnuts, with a primary ingredient (like apple) mixed into an egg, flour, and milk batter. The doughnut-like fritters may be deep-fried or pan-fried.

Are donuts and fritters the same thing? ›

The thing that really separates donuts from fritters is the dough itself. Donuts, real quality donuts, are made from a yeast risen dough, similar to bread dough. Fritters are made from a chemically risen dough, usually baking powder. It's actually a quick bread batter, not a dough.

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