Cream cheese adds richness to sweet corn in this comforting Creamy Cheesy Corn Casserole side dish, with extra flavor from sharp cheddar cheese and (optional) diced jalapeños!
Do you love cream cheese as much as I do? Are you still scrounging for a few last Thanksgiving side dish ideas? Today I’m sharing one of my very favorite ways to eat corn. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago, and it was love at first bite. Seriously, give me this dish and a spoon and I would be perfectly content.
This corn casserole finds its way onto my Thanksgiving table every year. I also typically make it as a side dish when I take a meal to another family, whether someone is ill or they just welcomed a new baby. It’s always a hit, and I’m always asked for the recipe.
But you know what? It’s embarrassingly easy to make. Like, it almost shouldn’t count as a recipe. Yes, one of my favorite things about this dish, aside from how delicious it is, is how quick it is to throw together. The few required ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, and the whole shebang is ready in no time. Melt, mix, pour, sprinkle, bake, DONE.
I typically add some finely minced, pickled jalapeños to this cream cheese-laden corn for a bit more flavor and to break up the richness. But there are no jalapeños in these photos, you might be thinking to your ever-observant self. Well, these pictures are depicting a dish of creamy corn that I made for my son’s Thanksgiving feast at preschool. And since, in my experience, 3- and 4-year-olds prefer to avoid random green bits floating around in their food, I left out the jalapeños this time.
I usually do include jalapeños, though, and by using the mild variety, they’re not even spicy. But if you like a little heat, feel free to add some diced hot jalapeños. Alternatively, if you enjoy green chiles, stirring in a 7 ounce can of diced green chiles would also lend flavor to this corn without too much spice.
My point here? This is your corn casserole, so jazz it up with peppers as you see fit, or leave it plain if you prefer your cream cheese pure and unadulterated.
The other fun fact about this casserole is that it can easily be modified into a crock pot recipe. I would recommend melting together the butter, cream cheese, and milk in a pot on the stove for a quick start to the dish. But then you can transfer your cream cheese mixture to the slow cooker, stir in the salt, pepper, corn, and (if using) jalapeños, and cook on low while you prepare the rest of your meal. When it’s time to serve, just scoop some creamy corn onto each plate and top with a sprinkle of cheddar, which will melt right over the top. (EDITED TO UPDATE: I’ve since adapted this recipe to the slow cooker HERE!)
You know what else would be good with this corn? Crispy, crumbled bacon. You know…because cream cheese isn’t already decadent enough. I haven’t actually made it with bacon yet, but it’s on my to-try list.
I’m telling you, folks…make this corn and it just might top the green bean casserole as the most popular veggie side dish on your table this Thanksgiving. If you’re a fan of cream cheese, it will make you positively swoon. It’s a bit rich to go on the everyday dinner menu at our house, but I love making it for holidays and special occasions, and I think it’s a really nice side dish for pampering another family when I want to help them out with a meal.
Creamy Cheesy Corn is simple, it’s yummy, it’s a family favorite around here…and I hope it will become a favorite of your family, too!
Cream cheese adds richness to sweet corn in this comforting side dish, with extra flavor from sharp cheddar cheese and (optional) diced jalapeños.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce package of cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 18 ounce bag frozen sweet corn, thawed
- Diced pickled jalapeños, to taste (optional)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium pot set over low heat, melt cream cheese and butter. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in salt, corn, and (if using) jalapeños.
- Pour corn mixture into an 8- by 8-inch square (or comparably sized) baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Notes
An 18 ounce bag of frozen corn is equivalent to approximately 4 cups of corn, once you measure it out. You could also substitute two 15-ounce cans of corn (drained) in this recipe, which equal about 4 cups as well.
The melted butter and cream cheese may seem lumpy as you try to stir them together, but once you stir in the milk, the mixture should become smooth.
♥More Thanksgiving inspiration…
Ultimate Round-Up of Thanksgiving Recipes
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Bacon Green Bean Bundles with Brown Sugar Glaze
Brenda @ Chatting Over Chocolate says
Thank you for another mouthwatering recipe! This looks amazing!!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks, Brenda! I hope you enjoy it if you end up trying it! Have a great week… 🙂
Cary says
This is a great meal when adding not pickled jalapenos but real they give it a kick great recipe Merry Christmas .
Jenn says
You made this for us when our sweet boy was born, and it has been a family favorite ever since!!! It is on our table every Thanksgiving and Christmas–and more often than not it happens on our table during the rest of the year as well. 😉
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Awww…thank you, Jenn! Glad you enjoyed it then…and that y’all still enjoy it now! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Marie says
I do absolutely love cream cheese! I also love corn and so do my children. We always have a huge bag of corn in the freezer and this dish would be one of the easiest things for them to gobble up.
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
It sounds perfect for your family, Marie…it hope it’s a hit! I personally don’t think you can go wrong with cream cheese… 😉
Georgette Osburn says
Try shoe peg frozen corn! So delicious
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
That does sound tasty, Georgette! Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Heather @ French Press says
that sounds like a terrific side dish!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
It is pretty darn tasty, Heather…thanks!
Meghan @ The Tasty Fork says
I LOVE cream cheese!! It makes every recipe better, if you ask me. I also love the addition of the jalapenos. This is a fun side dish for Thanksgiving!! Thank you for linking up to Wake Up Wednesdays! I’ll be sharing this recipe on Facebook and Pinterest.
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you so much, Meghan! I think that cream cheese and jalapenos were made for one another, and the corn fits in just perfectly. 🙂 I really appreciate the pin and FB share…you are too sweet! Hope you’re having a great week… 🙂
Emily Sapp says
A little bit of Worcestershire sauce makes a good kick for it. We added sausage cooked with it to the finished dish and made a meal out of it
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Sounds delicious, Emily…thanks for sharing!
[email protected] says
looks so good Samantha! I pinned this right away!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you for that, Shamene! It is totally addictive…I’m afraid I could eat the whole dish by myself in one sitting. Enjoy! 🙂
Emily from Reaching Beyond My Reach says
Oh my, my, my. This sounds so wonderfully fabulous! Can’t wait to try it!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks so much, Emily…I think (and hope) you’ll love it! I’m glad you stopped by…hope you have a great weekend!
The Better Baker says
My mouth is watering! I make a similar dish, but without the cheese and jalapenos…that’s going to change! =) Thanks a million for sharing this creamy, dreamy dish at Weekend Potluck. Your recipes/photos are definitely eye catchers!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks so much for the kind words! I think you’ll enjoy this with the cheddar and jalapenos. I could seriously eat the whole dish! 😉 I appreciate you stopping by, and I hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Ginnie says
This looks delicious! I definitely plan to add some spicy jalapenos when I make it;)
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I agree, Ginnie…the jalapenos are a very nice accent to the cream cheese! I usually always include them and I think they add more flavor than spice. Hope you enjoy this when you make it…thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Sarah L says
I have been looking for a corn side dish for Thanksgiving and this is precisely what I had in mind! I’m definitely going to try it with bacon. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I’m so glad you found what you were looking for, Sarah! I can’t wait to try this recipe with bacon sometime. Hope you enjoy it…Happy Thanksgiving!
Theresa says
Ooh.. these look like a lovely side dish for Christmas dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
You’re so welcome, Theresa! I hope it’s a hit at Christmas dinner! 🙂
Heather Schiavone says
I was wondering if I could incorporate cornbread mix into this recipe somehow? Either by mixing it in, or adding it to the top. This looks mouthwatering but I am a sucker for the cornbread mix as well. Let me know, thanks!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hmmm…great question, Heather! I’m not sure of the best way to incorporate cornbread mix into this recipe. There is the more traditional corn casserole recipe that uses corn kernels, creamed corn, sour cream, and cornbread mix (along with a few other ingredients), so maybe you could take softened cream cheese and sub it for part of the sour cream in one of those recipes?
Or, if you wanted to add cornbread batter to the top of this recipe, you could certainly do that. I would just prepare the corn/cream cheese mixture according to this recipe and pour it in the baking dish, then fix the cornbread mix according to package directions and spread it on top. I would sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the cornbread and then bake the whole thing according to the cornbread mix package directions. I haven’t tried doing this, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work! If you try it, please come back and let me know how it turns out!
Heather Schiavone says
Yes I’ve got a few other corn casseroles bookmarked, but I loved this recipe in particular. I’m going to try your latter suggestion, and will let you know how it turns out for sure! Thanks!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Great! I can’t wait to hear…but I bet it will be tasty. 🙂
Claire @ A Little Claireification says
Holy. Yum. I cannot take my eyes off of that picture, Samantha! It looks ahhhmazing and I am definitely making this!!
And congrats because this was the MOST VIEWED link at our last party the week before Thanksgiving so you will be featured on all THREE of our blogs when the party goes liv tonight at 8PM EST! 🙂
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
You are so sweet, Claire…thank you for stopping by to let me know! See you in a few minutes at tonight’s party…hope you have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Lizzyanne says
Could this be used as an appetizer?
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I don’t see why not, Lizzyanne! There are plenty of hot dips with cream cheese as a base that are delicious scooped up with tortilla chips. 🙂 Hope it’s a hit if you end up serving it as an appetizer!
Krystle(Baking Beauty) says
This looks super delicious. I’m always on the look out for new side dishes to mix things up
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks, Krystle! This is one of my family’s very favorite side dishes…I hope it’s a hit at your house, too!
Christine says
I made this dish for thanksgiving and now my family begs for it….thanks for the recipe 🙂
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Awww…I’m so happy to hear that this recipe has become a family favorite, Christine! I just don’t see how anyone could not like it…unless they have an aversion to cream cheese, I suppose. But I don’t even understand how that’s possible to begin with… 😉 Thanks for stopping by to share your sweet comment! Hope you have a wonderful week!
heather @french press says
the more cheese the better ) looks delicious
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I totally agree, Heather…there’s no such thing as too much cheese! 😉
Hunter says
Hey this looks amazing!!! I’m going to make this thanksgiving but have a quick question. How many jalopenos do you recommend? I was thinking one seeded and finely chopped but didn’t want the dish to be too hot to enjoy on my first try. Thanks for your help and a fabulous recipe! Happy thanksgiving!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hi Hunter! That’s a great question, but I don’t know if I can give you a definitive answer since everyone has a different tolerance for heat, and since jalapeños can vary in how hot they are. 😉 But I would think that if you remove all seeds and membranes from a small jalapeño and finely dice it, it should be the right amount to add a little kick without being overly spicy in this recipe. Enjoy and happy (almost) Thanksgiving! 🙂
Kristen says
I asked my mom to make this for Thanksgiving. I am sooooo looking forward to it! Thanks for sharing!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I hope it was a hit, Kristen! We ate it over Thanksgiving as well, and I enjoyed every last bite of it… 😉 Hope your December is off to a fantastic start!
Adriane says
I’m making this for Thanksgiving, but the guest list is over 30, so I want to double this. Have you ever tried that? Sometimes just doubling every ingredient causes a recipe to not come out as well, and I don’t want that to happen…
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hi Adriane! I’ve doubled this recipe before and it turns out just fine. 🙂 Enjoy, and happy Thanksgiving!
Tanya says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was fabulous! My kids asked if I could make it every Thanksgiving from now on. I will probably make it even more often than that, since it is not only delicious, but very easy to make! Thank you for a great recipe!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I’m so happy to hear that this is going to be a new Thanksgiving tradition, Tanya! I appreciate you coming back to let me know that it was a hit with your crew. 🙂 Hope that you have a very merry holiday season!
Stephanie says
Hi! Planning on making this on Christmas. I see you can use canned corn, which is what I have on hand. Have you tried it with canned? Is it better with frozen? I’ll make a trip to the store if you think frozen tastes best!!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hi Stephanie! I always make this recipe using frozen corn, but my mother-in-law makes it with canned corn and it’s still yummy. I really think it’s just a matter of personal preference. I think frozen corn tastes more similar to fresh corn in general, and canned corn has a slightly different (but not bad!) flavor. Both work in this recipe, though! The cream cheese and cheddar have a way of making you pay less attention to the corn anyway… 😉 Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy!
olivia says
Im trying to find out about how many calories is in this. Lol i know something this good who cares but im trying to lose weight and i am keeping track of my calories. If you could give me a round about that would be awesome. Thank you.
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hi Olivia! I actually submitted this recipe awhile back to a recipe sharing site called MyRecipeMagic.com that does calculate nutrition facts! >>> http://myrecipemagic.com/recipe/recipedetail/creamy-cheesy-corn-casserole
Just click on the tab above the recipe that says “Nutrition,” and it will show you the calories per serving as well as other information. Hope that helps! 🙂
Allison Y says
This is so delicious. I find myself wanting to eat it out of the pan before I even bake it in the oven. Soooo good!
I did not use jalapenos the first time and did the second. I added a touch of sugar, my frozen corn wasn’t as sweet as I wanted it to be.
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Glad you enjoyed this, Allison! I may or may not be guilty of eating it out of the pan before baking… 😉 And yes, you can definitely add sugar to taste to sweeten things up if you like!
Summer says
This was delicious!
Kate says
Could this be made in a crock pot? I want to make it for a pool party and cook it/keep it warm by the pool. Looks delicious!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Hi Kate! Funny you should ask…I adapted this recipe to the slow cooker last fall! 😉
https://www.fivehearthome.com/2015/10/12/slow-cooker-creamy-cheesy-corn/
Have a fun pool party and enjoy!
Cheyenne Sutton says
Hi, Samantha! Lady, your creamy cheesy corn casserole is absolutely fabulous. I took it to a church potluck last week, and we all loved it. I am making it again to take today. Thank you for such a delicious side dish recipe. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Cheers!
JoanD says
Making this yummy-looking recipe right now! Now that I’m into it, I have a question: Should the frozen corn be drained (of water/liquid)? Thank you!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Yes! Definitely drain the corn so the final dish isn’t watery. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Teresa Jayne says
I have some shiitake mushrooms and wondered it that’d been tried.. My first time to make and for Christmas.. will follow the recipe for perfection Sounds amazing!
Rick Williams says
I modified this to fit what was in my pantry. Trader joes frozen roasted corn, package of shredded Mexican cheese. Added a fresh chopped jalapeno and a 1/4 tsp of ground cumin. Rave reviews. Will make again!
Grant says
I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 🙂
Connie Moore says
At 65, I still love looking at recipes . I am making this as my ONLY side dish. Thank you, and Easter blessings, to you
Connie Moore
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
I hope it was a hit, Connie, and that you had a wonderful Easter. 🙂