Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Cream Corn Casserole Recipe

This custardy baked cream corn casserole recipe is SO good you’ll want to scrape the dish clean to get every last bit of caramelized goodness… My favorite of all the corn casserole recipes I’ve tried, just like my grandma made it!

Cream Corn Casserole Like Grandma Made It

I’m not really sure where this cream corn casserole recipe originated, but I can’t recall a single holiday dinner growing up where it wasn’t served… It was the first dish on the buffet that I’d hit at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal and the first container of leftovers I grabbed from the fridge (if there were any).

Though I’m not certain where it came from, it’s always been my Dad’s specialty. So my best guess is it was passed on by my Grandma Russell, who also referred to it as custard corn — which is a pretty good description of it.

This sweet corn casserole is still on the menu for every single family gathering we host today. If it’s potluck style, I can almost guarantee that the first question I get is: “Who’s bringing the corn casserole?” followed by, “Who’s bringing the pickles?” (If you don’t know what pickles I’m referring to, check out this pickle wraps recipe ASAP!) Oh, and also the cream cheese cranberry salad if we’re talking Thanksgiving…

Why is this baked creamed corn casserole dish such a staple side dish? Partially because it’s so darn easy to make, even in large quantities. But mainly because it’s absolutely delicious whether it’s hot, warm, or cold! Seriously, my kids have been known to scrape the dish completely clean, getting every last bit of caramelized goodness from the corners.

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Easy Corn Casserole Recipe Ingredients

Chances are you already have all of the ingredients for this creamed corn casserole recipe in your pantry right now! It’s comprised of just 6 ingredients: canned whole kernel corn, canned creamed corn, sugar, flour, eggs, and butter, plus a touch of salt and pepper.

I’ll warn you ahead of time that this recipe does contain a good amount of sugar… Please keep in mind: this is an heirloom recipe that’s been passed down through my family. I always prepare it exactly as written, because it’s a special occasion side dish. Yes, it’s a little decadent, and I’m perfectly okay with that — because “everything in moderation.” Ya know?! But if you’re truly concerned, decreasing the sugar shouldn’t hurt the outcome.

How To Double Corn Casserole

There is a high probability that you’ll want to double, or even triple, this corn casserole recipe at some point. The good news is, yes, you absolutely can! Just use a larger baking dish, and keep in mind that you’ll need to increase your baking time slightly.

I should add that even when you’re not increasing the recipe, cooking time can vary by oven. Larger, shallow dishes will cook faster than deeper dishes. The corn casserole is done when the center is set and the top has that great caramelized appearance. If it seems set but isn’t caramelizing, you can just pop it under the broiler for a couple minutes to finish it off.

Give this easy corn casserole recipe a try at your next family gathering. It just might become your go-to side dish recipe, as well!

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Baked Corn Casserole FAQs

I’ve received a ton of questions about this baked corn casserole recipe over the years, and though I’ve answered them all in the comments, it’s getting to be quite a bit to wade through. So I’m going to add the most frequently asked questions below, and I will continue to update this as new ones come in.

What type of baking dish do you use for this corn casserole?

I generally use a shallow 8×8″ baking dish when I make this recipe. If I’m doubling or tripling it for a potluck or cookout, I’ll size up to this 9×13″ baking dish.

If you need to go even larger, I’d recommend something like this large roasting pan. Note that I do not recommend using those large disposable aluminum trays. Aluminum is not a great conductor of heat, so it takes significantly longer to bake this recipe in them. And you probably won’t achieve the same amount of caramelization — which is totally the best part!

Help, my corn casserole seems curdled! Where did I go wrong?

After many readers experienced this, I did some extensive research on what could be causing the custard-like quality of the corn casserole to break. It seems a couple of things could be happening:

1) It could be that your oven is running a little hot… This could cause the corn casserole to cook too fast, in turn causing the custard consistency to “break”. You can check this with an inexpensive oven thermometer that can be picked up at Walmart and the like.

2) It could be your milk… I’ve always purchased whole milk, so it never occurred to me that it could affect the consistency. But apparently the lower fat percentage in skim milk and such can also cause a custard to break.

Do I *need* to use whole milk?

As I mentioned above, you do need the fat in the milk for a successful custard. That said, readers have reported using heavy cream and 2% milk successfully.

Can corn casserole be made ahead of time?

While it’s best freshly made, you can definitely refrigerate it after baking and just warm it up again in the oven before serving. I typically makes two batches for Thanksgiving, one for the big meal and one to reheat with the leftovers.

How to reheat corn casserole:

Warm in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. I do not recommend microwaving it.

Can corn casserole be frozen?

Again, freshly made is always best, but you can make it ahead and freeze if you’d like. After baking, let the corn casserole cool completely. Then wrap it tightly with aluminum foil, label, and freeze up to one month. To reheat, bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 more minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

If you have further questions, please ask in the comments below!

I’d love to see how your corn casserole turns out… Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check them out. Enjoy!

Updated from the archives — originally posted in September 2012

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