Skip to Content

Easy Creamed Corn Casserole Recipe (Just Like Grandma Made It!)

This custardy creamed 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 being scooped out with a large antique spoon aka corn pudding or custard corn

Creamed Corn Casserole Like Grandma Made

I’m not really sure where this creamed 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, Christmas, and Easter meal. And it was the first container of leftovers I grabbed from the fridge — that is 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. She called it custard corn (which is a pretty good description of it), but I’ve also heard people refer to it as corn pudding casserole and a corn soufflé recipe.

The texture and level of sweetness is VERY different from this Jiffy corn casserole or this Mexican corn cake recipe… Call it whatever you want, just know that this baked corn recipe is AMAZING!

Why is this baked cream 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. AND whether you’re making a deep fried turkey or an Instant Pot ham, it’s the perfect complement!

easy corn casserole made with just 5 ingredients in a pyrex batter bowl

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 staple 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.

sweet corn casserole ready to bake in a white casserole dish

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, the cooking time can vary by oven and/or the casserole dish you choose. Larger, shallow dishes will cook faster than smaller, 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.

corn casserole like grandma made it in a white casserole dish with royal blue napkin

Go-To Side Dish Recipe

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 these pickle wraps ASAP! Oh, and also this yummy layered cranberry salad if we’re talking Thanksgiving…

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!

cream corn casserole recipe like grandma always made it

Creamed Corn Casserole

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This custardy creamed 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!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a sauce pan, heat the butter slowly over medium-low heat, swirling the pan until it's just melted. Set it aside while you measure out the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Whisk the flour into the melted and cooled butter until well incorporated. Then whisk in the sugar, eggs and milk.
  4. Stir the creamed corn into the butter mixture, along with the drained whole kernel corn. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Pour into a shallow 8x8" baking dish.
  6. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the center is set and the corn casserole is brown and caramelized on top. Let stand for 5 minutes, serve warm.

Notes

I highly recommend reading through the corn casserole recipe FAQs to achieve the best results with this recipe.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon.com Services LLC Associates and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 14.3gSaturated Fat: 8.2gCholesterol: 81.9mgSodium: 457.7mgCarbohydrates: 23.5gFiber: 1.3gSugar: 12.3gProtein: 4.5g

Have you tried this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag it @unsophisticook and hashtag it #unsophisticook!

favorite of all corn casserole recipes in a white casserole dish with gray silicone pot holders

Baked Corn Casserole FAQs

I’ve received a TON of questions about how to make corn casserole over the years. Though I’ve answered them all in the comments, it’s getting to be quite a bit to wade through.

So I’m adding the most frequently asked questions for this baked corn casserole recipe below, and I will continue to update it with any new questions.

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| Your oven may be 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.

2| It may 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 low fat and skim milk 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 make two batches for Thanksgiving, one for the “Big Meal” and one to reheat with the leftovers.

How to reheat corn casserole:

Warm the casserole 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!


More Easy Casserole Recipes To Try

If you like this corn casserole recipe, you might also enjoy these other delicious casserole recipes:

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!

Robin

Thursday 26th of January 2023

Is it possible to use 1/2 the amount of sugar?

Tara Kuczykowski

Tuesday 31st of January 2023

Yes, you can halve the sugar if you'd like!

Linda Ghisletta

Tuesday 27th of December 2022

This was the best corn casserole I have ever tasted! Forget the Jiffy mix casseroles! Do you have a cookbook?

Tara Kuczykowski

Wednesday 4th of January 2023

So happy you loved it, Linda!! I don't have a cookbook currently, but I'm considering publishing an ecookbook later this spring. What kind of recipes would you like to see?

Marcia L

Sunday 25th of December 2022

Make sure your butter is completely cooled before adding other ingredients. The sauce broke when I added the sugar. Butter went one way & sugar & flour went the other way. Luckily I knew enough to start all over.

Tara Kuczykowski

Sunday 25th of December 2022

Yes! I melt the butter over low, swirling it often. When there’s just a bit left, I pull it off the heat and swirl until the last chunks melt.

Mary Ellen Dawson

Wednesday 7th of December 2022

This creamed corn casserole is delicious. The texture and flavor are perfect. I always get requests for the recipe when I serve it. And, I serve it every Thanksgiving. The family loves it and always ask me to include it on the menu.

Sandy

Tuesday 6th of December 2022

Can the milk be replaced with non-dairy ‘milk’?

Tara Kuczykowski

Tuesday 6th of December 2022

Hi Sandy! I have not tried this personally, but I think it could work with a full fat canned coconut milk. Please share an update if you try this!

Skip to Recipe