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My mother made corn fritters on the nights when there was a little corn left and not quite enough of anything else, and my brothers liked them better than the supper. They counted them. They watched the platter. If there were any left at the end of the meal, there was a negotiation. Corn fritters are sweet corn in a light batter, fried in spoonfuls in a hot skillet until the edges go lacy and brown and the kernels pop. My mother always said a fritter should be mostly corn, with just enough batter to hold hands.
The batter is simple. The skillet is the whole trick. Oil that is not hot enough soaks into the batter and gives you heavy, greasy fritters; oil that is hot enough crisps the thin edges into lace before the middle has time to drink anything. Here is the full recipe, exactly how hot the oil should be, and how to tell without a thermometer.
Why this corn fritters works
- Mostly corn. About three cups of corn to a cup of flour makes fritters that taste of corn, not pancake.
- A little cornmeal. Cornmeal in the batter gives a sandy crunch on the outside.
- Dry corn. Patted dry, the corn does not thin the batter or spit in the oil.
- Oil at 350 degrees. Hot enough to crisp the edges at once, not so hot the outside burns before the middle cooks.
- Pressed thin at the edges. Flattening each spoonful lets the edges spread into thin lace that fries crisp.
Ingredients
Makes about 16 fritters, enough for 4 to 6 as a side. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the fritters
- 3 cups corn kernels (450g), fresh from about 4 ears, or frozen and thawed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (35g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120ml)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil for frying, about 1/2 cup (120ml)
To serve
- Butter, honey or maple syrup, or sour cream
Fresh corn cut off the cob is best in season, but frozen corn works all year. Thaw it, then pat it very dry with a clean towel. Canned corn works too if it is drained and dried well.
How to make corn fritters
- Pat the corn dry with a clean kitchen towel. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet, or lay out a brown paper bag, for draining.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir to a thick batter.
- Fold in the corn and green onions. The batter should just coat the corn and hold together on a spoon.
- Pour oil into a large cast iron or heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high to 350 degrees (175°C). Without a thermometer, drop in a little batter: it should sizzle hard at once and turn golden in about a minute.
- Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil, leaving room between them. Press each one down gently with the back of the spoon so the edges spread thin.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden and the edges lacy, then turn once and fry 2 minutes more.
- Lift onto the rack or paper bag to drain and sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot.
- Fry the rest in batches, letting the oil come back to heat between batches and adding a little oil if the skillet gets dry. Serve hot.
Tips that make the difference
- Do not crowd the skillet. Too many fritters at once cool the oil and they turn greasy.
- If the fritters brown before the middle is set, lower the heat a little. If they soak up oil, it needs to be hotter.
- Keep finished fritters warm in a 200 degree oven on the rack while you fry the rest.
- A fritter that holds together on the spoon will hold together in the oil. If the batter is too loose, add a spoon of flour.
Variations
- Cheddar. Fold in 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar.
- Jalapeño. Add 1 minced jalapeño for a little heat.
- Zucchini. Replace 1 cup of the corn with grated, squeezed zucchini at the end of summer.
- Sweet. Leave out the onion and pepper and serve with powdered sugar and syrup, the way my father liked them.
Storage and make-ahead
Corn fritters are best hot from the skillet.
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a rack in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes so they crisp again; the microwave makes them soft.
The batter does not keep well, because the corn releases water. Mix it right before frying.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my corn fritters greasy?
The oil was not hot enough, or the skillet was crowded. Heat the oil to 350 degrees and fry only a few at a time so the temperature stays up.
Why do my fritters fall apart?
The corn was wet or there was too little batter. Dry the corn well and make sure the batter coats every kernel.
Can I bake corn fritters?
You can bake spoonfuls on a well oiled sheet at 425 degrees, turning once, but you lose the lacy fried edge.
What do you serve with corn fritters?
Fried chicken, a bowl of soup or chili, or on their own with butter and syrup.
Make more than you think. In our house the platter never came back with any left on it.
Old-Fashioned Corn Fritters (Lacy Crisp Edges, Fried in a Skillet)
Corn fritters the old way: sweet corn in a light batter with a little cornmeal and green onion, dropped by the spoonful into oil heated to 350 degrees and fried 2 to 3 minutes a side until lacy and golden.
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn kernels (450g), fresh from about 4 ears, or frozen and thawed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil for frying, about 1/2 cup
- Butter, honey or maple syrup, or sour cream
Instructions
- Pat the corn dry with a clean kitchen towel. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet, or lay out a brown paper bag, for draining.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir to a thick batter.
- Fold in the corn and green onions. The batter should just coat the corn and hold together on a spoon.
- Pour oil into a large cast iron or heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high to 350 degrees (175°C). Without a thermometer, drop in a little batter: it should sizzle hard at once and turn golden in about a minute.
- Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil, leaving room between them. Press each one down gently with the back of the spoon so the edges spread thin.
- Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden and the edges lacy, then turn once and fry 2 minutes more.
- Lift onto the rack or paper bag to drain and sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot.
- Fry the rest in batches, letting the oil come back to heat between batches and adding a little oil if the skillet gets dry. Serve hot.
