This Hush Puppies Recipe is the best, easiest Southern favorite side dish. It has crispy outer edges and lightly sweetened, soft, tender centers. They are by far the best I have ever made or tried.
I love to serve them with pan-fried chicken, collard greens, and oven-roasted corn. Maybe it has been quite some time since you have had any. Perhaps it feels like forever. They are so simple to mix and fry up.
I like to fry mine in my deep fryer, but you can also use a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven. They are delicious by themselves or dipped in Southern comeback sauce.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Cornmeal: Both white and yellow cornmeal are good for making hush puppies. White cornmeal is slightly sweeter.
- Granulated sugar: just a touch to suit your taste
- Seasonings: Cajun or Creole, salt, freshly ground black pepper
- Milk: 2% or whole
- White vinegar: You can substitute apple cider vinegar
- Vegetable oil: You can substitute canola or peanut oil
- Onion: a sweet yellow or Vidalia onion
How to make Hush Puppies
This is the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
Start by whisking the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
Add your milk and vinegar to make buttermilk in another bowl or large measuring cup. Let that sit for about five minutes. Whisk in the egg, vegetable oil, and grated onion. Then, stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and mix until incorporated.
Heat the oil to 365 degrees and drop the cornmeal batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, working in small batches so you don’t crowd the fryer.
Cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
Preparations Tips
- If you like yours extra sweet, add a little more sugar.
- Mix the ingredients just until incorporated, and let the batter sit while you heat the oil.
- Try maintaining a constant oil temperature using a deep fryer or heavy pot with a thermometer.
- Drain the hush puppies on paper towels after frying.
- Use an oil with a high smoking point, like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftover hush puppies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
Taste Variations
- Jalapeno and cheddar: add 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeno and 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- Corn and scallion: add 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed) and 2 scallions, minced
- Gouda and chive: add 1/2 cup finely grated Gouda and 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
More Southern Recipes
Hush Puppies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal see notes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar see notes
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ cup milk room temperature
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 tablespoons grated onion
- Oil for frying canola, vegetable or peanut
Instructions
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, add your milk and vinegar; let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in vegetable oil, egg, and onion. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; mix just until incorporated.
- Heat 1½ inches of oil in a Dutch Oven or heavy skillet to 365 degrees. Using two small spoons, scoop a rounded spoonful onto one spoon and gently push it off with the second spoon. Fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve promptly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Melissa
Hush puppies have been my favorite for years! Your recipe didn’t disappoint!
Patty at Spoonabilities
These make such a tasty appetizer! So delicious, fluffy and crispy! Yum!
Charla
We absolutely loved these, so easy to make and incredibly more-ish too.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Such a tasty side dish! These sound absolutely divine and I love your variation ideas too – definitely need to try them too!
Janelle
never heard of hush puppies before, these were a treat!
Kerri
I ate way too many of these in one sitting! I’ve always been intimidated by them, but no more! These are delicious!
John
Do you have any experience making them ahead of time and freezing them?
Beth Pierce
No I have never frozen them but I would think they would not maintain the crispiness from coming out of the fryer.
Meagen
These are my husbands absolute favorite. Since we’ve been staying away from restaurants I had to find a way to make them. LOVE this, so easy and he enjoyed them!
Sydnie
I have been needing a recipe like this! So excited! Thanks!
Alexandra
My second time making these, and just as delicious as the first.
The texture is superb, and the recipe is really easy to follow.