Baked Corn Dip

Behind This Baked Hot Corn Dip Recipe

I’ve been making this baked hot corn dip for years. It’s a quintessential Super Bowl food but it’s also great for all gatherings, like the holidays and summer cookouts. It’s one of those recipes, kinda like buffalo chicken dip, that just kinda works anywhere, anytime and that everyone seems to love.

This recipe is a fancied-up version of my cheesy corn dip recipe, with a few extra steps and ingredients to make it even more impressive. The process of sautéing the corn and aromatics in a skillet with butter before combining them into a dip truly enhances the flavors in this corn dip, making it stand apart from other recipes.

Some varieties of hot corn dip add bacon but I opted to keep the focus on the corn, veggies, and cheese here. It’s already so flavorful that I didn’t really see a need to add bacon, plus it’s always nice to have a vegetarian dip option. If you’re a bacon-lover, though, check out my jalapeno popper hot corn dip which does include bacon!

Tips from My Kitchen

• Don’t stir the corn. When browning the corn, leave it undisturbed for about 2-3 minutes per side. If you are constantly stirring it, it won’t get that nice brown on the outside.
• Soften the cream cheese. To make life easier, soften the cream cheese ahead of time. Either leave it on the counter for a bit or pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It will be much easier to mix with the other ingredients.
• Adjust the heat level. This hot corn dip does have a bit of a kick to it, though it’s fairly mild. For more heat, you can use spicier peppers and/or opt for green chilies labeled “hot”. You could also stir in a splash of hot sauce. For a milder dip, skip the pickled jalapenos.
• Drain everything well. Be sure to drain the pickled jalapenos and green chilies before stirring them into the dip. Any extra liquid can make the dip too runny.
• Fresh, frozen, or canned corn. It all works in this recipe! Fresh corn is best when it’s in-season, in my opinion, and it does brown easier. But it still tastes great with frozen and canned corn. Just drain the canned corn well before sauteing.

Key Ingredients

Here’s a quick look at what’s needed to make this baked corn dip. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end for the exact measurements.

• Corn – Sweet pops of corn are my favorite part of this appetizer, and carved straight off the cob is optimal, especially during peak corn season. When it’s not in season, canned corn is a great alternative, as is frozen corn.
• Peppers – A combination of pickled jalapenos, diced green chiles, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper.
• Onion – I used a yellow onion but red onions or white onions all work, plus some green onion in the dip and as a garnish.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is a non-negotiable in this recipe as it adds lots of delicious flavor.
• Cheese – A combination of parmesan and pepper jack is best, but monterey jack works if you want to omit the heat from pepper jack.
• Mayo, sour cream & cream cheese – The three products create a creamy base for the dip. The mayo helps to balance the tanginess of the sour cream and cream cheese. It’s best to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese to get the best dippable consistency.

How To Cut Corn Off The Cob

If you’re making this in the summer when sweet corn is in season, I think it’s an absolute must to use fresh corn off the cob! There are a lot of methods for cutting corn kernels off the cob but the easiest, in my opinion, is to lay the corn on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice it off.

Another option is to hold it vertically and slice from top to bottom. It’s best to do this in a large bowl, with the corn standing on another smaller bowl, or in a bundt pan, to prevent the kernels from flying everywhere.

There are fancy corn stripper tools but I don’t think they work that great and are unnecessary for this recipe.

How To Make Baked Corn Dip

There are a few hands-on steps before popping this dip in the oven but it’s really so easy!

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Brown the corn. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the corn and saute for about 3 minutes per side, leaving it undisturbed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Cook the veggies. Add more olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté the onion, red and green peppers, garlic, and half of the green onions for 6-7 minutes. They should all be softened and translucent.

• Make the base. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo until creamy. You can use a spatula but a hand mixer is much easier and faster.
• Combine. Add the spices, corn, onions and peppers, pickled jalapenos, and diced green chilies. Once combined, stir in the parmesan cheese and half of the pepper jack cheese.

• Bake. Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Enjoy. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.

What To Serve It With

Everyone’s favorite is to serve this with tortilla chips. I prefer a quality brand like Juantonio’s or Late July. I personally find that Tostitos tortilla chips to be overly salty and throw off the flavor of the dip, but use whatever you prefer.

Sometimes I also serve hot corn dip with veggie sticks like carrots, celery, and cucumber spears and crackers.

Can You Prepare Baked Corn Dip in Advance?

Yes, this is one of my favorite features of this recipe! You can follow all of the steps up until baking it in the oven. Instead, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days ahead.

Before baking, remove from the fridge and set on the counter for 30 minutes to remove the chill first. Then bake according to the instructions.

Storage & Reheating

You can easily store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, place your desired portion in a bowl and microwave it for 45 seconds to 1 minute. It’s normal for it to separate slightly as it reheats; give it a quick mix with a spoon to incorporate.

Looking for More Party Dip Recipes?

• Cheesy Refried Bean Dip
• Baked Caramelized Onion Dip
• Jalapeno Chicken Dip
• Queso Spinach Dip
• Mexican Street Corn Dip

I hope you enjoyed this Baked Corn Dip recipe. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!

If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!