Cheesy corn fritters are a a Southern staple! Not only are they a true delicacy but they are easy to whip up using pantry staples. They’re the perfect side dish for any home cook!

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A good fritter is something almost everyone in the South appreciates- my sons included.

Our favorite veggies are seasoned, battered, and fried up with love into a crispy, golden patty that begs to be eaten.

We’ve shared our famous zucchini fritters, and now we’re back with another equally tried and tasty version.

Sweet corn kernels and cheddar cheese are the stars.

They’re backed up with some green peppers and a handful of spices for a show stealing side dish.

They are a crunchy, yummy way to get everyone eating some veggies.

What Exactly is a Corn Fritter?

Fritters have different connotations around the word.

Some have fruit, some have vegetables.

These cheesy corn fritters consist of corn and diced bell pepper surrounded by a seasoned dough mix that puffs when fried, transforming them from otherwise plain veggies into a fried cake.

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

Corn– 2 cups of corn kernels. Fresh, canned, or frozen all work.
Flour– All purpose
Sugar– Granulated
Spices– Chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Pepper– Diced green bell pepper
Eggs– Beaten
Water
Cheese– Grated or shredded cheddar.
Butter– Melted
Vegetable oil– For frying

How to Make

Cheesy corn fritters aren’t hard to make.

It basically comes down to tossing your desired ingredients in batter, and then frying them to crispy perfection.

Start by tossing the corn kernels, pepper, eggs, water, and cheese together in a large mixing bowl to combine.

Set them aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, chili powder, salt and pepper until combined.

Add the corn mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until everything is moistened.

Add the melted butter, again stirring just until incorporated.

Heat a skillet with a quarter inch or so of oil in the bottom until it reaches 350 degrees or when flour flecked into the pan starts to simmer and bubble.

Drop the fritters in by the spoon full, using a serving spoon to ensure they’re patty-sized but not too big.

Fry the fritters for roughly 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy, and then carefully flipping to fry the other side.

Remove the cooked fritters from the skillet using a slotted spoon or spatula, and transfer them to a layered stack of waiting paper towels.

You should have roughly 16 cheesy corn fritters when done.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat them on the stove until warmed through.

Can You Freeze Corn Fritters?

These fritters freeze beautifully.

This means I can make a full size batch, and freeze any leftovers to pull out later for a quick lunch or even a snack.

To freeze them, first you need to let them cool completely.

Once cooled, store them in a even layers with paper towels between the layers.

Freeze the layers of corn fritters flat.

The paper towels will also make them easier to pull out and use as needed.

To heat and eat, remove your desired number of fritters and cook them in a toaster oven until cooked through.

You can also heat them in a hot skillet flipping half way through.

Do I have to add to cheese to corn fritters?

Why would you not want to since it it plain delicious?

Do we need another reason to add cheese to any recipe?

Probably not, but in fritters cheese is a common addition.

Not only does it add to the overall flavor, it also acts as a binding agent and helps everything stay together during the frying and cooling processes.

What Other Cheeses Can I Use?

You won’t be able to replicate the tangy cheddar flavor using another cheese but there are substitutes you can use including:

mozzarella
feta
Monterrey jack
pepper jack

Just do not use a super soft cheese like ricotta or even Velveeta.

You still need a cheese that holds its shape.

Fresh Corn Vs. Canned Corn

This is totally where personal preference comes in.

If fresh corn is in and cheap from the local farmer’s market then it’s fresh corn all the way.

However, I’m not going to wait half a year to enjoy these cheesy golden corn nuggets.

So if corn isn’t in season, I’m totally whipping up a batch of these fritters using canned corn.

If using canned corn, just make sure it’s very well drained before including in the recipe so no excess liquid messes with the batter or the oil.

Tips and Tricks

Over-mixing will deflate the batter and keep it from puffing up properly during cooking. This will give you sad floppy fritters.
I like to use a cooking thermometer specifically designed for oil to make sure the oil is ready.
You may have to work in batches to not over crowd the pan depending on the size of your skillet. That’s ok.
Be careful when flipping to avoid flinging any hot oil droplets.
The paper towels will suck up any excess grease, and trust me- there is always excess grease. This will lead to crispier fritters over all, especially while you add another batch to finish cooking them all.

Other Fritter Recipes You Might Also Enjoy:

Find a new way to not only eat your veggies, but to enjoy them too. These corn & cheddar cheese fritters are the perfect bridge to up your side dish game!

Looking for other ways to do fritters? Check out these tasty ideas:

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