Amazing Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite in 30 Min

When the holidays roll around, my mind immediately goes to those dishes that just smell like home and tradition, right? You know the ones—the sides that take up prime real estate on the buffet table year after year. For my family, that was always corn pudding. Now, I know what you might be thinking: pudding? But trust me, this isn’t some heavy dessert; it’s the most comforting, slightly sweet, beautifully baked casserole you’ve ever had.

The beauty of this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite is that it delivers all that nostalgic flavor without feeling fussy. It’s simple stuff that tastes gourmet, which is perfect as we aim for more mindful eating these days!

I remember helping my grandmother whisk the creamy mixture when I was little. She’d always whisper that the sweetness of the corn was the perfect balance for the richness of the feast. Seeing that golden top reminds me of her kitchen every single time. If you’re looking for a classic side that keeps up with your busy schedule but still feels deeply traditional, you absolutely have to try this version. You can even check out how I adapt some of my favorite sides, like this loaded cornbread casserole, for a similar vibe.

Why This Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite is a Must-Make Side Dish

This isn’t just another casserole; it’s pure comfort baked golden brown. I love that this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite feels like tradition, but it doesn’t demand a whole afternoon of effort. It’s one of those keepers that earns its spot on the table every single year. If you need more lightened-up comfort dishes in your life, you should peek at my ideas on baking for Lightened-Up Comfort Food!

Quick Prep Time for Easy Weeknight Meals

Seriously, five minutes. That is all it takes to mix this up! Because the prep is so ridiculously fast, you can toss this in the oven before grabbing the kids from soccer practice or before the main dish even starts cooking. It truly shines as an easy weeknight side dish when you need something warm and filling fast—way faster than rolling out pie dough!

Perfect Texture: Creamy Yet Set

You know how some baked dishes just turn into soup? Not this one. The combination of the muffin mix and the eggs does something amazing here. It sets up beautifully while baking, giving you a texture that is gorgeously rich and creamy on the inside but with that slightly firmer edge you want from a baked casserole. It’s perfect every time—no guesswork needed!

Gathering Ingredients for Your Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite

Alright, let’s talk about what goes into this iconic Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite. The best part? You probably have ninety percent of this stuff hiding in your pantry already! It’s all about using straightforward, classic ingredients to get that deep, comforting flavor we crave. No weird sourcing needed here, which makes it a breeze to whip up anytime.

If you love simple corn sides, you absolutely must see my recipe for Crispy Cheddar Corn and Potato Bake—similar vibe, maximum flavor!

Key Components for Richness and Structure

When you pull everything out, just a little prep makes a huge difference in the final texture. Make sure you set out your dairy and eggs early.

• Butter: You need a half-cup of unsalted butter, and it must be melted down.
• Sour Cream: One full container (8 oz), but make sure it’s at room temperature so it blends smoothly!
• Eggs: Two large eggs, also brought up to room temperature. This helps everything emulsify nicely.
• Granulated Sugar: Just two tablespoons, because we want the corn to shine, not make this a dessert!
• Creamed Corn: One 15-ounce can—that’s the stuff that brings all the sauciness.
• Sweet Corn: Another 15-ounce can, but this one needs to be totally drained before adding.
• Corn Muffin Mix: Just one small box (8.5 oz) of Jiffy mix. This is our secret weapon for structure!
• Salt: A half-teaspoon, plus you can always adjust this right at the end if you need it.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite

Okay, making this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite is almost laughably easy, but following the steps in order is what guarantees that perfectly creamy casserole texture! We’re aiming for that golden-baked top layer we all love. If you’re looking for other easy recipes to pair this stunning side dish with, check out some of my favorite Simple Balanced Suppers!

Preparing the Oven and Pan

First things first—get that oven warmed up! We need it to hit 350 degrees F, nice and slow. While it’s heating, grab your 9×13 inch glass baking pan. Don’t forget this part! A quick coating of your favorite baking spray is all you need to make sure cleanup is non-existent later. Set that nice, slick pan right by your mixing station.

Mixing the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Now for the blending action! Grab your big bowl. We start with wet things first to make a nice base. Whisk together your melted butter, the room-temperature sour cream, and those two lucky eggs until they look totally uniform. Once that’s smooth, it’s time to gently stir everything else in—that’s the creamed corn, the drained sweet corn, the sugar, the muffin mix, and your salt. Just stir until it’s combined; don’t overdo it!

Baking Time and Doneness Check

Pour that beautiful batter right into your prepared 9×13 pan. Slide it into the 350F oven and set your initial timer for 20 minutes. Bake time can range anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, depending on your oven. When you check it, you want it to look mostly set. Here’s my secret: it’s okay if the very center is still a little jiggly! It will firm up after it cools for five minutes on the counter. That slight wobble ensures you get that signature moist texture!

Tips for Making the Best Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite

You’ve got the recipe made, but trust me, a few little tricks can take this perfectly easy Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite from great to utterly unforgettable. Because this dish is so simple, sometimes the non-mixing steps—like prep and timing—make the biggest difference. I always rely on these little notes when I’m serving a big holiday crowd and can’t afford any mishaps! If you are thinking ahead about making things easy next week, you should see some of the great ideas I have for Fresh Weekly Meal Prep!

Ingredient Temperature Matters

This is one place you shouldn’t rush things, honestly. You absolutely must use room-temperature eggs and sour cream. If you dump cold sour cream into whisked butter, what happens? Clumps! You end up with little white pockets in your mixture, and you’ll have to beat it way too hard to incorporate everything. Room temperature ingredients melt together beautifully right away, resulting in that smooth, luxurious batter that bakes into perfection—no overmixing required!

Adapting This Corn Recipes easy weeknight Side Dish

Since everyone loves an adaptable side, I often think about how to scale this down or up. If you’re planning a meal prep session or want to use your favorite heavy-duty cookware, try baking this in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet instead of the 9×13 pan. You’ll need to lower your baking time slightly—maybe start checking around 18 minutes. This is fantastic for an easy weeknight meal because you can even finish it on the outdoor grill for a smoky edge, treating it almost like a savory baked cornbread!

Equipment Needed for This Recipe

Before you even think about grabbing the butter, let’s make sure your battlefield is set up! Having your tools ready makes the five-minute prep time actually feel like five minutes, trust me. This recipe is super straightforward, so you won’t need a ton of fancy gadgets, but these two things are non-negotiable for success.

When I make this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite, I always pull these out first:

• 9×13 inch baking pan: This is the workhorse for a big holiday crowd! Having a standard glass pan ready ensures the baking time is accurate. If you don’t have a 9×13, a 3-quart casserole dish will work in a pinch, but you might need to watch the baking time a little closer.
• Large bowl: You need something robust for whisking the wet ingredients without sending sour cream flying across the kitchen! A big ceramic or glass bowl is perfect for mixing everything without stressing about overflow.

Serving Suggestions for Your Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite

The best part about this wonderful Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite isn’t just eating it—it’s figuring out what amazing mains it can sit next to on your plate! Because it hits that perfect creamy, slightly sweet note, it complements richer proteins so well. It truly feels complete as part of a holiday spread, but honestly, it’s so easy you shouldn’t wait for Thanksgiving to make it.

For those big, traditional holiday dinners, I always pair this with something classic. Imagine it alongside a perfectly roasted turkey or ham; the sweetness of the pudding cuts right through the saltiness of the meat. It’s a showstopper side, even if you only spent five minutes assembling it!

If you’re leaning towards a weeknight meal, this pairs beautifully with something quick yet flavorful, like my French Apple Cider Chicken. The slight tartness of the apple sauce in that chicken recipe finds a wonderful partner in the gentle sweetness of this corn pudding. It just feels satisfying and balanced, doesn’t it? It takes a simple Tuesday dinner and gives it that cozy, comforting hug we all need after a long day.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

One of the biggest reasons I love this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite is that the leftovers are just as good, if not better, the next day! Honestly, letting those flavors marry overnight really deepens the taste. It’s a perfect component for your meal prep; just don’t try to eat it cold straight from the fridge—it needs a little revival to shine again.

When you’re finished serving, let the casserole cool down a bit on the counter—maybe 20 minutes or so—but don’t leave it out for hours, especially since it has dairy and eggs.

Once cool, here is the best way to put it away so it stays fresh:

1. Store it Airtight: Cover the leftover casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil or transfer the pieces into an airtight container. I usually stick to the glass dish and just wrap it well.
2. Refrigerate Promptly: It needs to go into the fridge within two hours of coming out of the oven. It will keep nicely for about three to four days.

Now, when it’s time to eat leftovers—maybe on Friday when you need an easy weeknight side again—we need to talk reheating. Please, please, try to avoid the microwave if you can. I know it’s fast, but zapping this creamy casserole heats it unevenly and changes that beautiful, set texture into something too watery. It just doesn’t do the dish justice!

For the best results, treat it like a second bake, but much faster. Move the portion you want to eat into a smaller oven-safe dish, cover it loosely with foil, and reheat it at about 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. The foil traps the moisture while the slow heat warms it through and restores that lovely, creamy consistency we all love in this Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite. It comes out tender and perfect every time!

Frequently Asked Questions About Corn Pudding

Whenever I share a casserole recipe this easy, people always have the best, practical questions about fitting it into their real lives, especially if they are trying to squeeze in some meal prep! This dish is super flexible, but knowing a few things beforehand can save you time and stress. Don’t forget to check out my favorite Lightened-Up Dinner Ideas for more versatile weeknight options!

Can I make this Corn Pudding ahead of time?

Absolutely, yes! This is one of my favorite secrets for managing holiday stress. You have two ways to go about it. If you assemble the whole mixture—everything mixed up in the bowl—you can cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, just let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to take the chill off before putting it into the preheated oven. Don’t forget that you might need to add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the baking time since the batter starts cooler than usual.

Alternatively, you can bake the whole thing the day before. If you do that, just let it cool completely, cover it well, and store it refrigerated. When reheating, remember my advice: use the oven to keep that great texture intact!

What if I don’t have Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix?

Oh, that’s a fantastic question! While the Jiffy mix is what gives this recipe its specific structure and salt balance, you can totally substitute it if you have dietary needs or just ran out. If you need to skip the pre-made mix, you can use a mixture of about 1 cup of self-rising flour combined with 2 tablespoons of extra granulated sugar and a half-teaspoon of extra baking powder (if your flour isn’t self-rising). Whisk that dry blend into your wet ingredients just as you would the box mix. It won’t have that distinct Jiffy corn flavor, of course, but it still acts as the binder to set your casserole perfectly!

Another thing—if you prefer not to use a boxed mix at all for your Corn Recipes, try using an extra half-cup of yellow cornmeal mixed with an extra egg yolk, though you’ll definitely want to adjust the salt!

Share Your Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite Experience

Now that you have my go-to recipe for the Corn Pudding Holiday Favorite, I really, truly want to hear about yours! This dish is all about gathering people around the table, and seeing how you fit it into your traditions warms my heart more than anything. I hope this simple side brings as much comfort to your table as it does to mine.

Did you manage to fit this in during a busy weeknight? Did you try it on the grill like I mentioned? Or is it sitting proudly next to your main course for a huge Sunday dinner? Don’t keep all the fun to yourself!

Hop down to the comments and tell me everything! Rate the recipe five stars if it made your life easier, and definitely leave a note sharing any favorite holiday food memories you have. If you snap a picture of your golden, creamy casserole, I’d love to see it and potentially share it on my feed. You can also learn a bit more about my own journey in the kitchen on my About Me page. Happy baking, friends!