This Christmas corn is the perfect side dish for your holiday table. Made with sweet corn, cream cheese, and a few simple ingredients, it's ready in just 15 minutes. One of the easiest creamed corn recipes you'll ever make!
My daughter insists I make this cheesy creamed corn all the time. It’s such a comforting dish and a family favorite that it’s become a must-have for our holiday meals, too. Add it to your Christmas or Thanksgiving table alongside any of these vegetarian Thanksgiving side dishes.
It even doubles as a cheesy dip with nachos or yoghurt flatbread.
Jump to:
- 💛Why This is The Easiest Creamy Corn You’ll Ever Make?
- 👩🏻🍳Sandhya's Top Tips & Tricks
- 📋Ingredients
- Vegan Substitutions
- 🎥Watch Video: How I Make Christmas Creamed Corn
- 🔪How to Make Christmas Corn?
- 🔪How to Make Air Fryer Holiday Corn?
- 🍽What to Serve With This Holiday Corn?
- 🧂Storing Leftovers
- 🌽Make Ahead Holiday Creamed Corn
- Recipe FAQs
- More Easy Vegetarian Christmas Side Dishes
- Christmas Corn Recipe
💛Why This is The Easiest Creamy Corn You’ll Ever Make?
- This recipe is unbelievably simple that anyone can make it. You can make it with 4 ingredients or 10 ingredients( like I have for extra deliciousness)- extremely versatile.
- If you are thinking of buying one from M&S or Tesco this year, you are wasting money.Just combine everything, load it with cheese, and bake or air fry.
- This is a no-fuss recipe! Don't want to make it in an oven or air fryer, you can also make it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker.
👩🏻🍳Sandhya's Top Tips & Tricks
- Handle with Care: Use oven gloves to remove the baked creamed corn dish from the oven/ air fryer, especially because it’s an oven dish. I’ve tried using a tea towel and burnt my fingers. Don’t make that mistake!
- Don’t be tempted to add a lot of milk or cream. The cream cheese melts really well to give the right texture.
- Use a skillet or small oven-safe baking dish that you can serve straight on (I use a Denby Small Baking Dish, Length: 21.5cm, Width: 13.5cm, Depth: 5.5cm). This one fits my air fryer, too.
- Use both cheeses for extra colour – The mix of red Leicester and cheddar doesn’t just taste amazing. It looks beautiful on a holiday table.
- To combine the ingredients easily, just bring the cream cheese out from the fridge 10 minutes before combining.
📋Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sweet Corn Kernels - I use frozen corn (No need to defrost. You can use it directly). Fresh corn or tinned corn also works wonderfully for this holiday corn recipe.
- Cream Cheese - Any type of soft cheese works. Makes the dish creamy and smooth. Let it soften before mixing.
- Double Cream or Heavy Cream - For extra creaminess. For a lighter creamed corn, use milk to thin it.
- Garlic and Onion - I love garlic granules and onion powder. Don't use fresh garlic and onion. The flavours are a bit too strong for this cream corn dish.
- Cheese - For special occasions, I like to mix red Leicester and cheddar. It adds colour, extra richness, and that perfect cheesy pull. When I visited my family in the US and made this Thanksgiving corn recipe, I bought sharp cheddar cheese for that extra kick.
- Fresh Herbs - For a color pop, I love adding fresh chives or parsley.
Vegan Substitutions
Whenever I make vegan creamed corn, I use plant-based cream cheese, either the Philadelphia brand or Violife, and vegan cheese as a topping. It tastes just as delicious and is perfect for inclusive holiday corn recipes.
🎥Watch Video: How I Make Christmas Creamed Corn
🔪How to Make Christmas Corn?
Step 1. Add sweet corn kernels, cream cheese, cream, garlic granules, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to a mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
Step 2. Transfer the mixture to a small oven-safe baking dish.
Step 3. Grate over both the Red Leicester and cheddar cheese, alternating.
Tip: Add as much cheese or as little as you like.
Step 4. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and just beginning to turn golden brown. Sprinkle chives and serve creamed corn immediately.
🔪How to Make Air Fryer Holiday Corn?
Once you’ve transferred the creamed corn mix to an oven-safe dish or a small skillet, place it in the air fryer basket.
Air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Remove from the air fryer, garnish with chives or parsley, and serve immediately.
🍽What to Serve With This Holiday Corn?
This cream corn is my daughter’s favorite side dish! We enjoy it as a holiday vegetarian side dish with a no-mayo Christmas coleslaw, tandoori whole cauliflower, or with other holiday sides.
🧂Storing Leftovers
- In the fridge: Once cooled, your Christmas corn can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.
- In the freezer: You can freeze this dish too. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
After heating, serve on Boxing Day along with Bubble and Squeak Patties, buttered savoy cabbage and air-fried vegan sausages.
🌽Make Ahead Holiday Creamed Corn
To make ahead for holidays, prepare the holiday corn dish ready for baking, cover with cling film, and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours max. When you’re heating up the mains, simply bake or air fry, garnish with herbs, and serve.
Recipe FAQs
Mix sweet corn, cream cheese, onion powder, garlic granules, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Transfer to a baking dish or skillet and top with grated cheese (using two varieties adds a festive touch). Bake at 180°C / 360°F for 12–15 minutes, or air fry for 7–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Finish with chopped fresh herbs.
More Easy Vegetarian Christmas Side Dishes
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet corn
- ⅓ cup cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon cream
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder or onion granules
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese grated
- ¼ cup Red Leicester cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon chives or parsley finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt or more
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet corn, cream cheese, cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Transfer the mixture to a small oven-safe baking dish or skillet (the dish used here measures approximately Length 21.5cm, Width 13.5cm, Depth 5.5cm).
- Sprinkle the grated Red Leicester and cheddar cheese on top, alternating layers. Add more or less depending on how cheesy you like it.
- Oven: Bake at 180°C (360°F) for 10–12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
- Air Fryer: Air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 7–8 minutes until the top is gooey and golden.
- Allow it to sit for 5 minutes(optional), then finish with fresh chives or parsley for a festive touch. Serve immediately while hot and creamy.
John Piper says
It's creamy and cheesy. I wouldn't change a thing. We loved it as a side dish for dinner last night. Will be making it again.