Crockpot Creamed Corn
by Sommer Collier — on Sep 30, 2026 Love creamed corn but don’t have the stovetop space? My easy Crockpot Creamed Corn is creamy (obviously), rich, and chock-full of tender corn kernels, without taking up one of those coveted stovetop burners. I add tangy cream cheese and a bit of sugar to create a thick, creamy base with just the right amount of sweetness, plus cornmeal and onions for plenty of savory flavor. It’s one of my favorite hands-off side dishes for a big family meal!
There are a lot of vegetable recipes in the South that I wouldn’t exactly call “healthy,” since we often add a whole bunch of butter and/or cheese to almost every dish. But OMG they are so delicious and totally worth it! (In moderation, of course :)) My old fashioned creamed corned recipe is a terrific example of how to transform a simple veg into a decadent comfort food side dish. Today’s savory slow cooker cream corn recipe is fantastic for several reasons… First, you can make it in the crockpot so you can set it and forget it for potlucks, family dinners, and holidays when you’ve got a lot going on and are short on oven space. Second, it’s got double corn flavor first from using corn kernels and second from using a little bit of cornmeal to bring the thick consistency together. And third, part of the creaminess comes from cream cheese which makes it extra luxurious and taste and texture.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Fabulous Slow Cooker Side Dish РThe biggest job I have to do to make creamed corn in the crockpot is saut̩ing the onions before using. But seriously, this takes like 5 minutes total, and the deeply savory and sweet flavor is absolutely worth the teeny tiny bit of effort and time. Other than stirring every hour or so, the crock pot does the bulk of the work.
Fresh or Frozen – I love to use summer corn whenever it’s available, like I do in my fresh corn succotash recipe. This is especially a great option if you like a good bit of toothsomeness to your creamed corn. If it’s not in season I use a handy-dandy bag of frozen corn. Either one is delicious!
As Creamy as You Want – Depending on how you like the texture of your creamy corn you can either leave the corn kernels whole or you can smash them a little bit. This makes the texture a little bit more like traditional creamed corn.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Corn – As I mentioned you can use fresh-shucked sweet corn from the cob, or bags of frozen corn. I don’t recommend using canned corn if you like a bit of texture to your creamed corn… Technically canned will work, but the kernels and will get softer quicker versus frozen or fresh, firm kernels.
- Dairy – I use what I consider the trinity of Southern cooking: Unsalted butter, full-fat cream cheese, and whole milk. You can use low-fat versions of cream cheese and milk, but note that the creamed corn won’t have quite the same richness.
- Onion – I include a bit of diced sweet onion to the recipe. Although the onion is sweet, the onion-y sharpness still adds a nice touch of savory flavor along with the sweetness, without having too much sharp flavor.
- Cornmeal – This is the ideal gluten-free thickener that makes the corn creamy but not runny.
- Sugar – 3 tablespoons of sugar might seem like a lot, but it is essential to keep the flavor from being too tangy with the cream cheese.
- Spices – Smoked paprika also brings in a slightly savory, earthy flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the delicate corn taste. Then just add salt and pepper to taste at the end!
How to Make
Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Sauté Onions – I start by peeling and chopping the sweet onion into tiny ‘lil bits. Then I place a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop, and add the chopped onions and butter. I saute the onions for only a few minutes, stirring often to keep them from sticking and burning, until they turn translucent (which means almost see-through) and slightly golden.
Add to Crock Pot – Next, I pour the buttery sautéed onions into the crock of my slow cooker. Then add the remaining ingredients… Fresh or frozen corn kernels, cream cheese, sugar, cornmeal, paprika, salt and pepper, and the whole milk.
Cover and Cook – There’s no need to stir everything together at this point! I simply pop on the lid after adding the ingredients, and turn the crockpot on high. Then set the timer for 8 hours. The only time I take the lid off is to stir the creamed corn every couple of hours. Otherwise, I leave it alone.
After 8 hours I take a tester spoonful to check for doneness… The corn kernels should be as firm or soft as you want. Turn off the heat if they’re how you like, or set the lid back in place and continue to cook for another 1-2 hours until you’re happy with the texture.
Mash! – Do this step when you have about 1 hour until you plan to serve the crock pot creamed corn. I remove the lid and carefully set it off to the side. Then I use a potato masher to, well, mash the corn into finer bits to create a thicker base. You can mash ’em as much as you want! I do about half of the pot for a nice balance between the smaller bits of corn and large full-sized kernels. The more you mash the thicker it will be. Remember though, you are going to continue cooking the creamed corn in the crockpot! This can turn the consistency almost into like a pudding if the corn is super mashed.
Serving Suggestions
Crock pot creamed corn is an excellent “vegetable” side dish. Serve it for special gatherings like Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, or make creamed corn in the crockpot any day of the week and serve with chicken, pork, beef… Name a land animal, and creamed corn is 99% likely to pair well. I typically serve it with Southern-style main dishes, like:
Fried chicken
- Cast Iron Deep Fried Chicken or
- Deep Fried Chicken Tenders
- Air Fried Chicken Tenders
- Fried Chicken without Buttermilk
Ribs
Smoked meats
And I’ll also suggest BBQ chicken skewers, for good measure!
Storage Notes
Leftover slow cooker creamed corn is fantastic! Let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will technically keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, however, I recommend reheating and enjoying within a day or two. After this the taste will still be amazing, but the corn texture will start to soften more and more.
I reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. Either way I suggest adding a splash of milk during the reheating process if it looks like it’s firmed up a bit too much.
Before you ask, no, I do not recommend that you attempt to freeze crockpot cream corn. The creamy base will get super weird and grainy if frozen and reheated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope, I add frozen corn right into the crock of the slow cooker with the other ingredients.
If you think the texture can handle it try cooking on high for another 20 minutes or so with the lid on.
Another option is to make a quick slurry to thicken the base. With the crock pot still on, combine 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small dish, then slowly pour it into the creamed corn while stirring. It should become thicker within a minute or so. But if it still isn’t *quite* there you can make and add another batch of slurry.
Help Me Spread the Word about this Fabulous Free Recipe! Sharing this recipe link on Pinterest and Facebook is super impactful, and I greatly appreciate it! Find the share buttons below the recipe form.
More Crock Pot Recipes
Crockpot Creamed Corn
Video
Ingredients
- 40 ounces frozen corn, or 8 cups fresh shucked corn
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the butter and chopped onions in a skillet. Set over medium heat, and sauté until the onions are soft.
- Pour the onions and butter into the crock of a large slow cooker. Add the corn, cream cheese, sugar, cornmeal, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and milk.
- Cover the slow cooker, turn on high, and cook for 8-10 hours, stirring the corn every couple hours. About 1 hour before ready to serve, use a potato masher to smash part of the corn, to enhance the creamy texture. Then stir, cover, and resume cooking until ready to serve.
