Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Slow cook sweet corn kernels with milk, butter, and cream cheese for a comforting side dish that is almost entirely hands-off.
Serves8 to 10
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook2 hours to 6 hours
Creamed corn is one of the simplest culinary luxuries of sweet corn kernels simmered in milk and butter. The only way to improve upon the perfection that is stovetop creamed corn is to make it in the slow cooker.
Make slow cooker creamed corn by simmering corn, milk, seasonings, butter, and cream cheese in a slow cooker until it’s time to eat. With just five ingredients and practically zero prep work, slow cooker creamed corn is a side dish you can count on all year long.
Why Make Creamed Corn in the Slow Cooker?
Traditional creamed corn is simmered on the stovetop until every kernel of corn is plump with cream and coated with sauce. Swapping the stovetop for the slow cooker frees up your stove and gives the corn even more time to soak in that buttery bath.
Don’t forget that you can put the slow cooker on its “warm” setting and keep the side dish at its ideal serving temperature on the buffet table. This guarantees perfect spoonfuls of creamed corn for the first person in line all the way to the last.
What Ingredients Are in Slow Cooker Creamed Corn?
- Corn kernels: You can use fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels for this recipe. The choice of yellow or white corn is up to you.
- Milk: Stir in 1 cup of of whole or 2% milk. Once the creamed corn cooks, you can add more if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- Sugar: Corn has its own natural sweetness, but if the kernels you’re using need a boost, add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Butter: Top the corn with pats of unsalted butter that will melt into the creamed corn as it cooks.
- Cream cheese: Gives the creamed corn its signature rich and creamy consistency.
How to Make Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Prepare the corn. Remove corn kernels from the cob, drain canned corn, or just dump frozen corn kernels directly into your slow cooker.
- Add milk and seasonings. Stir in milk, kosher salt, and a bit of sugar to boost the corn’s natural sweetness.
- Top with butter and cream cheese. Cut unsalted butter and cream cheese into pieces and scatter over the top of the corn, but do not stir.
- Slow cook. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 6 hours, stirring once about halfway through if you can.
- Stir until creamy. Turn the heat to LOW or WARM and stir until the sauce is smooth rich and creamy. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency or let it stand for a few minutes to thicken before serving.
How Do You Thicken Slow Cooker Creamed Corn?
Milk added to stovetop creamed corn slowly reduces into a thickened sauce, but since relying on evaporation isn’t an option when using a slow cooker. That’s where one special ingredient comes to help — cream cheese.
Cream cheese is the key to serving slow cooker creamed corn with a thick and creamy sauce. It slowly softens and with the milk and butter into the corn, adding a subtle tang and making every spoonful even more delicious.
The sauce may appear slightly thin and curdled when you first remove the lid at the end of cooking. Simply stir until the sauce comes together, then let the creamed corn sit for a few minutes to give the sauce a chance to thicken to its final creamy consistency.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Slow cook sweet corn kernels with milk, butter, and cream cheese for a comforting side dish that is almost entirely hands-off.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 2 hours to 6 hours
Serves 8 to 10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 pounds
frozen corn kernels, 4 (about 15-ounce) cans corn kernels, or 5 to 6 ears fresh corn
- 1 cup
whole or 2% milk, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon
granulated sugar, plus more as needed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 8 ounces
cream cheese
- 4 tablespoons
(1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons
Knife
3.5-quart or larger slow cooker
Spatula
Instructions
Prepare the corn and place in a 3 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker: If using frozen corn, use 2 pounds (do not thaw). If using canned corn, drain 4 (about 15-ounce) cans corn kernels. If using fresh corn, shuck and cut the kernels from 5 to 6 ears, then use the back of your knife to scrape against the cobs to release the moisture (also known as "milk") into the slow cooker.
Add 1 cup whole or 2% milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, if using, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to combine.
Cut 8 ounces cream cheese and 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter into small pieces, then scatter them evely over the surface of the corn. Do not mix them in.
Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 6 hours. If you're around while this is cooking, stir the corn once, folding the partially melted cream cheese and butter into the corn during the second half of cooking. This helps prevent a crust from forming around the edge, but it's not strictly necessary.
Stir the corn thoroughly at the end of cooking. When you first stir the corn, the cream cheese, milk, and butter might look fairly thin and a bit curdled. Continue to gently stir until a creamy sauce comes together. Taste and season with more kosher salt, granulated sugar, and/or fresh black pepper as needed.
Let the corn sit for a few minutes, either with the heat off or on the "warm" setting, to give the sauce time to come cool slightly and thicken. Stir again to check the consistency. If it seems thicker than you'd like, stir in some milk. If it's thinner than you'd like, let the creamed corn sit for a few more minutes before serving; it will continue to thicken as it stands.
Transfer the creamed corn to a serving bowl or serve directly from the slow cooker. For buffets, leave the slow cooker on the "warm" setting to keep the creamed corn warm; check the corn occasionally and stir in more milk if it thickens too much.
Recipe Notes
Extra-decadent heavy cream version: Replace the milk with 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup water, and up to 4 more tablespoons unsalted butter.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat, thinning the sauce out with more milk as needed.