Old-Fashioned Corn Pudding Recipe From 1979 (No Jiffy Mix!)

Thanksgiving is still two months away, but I’ve already been flipping through my cookbook shelf hunting for side dishes that don’t start with a box. That’s how I landed on this old-fashioned corn pudding from The American Encyclopedia of Cooking by Anne London, published back in 1979. It’s a creamy, custard-style side made from scratch with frozen corn, eggs, and milk, then baked slowly in a water bath until it sets up soft and golden.

Corn pudding goes back a lot further than 1979, with versions showing up in Southern cookbooks as early as the 1800s, when cooks used fresh summer corn and whatever eggs and cream they had available. Over the years, it became a holiday staple across the South and Midwest, and eventually a lot of families switched to the version made with boxed cornbread mix. I love that this one skips the mix entirely, and that little bit of pimiento stirred in at the end gives it pops of red that look so pretty on a Thanksgiving table.

Quick Facts

• Recipe source: The American Encyclopedia of Cooking by Anne London (1979)
• What it is: A creamy, custard-style baked corn side dish made from scratch, no boxed mix
• Prep time: About 15 minutes
• Bake time: 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes
• Oven temperature: 350°F
• Servings: 6 to 8
• Baking dish: 1.5-quart casserole dish, set in a pan of hot water
• Main ingredients: Frozen sweet corn, eggs, milk, butter, flour, grated onion, and pimiento
• Corn amount: 2 packages of frozen corn (about 20 ounces, or roughly 4 cups)
• Texture: Soft, creamy, and spoonable, similar to a savory custard
• Flavor: Sweet corn with a mild savory onion note and a touch of pepper
• Difficulty: Easy
• How to tell it’s done: The center is firm, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean
• Best for: Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, Easter, potlucks, and Sunday suppers

What Each Ingredient Does

• Butter: Butter adds richness and starts the base of the pudding. It melts down with the flour to make a simple roux, which is what thickens everything later.
• Flour: Just 2 tablespoons of flour turn the milk into a smooth white sauce. That little bit of thickening gives the corn pudding body and helps keep it from getting watery as it bakes.
• Salt: Salt seasons the whole dish and brings out the natural sweetness of the corn. Without it, corn pudding can taste flat.
• Sugar: Half a teaspoon of sugar is not enough to make this sweet like a dessert. It just gives the corn flavor a little boost, especially helpful with frozen corn.
• Pepper: A small pinch of black pepper adds gentle warmth and keeps the pudding on the savory side.
• Milk: Milk is the base of the custard. Cooking it into a white sauce first gives you that creamy, spoonable texture people love in old-fashioned corn pudding. Whole milk gives the richest result.
• Grated onion: Grating the onion instead of chopping it lets it melt right into the pudding. You get a savory background flavor without biting into onion pieces.
• Eggs: Eggs are what make corn pudding set up like a custard. Beating them only slightly keeps the texture smooth and dense instead of puffy.
• Frozen sweet corn: Corn is the star, and frozen corn makes this easy to pull off any time of year, including Thanksgiving. The recipe doesn’t say to thaw it, but thawing it and patting it dry first helps keep extra water out of the pudding.
• Pimiento: Pimiento adds pops of red color and a mild, sweet pepper flavor. The recipe says to stir it in carefully so the pieces stay whole and look pretty on the holiday table.
• Bonus: The hot water bath: It’s not an ingredient, but it matters just as much. Baking the dish in a pan of hot water keeps the heat gentle and even, so the eggs set into a creamy custard instead of turning rubbery or curdled.

Tips for Success

• Whisk the sauce the whole time. Keep stirring while the milk thickens so it stays smooth and doesn’t scorch on the bottom.
• Let the sauce cool for a minute. Give it a quick breather off the heat before adding the eggs so they don’t scramble.
• Use the small holes on your grater. Finely grated onion melts right into the pudding.
• Drain the pimientos. Pat them dry so they don’t add extra liquid.
• Use whole milk. It gives you the creamiest, richest texture.
• Pick the right pan for the water bath. A 9×13 pan works well. Pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of your baking dish.
• Start checking at 1 hour. Bake time depends on the depth of your dish, so check early.
• Do the knife test. It’s done when a knife in the center comes out clean.
• Let it rest 10 minutes. It finishes setting up and is much easier to scoop.
• Be careful with the hot water. Lift the baking dish out of the water bath first, then move the pan once the water cools a bit.
• Plan your Thanksgiving oven. It bakes at 350°F, the same temp as many holiday sides, so it can share oven space.

Why You’ll Love Corn Pudding

• It’s made from scratch. No boxed cornbread mix, just simple pantry ingredients.
• It uses frozen corn. You can make it any time of year, no fresh corn required.
• It’s creamy and custardy. Soft, spoonable, and rich without being heavy.
• It’s easy. About 15 minutes of hands-on time, then the oven does the rest.
• It feeds a crowd. One dish serves 6 to 8, perfect for family dinners.
• It’s a Thanksgiving classic. It fits right in next to the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
• It looks pretty on the table. Little pops of red pimiento make it holiday-ready.
• It’s a real vintage recipe. Straight from a 1979 cookbook, the way corn pudding used to be made.
• It’s sweet and savory. Natural corn sweetness balanced with onion and a hint of pepper.
• It’s naturally meatless. A good side for vegetarian guests at your holiday table.

Substitutions and Variations

Easy Substitutes

• Fresh corn: Use about 4 cups of kernels cut from 6 to 8 ears. Perfect in summer.
• Canned corn: Use two 15-ounce cans, drained well.
• Pimiento: Swap in chopped roasted red peppers from a jar.
• Grated onion: Use ¼ teaspoon onion powder instead.
• Milk: Whole milk is best, but 2% works. Use half-and-half for an extra rich pudding.
• Salted butter: Totally fine. Just cut the salt back a little.
• Flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free corn pudding.
• Sugar: Leave it out if your corn is already sweet.

Fun Variations

• Cheesy corn pudding: Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar with the corn.
• Bacon corn pudding: Add ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon.
• Green chile corn pudding: Swap the pimiento for a small can of diced green chiles. Great for Game Day and tailgating.
• Jalapeño corn pudding: Add 1 finely chopped jalapeño for a little heat.
• Herb corn pudding: Stir in chopped chives, parsley, or fresh thyme.
• Street corn pudding: Add a pinch of chili powder and top with crumbled cotija cheese before serving.
• Extra creamy corn pudding: Replace one package of frozen corn with a 15-ounce can of cream-style corn.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerate: Cover the dish tightly or move the pudding to an airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking, and it will keep for 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat in the oven: Cover with foil and warm at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through.
• Reheat in the microwave: Warm single servings in 30-second bursts so the edges don’t get rubbery.
• Freeze: Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The texture may be a little softer after freezing, but the flavor holds up.
• Make ahead for Thanksgiving: Mix everything, pour it into the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time since it’s going in cold.
• Bake ahead: Bake it the day before, refrigerate, and reheat covered at 350°F. One less thing to juggle on the big day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is corn pudding? Corn pudding is a baked side dish made with corn, eggs, and milk. It sets up soft and creamy like a savory custard.

What’s the difference between corn pudding and corn casserole? Corn pudding is custard-style, made with eggs and milk, and has a soft, spoonable texture. Corn casserole usually uses boxed cornbread mix and bakes up more like a moist cornbread.

Can you make corn pudding without Jiffy mix? Yes! This old-fashioned recipe is made from scratch with butter, flour, milk, and eggs. No boxed mix needed.

Do I need to thaw the frozen corn? No. Stir it in straight from the freezer.

Why do you bake corn pudding in a water bath? The hot water keeps the heat gentle and even. That helps the eggs set into a creamy custard instead of turning rubbery.

Why is my corn pudding watery? It usually needs more time in the oven. Keep baking until the center is firm, and a knife comes out clean.

How do I know when corn pudding is done? The center should be firm, not jiggly. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.

Is corn pudding sweet or savory? This one is mostly savory with natural sweetness from the corn. The half teaspoon of sugar just gives the corn flavor a little boost.

What is pimiento? Pimiento is a small, sweet red pepper, usually sold chopped in jars. It adds color and a mild pepper flavor.

Can I make corn pudding ahead of time? Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate, then add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.

Can I freeze corn pudding? Yes, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F.

Can I double this recipe? Yes. Bake it in a 9×13 dish or two 1.5-quart dishes, and plan on extra baking time.

Is corn pudding gluten-free? Not as written, since it uses flour. Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make it gluten-free.

What to Serve with Corn Pudding

Roast turkey is the obvious partner, and this corn pudding was made for exactly that kind of table. A holiday ham works beautifully at Christmas or Easter, and fried chicken is the Southern pairing that never lets you down. If you want to keep the oven free, a slow cooker rump roast is a great idea, and Swiss steak turns any Sunday into a proper supper. Bacon-wrapped pork loin, apple butter pork chops, barbecue chicken for a Game Day spread, meatloaf, or a pot roast all work too.

Every holiday plate needs a starch or two, and corn pudding plays nicely with all of them. Bread dressing is the classic, and my homemade cornbread stuffing is perfect if you’re a cornbread family. Surprise potatoes are a good make-ahead option, and sweet potato puffs bring a fun vintage touch. Mashed potatoes with gravy, scalloped potatoes, or candied yams with marshmallows will all round out the table.

For vegetables, green beans almondine with bacon is my pick because the crunch is a nice break from the soft, creamy pudding. Orange-glazed carrots add a pop of color right next to all that yellow. Green bean casserole is the one everybody expects, and roasted Brussels sprouts, collard greens, or buttered peas are all great choices too.

You need something tart or crunchy to balance all that creaminess. Cranberry sauce is the traditional answer, and it does the job every time. Cabbage apple salad and classic coleslaw bring the crunch, and carrot raisin salad is an old-school choice that fits right in. Watergate salad is the retro pick that always disappears first, and Waldorf salad or pickled beets will do the trick too.

Bread is never a bad idea on a table like this. Grandma’s Parker House rolls are the classic holiday roll, and buttermilk biscuits or baking powder biscuits come together faster. Crescent rolls, dinner rolls from the bakery, or cornbread if you’re going all in on corn are easy alternatives if you want to hand someone else a job.

Save room for dessert, or at least pretend you will. Pumpkin chiffon pie and pumpkin torte are both made for a holiday table, apple pie never misses, and apple crisp is the easier route. Pecan pie, sweet potato pie, or pumpkin roll will all work, and my Thanksgiving pies roundup has plenty more.

If you’re planning the whole spread, my Thanksgiving sides roundup covers the rest of the table. And if you love recipes like this one, my old-fashioned casseroles and old-fashioned dinner recipes roundups are full of vintage favorites.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

If you like Corn Pudding, you may also like my Slow Cooker Creamed Corn or my Lettuce Layered Salad. This Garlic Butter Fried Corn is also delicious.