Crack Corn Dip (Print view)

Creamy, spicy corn dip with cheddar and jalapeños. Perfect warm or cold with chips.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 cup sour cream
03 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
05 - 1 can (15 oz) cream-style corn
06 - 1/2 cup chopped green onions
07 - 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped jalapeños, fresh or pickled

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For Serving

11 - Tortilla chips

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sour cream. Blend with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth and fully combined.
02 - Add whole kernel corn and cream-style corn. Stir gently to incorporate without breaking down the kernels.
03 - Fold in shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, jalapeños, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly distributed throughout.
04 - Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning or jalapeño level according to preference.
05 - Transfer the dip to a serving bowl for cold serving, or to a baking dish if serving warm.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and lightly golden on top.
07 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to set and temperature to stabilize.
08 - Serve with tortilla chips as an accompaniment.

# Expert Ideas:

01 -
  • It works hot or cold, so you can make it ahead and decide last minute whether to bake it or serve it straight from the fridge.
  • The sweetness of the corn balances the sharpness of the cheddar and the kick from the jalapeños in a way that keeps every bite interesting.
  • You can adjust the heat level easily, making it mild enough for kids or bold enough to impress the spice lovers in your life.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese isn't fully softened, you'll fight lumps the entire time, so leave it out ahead or microwave it in short bursts until it's spreadable.
  • Draining the whole kernel corn is crucial, I skipped it once and ended up with a soupy dip that slid off every chip.
  • Taste before you bake, because once it's hot, adjusting seasoning becomes a guessing game and you'll probably over-salt trying to fix it.
03 -
  • Use a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese and sour cream, it makes the base impossibly smooth and takes half the effort of whisking by hand.
  • If you like a little char and extra texture, broil the baked dip for the last 2 minutes until the top gets golden and crispy in spots.
  • Always have extra tortilla chips on hand, this dip has a way of making people eat twice as many as they planned.
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