The Side That Always Disappears First
Thanksgiving Sides Series, Ep. 1
Or even Casserole? Whatever you call it, it’s one of the easiest and most delicious sides you can bring to your Thanksgiving table. It always disappears first. And I mean always.
It’s sweet, buttery, and unbelievably easy to make. Unassuming, but it quietly steals the whole show. The texture lands somewhere between a custard and a cornbread, and it’s one of those recipes everyone will ask you for by the end of the night. Consider this your fair warning.
Keep it simple, or dress it up with cheese, jalapeños (pickled or fresh), bacon and a drizzle of hot honey, there’s truly no wrong way to make this one. Speaking of, I think that’s exactly what I’ll be making for Episode 2.
Tip: You might as well make two or three, trust me. I made this for just the two of us, and we finished two-thirds of the dish within a few hours.
Notes
You can mix everything together the day before to save time. Just pour the batter into your greased baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, take it out about 30–45 minutes before baking to let it come to room temp (this helps it bake evenly).
You can add mix-ins like green chiles, scallions, bacon, jalapeño, or shredded cheese, or keep it simple and classic.
It’s gotta be Jiffy for that perfect texture and sweetness. Other mixes just don’t hit the same.
It pairs perfectly with everything from roast turkey and ham to barbecue and chili, and it’s just as good warm, room temp, or reheated the next day.
Tips to Take It From Good to Great
Brown Butter Moment: Brown the butter before adding. It gives the pudding a rich, nutty depth that makes it taste instantly elevated.
Sweet-Heat Combo: Add a finely diced jalapeño (fresh or pickled) and a drizzle of honey for that perfect sweet-meets-spicy bite.
Cheesy Upgrade: Fold in a cup of shredded cheddar or pepper jack, or sprinkle some on top halfway through baking for a golden, melty finish.
Bacon Twist: Stir in ½ cup of cooked, crumbled bacon or pancetta. It adds the perfect salty, smoky bite that balances all that buttery sweetness.
Corn Pudding (Corn Soufflé / Corn Casserole) Thanksgiving Side
Servings: 6–8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (max)
You can find the printable version here
Ingredients
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (8.5 oz)
1 stick (½ cup / 4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) cream-style sweet corn
1 cup sour cream, full-fat
1 tbsp sugar or honey
Pinch of salt (~1/2 tsp)
Honey, butter, and flakey salt for brushing on top (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, melted butter, sugar (or honey), and salt until smooth.
Whisk in both the whole corn and the cream-style corn until evenly combined.
Gently stir in the corn muffin mix just until incorporated.
Pour into the greased dish and bake for 60–70 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the center has a slight custardy wobble. Note: Bake times vary by oven, so start checking around the 45-minute mark. You don’t want this to get too dark. You’re looking for a light golden top, almost like a vanilla cake.
Brush with melted butter, drizzle with honey, and finish with a pinch of flakey salt straight out of the oven. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before serving so it sets into that perfect custardy texture. Enjoy!
I’m taking requests! Let me know what other sides you want to see in this series :)
Hi!was wondering if I doubled the recipe, will i need to adjust the time?
Can you cook ahead of time and reheat ?