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Nantucket Corn Pudding is a must-make recipe for Thanksgiving dinner! Creamy baked corn pudding, topped with buttery, cheesy crumbs.
Nantucket Corn Pudding is a traditional recipe that was popular with the original colonial inhabitants of New England – and today, it’s a classic side dish still served at many Thanksgiving dinners around the United States.
There are so many different recipes for corn pudding – and most modern day versions (like today’s Nantucket Corn Pudding) use whole corn kernels, rather than a porridge made with ground corn or corn meal. Back in the 17th century, the savory corn meal porridge was called ‘Hasty Pudding, and the sweet corn meal porridge was called ‘Indian Pudding.’
We found this Nantucket Corn Pudding recipe in this cookbook – and my husband Jack and I absolutely loved the golden and savory, buttery cracker and cheddar topping that was piled high on the creamy, flavorful corn pudding.
If you can find it, this Nantucket Corn Pudding is best with fresh whole corn kernels cut off the cob. But fresh corn isn’t often readily available during the Fall season, so a good quality drained canned sweet corn is a good alternative. (Frozen corn kernels may also be used, but we’ve found that the texture of frozen corn tends to be a little rubbery, so we’d highly recommend using canned as the best alternative to fresh corn.)
You may also like these other Corn recipes:
- Corn and Bacon Casserole
- Slow Cooker Creamed Fresh Corn
- Pumpkin Corn Pudding
- Zucchini Corn Risotto
- Grilled Corn and Jalapeño Salad
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Nantucket Corn Pudding
Note: The original Nantucket Corn Pudding recipe calls for ‘pilot crackers’, ‘hard tack’ or oyster crackers. We’re fairly certain pilot crackers and hard tack (a simple flour and water biscuit) aren’t available at the supermarket, so oyster crackers are what we used. (They worked great in this recipe!)
Ingredients
- 8–10 ears fresh corn on the cob, or 5 cups canned corn, drained
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- Few grinds fresh nutmeg
- 3/4 cup crushed oyster crackers, divided (crush the crackers, then measure). Also see note above
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut corn from cob if using fresh corn and scrape right down to the cob saving the liquid that scrapes off with the corn kernels. You should have about 5 cups. Set aside. (Alternately, drain 5 cups of canned corn.)
- Butter a 9” round or square 9 X 2 ½“ deep casserole dish.
- In a large bowl beat eggs, half & half, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Add corn, ½ cup of the cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle all of the cheese over the top.
- Mix the remaining cracker crumbs with the remaining butter and sprinkle over the top.
- Dust with a little paprika.
- Bake 45-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. The edges will be crispy and the center a bit loose.
- Serve immediately.
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shannon says
Made this Thanksgiving everyone loved it
Martha says
So glad to hear that Shannon – thank you!
Melissa says
Can anyone tell me why mine doesn’t look liquidy inside like the one in the video? The liquid in mine seemed to turn into a scrambled egg consistency 🙁 Did I cook it too long? I cooked for 50 min. This is the 2nd time I’ve made it; the first time it came out perfect and this time it didn’t so I don’t understand what I did wrong 🙁
Martha says
Hi Melissa – Sounds like you might have baked it for too long – although the finished consistency isn’t very liquidy, but more like a soft custard with corn kernels.
Molly Bird says
The past several years this recipe has become the dish that everyone requests me to bring!
Martha says
How nice Molly! So glad the recipe is a hit!
Jean Hamilton says
Absolutely wonderful casserole that complements all kinds of main dishes. This is a must have recipe and every time I’ve made it, my guests have requested the recipe. Thank you for a winning dish!!
Martha says
You’re very welcome Jean – so glad the recipe is a hit!
Heather says
Can the recipe be easily doubled? I am planning on bringing it to our Thanksgiving and we are expecting quite a large crowd.
Martha says
Sure Heather – You’ll need a larger baking dish and might need to plan for additional baking time, but there is no reason why you can’t double this recipe.
Linda Koehler says
Excellent and so easy to make
Martha says
Thanks Linda!
Kristen says
I may be missing this, but there’s no cream amount listed in the ingredients and in the instructions it says to mix the cream in. How much cream?
Martha says
My apologies Kristen – the half and half in the ingredients list is half milk/half light cream. I’ll update the instructions, changing the work ‘cream’ to ‘half and half’
Rhonda says
Looks delicious. After reading comments, I may add very thinly and delicately sliced yellow onion. Cutting it in half lengthwise then slicing very thinly and sauteing it in butter to release their moisture so it doesn’t water down the casserole. Perhaps extra sharp or seriously sharp cheddar. Much more paprika as it really is a subtle tasting spice. Finally, instead of crackers on top, I will try the french fried onions. Thanks for the wonderful recipe base!
Martha says
Sounds like some great changes to the recipe Rhonda – hope you enjoy the dish!
Mary Marshall says
My mother used to use pilot crackers all the time for things like this and stuffed lobster. That was so yummmy, but I’m sure you’re right, I haven’t seen them in the stores for years, and if you found them it’d only be in New England.
Martha says
Hi Mary – We recently found them on Amazon too! (https://amzn.to/2IkcsL4) We may try them in this recipe for Thanksgiving this year.
Maryann says
Hi there,
The recepie sounds really good. I just wanted to know if you cook the fresh corn before you use it in the recepie because in the video it looked like it was boiled
Martha says
Hi Maryann – No need to cook the corn ahead of time – it will cook in the oven. Our video team used frozen corn so that’s why it looks the way it does. Hope you enjoy the recipe!