Creamy, Cheesy Corn with Midwest Dairy

This is one of our favorite recipes for any time of year. Creamy corn is a staple side dish when it comes to BBQ, and seeing as I live in Kansas City, I’ve had my fair share of good BBQ. 🙂

There’s one restaurant in particular that is famous for their cheesy corn – and that’s Jack Stack. This is similar to that, but I don’t use cream cheese or fake cheese (like Velveeta). Jack Stack’s recipe only uses cheese sauce and ham, but I tossed in some bacon, green onions, and crunchy french fried onions to amp up the flavor level.  And my creamy cheese sauce is 100% from scratch, so you know it’s the best.

This is a delicious recipe that makes six servings, and comes together in about 50 minutes.

I’ve been working on a ton of side dishes for the holidays (it’s best to develop and test them a few months before publishing, that way I have a chance to get them to you in time!), and couldn’t wait to share this one with you! 

This cheesy corn is super easy to make, too!  The quality of the cheese sauce really is the anchor of this entire recipe.  Milk is the perfect ingredient to make our silky cheese sauce, and the rest is just a flavor bonus.  Seriously, you may want to make this cheesy corn as a test run just so you don’t have to share it with anyone else.

Ingredients

• Crispy Chopped Bacon
• All-purpose Flour
• Unsalted Butter
• Whole Milk
• Garlic Powder, Cayenne, Salt & Pepper
• Shredded Smoked Gouda (or Smoked Cheddar) Cheese
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Frozen Corn or fresh corn!
• Diced Smoked Ham
• French Fried Onions
• Chopped Green Onions

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook for two minutes.
3. Slowly whisk in milk, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened – about five minutes.
4. Stir in shredded cheeses one handful at a time until completely mixed in.
5. Stir in frozen corn, ham, and half of the crispy chopped bacon. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
6. Transfer the cheesy corn to a small casserole dish (about 3 quarts in size). Sprinkle the chopped french fried onions over the top, and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F.
7. Carefully remove the foil from the dish, and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 350 F.
8. Garnish with chopped green onion and the remaining chopped bacon. Serve hot!

Tips for Making the Best Cheesy Corn:

1. Use thick cut bacon.  Thick, crispy pieces of bacon add a crunchy texture to this cheesy corn, and makes it that much better.  Don’t use the basic thin strips of bacon, use the thick-cut bacon to make sure the crunchiness spreads throughout the entire dish.
2. Use a smoky cheese.  The restaurant version of this cheesy corn uses a house-smoked ham, and we want to bring that smoky flavor into our homemade version.  Buying a slice of smoked ham from the store (or a BBQ restaurant!) is great, but using a smoky cheese takes this dish to a whole new level.
3. Use real milk.  I haven’t tested non-dairy substitutes for this cheesy corn, so I can’t recommend them as a substitution. I definitely recommend using the real stuff for this recipe.  Whole milk has a higher fat content and is the best option, but 2% milk can also work!
4. Use more salt and pepper than you think you need.  Corn benefits so much from salt and pepper, so don’t be shy.  Taste the cheesy corn before you bake it, and do NOT be afraid to add more of each.  It makes a huge difference!

I originally developed this recipe in partnership with Midwest Dairy, and although it’s been slightly altered, the dairy aspect of it still remains very important.

Milk has always been a huge part of my life, and will always have a big part in my cooking.  Actually, dairy foods provide a powerful nutrient package!  Three of the nutrients found in dairy (Vitamin A, Vitamin D and protein) are essential for a healthy immune function.  We all need some immunity boost right now anyway, right?

Can I Make this Cheesy Corn Ahead of Time?

Absolutely. You can make this up to two days in advance. Before you’re ready to bake it, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing it in the oven.

This applies to reheating it, too. Let it rest at room temperature for a while before baking. The exterior will cook faster than the inside, and the last thing you want is cold cheesy creamed corn. Letting it rest at room temperature first helps the cheesy corn cook evenly.

Can I Substitute the Milk?

You could substitute the whole milk in this recipe with half and half, and the taste will be rich and delicious. The texture will be a bit thicker, too.

As far as plant-based milk substitutes go, I have not personally tested them so I am not confident in the outcome. I imagine any unflavored, unsweetened plant-based milk will work, but I am not certain.

Here are some other cozy recipes that you may enjoy! And some great roll recipes if you’re serving this over the holidays. 🙂

• Easy Date Night Bolognese 
• Loaded Potato Soup for Two
• Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup for Two
• Small Batch Everything Seasoning Rolls
• Small Batch Garlic + Herb Rolls
• Small Batch Milk + Yeast Rolls

When I tested this cheesy corn, I invited my parents over to our new house and this was the FIRST recipe that was made in my brand new kitchen.  I couldn’t think of a better recipe to share with my family, honestly.  A Kansas City-based recipe, full of cheesy milk-based sauce, and so perfect to share with the two people I love the most.  I hope you enjoy it, too.

If you make this cheesy corn and love it, a comment and star rating below would be so appreciated! I would also love to see your creations on Instagram, and as always, feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions you may have!

xx Sara