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Hot Corn Dip with cream cheese, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar is a spicy, creamy, delicious dip that’s perfect for all your summer parties. It’s a great appetizer for tailgating, too! My Cream Cheese Corn Dip recipe is simple to make and ready in about 30 minutes.
The corn kernels give a nice sweetness that cuts through the creaminess of the cheese and also provides a slight crunch. The cheeses are super ooey gooey and delicious, and combined with the sweet corn make this dip an absolute winner.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Texture – The pop of the corn against the creaminess of the cheese is the perfect contrast for this Cream Cheese Corn Dip.
- Easy to Make – The whole recipe comes together in minutes and bakes in 30.
- Make Ahead Friendly – Prepare up to 2 days in advance and just pop it in the oven.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Corn – you can use fresh corn off the cob, just be sure to cook it first. You can microwave corn on the cob, steam it or boil it. You are also welcome to use canned corn or frozen to save time. You need 3-4 cups of kernels.
- 4 ounces of cream cheese – half a brick of full-fat cream cheese, softened for easy mixing.
- Sour cream – For a lighter dip, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Seasoning – garlic powder and salt (not garlic salt, which can be overly salty).
- Cheese – I used a combination of Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, and Sharp Cheddar. Any combination of cheese can work.
How To Make Cream Cheese Corn Dip
Go from zero to corn dip in 30 minutes.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Pour the dip into a large baking dish and bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the dip is bubbly and melted.
- Serve with corn chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or Crostini.
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze a dip with cream cheese in it. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, stir, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until warm.
Yes, the dip can be prepped in advance, then covered and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake. It’s best served fresh, but baking it in advance and reheating can also work.
Hot dips, especially with a dairy base, should not sit out for more than 2 hours after baking. If it sits out for longer than that, you should discard.
You can, but it’s going to taste much better warmed up with melted cheese. If you are looking for something chilled, try my Mexican Street Corn Salad.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with tortilla chips, crostini, or crackers for dipping. This makes a great hot appetizer to add to your pre-dinner or party spread, along with Grape Jelly Meatballs and my Easy Black Bean Dip.
This corn dip is best served hot and kept warm to keep the cheeses nice and melty. Sometimes instead of an appetizer, I’ll serve it as a side dish for Homemade Taquitos or Mexican Sopes.
My Hot Mexican Corn Dip uses Mexican cheeses and is another sure winner if you’re looking for something a little different.
Flavor Variations
This dip is really delicious on its own and it has a ton of great flavor. But there are some great add-in options that can really elevate it to the next level.
- Add more heat with a few dashes of hot sauce, canned diced green chiles, or fresh diced jalapenos.
- Make it savory by adding chopped bacon and a cracker crumb topping.
- Make it Tex-Mex by adding sauteed bell peppers, black beans, and chopped green onions for a fiesta corn dip.
Storage and Reheating
Storing leftovers is easy! Just spoon the dip into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, just pop it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Expert Tips
- Your cream cheese should be room temperature and easy to mix. Use a full-fat brick of cream cheese. If you need to soften quickly, remove from the wrapper, and place into a bowl. Microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Use your slow cooker and keep your dip warm for hours. It won’t get brown on top but you can definitely cook the dip in your crockpot. Heat on LOW for 2 hours until everything is melted and creamy. Keep on the warm setting for serving.
- Add some shredded cheddar cheese as a topping.
More Delicious Dips to Try
- Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bean Dip
- The BEST Skinny Taco Dip
- Easy 3-Ingredient Rotel Dip
- Easy Black Bean Dip
- Crab Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Loaded Corn Dip
Cheesy Hot Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups corn kernels fresh is preferred but canned or frozen are good too
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese about 1 cup shredded
- 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese about ½ cup shredded
- 2 ounces Monterey jack cheese about ½ cup shredded
Instructions
- Combine ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a small casserole dish (8” square or equivalent).
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheeses are melted and golden brown on top.
- Serve hot with tortilla chips or crackers.
Absolutely amazing! Couldn’t stop eating this!
Hint…just before I put it in the oven I sprinkled Creole seasoning across the top! Perfect! Thank you!
Your so welcome Teresa! Thanks for stopping by.
I meant warm it through. I’m at work.
I’m using frozen corn. Should I warm it through before putting the ingredients together?
Hi Melisa, It would be best to thaw it, but you don’t need to heat it thoroughly. Just microwave it for a minute and it will be fine.
The corn dip was delicious and easy to make. It tasted like the street corn I get from the street vendors. Followed recipe exactly! Great appetizer to bring to a party and goes best when dipping with corn chips. Highly recommend!
Awesome feedback Giraffe! Thank you so much for sharing.
Should I drain the canned corn first ?
Yes, absolutely.
If you don’t have pepper jack cheese can you add a can of Rotel drained instead?
I would try just adding a small 4 ounce can of green chiles. Maybe even just half of the can. Drain it first. Also make sure you’re replacing the pepper jack with another cheese.
Could I add in some fiesta black beans?
Corn and black beans are a great combination.
Can I use Mexican hominy Instead of corn?
That would be a very different texture, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m at work and I have very few ingredients. But I was able to make this in the microwave simplified with some things I had on hand it would was amazing!
You are so welcome James, thank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience.
Made this for a large crowd in a crock pot and it was a big hit. Need to allow plenty of time for cheeses to melt and next time I will roast corn to give another depth of flavor. If in a hurry may need to nuke the ingredients in a microwave and then transfer to crock pot to keep warm. Won’t have the nice crust if cooked in crock pot but does make it easy to keep warm.
That’s awesome Nancy! and great idea about the roasted corn.
Those look amazing!
I can’t wait to make this dip for my game day company! Looks so cheesy and delicious! 🙂