Hushpuppy Basket Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups cornmeal, 0.75 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup buttermilk with 1 large egg until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons melted butter.

Combine and fold

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. If the mixture seems very stiff, add up to 2 tablespoons additional buttermilk to reach a thick spoonable batter (similar to cookie dough/stiff muffin batter).

Add aromatics

Fold 0.5 cup finely chopped yellow onion, 0.25 cup chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon minced jalapeño (optional), 0.5 tsp black pepper and 0.25 tsp cayenne (optional) into the batter until evenly distributed.

Rest

Let the batter rest 10 minutes at room temperature. This hydrates the cornmeal and mellows the raw taste of the onion.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of about 1.5 inches (use approximately 1 cup oil to start; you may need more depending on the pan). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small spoonful of batter sizzles and rises to the surface immediately and browns in about 45–60 seconds.

Portion hushpuppies

Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to drop rounded tablespoon-sized mounds of batter into the hot oil, spacing them so they don't touch (work in batches). Wetting the spoons helps release the batter. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Fry until golden

Fry 3–4 minutes per batch, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until the hushpuppies are golden brown and cooked through (internal texture should be light and set). Adjust heat as needed to maintain 325–350°F; lower if they brown too quickly but remain raw inside.

Drain and keep warm

Transfer cooked hushpuppies to a paper towel–lined sheet pan or wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing additional batches.

Serve

Serve warm in a basket or platter. Optionally sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky salt right after frying.

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp prepared horseradish or Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp hot sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill at least 10 minutes for flavors to marry, then serve alongside hushpuppies.