Hush Puppies Recipe

Measure and assemble all ingredients. Finely dice the onion and chop the parsley. If using frozen corn, thaw and pat dry. Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk briefly.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels to drain fried hush puppies. Have a slotted spoon or spider and a thermometer ready.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until evenly mixed.

Add wet ingredients

In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter should be thick but spoonable.

Fold in mix-ins

Fold the diced onion, corn kernels, chopped parsley, cayenne, and black pepper into the batter until evenly distributed. If the batter seems too thick to drop, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional buttermilk.

Let the batter rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to hydrate the cornmeal — this improves texture.

Heat the oil

Pour 3 to 4 cups of neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, filling to about 2–3 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C) on a deep-fry thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter: it should sizzle and rise steadily without browning immediately.

Fry hush puppies

Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon to 1.5 tablespoons capacity), drop rounded portions of batter into the hot oil, careful not to overcrowd the pot (work in batches of 8–10 depending on pot size). Stir gently to prevent sticking. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 2.5–3.5 minutes total, turning once with a slotted spoon so they brown evenly.

Remove hush puppies with a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to the prepared paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt while hot, if desired.

Allow the oil to return to 350°F before adding the next batch. Continue frying remaining batter.

Once all hush puppies are fried, let them rest 1–2 minutes to crisp slightly. Transfer to a warmed platter.

Serve hot with honey or honey mustard and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Leftovers can be reheated in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 6–8 minutes to re-crisp.