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Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole Recipe

Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole Recipe

Try Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole Recipe! Creamy, cheesy, and easy - perfect for family dinners.

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time60 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Yield8

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F and gather everything you need—this recipe loves a simple mise en place. Lay out the creamed corn, the drained whole kernel corn, the Jiffy corn muffin mix, sour cream, melted butter, and shredded cheddar so you can move quickly. Keep the melted butter warm in a small pouring vessel, and have a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon at the ready. Take a moment to grease your chosen baking vessel, a 9x13 casserole dish or a 10-inch cast iron skillet, so it's ready when the batter is mixed.

Step 2: Mix Those Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the creamed corn, the drained whole kernel corn, the Jiffy corn muffin mix, sour cream, and the warm melted butter. Stir gently but thoroughly until the mixture becomes a cohesive batter: it should be dense and custard-like but studded with bright, whole corn kernels that give bursts of texture. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula so nothing is left behind; the batter should be glossy, thick, and visibly homogenous with occasional streaks of butter and pockets of whole corn. This is the moment when separate ingredients become a single, creamy, slightly lumpy mass ready for its baking vessel.

Step 3: Get Ready to Bake

Pour or scrape the combined batter into your greased 9x13 casserole dish or into the prepared 10-inch cast iron skillet, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula so the surface is smooth and level. The batter should settle into the pan with a glossy top and an even distribution of kernels and air pockets; edges might show a faint sheen of butter. Keep the wooden spoon or spatula nearby with a little batter on its tip to show active work—this scene should look like a calm, organized handoff from mixing to baking, with the baking vessel centered and ready.

Step 4: Into the Oven

Slide the prepared dish into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. After that time, the casserole should look set and slightly puffed: the center will hold its shape when nudged, edges will be gently golden, and the surface will have a matte finish with tiny beads of moisture near the center. There should be a clear visual shift from wet batter to a tender, custard-like structure—the interior still creamy but structured, and any air pockets from the mix are now visible as a delicate crumb. Capture that mid-bake transformation where it’s set but not yet cheesed.

Step 5: The Cheesy Finish

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the hot casserole and return it to the oven for another 10–15 minutes until the cheese melts into a bubbling, golden-brown blanket with a few toasted, amber spots. The top will bloom with melted cheese that forms glossy rivulets and small blistered areas; edges may bubble and caramelize slightly, creating a contrast between the creamy interior and a slightly crisp, cheesy crust. Remove the dish when the cheese has developed an inviting, browned finish and the aroma is rich and buttery—this is the visual cue that it’s almost ready to rest.

Step 6: Patience is Key

Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven so it firms up and the interior sets to a scoopable, custard-like texture. Serve warm: scoop a generous portion onto a plate so the dense, slightly fluffy interior packed with glossy whole corn kernels is clearly visible, the melted cheddar forming a lacy edge. For a cozy, inviting table presentation, add a soft linen napkin and a bit of cutlery nearby—this is the moment to show the finished dish ready to eat.

Notes