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Perfect Hush Puppies are a work of art. Fluffy and light on the inside, crispy and salty on the outside, these easy homemade Hush Puppies are about to become your new favorite snack recipe. Bonus: A warm platter of Hush Puppies can be yours in just 15 minutes!
While we’re firm on what constitutes a traditional Hush Puppies recipe (a thick cornmeal batter fried in balls or strands until golden and crunchy on the outside yet chewy and fluffy on the inside) we have little intel about where they originated.
Food historians guess that Hush Puppies are a sibling of South Carolina’s popular “red horse bread,” a cornmeal batter cooked in the hot lard leftover from cooking the region’s ubiquitous red horse fish. In the 1920s, on the Georgia side of the Savannah River, residents started calling these fritters Hush Puppies. They have since become a staple across the south, especially at fish fry dinners and Mardi Gras celebrations.
You need not wait for a special occasion to try your hand at homemade Hush Puppies. I’ll walk you through the process for how to make Hush Puppies from scratch, and it takes a mere 15 minutes.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Yellow cornmeal: Classic Hush Puppies actually score their yellow hue and summery flavor from cornmeal, not corn. Although I wouldn’t be mad about a scoop of corn kernels in the batter if they happen to be handy!
- Vegetable oil: Or any neutral cooking oil with a higher smoke point, like canola oil or avocado oil.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add egg, onion, and scallions, and stir until combined. Add milk in small amounts until a thick batter forms.
- In a large pot, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, bring 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees. Drop batter in rounded teaspoons into the batter and fry until brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning.
- Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Serve warm.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Hush Puppies recipe makes six, 4-fritter servings. Feel free to double the batter for a crowd, frying in batches.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat in an oven or air fryer.
- Score a slam dunk: I adore Hush Puppies dipped in Ranch Dressing. Other stellar sauce pairings include Remoulade, Red Pepper Jelly, Tartar Sauce, or Marinara Dipping Sauce.
- Make it a meal: Since Hush Puppies are more of a side dish or appetizer, try serving them with a southern entree like Shrimp Creole, Smoked Tri-Tip, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, or Red Beans and Rice.
Recipe FAQs
Onions and scallions scent each crumb beautifully. But this homemade Hush Puppies recipe is just the beginning! Think of this like a canvas to make your own. As you mix up the batter and before you fry the puppies, try finishing the cornmeal mixture with dash of Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, snipped fresh chives, chopped bacon, or shredded cheese.
Red Beans and Rice Recipe
What happens in New Orleans shouldn’t stay in New Orleans if it’s as delicious as Red Beans and Rice. Learn how to make weeknight Red Beans and Rice in just 40 minutes (that tastes like it’s been simmering all day).
View Recipe
More Mardi Gras favorites
Mardi Gras Recipes
Beignets
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Shrimp Creole
Chicken and Turkey Recipes
Cajun Pasta
Cocktail Recipes
Hurricane Cocktail
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Hush Puppies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal (see note 1)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 tablespoons scallions finely sliced
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 to 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying (see note 2)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add egg, onion, and scallions, and stir until combined. Add milk in small amounts until a thick batter forms.
- In a large pot, Dutch oven, or deep fryer, bring 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees. Drop batter in rounded teaspoons into the batter and fry until brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning.
- Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Serve warm.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Yellow cornmeal: Classic Hush Puppies actually score their yellow hue and summery flavor from cornmeal, not corn. Although I wouldn’t be mad about a scoop of corn kernels in the batter if they happen to be handy!
- Vegetable oil: Or any neutral cooking oil with a higher smoke point, like canola oil or avocado oil.
- Yield: This Hush Puppies recipe makes six, 4-fritter servings. Feel free to double the batter for a crowd, frying in batches.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat in an oven or air fryer.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.