Hot Corn Dip with Cream Cheese

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Fresh summer sweet corn tastes amazing in this creamy, cheesy hot corn dip loaded with corn, red and green bell peppers, cream cheese and sharp cheddar cheese. Grab a chip and dig in!

hot corn dip with cream cheese in a white pie plate garnished with green onions and red and green diced bell peppers. The plate rests on a wooden cutting board and a blue of corn chips sits to the side. Loose corn chips are sprinkled around.

There is nothing quite like fresh sweet corn in the summer, am I right? That first sweet, crunchy bite has often caused me to completely forget about the rest of my meal until I’ve picked the cob clean. Corn on the cob isn’t the only way I like to enjoy sweet corn during the summer. My favorite salad features corn marinated in a yummy honey lime dressing. This dip, with all its creamy, cheesy “corny” goodness, has officially become my new favorite appetizer.

Table of Contents hide

1 Ingredients and tools you’ll need

2 Prep the corn

3 Sauté the peppers

4 Melt the cream cheese

5 Bake the corn dip

6 Additions and substitutions

7 Storage and reheating

8 Frequently asked questions

9 You might also like

10 Hot Corn Dip with Cream Cheese

Ingredients and tools you’ll need

With less than ten ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up Hot Corn with Cream Cheese in no time. To make this dip recipe, you’ll need:

2 ears of fresh sweet corn

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese
Large skillet

Prep the corn

Before we get started, we need to cook our fresh corn. There are two options: First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ears, still in the husks, in the oven. The husks prevent the corn from drying out and essentially steam the kernels. Roast the corn for 30 minutes, then remove the ears from the oven and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.

Option two: If you’re firing up the grill, why not add a couple of ears to the grate? Place the corn, in the husks, over indirect heat (don’t set them directly over the coals). Grill for 15-20 minutes until the husks start to look charred and the corn is heated through.

Once the corn has cooled, remove and discard the husks and the silk. Then slice the kernels off the cob. If you own a bundt cake or angel food cake pan, check out this hack for easily removing corn from the cob without a lot of mess. Transfer the corn kernels to a mixing bowl and set aside.

two ears of corn before they have been roasted in the oven

two ears of corn after they have been roasted in the oven

Sauté the peppers

In a large skillet, melt two tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the green and red bell peppers and sauté in the butter for 10 minutes until the peppers are tender. Add the peppers to the mixing bowl with the corn.

sauteed red and green diced bell peppers in a large blue skillet

corn and sauteed diced bell peppers in a large blue skillet

Melt the cream cheese

Rinse and wipe out the same skillet and place it back on the burner. Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. Heat over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is melted. Add the green onions, two cups of the shredded cheddar, the corn and the bell peppers. Stir until the vegetables are evenly mixed throughout the dip. Season the dip with salt and pepper to your preference.

cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream unmixed in a large blue skillet

cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream melted in a large blue skillet

Bake the corn dip

Spread the corn dip into a greased pie plate or 8 x 8 casserole dish. Top with dip with the remaining cup of cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until the dip is heated through and the cheese is melted.

hand using a wooden spoon to spread the corn dip mixture into a white pie plate

corn dip topped with shredded cheese before it has been baked in the oven

Additions and substitutions

One of the great things about this recipe (other than it’s delicious) is that you can easily change or modify the dip to suit your needs. If you prefer your dip with a little extra kick, try substituting the green bell pepper with hot green chilis. If you’re a bacon lover, add 1/4 – 1/2 half cup of chopped cooked bacon. You can even substitute all or half of the cheddar with Pepper Jack cheese.

Storage and reheating

Corn dip should be covered and stored in the refrigerator within two hours. Consume within four days. To reheat the corn dip, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the dip with foil (to prevent the cheese from browning) and bake for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Sorry, this dip can not be frozen. Freezing will cause the cream these to separate and the dip to become watery.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen or canned corn?

Yes. If fresh sweet corn isn’t available (or isn’t in season) in your area, one 10-ounce bag of frozen or one can of whole kernel corn can be substituted. Allow the frozen corn to thaw first. Also, the canned corn will need to be drained first.

Can I use plain yogurt instead of sour cream?

You can. I recommend using Greek yogurt so you can keep the creamy consistency. I suggest staying away from non-fat varieties. It won’t affect the flavor but it might change the texture.

Can I use jalapenos instead of bell peppers?

Yes, depending on how hot you like your dip, you can replace some or all of the bell peppers for jalapenos or other hot pepper.

hand dipping a corn chip into a dish of hot corn dip with cream cheese

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