Mexican Street Corn Fritters
Crispy, sweet, and cheesy, these Mexican street corn fritters are a tasty alternative to hash browns when fresh corn is in season. The smoky chipotle cream sauce is the perfect finishing touch!
For some people, the highlight of summer is the warm weather. Other people enjoy gardening or going on vacation with their families. But if you’re a foodie, the highlight of your summer might just be the piles of local sweet corn at the farmers market each week.
Fresh corn is a delight, and if you can’t get enough of it when it’s in season, these Mexican street corn fritters are for you. While they’re perfect for breakfast, they’re just as good for lunch or dinner. These are all-day fritters!
(They also take the mess out of Mexican street corn, which is a nice bonus—no more wondering if your face is smeared with mayo and cotija.)
About this street corn fritter recipe
We’ve shared corn fritters and zucchini fritters here before, but these Mexican street corn fritters have a spicy twist—chili powder, jalapeño peppers, and a smoky chipotle sauce that you’ll want to put on all the things. (Seriously, if you have leftovers, it’s delicious on burgers or as a dipping sauce for fries.)
As with most fritter recipes, the veggie is the star here—the batter is just there to hold everything together. Each bite is loaded with sweet corn, so make sure the corn you use is perfect. The tassel at the top should feel neither too wet nor too dry, and the kernels should be plump and juicy.
What you need
- Street corn fritters – Fresh corn, egg, jalapeño, cilantro, milk, queso cotija, lime juice, all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, chili powder, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, olive oil
- Chipotle sauce – Sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle salsa (or chipotle with adobo), cilantro, lime juice
- For serving – Queso fresco, jalapeños
How to make them
Prepare. Slice the kernels off the cob and place them in a large bowl.
Tip: If you’d like some char on the corn, you can grill it or cook it on a Blackstone before removing the kernels.
Make the batter. Stir the egg, cilantro, milk, queso, and lime juice into the corn, then add the flour, cornmeal, chili powder, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Let the batter to sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
Cook. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or griddle set over medium-high heat. Add a heaping tablespoon of the batter to the hot skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned on the bottom. Carefully flip and cook the other side; repeat with the remaining batter.
Tip: Use a wide, thin spatula to flip the fritters, and wait until they have browned so they don’t fall apart.
Make the sauce. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle salsa, cilantro, and lime juice together in a small bowl.
Serve. Plate the street corn fritters and drizzle with the chipotle sauce, then sprinkle with the queso fresco and jalapeños.
FAQs
If your street corn fritters aren’t crispy, they may be undercooked. Cook them a little bit longer, or increase the heat of your stovetop. It’s also possible that you didn’t use enough oil; oil is key to getting that crispy, golden exterior!
There’s no difference! Elote is the Mexican word for street corn—the corn sold by street vendors that’s grilled and slathered with mayo, spices, and cheese.
If you can’t find cotija cheese, you can substitute crumbled feta or grated Parmesan.
How to make these street corn fritters your own
Here are some simple ways to switch up this recipe for street corn fritters.
- Try a different sauce. You can skip the chipotle sauce and opt for salsa or pico de gallo, or use Mexican crema and keep it simple. Not a fan of mayo? Make the chipotle sauce with only sour cream instead of sour cream and mayo.
- Make them mild. You can skip the jalapeños for milder street corn fritters. To make the sauce milder too, use a smaller amount of chipotle or swap it out for regular salsa.
- Cook them in bacon fat. If you don’t happen to have bacon fat on hand, you can cook up some bacon, crumble it into the fritter batter, then cook the fritters in the same pan you used for cooking the bacon.
- Make them out-of-season. When sweet corn isn’t in season, you can use frozen corn; just thaw it first. Trader Joe’s fire-roasted corn is excellent in this recipe.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover Mexican street corn fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these fritters for up to 3 months; store them in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking.
Reheating Tips
Reheat street corn fritters on the stovetop over medium heat, in a 350ºF oven, in the air fryer, or in the microwave. If you’ve frozen them, it’s best to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight first so they reheat evenly.
More Tex-Mex inspired breakfast recipes
- Breakfast Tacos
- Churro Pancakes
- Breakfast Crunchwraps – sausage & cheese
- Mexican Mocha
- Tres Leches French Toast Casserole
Get the Recipe: Mexican Street Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh corn (approximately 4 ears)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
- ½ cup cilantro
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup cotija cheese
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup fine cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco (for serving)
- sliced jalapeno peppers
Chipotle Sauce:
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chipotle salsa (or 1 chipotle, finely chopped, with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Instructions
- Cut the corn off the cob and place it in a large bowl.
- Add the beaten egg, cilantro, milk, queso, and lime juice, and stir well.
- Mix in the flour, cornmeal, chili powder, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a large tablespoon of the batter to the hot skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned, then gently flip with a large spatula. Continue until all the fritters have been cooked.
- Stir the sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle salsa, cilantro and lime juice together.
- Serve the fritters with the chipotle sauce, then sprinkle with queso fresco and top with jalapenos.
Notes
- Use a thin wide spatula to flip the fritters. Wait until they have browned nicely so they don’t fall apart.
- When you make the batter, allow to sit for 5 minutes so the cornmeal soaks up the moisture and the batter fries perfectly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these fritters for up to 3 months; store them in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking.
- Reheat street corn fritters on the stovetop over medium heat, in a 350ºF oven, in the air fryer, or in the microwave. If you’ve frozen them, it’s best to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight first so they reheat evenly.