Hush puppies are a tasty Southern side dish that pairs well with everything from shrimp baskets to fried catfish! From start to finish, they only take about 20 minutes so they make a great last-minute addition to any meal! If you're craving Southern comfort food, these easy hush puppies are the way to go!
Best Hush Puppies Recipe
Hush puppies are the ultimate side dish for Southern recipes and fried foods. With a crunchy golden outside and tender bready inside, these bite-sized balls of goodness are always a crowd-pleaser!
The batter is very simple and easy to make, then you just drop spoonfuls into hot oil and let them fry for a few minutes until golden and delicious. Hush puppies will taste great in all your favorite dipping sauces, too!
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🥘 Hush Puppy Ingredients
Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you, this recipe is super simple. You might already have much of what you need at home!
- Cooking Oil - oil for frying (enough to fill your pan 2 inches deep)
- Cornmeal - ¾ cup of cornmeal.
- All-Purpose Flour - ¾ cup of all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder - 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
- Salt - 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Onion Powder ½ teaspoon of onion powder.
- Garlic Powder - ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Paprika - ½ teaspoon of paprika.
- Lemon Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of lemon pepper.
- Sugar - 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar.
- Egg - 1 large egg (at room temperature).
- Buttermilk - 1 cup of buttermilk (at room temperature).
- Butter - 4 tablespoons of cold butter cut into small cubes.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Hush Puppies
These hush puppies come together quickly and fry in just minutes! Get out a mixing bowl, silicone spatula, and a frying pan to get started.
This recipe should make about 8 servings of 2 large hush puppies each, or more if making smaller hush puppies.
- Heat the oil. Heat 2 inches of cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high to high heat (the oil should have a temperature of 365°F (185°C)).
- Combine dry ingredients. As the oil is heating up, combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and all the seasonings (¾ cup cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar) in a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Make batter. Stir in 1 large egg and 4 tablespoons of buttermilk until combined, then mix in 1 cup of cold cubed butter.
- Fry and serve. Once the oil is hot, begin dropping heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the skillet, working in batches if necessary. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely golden brown, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool for a few minutes before serving
Some classic hush puppy pairings include fried shrimp or fried catfish! They are tasty dipped in cocktail and tartar sauce, too! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- You want to use cooking oil that has a high smoke point like canola oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
- For a more toothsome bite, try using stone-ground cornmeal like Bob's Red Mill or Anson Mills.
- If time allows, letting your buttermilk and egg come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking will help your hush puppies cook quickly and evenly.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Hush puppies are best fresh but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating Hush Puppies
Reheat leftover hush puppies in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
The batter for hush puppies and cornbread is very similar, the main difference is in how they are prepared. Cornbread is typically baked while hush puppies are fried so that they are crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.
Sure! The easiest way is to first flash-freeze them on a baking sheet before putting them in a heavy-duty freezer bag. They will last for up to 3 months and you can thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating them.
You can bake hush puppies, though they won't have their signature crunch on the outside and will taste more like cornbread. To do this, grease a mini muffin tin and add the batter to each mold ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 425°F (220°C) until golden, about 15-20 minutes.
🤠 More Southern Favorites
- Southern Coleslaw - This super easy and wonderfully creamy coleslaw is great as a side dish or on sandwiches!
- Southern Fried Corn - A quick side dish of buttery sweet corn and bacon!
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese - This 3-cheese macaroni is baked until perfectly melted inside and slightly crispy on top!
- Mirliton - A Classic Cajun recipe made with shrimp, ham, squash, and bread crumbs!
- Buttermilk Pie - The creamy, custard-like filling of this buttermilk pie will have you savoring every bite!
- Divinity - This old-fashioned Southern candy is light and billowy with a delectable crunch from pecans.
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📖 Recipe Card
Hush Puppies
Ingredients
- oil for frying (enough to fill your pan 2 inches deep)
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- 4 tablespoon butter (cold, cut into small cubes)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Heat 2 inches of cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high to high heat (the oil should have a temperature of 365°F (185°C)).
- As the oil is heating up, combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and all the seasonings (salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, lemon pepper, and sugar) in a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- Stir in the egg and buttermilk until combined, then mix in the cubed butter.
- Once the oil is hot, begin dropping heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the skillet, working in batches if necessary. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes, or until nicely golden brown, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- You want to use a cooking oil that has a high smoke point like canola oil, peanut oil, or vegetable oil.
- For a more toothsome bite, try using stone-ground cornmeal like Bob's Red Mill or Anson Mills.
- If time allows, letting your buttermilk and egg come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking will help your hush puppies cook quickly and evenly.
- To store: Hush puppies are best fresh but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Reheat leftover hush puppies in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes.
Nannette S. says
Love,Love, Love, Hush puppies and this is the simplest recipe ever🌺.