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Home » Recipes » Recipes

Last Updated: Feb 13, 2023 by Angela Latimer · 1 Comment

Hush Puppies

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Pin image with text of Southern hush puppies.

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!

Square image of Southern hush puppies.
These easy homemade hush puppies will be your family's new favorite side dish!
Jump to:
  • Best Hush Puppies Recipe
  • 🥘 Hush Puppy Ingredients
  • 🔪 How To Make Hush Puppies
  • 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
  • 🥡 Storing & Reheating
  • ❓ Recipe FAQs
  • 🤠 More Southern Favorites
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Comments & Reviews

🥘 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.

  1. 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)).
  2. 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.
  3. Make batter. Stir in 1 large egg and 4 tablespoons of buttermilk until combined, then mix in 1 cup of cold cubed butter.
  4. 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!

Wide image of Southern hush puppies.

💭 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.

>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<

❓ Recipe FAQs

Are Hush Puppies and Cornbread The Same Thing?

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.

Can I Freeze Hush Puppies?

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.

Can I Bake Hush Puppies?

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.

Tall image of Southern hush puppies.

🤠 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.

Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card

Wide image of Southern hush puppies.
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5 from 2 reviews

Hush Puppies

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!
Author | Angela Latimer
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 186kcal
Prep 10 minutes minutes
Cooking 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
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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)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal (9%) | Carbohydrates: 24g (8%) | Protein: 5g (10%) | Fat: 8g (12%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 42mg (14%) | Sodium: 669mg (29%) | Potassium: 194mg (6%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 320IU (6%) | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 76mg (8%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Southern
« Malibu Cocktails
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    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Nannette S. says

    April 08, 2023 at 7:19 am

    5 stars
    Love,Love, Love, Hush puppies and this is the simplest recipe ever🌺.

    Reply

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Pin image with text of Southern hush puppies.
Author bio photo with cake.

Hi there, I'm Angela

I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, cook, baker, and total foodie. I love sharing new, fun, creative recipes and great classic recipes, just like my Grandma used to make! Every recipe on BIWL is tested to ensure that cooks of any experience level can succeed.

Welcome to Bake It With Love. Enjoy!

More About Me ->

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