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Cream Cheese Corn Dip

5 from 1 vote

Published: by · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

This cream cheese corn dip is made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly for an easy appetizer that works for ANY occasion!

If you want a hot and melty dip, you can bake it in the oven or slow cooker. Delish!

A bowl of creamy corn dip with fritos dipped into the side.

If you're looking for a creamy dip that is easy to make and a big hit with guests, you need to try this cream cheese corn dip recipe!

Bursting with flavor and texture, it makes a fantastic cold dip or a decadent hot dip. Best of all? The creamy base can easily be customized with your favorite add-ins, such as taco seasoning, monterey jack cheese, or bacon!

Why You'll Love It:

  • Easy appetizer. Whether you're looking for something to bring to a lakeside get-together, a girls' night, or game day, this cheesy corn dip is the perfect choice.
  • Simple ingredients. Sweet corn, crisp bell peppers, and sharp cheddar cheese combine with a cream cheese base for a delicious dip that will have them coming back again and again!
  • Cold dip, hot dip? The choice is yours! Serve it cold, or bake it until hot and bubbly. Take it from Summer to Winter - one recipe, two different vibes.

Ingredients:

The ingredients needed to make corn dip, including cream cheese, corn kernels, green onion, and mayo.
  • Cream cheese: We recommend using only brick-style cream cheese that has been softened (either at room temperature, or by using the microwave method).
  • Sour cream: A good quality, thick sour cream like Daisy, Good Culture, or Gay Lea Gold are what we recommend for this corn dip recipe.
  • Corn: Our top choice is frozen corn (thawed first), since it tastes similar to fresh, but is really easy to measure and use. If desired, you can use fresh corn (about 4-5 ears) or canned corn (2-15oz cans or 2.5-12oz cans).
  • Cheese: Some freshly shredded cheddar cheese adds the perfect savory touch!
  • Canned green chilies: These are found in the canned foods section, sometimes close to the taco section. They are mild (poblano), and not as spicy as something like jalapeño. Even if you're not a spicy lover, these are mild enough for most people and add great flavor!

You will also need:

  • Red bell pepper
  • Green onions
  • Mayonnaise (real mayo recommended)
  • Seasonings (garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and onion powder)

How to Make Corn Dip with Cream Cheese

A bowl with cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and seasonings, ready to be mixed.
  1. Mix softened cream cheese until smooth and lump-free (we recommend using an electric mixer).
  2. Add sour cream, seasonings, and mayo. Mix until smooth.
A bowl with corn, cheese, bell pepper, green onion, and green chiles on top of a cream dip base.
  1. Add corn, green onion, green chilies, shredded cheese, and bell pepper. Fold everything together gently until uniform.
  2. Taste and add salt and pepper until the dip tastes "bright".
  3. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours for the best results. Stir well and serve with corn chips, tortilla chips, or the dippers of your choice!

Hot Corn Dip

If you want to make this creamy corn dip hot, bubbly, and cheesy instead - try baking it! Pop it into a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 15-22 minutes, or until it's hot and melty.

Alternatively, you can warm it in a slow cooker on "HIGH" for about 2 hours. Stir well 1-2 times during cooking, and switch it to "WARM" when you're ready to serve.

Using Fresh or Frozen Corn

If using fresh corn: You will need about 4-5 ears of corn. First, blanch the ears, then remove the corn kernels using a knife or a special tool. Measure out the removed kernels as directed in the recipe.

Frozen corn: This tastes just as good as fresh, but is much easier to prepare! Just measure, thaw, and drain of any excess liquid.

Canned corn: If you prefer, you can use canned corn, but taste testers preferred fresh or frozen. To use canned corn, you will need about 2- 15 oz cans, or 2.5- 12 oz cans. Drain the corn very well before serving, and blot with paper towels if needed.

A bowl of corn dip topped with chopped bell pepper, green onion, and cheese.

Substitutions

Greek yogurt: Feel free to swap the sour cream for thick, good quality plain Greek yogurt. Note that Greek yogurt does not bake very well, so if you plan on making the hot version of the dip, we recommend that you stick to sour cream.

With light cream cheese: Swapping regular cream cheese for light works great! Just be sure to use brick-style cream cheese, which has a much thicker consistency.

With fiesta or jalapeno corn: For some extra spice or a Mexican corn dip vibe, feel free to swap the regular corn for a blend containing peppers and seasoning.

Serve it With

  • Tortilla chips
  • Pita chips
  • Pretzels
  • Carrot sticks
  • Baguette slices
  • Corn chips
  • Potato chips
  • Bell pepper

Storing Leftovers

Transfer any leftover dip to an airtight container, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days; stir well before serving.

Dipping a corn chip into a bowl of creamy dip with bell pepper, cheese, and green onion.

Flavor Variations

  • Bacon corn cheese dip: Cook 8 slices of bacon until crisp (try making bacon in the air fryer, or using the sheet pan method) and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, crumble or chop into pieces. Fold the bacon bits into the dip at the same time as the cheese for seriously savory yumminess!
  • Crack corn dip: Add bacon bits (see above), extra shredded cheese, and a packet of ranch dressing (or 2 tablespoons of my homemade ranch seasoning).
  • Mexican street corn dip: Use pepper jack cheese in place of cheddar, add jalapeno pepper, lime juice, and diced red onion. Top with a drizzle of hot sauce (or a generous sprinkle of chili powder or Tajin) and cojita cheese. Bake for 15-22 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve!
  • Hot corn dip: Transfer the dip mixture to a medium baking dish, add extra cheese on top, and bake at 350ºF for 15-22 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
  • With Rotel tomatoes: If you want to add some diced tomatoes and green chiles, I suggest you try my recipe for creamy boat dip. It's VERY similar, but was developed specifically for using Rotel and makes some adjustments to handle the extra moisture. It's a big hit - I know you'll love it!
Dipping a frito corn chip into a bowl of corn dip.

More Cream Cheese Dip Recipes:

If you loved this recipe for corn dip, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.

Dipping a frito corn chip into a creamy corn dip with bell pepper, corn, and cheese.

Cream Cheese Corn Dip

This cream cheese corn dip is made with simple ingredients and comes together quickly for an easy appetizer that works for ANY occasion!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 323kcal
Author: Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened (half of a brick; brick-style recommended)
  • ¾ cup sour cream thick, good quality type like Daisy, Good Culture, or Gay Lea Gold.
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 cups corn kernels* thawed, if frozen or approximately 2 (15-oz cans corn, drained)
  • 2 4-oz cans chopped green chiles
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese fresh from the block recommended**
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup sliced green onions plus a tablespoon extra for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the cream cheese to a large mixing bowl, and use an electric hand mixer (or a whisk and some elbow grease) to blend the cream cheese until smooth.
    4 oz cream cheese
  • Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and onion powder. Mix well until uniform, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add salt, mix, and adjust to your taste preference.
    ¾ cup sour cream, ¾ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    A bowl with cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and seasonings, ready to be mixed.
  • Fold in the corn (drained if canned, thawed if frozen), green chiles, shredded cheese, bell pepper, and green onions. Continue folding everything in until well combined.
    3 cups corn kernels*, 2 4-oz cans chopped green chiles, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, ½ cup diced red bell pepper, ½ cup sliced green onions
    A bowl with corn, cheese, bell pepper, green onion, and green chiles on top of a cream dip base.
  • Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and other seasonings as desired. Keep in mind that the flavor will develop during chilling.
    Salt
  • For the best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours in advance.
    Alternatively, you can bake the dip for 15-22 minutes in a 350ºF oven if you want a hot baked corn dip!
  • Garnish with green onions and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese (if desired). Serve with corn chips, tortilla chips, or the dippers of your choice.
    A bowl of corn dip topped with chopped bell pepper, green onion, and cheese.
Did you try this recipe?Tag me at @dashfordinner and share your photos!

Notes

Hot baked corn dip: Top with additional cheese (not too much!) and bake in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 15-22 minutes, or until hot and bubbly with melted cheese throughout. 
Slow cooker: For a slow cooker hot version, warm it on HIGH for 2 hours, stirring 1-2 times. Switch the heat to WARM when you're ready to serve. 
*Fresh, frozen, or canned corn? You can use whatever type of corn you have available to you, but blanched fresh or frozen are preferred. Frozen was our top pick since it was easier than fresh, but tasted just as good. If using fresh corn, you will need about 4-5 ears of corn; they should be blanched and then the kernels removed. If using canned, you will need 2- 15 oz cans, or 2.5- 12 oz cans; make sure they are drained before measuring or adding to the dip.
Too much liquid? If your corn still has too much liquid after thawing or draining, use paper towels to absorb the extra moisture.
**Shredded cheese: This recipe is very similar to my boat dip recipe, in which I did EXTENSIVE testing on the impact of cheese during the development process. If you use pre-shredded cheese, your dip will get thicker and drier as it sits longer in the fridge; the powdered coating has moisture-absorbing ingredients and will soak up some of the moisture from the dip. We recommend using freshly shredded cheese! Taste-testers strongly prefer it.
Storage: Cover the dip tightly. It should keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Make ahead: If you want to make this dip ahead of time for a party, you can absolutely do that! We recommend no more than a day ahead, as the ingredients lose freshness after that, but the extended chilling time makes for better flavor development!
Soften the cream cheese: It’s important to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature (or use the microwave method) before making the dip. Cold cream cheese will be lumpy and create a weird texture in the dip. If you didn’t plan ahead, add the cream cheese to a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 10 seconds, flip, and continue 1-2 times until the cheese is soft enough to depress easily with a thumbprint. Be careful not to overheat!

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 205mg | Iron: 1mg

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Comments

    5 from 1 vote

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  1. Dorothy Bigelow says

    5 stars
    Ahhh, so creamy and delicious! Perfect for making ahead for an easy appetizer for casual guests.

    Reply