For a hush puppy recipe, the right ratio of cornmeal to flour is essential to achieve a light and crispy texture. Too much cornmeal can result in gritty and heavy fritters. I also like to add melted butter for richness, buttermilk for tang, and a hint of Cajun spice to kick up the flavor. Of all the variations I’ve tried and tested, these hush puppies stand out as the absolute best.
What You’ll Need To Make Hush Puppies
Jennifer Segal
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Cornmeal: The base of hush puppies, providing a slightly gritty texture and subtle corn flavor.
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All-Purpose Flour: Helps bind the ingredients, softening the cornmeal’s grittiness and giving the hush puppies a lighter, fluffier texture.
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Baking Powder And Baking Soda: Leavening agents that help the hush puppies puff up when fried, giving them a light and airy texture. (Curious why you need both? See my post on baking soda vs. baking powder.)
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Cajun Spice And Cayenne Pepper: Add a kick of heat and flavor.
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Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tanginess. If you don’t want to buy a whole carton of buttermilk for this recipe, see my instructions for how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
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Eggs: Act as a binder and also contribute richness and structure.
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Butter: Adds fat for moisture and richness.
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Grated Onion: Adds depth of flavor, a hint of sweetness, and moisture to the batter.
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Oil: Used for deep-frying, it’s the key to getting that crisp, golden-brown outside while keeping the inside soft and fluffy. Go with a neutral oil that can handle high heat, like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. These work best because they fry evenly without adding any extra flavor.
Key Equipment
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A Dutch oven, or enameled cast iron pot, is ideal for frying because it conducts heat evenly and keeps the oil temperature even and consistent. In addition, its high sides prevent splatters, and its light-colored interior allows you to clearly see the color changes when frying.
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A deep-fry/candy thermometer takes all the guesswork out of frying and enables you to maintain the perfect oil temperature throughout the cooking process. (If the oil gets too hot, the outside of the hush puppies will burn before the interior is cooked. Conversely, if the oil gets too cool, the hush puppies will take longer to cook and be greasy.)
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1-tablespoon scooper makes for evenly sized hush puppies, and the wire scraper makes quick work of dropping the batter into the oil. (You can also use this scooper for scooping cookie batter.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the hush puppy batter: Whisk the dry ingredients together first so the leaveners and spices get evenly distributed. Add the wet ingredients and grated onion and whisk just until combined; you don’t need to overwork it. Then let the batter sit for about 10 minutes. This resting time allows the cornmeal to hydrate and the batter to thicken, which helps the hush puppies hold together once they hit the oil instead of scattering apart.
Jennifer Segal
Fry the hush puppies: Heat about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F to 375 degrees F in a Dutch oven or heavy pot—a thermometer helps, but you can also test with a drop of batter; it should sizzle and float right away. Working in batches, drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil, leaving space between each so the temperature doesn’t drop. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden brown, then lift out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.
Jennifer Segal
Serve: Hush puppies are best served right away, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Jennifer Segal
Common Questions
I don’t recommend it. The texture really depends on the quick, hot fry to get that crisp shell and fluffy center. Baking will give you something closer to cornbread.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
No, the leavening starts working as soon as it hits the wet ingredients, so for the best rise and texture, mix it and fry right away.