Slow Cooker Creamed Corn is an easy holiday side dish with hands-off preparation and rich, creamy flavor. Frozen corn cooks slowly with heavy cream, butter, cream cheese, and seasonings before a portion is blended and Parmesan is stirred in at the end.
For more holiday sides, try our Scalloped Potatoes, Carrots and Parsnips, or our Maple Roasted Butternut Squash.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn at a Glance 🔎
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 12 to 14
- 🔥 Cook Method: Slow Cooker
- 🍽️ Cuisine (or General Category): American, Southern
- 👩🍳 Pair With: Roast turkey, holiday ham, roast chicken
- ⭐ Difficulty Level: Easy
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We add freshly grated Parmesan near the end so it melts smoothly into the cream sauce before the corn goes to the table. ~Jami
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy Holiday Prep: The slow cooker handles most of the cooking, leaving your oven and stovetop available for the rest of the meal.
- Creamy Without Losing Texture: Blending only a small portion thickens the cream mixture while leaving plenty of whole corn kernels.
- Rich, Savory Flavor: Cream cheese, butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan give the corn a richer flavor than versions made with milk alone.
- Made for Serving a Crowd: This recipe makes 12 to 14 servings and can stay warm in the slow cooker for up to three hours.
Key Ingredients
- Frozen Corn: Add the corn directly from the freezer. There's no need to thaw or drain it first. We use two bags of yellow corn and one bag of white corn, but all yellow, all white, or a combination will work.
- Heavy Cream and Whole Milk: Heavy cream provides richness while whole milk loosens the mixture enough for the corn to cook in the creamy sauce. The mixture will look fairly loose at first, but it thickens as it cooks and again when some of the corn is blended.
- Butter: Butter melts into the cream as the corn cooks and contributes to the rich holiday-style consistency. Slicing it before adding it to the slow cooker helps it melt more evenly.
- Cream Cheese: Cut the cream cheese into cubes so it melts more easily. Stirring halfway through cooking helps incorporate any remaining pieces into the cream mixture.
- Sugar: A small amount of sugar reinforces the natural sweetness of the corn. It shouldn't make the finished dish taste like dessert. Taste at the end before deciding whether it needs any additional sweetness.
- Parmesan Cheese: Add freshly grated Parmesan near the end rather than cooking it for the full four hours. It melts into the finished sauce and adds a savory note that balances the sweetness of the corn.
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Frozen Corn: You can use all yellow or all white frozen corn if you prefer. The combination is used here for a mix of color and corn flavor.
- Whole Milk: Another milk can change the richness and consistency of the finished dish. Whole milk is preferred here because it provides enough body to complement the heavy cream.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: We use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for its nutty, savory flavor. Grating it fresh also helps it melt smoothly into the creamed corn.
- Flavor: Add crumbled cooked bacon just before serving for a smoky, savory finish. A light dusting of smoked paprika also adds color and a subtle smoky note without changing the base recipe.
- Presentation: Finish the corn with thinly sliced green onions for a little color and fresh onion flavor.
How To Make Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
STEP ONE: Combine the Ingredients
Add the sliced butter and cubed cream cheese to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the frozen yellow and white corn, then pour in the heavy cream and whole milk.
Sprinkle the sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder over the top.
Cover and cook on LOW. There's no need to thaw the corn first.
STEP TWO: Slow Cook Until Creamy
Cook for 4 hours, stirring once about halfway through. By the halfway point, the butter should be melted and the cream cheese should be soft enough to stir into the cream.
Don't worry if the sauce still looks thinner than traditional creamed corn at this stage.
STEP THREE: Blend a Small Portion
Remove 1 to 1½ cups of the corn mixture and transfer it to a blender. Pulse briefly until the mixture becomes creamy but still has some texture.
Return the blended corn to the slow cooker and stir it into the remaining whole kernels. This is the key step for thickening the sauce while keeping the finished creamed corn from becoming a purée.
You can also use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker. Keep the blending localized to one small area and pulse only a few times.
STEP FOUR: Finish with Parmesan
Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the corn is hot and creamy.
Taste before serving and adjust with additional kosher salt, black pepper, or a pinch of sugar if needed. Garnish with bacon, green onions, or smoked paprika, if desired.
Expert Tips for Success
👩🍳Jami's Pro Tips: Want to take this recipe to the next level? Check out my expert tips below for the best flavor, texture, and meal prep hacks!
✔️ DO Use frozen corn directly from the freezer. Thawing isn't necessary.
✔️ DO Stir the mixture halfway through cooking to help the butter and cream cheese incorporate evenly.
✔️ DO Blend a portion of the corn. You want to thicken the sauce while preserving the texture of the whole kernels.
✔️ DO Grate the Parmesan fresh so it melts smoothly into the cream mixture.
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Storage
Store leftover creamed corn in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through. For freezing, cool the corn completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container; because this recipe contains several dairy ingredients, the sauce may separate slightly after thawing, so reheat gently and stir well to bring it back together.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn RECIPE FAQs
Slow cooker creamed corn is made by cooking corn with dairy, butter, and seasonings until the kernels are tender and the sauce is creamy. Using the slow cooker also keeps the oven and stovetop free, which is particularly useful when preparing a holiday meal.
Blend only a small portion of the cooked corn and leave the rest of the kernels whole. The blended corn thickens the surrounding cream mixture while preserving the texture of the dish. Start with 1 to 1½ cups and pulse briefly. You can always blend a little more, but you can't restore the whole kernels once they've been puréed.
Yes. Frozen corn can go directly into the slow cooker for this recipe without thawing first. It cooks gradually in the cream, milk, butter, and cream cheese until tender. Starting with frozen corn also makes this recipe particularly convenient for holiday cooking because there's very little ingredient preparation.
Yes. Once the creamed corn is finished, switch the slow cooker to WARM and hold it for up to 2 hours. Stir it occasionally so the sauce stays evenly distributed around the corn. The sauce may continue to thicken slightly as it sits, so give everything a thorough stir before serving.
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
Equipment
- 7-quart slow cooker
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Blender or immersion blender
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 3 (16-ounce) bags frozen corn, unthawed (2 yellow and 1 white)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter sliced
- 8 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Add the sliced butter and cream cheese to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the frozen yellow and white corn, then pour in the heavy cream and whole milk. Sprinkle with the sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and cook on LOW.
- Cook for 4 hours, stirring once about halfway through, until the corn is tender and the butter and cream cheese have melted into the cream mixture.
- Remove 1 to 1½ cups of the corn mixture and transfer it to a blender. Pulse briefly until creamy but not completely smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to pulse a small portion of the corn directly in the slow cooker.
- Return the blended corn to the slow cooker and stir until combined. Add the freshly grated Parmesan and stir well.
- Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 20-30 minutes, or until the Parmesan has melted and the creamed corn is hot and creamy.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or a pinch of sugar, if needed. Garnish with crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, or smoked paprika before serving, if desired.
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Notes
- Stir halfway through cooking so the melting butter and cream cheese combine evenly with the cream.
- Blend 1 to 1½ cups of the corn mixture just until creamy, leaving some texture.
- Add the Parmesan near the end so it melts smoothly into the finished dish.
- Keep the finished corn on WARM for up to 2 hours and stir occasionally before serving.
Jami Powell says
This is soooo good. Everyone at our table goes back for seconds (and sometimes thirds)!