Golden Crispy Cornmeal Balls (Printer-friendly)

Cornmeal dough balls golden and crispy outside, tender inside, a perfect Southern-style side dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal, medium grind
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - ¾ cup buttermilk
10 - 1 large egg

→ Aromatics

11 - ½ cup finely diced yellow or sweet onion
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions (optional)

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil, approximately 6–8 cups for deep frying

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg until fully blended.
03 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
04 - Fold in the diced onion and chopped chives or scallions, if desired, then let the batter rest for 5 minutes to hydrate.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C).
06 - Using two spoons or a small ice cream scoop, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter carefully into the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding.
07 - Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until the hushpuppies are golden brown and crisp on all sides.
08 - Remove hushpuppies with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Serve warm.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly easy to make, yet taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The crispy outside gives way to a tender, almost custardy center that keeps you reaching for one more.
  • They're naturally vegetarian and can be made in 30 minutes flat, making them perfect for last-minute gatherings.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cool and they absorb grease like sponges, too hot and the outside burns while the inside stays raw.
  • Resting the batter for those five minutes isn't optional; it lets the cornmeal absorb liquid and helps the baking agents activate, making a fluffier result.
  • Don't let the batter sit longer than 15 minutes or the leavening will lose its power and your hushpuppies will be dense.
03 -
  • Let your oil temperature drop by 10 degrees between batches, then bring it back up—this prevents it from getting too hot and smoking.
  • An instant-read thermometer is cheap and turns you from guessing into knowing; keep it close to the oil at all times.
  • Store leftover hushpuppies in an airtight container and reheat them in a 350°F oven for five minutes to restore their crispness.
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