These easy Southern hush puppies are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and come together fast with simple pantry ingredients. Lightly sweetened and seasoned just right, they're the kind of side dish that disappears first.
Old-Fashioned Comfort That Belongs on Every Table
This is the kind of recipe that feels familiar in the best way. Golden, crisp hush puppies with a tender center, a touch of sweetness, and just enough seasoning to keep them interesting. They're perfect alongside fried fish, barbecue, or a big Sunday supper, and they fry up quickly with very little prep.
If you've ever had hush puppies that were heavy or greasy, this version fixes that. A blend of cornmeal and flour keeps them light, buttermilk adds tenderness, and a steady oil temperature makes all the difference.
FAQs
You'll need yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, black pepper, Old Bay seasoning, onion powder, an egg, buttermilk, melted butter, honey, and oil for frying.
They're best served fresh and warm, but leftovers can be stored and reheated.
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in an air fryer at a low temperature for 4-5 minutes to bring back the crispy exterior.
They can be, but they're at their best served warm, especially with honey butter.
Ingredients
- Yellow cornmeal - This gives hush puppies their classic texture and corn-forward flavor, creating that crisp exterior everyone expects.
- All-purpose flour - Helps lighten the batter so the hush puppies aren't dense or heavy once fried.
- Baking powder - Adds lift and keeps the inside soft and fluffy.
- Baking soda - Works with the buttermilk to create extra tenderness and a better rise.
- Sugar - Adds a subtle sweetness that balances the savory seasoning without making them dessert-like.
- Salt - Enhances all of the flavors and keeps the hush puppies from tasting flat.
- Black pepper - Adds a mild warmth that rounds out the flavor.
- Onion powder - Brings in classic savory flavor without the moisture of fresh onion.
- Old Bay seasoning - Adds depth and a Southern-style seasoning blend that makes these extra flavorful.
- Egg - Binds the batter together and helps create structure as the hush puppies fry.
- Buttermilk - Keeps the batter tender and slightly tangy, preventing dryness.
- Melted butter - Adds richness and flavor to the batter.
- Honey - Balances the seasoning with a gentle sweetness and pairs perfectly with honey butter.
- Oil for frying - A neutral oil like vegetable or canola allows the hush puppies to fry evenly without overpowering the flavor.
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Old Bay until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and honey until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be similar in consistency to pancake batter. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven to about 335°F, keeping the temperature steady.
Scoop a tablespoon of batter into the oil as a test hush puppy. Cook for about 90 seconds, flip, and cook for another 90 seconds until deep golden. Remove and let cool slightly, then check the center to ensure it's fully cooked.
Continue frying the batter in batches of 6-8 hush puppies, adjusting the oil temperature as needed and keeping it below 350°F.
Transfer cooked hush puppies to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet so they stay crisp. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt while hot.
Serve warm with honey butter and an extra drizzle of honey if desired.
Tips
- Keep the oil temperature steady to avoid dark outsides with undercooked centers.
- Always fry a test hush puppy before cooking the full batch.
- Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola so the flavor stays clean.
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Hush Puppies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay
- ½ teaspoon salt or a little extra for your taste preference
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Oil for frying vegetable or canola oil, about 3 cups
Instructions
- Whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder and Old Bay in a large mixing bowl.
- In a different mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter and honey until smooth.
- Pour the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and stir well but do not over-mix. Make sure the dry ingredients are fully combined. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the frying oil to 335°F. I like to clip on a thermometer to make sure the oil temp stays steady.
- Using a tablespoon cookie scooper, scoop the batter and drop it into the oil. This will be the tester. Cook for 90 seconds, then flip over and cook for an additional 90 seconds. The color should be a rich golden. Remove and place on a cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath. Wait until the hush puppy has cooled a little bit and slice open. The texture should be fully cooked and even colored.
- Continue to scoop out the batter and drop into the oil in about 6-8 piece batches. Adjust the oil temperature as necessary, not allowing it to get hotter than 350°F.
- Place all the hush puppies onto the cooling rack, so they stay crispy. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt while they are still hot.
- Serve warm and with a side of honey butter and a drizzle of honey over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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