This easy Hush Puppies Recipe makes crispy, golden-brown hush puppies with a soft and fluffy center using simple pantry ingredients. Ready in less than 20 minutes, these homemade hush puppies are the perfect side dish for fried seafood, BBQ, fish fries, and Southern comfort food meals.
Whether you’re serving them with shrimp, catfish, or pulled pork, this family-tested recipe delivers restaurant-style results at home for a fraction of the cost.
Hush Puppies make the best bite size snack or side dish any time we make our favorite Seafood Recipes. These golden brown bites are the first to disappear because of the crispy coating on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, and just the right amount of savory flavor.
With this simple step recipe and pantry ingredients, I will show you how to create Crispy Homemade Hush Puppies everytime. They make the perfect addition to our meal when I make Air Fryer Fried Shrimp or Air Fryer Salmon.
Quick Glance at this Recipe
- Budget-Friendly: Made with inexpensive pantry ingredients.
- Family-Tested: A favorite side dish for seafood nights and backyard cookouts.
- Real-Life Prep Time: About 15 minutes prep and 5-7 minutes cook time.
- Method: Deep Fried
- Freezer-Friendly: Yes
- Best For: Fish fries, seafood dinners, BBQ meals, potlucks
Ingredients
- Fine Grind Yellow Cornmeal – This creates a crispy texture
- All Purpose Flour – Helps to bind the ingredients
- Kosher Salt – Helps to balance the flavor
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Gives the hush puppies light and airy texture
- Granulated Sugar – Adds a hint of sweetness
- Small Yellow Onion – Finely grated
- Egg – Use whole egg
- Buttermilk – Adds a hint of tangy flavor
- Vegetable Oil – For frying. You can also use Peanut oil, Canola Oil or high smoking point oil
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe details.
How to Make Hush Puppies
Step 1 – In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar until dry ingredients are combined.
Step 2 – Stir in the wet ingredients – grated onion, egg and buttermilk until combined. Set cornmeal batter aside and let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes before frying.
Step 3 – Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a large pot. Use a small ice cream scoop, small cookie scoop or 2 spoons to drop approximately 1 inch size balls of the batter into the hot oil approximately 5-7 at a time (do not overcrowd the pan). Place in a single layer. Rotate hush puppies to fry all sides.
Step 4 – Remove the hush puppies from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up and drain the excess oil. Let the hush puppies cool slightly and then they’re ready to serve and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Tips for Success
- Let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes before frying.
- Keep oil between 350°F and 375°F for the crispiest texture.
- Avoid overcrowding the fryer.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized hush puppies.
- Drain on paper towels immediately after frying.
Variations & Substitutions
- Use a different onion: White onion or sweet onion works well if that’s what you have on hand.
- Add jalapeños: Stir in finely diced jalapeños for a little heat.
- Mix in corn kernels: Add ½ cup drained canned corn or thawed frozen corn for extra texture and sweetness.
- Add cheese: Mix in ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese for a richer flavor.
- Make them smaller: Use a small cookie scoop to create bite-sized hush puppies that cook quickly and are great for parties.
- Add seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, Cajun seasoning, or paprika can add extra flavor without changing the recipe.
Serving Recommendations
- Shrimp Scampi
- Grilled Ribs
- Blackened Salmon
- Crock pot Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe
- Dipping Sauce – Tartar Sauce, Honey, Homemade Ranch Dressing or Ketchup
Storage & Freezer Instructions
- Make Ahead – Mix the dry ingredients ahead of time and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Freezer Instructions – Freeze cooked hush puppies for up to 3 months.
- Best Reheating Method – The air fryer is the best way to restore the crispy exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is the cooking technique. Cornbread is baked in a cast iron skillet or baking dish. But a hush puppy is deep fried for a crispy texture.
This usually happens when the batter is too wet or the oil is not hot enough.
Yes. Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
Hush puppies have a slightly sweet cornmeal flavor with a crispy exterior and soft center.
More Fried Snack Recipes
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Hush Puppies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fine Grind Cornmeal
- ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- ½ Small Yellow Onion finely grated
- 1 Large Egg
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- 4 cups Vegetable Oil for frying
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Instructions
- n a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup fine grind cornmeal, ¾ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.
- Stir in ½ finely grated small yellow onion, 1 large egg, and ¾ cup buttermilk until combined.
- Set aside and let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes before frying.
- While the batter rests, pour 4 cups vegetable oil into a large pot or dutch oven until the oil is about 1 ½ inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use a small ice cream scoop, cookie scoop or 2 spoons to drop approximately 1 inch size balls of the batter into the oil approximately 5-7 at a time (do not over crowd the pan).
- Rotate the hush puppies frequently while in the oil to brown them on all sides. Fry them until all sides are browned (approximately 3-4 minutes).
- Remove the hush puppies from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
- Continue until all the batter is fried.
- Let the hush puppies cool slightly and then they’re ready to serve and enjoy!
These Hush Puppies were so delicious! Crispy, flavorful and made the perfect side dish when we made Fried Shrimp.