Jennifer Garner recently shared a sweet moment on Instagram with her mom, making Grandmom’s Creamed Corn on her #PretendCookingShow. Watching it stirred up memories of our grandmothers making creamed corn. Inspired by the nostalgia and the fact that summer corn is in full swing, I dashed to the store and came home with eight ears of fresh corn.
If you love creamy, buttery corn that, as Garner puts it, “tastes like summer,” this dish is a must. Once you’ve shucked and cut the kernels off the cob, the rest is simple. Don’t forget to scrape the cobs after cutting – the back of a knife works great. This step, known as “milking” the cob, draws out every bit of starchy, sweet goodness and adds depth and creaminess to the dish.
The best part? It’s incredibly forgiving. As Garner says, it’s “very difficult to screw up.” The recipe is easy to adapt too. Whether you’re dairy-free or gluten-free, a few simple swaps make it totally doable. Feeling indulgent? Use half and half. Want a fresher twist? Stir in chopped herbs like basil or chives. You could even take it in a totally different direction with coconut milk, grilled jalapeños, lime, and cilantro for a tropical, spicy version.
Garner’s take on her grandmother Marge Aldredge’s recipe is simple, cozy, and celebrates everything that’s great about summer. Even the ingredient list is more of a guideline than a rule – more butter or less, sugar or none, flour and milk to thicken, seasoned to taste. When I made it with out-of-season corn, I found a little sugar helped balance things out, but with fresh corn, you might not need any at all.
This delicius corn should be officially part of our summer table. Thank you, Grandmom, for a timeless dish – and thank you, Jennifer Garner, for the reminder.
Ingredients (this is all loosey-goosey from Pat Garner’s approximations):
- 8 ears of corn
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup butter (JG thinks less)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (JG thinks this is optional)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons flour
Directions:
- Slice the tips off the corn kernels and collect them in a bowl. Don’t forget to scrape the cobs afterward to get all the sweet, starchy bits – Pat insists this step is key.
- Add the kernels and ¾ cup of water to a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt and pepper as they soften.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and milk to make a smooth slurry (or “Milk & Flour,” as Pat calls it). When the corn is just past al dente, stir in enough of the slurry to thicken the mixture – we used about half.
- Let everything simmer for another minute or two until the corn is creamy and the sauce is fully incorporated.
- That’s it. Delicious, cozy, and nearly impossible to mess up – just ask Jennifer Garner.
