Golden Crispy Cornmeal Balls (Printable View)

Crispy cornmeal balls featuring a tender, savory interior with hints of onion and fresh chives.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow medium grind cornmeal
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 to 8 cups for deep-frying

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if used.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently just until incorporated; avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
04 - Fold in diced onion and chives or scallions if using; allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes to hydrate the cornmeal.
05 - Preheat 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 tablespoon-sized portions of batter into hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding.
07 - Cook hushpuppies for 2 to 3 minutes, turning occasionally until evenly golden brown and crisp on the outside.
08 - Remove hushpuppies with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on paper towels; serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They fry up in minutes, making them the ultimate crowd-pleaser when you need something warm and impressive fast.
  • The combination of crispy exterior and soft, slightly sweet interior works alongside almost any meal, but truly shines next to fried fish.
  • Once you nail the technique, you'll find yourself making these for every gathering, secret weapon that guests always ask about.
02 -
  • The batter will seem loose and almost pancake-like, which is exactly what you want; if it looks like cookie dough, you've added too much flour.
  • Temperature control is everything—I learned this the hard way after a batch that looked golden but was still raw inside, all because my oil wasn't hot enough.
03 -
  • Let your batter rest those five minutes—it seems unnecessary but it makes a tangible difference in the final texture.
  • If your hushpuppies are turning out dense, you're either overmixing or your oil isn't hot enough; check both before making another batch.
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