Hush Puppies with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Hush puppies are crispy and golden on the outside with a soft, cornbread interior and served with an irresistible spicy dipping sauce made from only three ingredients. These are a Southern classic and this recipe is absolutely the best; a simple batter that comes together quickly and only takes minutes to fry up. A perfect side dish or appetizer for your next seafood (or, heck, any!) meal!
I first fell in love with hush puppies when I was pretty young. One day when we were out, my mom stopped at Long John Silvers for lunch and I refused to touch a piece of fish; instead, I stuffed my face full of these deep-fried balls of cornbread batter and was in absolute heaven. I’ve loved them ever since!
I don’t encounter them on menus very often in our area, but anytime I travel even remotely south and have seen them on a menu, I HAVE to order them!
If you’ve never had hush puppies, they are basically like a cornbread fritter; usually served alongside seafood and other fried food like French fries. This somewhat comical name is said to have come about because hunters, fishermen, and other cooks would fry up a basic cornbread mixture to feed their dogs in order to “hush the puppies” during cookouts or fish fries.
Once I made them from scratch at home, I couldn’t believe how insanely simple they are to make. It takes literally less than 5 minutes to mix the batter together, and then you just drop them in some oil and fry away! You could use a large pot or Dutch oven; I make mine in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet easily in two batches. You can serve them on their own, but they are fabulous with dipping sauce!
Recipe tips
These are very easy to make right in your own kitchen, and I’m including some tips and ideas below:
- Equipment Recommendations: Small cookie scoop (for perfect, even-sized hush puppies) / Cast iron skillet / Dutch oven / Thermometer
- Oil: While peanut oil or vegetable oil is recommended, you can use other oils with a high smoke point – corn, soybean, safflower, canola, cottonseed, or sunflower.
- Mix-Ins: If you want to stir in some extra flavor, you can toss in frozen or canned whole corn kernels, chopped jalapeno, chopped bacon, a little shredded cheese, etc.
- To Bake: While I highly, highly encourage you to fry these for maximize flavor and texture, you can bake them in a mini muffin tin at 450 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Make-Ahead: You can mix together the batter up to 1 hour before frying the hush puppies.
- Storing: Leftover hush puppies should be stored in a paper towel-lined airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Once made, cool completely, then place on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, 1 to 2 hours. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined zip-to freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Hush puppies are definitely best eaten soon after being made but can be reheated in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. If using frozen, microwave for about 1 minute to thaw before reheating in the oven.
What to serve with hush puppies
A couple of ideas to round out your meal if you want to serve them as a side:
- Homemade Fish Sticks with Tartar Sauce
- Beer Battered Cod
- Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce
- Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce
More cornbread-y favorites
If you love anything and everything cornbread-based, here are a few more recipes for you:
If you make these hush puppies and love them, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Hush Puppies with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the Hush Puppies:
- ¾ cup (117 g) cornmeal
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (40 g) minced yellow onion
- 2 quarts (1.89 l) peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
For the Dipping Sauce:
- ⅓ cup (79 g) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Instructions
- Make the Batter: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne in a large bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs and onion until combined. Let the batter sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
- Make the Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Sriracha. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Fry the Hush Puppies: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Drop half of batter into oil in heaping tablespoons (I used a small cookie scoop) and fry until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, turning hush puppies halfway through cooking.
- Transfer to a wire rack set over a double layer of paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately. The hushpuppies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Equipment Recommendations: Small cookie scoop (for perfect, even-sized hush puppies) / Cast iron skillet / Dutch oven / Thermometer
- Oil: While peanut oil or vegetable oil is recommended, you can use other oils with a high smoke point - corn, soybean, safflower, canola, cottonseed, or sunflower.
- Mix-Ins: If you want to stir in some extra flavor, you can toss in frozen or canned whole corn kernels, chopped jalapeno, chopped bacon, a little shredded cheese, etc.
- To Bake: While I highly, highly encourage you to fry these for maximize flavor and texture, you can bake them in a mini muffin tin at 450 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Make-Ahead: You can mix together the batter up to 1 hour before frying the hush puppies.
- Storing: Leftover hush puppies should be stored in a paper towel-lined airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Once made, cool completely, then place on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, 1 to 2 hours. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined zip-to freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Hush puppies are definitely best eaten soon after being made but can be reheated in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. If using frozen, microwave for about 1 minute to thaw before reheating in the oven.
- Recipe from Cook's Country, August/September 2009
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Thank you for the introduction of a range of information that is very interesting to see in this article. https://www.snksocialfame.com/
Is it at all possible to cook these in a broth instead of using an oil to deep fry? I try to say away from all grease/oil/fried foods due to gall bladder issues. When i fondue i use a broth (of preference) such as ham/chicken/beef bouillon type.
Very good, so nice and fluffy! Better than any others I’ve had.
Thank you for a hushpuppy recipe without sugar! I can’t abide a sweet hushpuppy. Will be trying this soon!
They sound yummy! you could make them into a dessert and add some dessicated coconut and vanilla extract and make a bit of a chocolate dipping sauce.
I’ve never had these, but I can tell they will be amaaaaazing😊
Your hush puppies look terrific and def something I would like to make. The only hush puppies that I have eaten are a different take on these. They are stuffed with chunks of hot dogs and are yummy. Gives you something to think about.
Very good. I will make these again. Dipping sauce is fantastic. Used it on the burgers we had with the hush puppies.
Glad you found a southern delicacy as delightful as we do. Try yours with some minced jalapeños, medium cheddar cheese, and for those living on the edge, bacon. The onions are a necessity of course. We eat fried fish at Christmas and the jacked up hush puppies keep the cooks quiet until the main course is ready.
These are super yummy! I made them for a fish fry this last weekend and they were a huge success!!! They fried up perfectly! I made so many of them and every time I turned around someone was saying how awesome they were. Thank you so much Michelle for putting these on here. It will definitely become a staple for us.
Yum! These look totally amazing – I’ve never tried hush puppies but your totally making me drool haha!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Oh my word, there must be something in the air/water (Pgh locals enjoying the same stuff!) because I was just talking about hush puppies last weekend. We passed a Long John Silver’s in Monroeville, and I told my husband I was thisclose to pulling over the car for hush puppies. I didn’t do it because I haven’t had them from LJS in at least 15 years and was afraid they wouldn’t live up to the glorious inflated memory I had of them. Now I can make them at home. Thank you! :)
Oh my god, I just want to stick those on toothpicks or skewers and serve them at a summer garden party! (And of course save a ton for myself to guzzle down with some iced tea). The ultimate comfort food, and with a kick! Love it.
This recipe is fantastic. that sauce look soo creammyy..
Add a little bit of minced jalapeno pepper to the batter. And definitely dip them in tartar sauce.
My son loves hushpuppies. Will have to try this recipe.
Your hushpuppies look perfect!
Looks awesome- can’t wait to try this!
I’ve only had these at Long John Silvers also! I like in KC, and I can’t think of anywhere else besides LJS that serves them… I never realized how easy they were to make!
Are they sweet at all? I’ve had a corn fritter (that seems to resemble these hushpuppies), but it was served with a maple syrup. Either way, these look delicious and like the ultimate comfort food! :)
Hi Nicole, They are not sweet at all.
I can totally relate! I also fell in love with hushpuppies thanks to Long John Silver’s and can’t pass them up on a menu. I may just have to make some for dinner tonight. And your dipping sauce sounds amazing! Thanks for reminding me of an old favorite!
Great story!,Great pictures too! Here in México if you say hushpuppies always remember the 70’s children shoes…inedible, nothing to do with your recipe…
Hushpuppies are amazing. There’s this hole in the wall place we sometimes go at the beach and they have hushpuppies with little bits of jalapenos in them. Talk about good! I like a little ranch with them. :)
I love Hushpuppies! OMG I remember Long John Silvers as kid too! I had a shy palette too Michelle! I would get the chicken, fries and the hushpuppies. I also remember them putting crunchy crumbs in the container too-those were good! Ha Ha! the good ole days… I might attempt these soon!
This recipe is seriously perfection!! It is easy to make and I bet they taste as good as they look on the pictures.
These do sound really easy to make, and I love cornbread anything! That dipping sauce would be a must-try, too. They look so golden brown and crispy!
These look delicious. Your sauce looks good. Honey butter is good too. This makes me so homesick (NC). My husband is from Coastal NC where you get hushpuppies with Calabash Shrimp. That is the best!
I LOVE hushpuppies and have been craving them for the past few days so when I saw this recipe in my email, I was ecstatic! I’ve been wanting to make my own, but haven’t had the time to look up a recipe that fits, but I think this is it! I may add a bit of sugar to mine though because I like hushpuppies that have a bit of sweetness to them. Thank you so much!!
Oh geez! This makes me want to sit down with some crab legs and the ocean lapping in the background. Love hushpuppies!
You’re making me feel guilty that I’ve never taken the kids to Long John Silver’s for hushpuppies. But I can make these!
Got a cheap Dutch oven for 30 bucks at the Christmas Tree Shops!
Love Pittsburg. Love Eat n’ Park!!!!! Love those smiley faced cookies.
We don’t own a Dutch oven, but when you post things like this, it reminds me I think we need one!!
Hushpuppies are my weakness! A place in Austin that I love serves a jalapeno goat cheese version… yum!! These look perfect, and that spicy sauce sounds so good!
Many years ago, while stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC, a group of us had dinner at a seafood restaurant in town. I had ordered a seafood platter and was then introduced to hush puppies – a standard accompaniment to most fried southern entrees. They were wonderful. Why I never tried making them on my own is my loss. I am definitely giving your recipe a try.
Wow. I have to tell you that one of my happiest childhood food memories is having hush puppies from Long John Silvers. And I haven’t had them in years because there aren’t any out here! And I miss them!
But now I don’t have to. I’m so excited to make your recipe!!
There are still Long John Silver’s around.
I was at one yesterday – that is a combo
Business with a KFC in New Windsor,
NY( near Newburgh,NY)
I passed on the hush puppies
As once you have them in the South,
the flavor can’t be beat
I used to live in NC and SC and at some of my fave restaurants, they made the best hush puppies and I still have fond memories, 10+ years later! Yours are great looking and that sauce, mmm! I’d dip just about anything in that! pinned
Could you make them flatter, more patty-shaped, and shallow-fry them in a half-inch or so of oil in a skillet? I don’t generally deep-fry, and the thought of throwing away all that oil makes my penny-pinching heart cry. :)
Hi Randy, You really can’t shape these; the batter is quite thin. You could try dropping it lengthwise instead of one dollop to get something flatter, but I’m not sure how well it would work.
I must have tartar sauce for my hush puppies…but your sauce does sound good too :)
It is, trust me! I made these and the sauce for a fish fry this last weekend. HUGE success! The dipping sauce was nice and creamy but had a wonderful bite. Everyone was raving.