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This spicy Mexican Street Corn Dip incorporates all the flavors of street corn into the creamiest corn-filled dip. Sweet summertime corn, mixed with chili powder, cream cheese, and mayo and served up dip-style with grilled corn, spicy chili butter, and salty crumbled Mexican cotija cheese on top. It’s quick to make and totally delicious, especially with tortillas chips on the side for scooping. A quintessential summer appetizer.
Continuing on with our unofficial appetizer week we’ve got ultra yummy street corn dip! You guys, look at me go with these appetizers. Dips are something I never share. I don’t know why because this corn dip is so delicious! It really needs to be on re-make all summer long.
This is a recipe I made purely out of a want and desire. As usual, I was frantically trying to get recipes together for a couple of weeks of travel. I knew I wanted to share some fun appetizers for the 4th. But I was getting tired of the usual Caprese type of app and wanted something completely different.
With our trip to Mexico quickly approaching, we were all craving Mexican food. So I made this dip to get us all excited. Now that our destination has been revealed, it feels very fitting for me to share this! Yes, in case you missed my stories on Instagram, Mexico is the family’s summer vacation destination! I’ll share more details on Sunday, but I flew from NYC to Puerto Vallarta yesterday and met my family in Sayulita. I’m excited to be here for the next few days!
Ingredients
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Corn
- Garlic
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Salted butter
- Olive oil mayo
- Fresh lime juice
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Corn
- Fresh cilantro
However, this dip came to be long before I knew I was heading to Mexico. I was going to make my version of street corn, except that I wanted to make it into a dip! I love a good ear of grilled corn, but in my opinion, creamy dips are so much more fun. Especially when entertaining over the 4th.
This is the quintessential summertime dip and corn is the star!
Here are the details
The beauty of this dip is how quickly it comes together. It’s pretty simple, but there are a few steps that make my version of street corn dip a little more exciting. Or at least that’s what I like to think!
Everything starts with the spice mix. From what I’ve read about traditional street corn, or Elote, which is what it’s called in Mexico, it’s made by boiling corn with spices, then seasoning the warm corn with lime, mayo, and lots of chili powder. I took these flavors and put them into this dip.
For my spices, I used chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. I wanted to add a little smokiness and a little more kick to the flavors. You will use the spice mix both in the dip and for topping.
Cook the corn with onions and garlic, then add a dash of the spice mix. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream for major creaminess and simply cook everything together until it’s warmed. Having the dip warm is key, so keep this over low heat or warm in a crockpot (on the low setting) until ready to serve.
Next, the butter. Melt some butter together with the spices. Do you not skip this. The butter really, really flavors the dip in a wonderfully delicious way.
Finally, I mix the mayo with lime juice and put the dip together.
Spoon the dip into a wide, shallow bowl. Then add the grilled corn and spoon over dollops of the mayo. The mayo melts into the dip, just like it melts over the warm corn kernels. Then swirl in the butter.
Finish with so much crumbled cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. If you can’t find cotija cheese, feta cheese can be a good substitute. Chips for scooping are a must!
I know this process may seem like a lot, but it actually comes together easily and quickly. Promise it will be so great for entertaining this summer!
And most importantly, this is just really good. The dip is so creamy with a spicy flavor, but not too much spiciness. And you can adjust the heat to your personal taste. The cheese and butter on top only make the dip even more delicious, really completing the dip experience.
This is one of those dips you’ll crave time and time again!
Looking for other Mexican-inspired recipes and summer corn recipes? Here are a few ideas:
8 Ingredient Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Spicy Garlic Lemon Butter Shrimp with Parmesan Corn Polenta
Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Chicken with Creamed Corn
Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad
Skillet Creamy Cajun Chicken Lazone with Herby Corn
Lastly, if you make this Mexican Street Corn Dip, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Mexican Street Corn Dip
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 282 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to your taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups corn (3-4 raw)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 1/3 cup olive oil mayo or use plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 ear grilled corn, kernels removed from the cob
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Mix the spices. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of salt. 2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the corn, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the spice mix, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the corn is softened, 5 minutes. 3. Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the cream cheese until melted and creamy. Stir in the sour cream. Cook until warmed throughout. If desired, thin the dip with milk.4. In a separate skillet, melt the butter until golden. Mix in 3 teaspoons of the spice mix, plus a pinch of chili flakes and salt. Cook another minute, then remove from the heat. 5. Mix the mayo and lime juice with a pinch of salt. 6. Spoon the dip into a wide serving bowl. Top with grilled corn and drizzle the mayo and spicy butter over the corn. Sprinkle on the cheese and cilantro. Serve with lots of chips for scooping!
This post was originally published on June 29, 2022
Hi,
Has anyone tried to mix all ingredients together and warm in crock pot? Will that work? Thanks!
Hey Brooke,
That should work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I’ve made this recipe several times and always use the crockpot because it’s best served warm. I do the corn mixture and put it in the crockpot on warm and then do the topping and add it along with the cheese and cilantro. It’s SO delicious! A hit every single time! The crockpot on warm keeps it warm for the duration of the party so it doesn’t need reheating. Enjoy!
Thanks so much, Kippy!
Is there a good way to reheat this dish?
Hey Katie,
Yes, I would just pop it in the oven on low. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can I use canned corn instead?? I have to make a huge batch!
Hi Heidi,
Sure, that will be just fine for you to use! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Can you serve this cold or is it better as a hot dip?
Hi Kristine,
I personally prefer this as a hot dip:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Wow! Pretty darn amazing and very filling. Great party or football-watching appetizer. It has a great flavor profile. Some folks in our family would even like a little spicier so you could add more of the seasoning mix or even jalapenos.
Hey Renee,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your comment! xT
Absolutely love this corn dip! My SIL is a fireman and made this for his station and now it’s one of his #1 requests.
Hey Cynthia,
Wonderful! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for making it! Happy Sunday! xT
This was such a crowd pleaser that I’m making it again just 2 weeks later. I made it the night ahead and then popped it in the oven to warm it up. Threw a few slices of fresh jalapeño on top and those softened nicely in the oven while it heated… absolutely fabulous dip!
Hey there,
Yay! So glad to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xT
My gosh, I could have eaten this entire recipe myself!! THIS IS SOOOOO GOOD. The brown butter with all the spices absolutely makes the dish. Do NOT skip that step. I served this as an app/side to go along with taco night, and my husband would not stop talking about how delicious it was. I will for sure be holding onto the recipe and making it again.
Hi Rachel,
Happy Monday! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
How far ahead of my party can I make this dip?
Hi Ellen,
You could make this the morning of:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
Love this recipe, but I have extra seasoning at the end. Am I missing a step?
Hi Mary,
Happy Sunday! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! You will have extra seasoning, you can save it for next time:) xT
This Mexican Street Corn Dip is one of the best recipes I’ve found this summer! I made it for a beach week and people RAVED! They could NOT get enough! I’ve tried other recipes similar to it, but this one has just the right mix of cream cheese & sour cream. It’s simply delicious. I didn’t have cotija so used queso fresca (so similar). And I don’t personally like smoked paprika so I cut it WAY back…I could still taste it and honestly, I think that was the spice that made it taste good to everyone! Thanks so much! Making for a family gathering again this week!
Hey Jayna,
Yay!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Have a great week! xT
Love this street corn Dip!! I’ve made it several times for parties now. I always serve it warm or room temperature.
Hey Erica,
Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was a winner! Happy Sunday! xT
I really like this recipe. I have made it twice and I puree it for a smoother texture. My favorite part is the brown butter with spices that goes on top. It adds such a nice level of flavor. Thank you!
Love to hear this Linda:) Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! xT
I made this yesterday for our backyard party. I doubled the recipe and it was devoured in no time! I could’ve easily tripled it and it would’ve been gone. Thank you for the continuing amazing recipes Tieghan!
Hey Nicola,
Happy Monday! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
It is a warm dish but how is it served cold? maybe just no butter on it then it can be served cold?
Hey Rachel,
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t serve this dish cold, warm or room temp is best:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
DELICIOUS!! Used what I had in fridge, missing the lime and cilantro, subbed 1/2 Greek vanilla yogurt/plain mayo and it was still delicious! Just made it a bit sweeter with vanilla yogurt! 🥰 Son came from another room saying something smelled delicious and dig right in! Gave it 👍👍! Will get the proper ingredients and make it again in a few days – it’s almost gone already, lol.
Hey Kris,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xx