Breakfast / Oatmeal, granola & bowls
Creamy Cheese Grits
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Stone-ground grits simmer low and slow in half milk, half water, then get butter and sharp cheddar stirred in off the heat. Give them the time they ask for. Everyone who walks through the kitchen ends up with a spoon.
The short version
Whisk stone-ground grits into boiling water and milk, then simmer on low for 35 to 45 minutes, whisking now and then. Off the heat, stir in butter and freshly shredded sharp cheddar. Don't hurry them; time is what makes them creamy.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Cook in half water, half milk. All water tastes thin and all milk scorches on the bottom. Mixing them gives a rounder, sweeter corn flavor and a creamy body without the burn.
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Simmer them long and low. Stone-ground grits are whole corn, and the starch only relaxes after 35 to 45 minutes of gentle heat. Rushing them is how you get hard grains in a pasty base.
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Add the cheese off the heat. Cheese on a hot burner turns greasy and stringy. Stirred in off the heat, it melts into the grits and stays smooth.
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Shred the cheese yourself. Bagged shreds are coated to stop clumping, which keeps them from melting properly. A block of sharp cheddar and a box grater takes two minutes.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Whole milk2 cups
- Stone-ground or old-fashioned grits1 cup
- Unsalted butter4 tablespoons
- Sharp cheddar6 ounces
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Boil the liquid
In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, bring the water, milk and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Watch it as it heats; milk rises fast.
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Whisk in the grits
Pour the grits in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly. Keep whisking for a full minute, until there are no lumps and the mixture looks like thin cream.
Pouring all at once makes lumps that never come out.
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Simmer low and slow
Reduce the heat to low, so only a bubble or two breaks every few seconds. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and cook, whisking or stirring every 5 minutes and scraping the bottom, 35 to 45 minutes. They're ready when the grains are completely tender, with no gritty center, and the mixture is thick and creamy.
If it gets too thick before the grains soften, whisk in a splash of hot water.
About 40 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Add butter and pepper
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the butter and black pepper until the butter melts and the grits shine.
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Stir in the cheese
Add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next. Taste, and add salt or the cayenne if you want it. Serve right away.
The grits thicken as they sit. Loosen them with a spoonful of hot water or milk.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Stone-ground grits have the most corn flavor but take the longest. Old-fashioned (regular) grits take 20 to 30 minutes; follow the same method and check them at 20. Instant grits are not interchangeable.
- For a thicker, almost spoonable pile of grits, use 4½ cups total liquid. For looser grits, use 5½.
- Sharp cheddar is the classic. Pepper jack, smoked Gouda or Gruyère all melt well; swap up to half.
- To make 12 servings, double everything and use a 6-quart pot.
- Storage. Refrigerate in a covered container for 4 days; they will set solid. Freeze for 2 months. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat, adding milk or water a tablespoon at a time and stirring until creamy.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why are my grits lumpy?
The grits went in too fast or without whisking. Pour them in a thin stream into the boiling liquid while whisking, then keep whisking for a minute. If lumps are already there, beat hard with the whisk for a minute and they'll mostly break up.
Why are my grits still gritty?
They need more time and a little more liquid. Add a splash of hot water, cover, and keep simmering on low, stirring, until the grains are soft all the way through.
What's the difference between grits and polenta?
Both are ground corn. Grits are usually made from white dent corn and cooked until creamy, while polenta is traditionally yellow flint corn and a bit coarser. In a pinch, you can swap them with a longer cooking time.
Can I make cheese grits ahead of time?
Yes. Cook them up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth, then stir in the cheese just before serving.
Can I make grits in a slow cooker?
Yes. Combine the water, milk, salt and grits in the cooker, cook on low for about 6 hours, stirring once or twice. Stir in the butter and cheese at the end.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.