Sides / Casseroles & table breads
Crispy Hush Puppies with Buttermilk and Onion
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Cornmeal, buttermilk and grated onion fry up deep golden in about two minutes. We eat the first few standing at the stove, salted and too hot, and call it quality control.
The short version
Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, stir in buttermilk, egg and grated onion, and rest the batter for 5 minutes. Drop spoonfuls into 365°F oil and fry about 2 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. Salt and serve hot.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Use buttermilk and a little baking soda. Buttermilk gives a tangy, tender middle. The soda reacts with its acid and lifts the batter so the inside stays fluffy, not dense.
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Grate the onion. Grated onion melts into the batter, so you get onion flavor in every bite with no raw chunks to burn in the oil.
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Rest the batter for 5 minutes. Cornmeal is thirsty. A short rest lets it absorb the liquid so the batter holds together and doesn't fall apart in the fryer.
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Hold the oil at 365°F. Oil that's too cool makes greasy puppies, and oil that's too hot burns the outside before the middle cooks. Check the temperature between batches.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Fine or medium-grind yellow cornmeal1 cup
- All-purpose flour¼ cup
- Sugar1 teaspoon
- Egg1 large
- Buttermilk⅔ cup
- Grated yellow onion¼ cup
- Vegetable or peanut oil6 cups
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Heat the oil
Pour the oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep pot so it's about 2 inches deep, with at least 3 inches of space above it. Heat over medium to 365°F, clipping a thermometer to the side. Heat the oven to 200°F for keeping batches warm and set a wire rack on a baking sheet.
Use a thermometer. Guessing is how you get greasy puppies.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, black pepper and cayenne if you're using it.
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Mix the batter
In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and grated onion. Pour it into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until combined. The batter will be thick and scoopable. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Don't overmix. A few streaks of dry cornmeal are fine and keep the inside light.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Fry the first batch
Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil, 6 to 8 at a time. Fry for 1½ to 2 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown on all sides. They'll roll over by themselves as they puff.
Don't crowd the pot. Too many at once drops the oil temperature fast.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Drain and salt
Lift them out with a slotted spoon or spider. Drain on the rack and sprinkle right away with flaky salt. Keep them warm in the oven.
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Fry the rest
Let the oil come back to 365°F between batches, then repeat until the batter is gone. Break one open to check. The middle should be cooked through, steamy and moist.
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Serve hot
Serve right away with butter, honey butter, tartar sauce or hot sauce.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Use fine or medium-grind cornmeal. Coarse stone-ground cornmeal makes gritty puppies unless you soak it in the buttermilk for 15 minutes first.
- If your cornmeal is self-rising, leave out the baking powder and the salt in the dry mix and check the batter for salt before frying.
- A scoop makes round puppies of even size. For extra flavor, stir in 2 sliced scallions or ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar.
- Storage. Best the day they're made. Refrigerate leftovers, covered, 2 days, and reheat on a rack at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Freeze fried and cooled for 2 months.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why are my hush puppies greasy?
The oil wasn't hot enough or the pot was crowded. Keep the oil at 365°F and fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady.
Why do my hush puppies fall apart in the oil?
The batter was too thin or didn't rest. Let it sit for 5 minutes and add a tablespoon of cornmeal if it's runny. It should drop off a spoon in a thick mound.
Why are my hush puppies raw in the middle?
The oil was too hot, so the outside browned before the middle cooked. Hold it between 350°F and 375°F and make smaller puppies if they're still dense.
Can I make hush puppies in an air fryer or the oven?
You can, but the results are different. Spray scoops of batter well with oil and air fry at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. They'll be good but less crisp than fried.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
Mix it up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerate it. Baking powder loses power over time, so don't hold it much longer than that.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.