Gluten-Free Corn Fritters with Cheddar and Jalapeño – So Easy!

These easy and delicious gluten-free corn fritters come together quickly for a simple meal on busy days!

You just need to whip up the batter, mostly from pantry staples and whatever veggies you have lying around, and then cook them like savory pancakes.

(Somehow, “cooking a meal” sounds like more work to me, while “making savory corn pancakes” sounds very easy and achievable. Anyone else?)

These corn fritters are best (and crispiest!) hot off the skillet. That being said, they hold up very well in the fridge (or freezer) as leftovers, so they make a great choice for batching and meal prepping ahead of time.

Serving Suggestions

These are perfect for breakfast, brunch, an after-school snack, or as the base of any meal. You can bulk up the meal by serving them with a salad, or in sandwiches.

Try them with sour cream and chives, guacamole, yogurt, or just plain for a savory treat with a bit of heat!

In addition, these gluten-free corn fritters hold their shape very well. This makes them a great, portable option for walking-around food if you need a quick snack on a hike or while running errands.

Pin it for later!

Variations on this recipe and the ingredients

Of course, if you don’t need these to be gluten-free, you can use all-purpose flour, and you likely have all the ingredients you need in your pantry!

The jalapeño and cheddar are optional if you haven’t been to the grocery store recently, as is the parsley. You can just make these with pantry staples and any kind of leftover onion (or onion powder) you have lying around.

On the other hand, feel free to add any additional veggies you’d like – celery, zucchini, etc.

You can also change up the cheese based on what you have in your fridge. I think mozzarella also goes well with jalapeños.

Try making these with fresh or frozen corn instead of canned corn if that’s what you have handy. With fresh corn, you can either cut the kernels off the cob and use them raw, or boil the corn for a few minutes first, depending on your preference. To use frozen corn, just let it thaw and drain off any excess liquid before mixing it into the batter.

As always, you can mix up the spices to suit your tastes. These were delicious with relatively plain seasoning, but they would also be great with chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, curry powder, basil, or any seasoning you like best.

Consider adding nutritional yeast for more flavor.

Make it Vegan!

The milk is absolutely optional, and I was worried at first that it made the batter too runny. (Spoiler: they still turned out delicious!)

You could substitute vegetable broth or even water easily.

The egg does help these corn fritters stick together, so you will want to use some kind of binding egg substitute, such as a flax “egg” or chia “egg,” or aquafaba.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Gluten-Free Corn Fritters

You can save any leftovers (if you have any) in an airtight container in your fridge for several days.

Then you can pop them in the microwave or air fryer to warm them up when you’re ready to serve them.

Can you freeze these?

Yes, you can make a double batch ahead of time and freeze some for later! They should stay tasty in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, you can simply bake them for up to 10 minutes or so until warmed through.

How do I make sure these gluten-free corn fritters aren’t soggy and don’t fall apart?

When frying anything, for best results wait until the oil is hot before adding the batter or whatever you are frying.

That way, your food starts frying right away rather than soaking up the oil before cooking.

This will keep your food from becoming soggy.

I found these held together quite well, but you can improve the chances of them staying in one piece by keeping the size relatively small.

A 1/3 cup measure was a good scoop for me, but you could go smaller and get more fritters out of one batch.

Is Baking Powder Gluten-Free?

Generally yes, but check the label if you have a sensitivity!

The ingredients in baking powder make it naturally gluten-free.

Just be aware that some manufacturers add starch to help prevent premature chemical reactions from humidity. The most commonly used starches are corn starch and potato starch, which are still gluten-free.

However, historically people used wheat starch to improve the shelf life, which does contain gluten. Some brands do still use wheat starch, especially outside of the US. (TheSpruceEats recommends checking the label of baking powder in the UK, for example.)

Clabber Girl and Bob’s Red Mill brands of baking powder are gluten-free.

Related Gluten-Free Recipes

You may also enjoy:

• Chickpea patties (vegan)
• Deviled potatoes (also vegan)
• Broccoli frittata muffins
• Cashew butter cookies

If you found this article helpful, please consider joining my email newsletter community for new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Corn Fritters

Before you begin, you will need:

EDIBLE INGREDIENTS

• One 15 ounce can of whole kernel corn
• 1 cup of gluten-free flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 large green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 of a large jalapeño pepper, deseeded (or the whole thing if you like some heat – the one I used wasn’t very spicy, so I could have used it all upon reflection)
• 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free if applicable – see above)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp grapeseed oil or other heat stable frying oil

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Can opener
• Knife and cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large mixing bowl
• Skillet
• Spatula
• Strainer/colander for draining the corn (optional)
• Cheese grater if you don’t have pre-shredded cheese

How to Make Gluten-Free Corn Fritters

1. First, wash and chop your green onions, parsley, and jalapeno. Drain the corn and set aside.
2. Then, blend together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder), then add in the egg and milk. Stir until fully combined.
3. After that, stir in the corn, green onions, jalapeños, cheese, and parsley until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. (You will have a thick batter, so you will pour these like savory pancakes. It doesn’t need to be thick enough to form into patties.)
4. Heat 1 tsp of oil in your skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop out your corn fritters. Try to flatten them so they cook all the way through. Then, cook them for about 2-4 minutes on each side, until they are as golden-brown as you prefer. Repeat with a new tsp of oil per batch until all fritters have been cooked.
5. Serve warm, garnished with sour cream, yogurt, chopped green onion or chives, and enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these tasty, gluten-free corn fritters!