This baked cheesy corn dip is a sure crowd-pleaser! Packed with a cheesy trio of cheddar, cream cheese, and Monterey Jack, along with sweet corn and flavorful roasted peppers, it's ready in just 30 minutes. This irresistible dip is the perfect addition to any holiday or game day snack table!
There are NOT. ENOUGH. WORDS. to tell you how amazing this hot corn dip is! It's a game changer in my entertaining repertoire! Served hot with tortilla chips, it disappears faster than you can imagine, never leaving leftovers.
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Ingredients
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
We want to highlight a few of the key ingredients here:
- Cheese. We used three cheeses; cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and cheddar cheese. We recommend keeping the cream cheese as it helps give a creamy texture in the dip. Substitute some goat cheese, smoked gouda, gruyere or white cheddar for some or all of the Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese.
- Peppers. Using roasted peppers adds so much flavor to this dish! Pick your favorite pepper - we used Hatch green chilies but it would also be great with Pueblo, jalapeño, Anaheim, or Serrano peppers.
- Corn. We call for a can of corn in this recipe to keep it simple, but if fresh corn is in season, add the extra sweetness of fresh corn instead. Extra credit if you grill the corn first!
A Note About Peppers
We recommend you wear gloves when handling peppers and don't touch your face or eyes! Wash your hands - multiple times - when finished with the peppers.
Here are the Scoville Heat Units (SHU) for a few of the more common peppers we recommend in this dip. The lower the units, the milder the pepper.
- Anaheim (500-2500 SHU)
- Poblano (1000-2000 SHU)
- Hatch (1000-8000 SHU)
- Jalapeño or Serrano (2500-8000 SHU)
- Pueblo (5000-20,000 SHU)
For a more thorough discussion of the Scoville Heat Scale, which tells you how hot a pepper is, see our Jalapeño Breakfast Casserole post.
To help reduce the heat in peppers you can;
- Remove the seeds - most of the heat in peppers is in the ribs. Since the seeds are attached to the ribs they pick up a little heat but if you remove the seeds, you automatically remove the ribs, taking the heat with them.
- Roast the peppers - studies show capsaicin (the heat generator in peppers!) breaks down around 400°F.
- Add some lemon or lime juice - acidic foods have a low pH and peppers have a high pH, so adding a little acid to peppers will help neutralize some of the heat.
We love the flavor and heat of hatch chilis or Pueblo chilis. Hatch chilis are becoming more available across the country while Pueblo chilis are still somewhat difficult to find, but if you have the chance - grab them!
When in season, you can order Fire Roasted Green or Red Pueblo Chilis from Musso Farms in Pueblo, Colorado.
Equipment
While you don't need any special equipment for this dish, we did use the following:
- A hand mixer. This gave our hands a break while still completely combining all of the cheese. You can definitely do this by hand with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease.
- Cast iron skillet. This was baked in an 8-inch cast iron skillet, but you can also use a standard baking dish. We find the cast iron gives the bottom a little more crispy texture as well as staying hot longer than a glass dish once it is removed from the oven.
How to Make Hot Cheesy Corn Dip
This dip is so easy to make and can be ready to eat in just 30 minutes. Start by adding all of the cheese and the Greek yogurt to a mixing bowl (image 1). Mix this together until it is well combined and smooth (image 2). NOTE: We used a hand mixer for this step.
Add in the corn, roasted peppers, chives, salt, and pepper to the bowl (image 3). Stir with a spoon until well mixed (image 4).
Place the dip mixture into a cast iron skillet (image 5), or a glass/ceramic baking dish, and smooth it out so it is evenly distributed (image 6). Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Substitutions and Additions
It's easy to change up this hot corn dip recipe to make it your own.
- Use your favorite cheese combination. Make sure at least one is a creamy cheese; cream cheese or goat cheese, to give that creaminess in the dip. Play with other combinations; provolone, gruyere, Monterey Jack, Havarti, Colby, even blue cheese would all be great. Avoid cheese that doesn't melt as well - hard, aged cheese like parmesan or dry crumbly cheese like feta.
- Adjust the spice level to your preference for a personalized kick. We love the flavor and heat of hatch chilis or Pueblo chilis. Jalapeño and hatch chilis will be around the same heat level, while Pueblo chili peppers may have a little more heat and Anaheim peppers will be slightly milder. Add more chili peppers to increase the heat. Feel free to continue up the Scoville Heat Scale and add some even hotter peppers if you like. For a more thorough discussion of hot peppers, see our Jalapeño Breakfast Casserole post.
- Use canned, frozen, or fresh sweet corn kernels. Roast the corn in advance for more flavor.
- Substitute sour cream for the Greek Yogurt.
- Add some crispy bacon, prosciutto, diced chicken, or black beans to the dip mixture.
- Add a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce to the mixture.
- Top the dip with some diced tomatoes when it comes out of the oven.
Make Ahead Tips
To make this simple cheesy corn dip ahead of time, mix the dip through step 4 above. If storing more than a day before serving, store in an airtight container (we like using a deli food container) for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. If baking within a day, store covered in your cast iron skillet or baking dish in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake remove dip from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Place in skillet or baking dish if necessary, and follow the recipe instructions for baking the dip. NOTE: it may take a few more minutes to get bubbly and creamy when putting a cold dip into the oven. Keep an eye on how brown the top is getting and cover if necessary until the dip is hot throughout.
REMEMBER: Do not place a cold dish - especially glass or ceramic - into a hot oven, as the temperature difference can cause the dish to break.
Time Saving Tips
Having some roasted chili peppers in the freezer is a big time saver. We like to roast a few sheet pans of peppers when they are in season, remove the seeds and skins, and store in air tight containers in the freezer to use as needed. Roasted peppers thaw fast in the fridge and are ready to use in just a few hours.
Saving Leftovers
The FDA recommends discarding any perishable food that has been out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
If you are within the FDA recommendations, (and lucky enough to have any of this dip leftover) this Cheese, Pepper, and Corn Dip will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat and add to some tacos, enchiladas, or a taco salad.
Some Other Favorite Dip and Spread Recipes
Some common questions
No, but we do recommend using a soft cheese like cream cheese as a binder for the other cheese. Goat cheese would be a good substitution.
Use an oven safe baking dish. It won't keep the corn dip hot as long as a cast iron skillet, but it works just as well. Remember, never place a cold glass or ceramic baking dish in a hot oven. The temperature difference can cause the dish to crack.
Serve this spicy corn dip hot with tortilla chips, bread, crackers, or fresh veggies.
The cheesy corn dip has a nice heat as written, but I wouldn't consider it spicy. If worried about the heat level in this dip, start with ½ the amount of peppers listed and taste as you go. For a more thorough discussion of hot peppers, visit our Jalapeño Breakfast Casserole post.
📖 Recipe
Baked Cheesy Corn Dip
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 servings 1x
Description
This baked cheesy corn dip is a sure crowd-pleaser! Packed with a cheesy trio of cheddar, cream cheese, and Monterey Jack, along with sweet corn and flavorful roasted peppers, it's ready in just 30 minutes. This irresistible dip is the perfect addition to any holiday or game day snack table!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 3 ounces (⅔ cup) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces (½ cup) cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) Greek Yogurt
- 1 large chili pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced (Pueblo, hatch, jalapeño) this is about 1 ½ ounces of roasted pepper
- 1 can (15 ounce) corn kernels, drained (9 ounces fresh or frozen)
- 2 Tablespoons chives or green onions, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Tortilla chips - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Add cream cheese, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and Greek yogurt to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything together until well combined. We use a hand mixer for this step.
- Add diced, roasted chilis, corn kernels, chives or green onions, salt, and pepper to the cheese mixture and stir with a spoon until everything is well mixed.
- Transfer mixture to an 8” cast iron skillet (or an oven safe baking dish).
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling throughout the dish and the top is lightly browned.
- Serve hot with tortilla chips.
Notes
Substitutions and additions. Use canned, frozen, or fresh corn kernels. Substitute goat cheese, white cheddar, or gruyere for some of the cheese. Use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt. Add crispy bacon, crispy prosciutto, or black beans to the mix before baking. Top hot dip with diced tomatoes before serving.
Peppers. If worried about the heat of the peppers, begin with ½ the amount and taste before adding more. Increase the heat by using more peppers or a hotter pepper. Decrease the heat by using less peppers or a milder pepper. See post above for more information about the heat of peppers.
The cheese will start bubbling around the edges first, but continue baking until the cheese in the middle is melted and hot. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with a sheet pan or foil and continue baking until the cheese is melted throughout.
Make this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days until ready to bake. If the dip is cold when it goes in the oven, it may take a few extra minutes to bake. REMEMBER: Never place a cold dish - especially glass or ceramic - into a hot oven, as the temperature difference can cause the dish to break.
Serve with tortilla chips, sliced bread, fresh veggies; celery, jicama, carrots. Excellent served on tacos, burritos, or taco salads.
Equipment. We use a hand mixer to combine the cheese but you can definitely do this with a large spoon and some work. We like baking this in a cast iron skillet, but you can also use an oven safe baking dish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dips and Spreads
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 ounces
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 281.7 mg
- Fat: 10.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.6 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 24.6 mg
Sarah says
This was a big hit at a recent family party! It was easy to make and something new for the whole group.
The guest of honor does not like spice of any kind so I swapped the pepper with a roasted sweet bell pepper. Can't wait to make it again for myself with a hot pepper and fresh local corn!
Team Appetizer Bliss says
We're SO happy to hear you loved the dip! Smart swap with the bell pepper to make this appropriate for the entire party.
Mike says
Big hit when I made a few dips for company, this and the jalapeno dip were the most popular ones!
Rhonda says
Glad this was a hit!