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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!
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. 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 summer corn recipes? Here are a few ideas:
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.
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!
Can this be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated before serving?
Hi Susan,
Sure, that would be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
Just came here to say this recipe is perfection! Was a huge hit at a party!
Hey Sara,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and your review!! 🍓🫐🍉
IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Chelsey,
Happy Monday!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
I agree with others that this spice mix makes a lot, but I’ve found that I make this enough that I have a container specifically for this recipe. The corn instructions are confusing, so I’ve made this with both raw and canned corn; delicious either way. I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of times I’ve been asked for this recipe.
Hi Jenn,
Awesome!! So glad you have been enjoying this recipe:) Thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xT
I doubled this and it was a HUGE hit, but I agree with the other poster. Why so much dry spice when only a fraction is used? A little more clarity on that part would be great.
Hi there,
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!! I found the measurements for the spices to work best for me and then I am able to save the leftovers for quick making the next time around:) Feel free to adjust to your liking! xx
This was incredible! But there are some confusing directions in the recipe.
* The recipe calls for up to 10 tsps of spices (2 T chili powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2-2 tsp of cayenne) but the directions only reference what to do with 4 tsps of the spice mix
* 2 cups of corn (3-4 raw) PLUS an ear of grilled corn? Or one or the other?
I just added all the leftover spices to the corn mixture in the end, but it seems pretty spicy now (which is fine with us!).
Please make this a little clearer, so we can make this again and again! And I love your site. It’s reignited my love of cooking!
Hi there,
Happy Friday!!🍉🍓 Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! The measurements for the spice mix are what worked best for me and I just save the leftovers in an airtight container:) The recipes calls for 2 cups of corn which is equivalent to about 3-4 ears of corn. The corn is raw. I hope this clears things up for you! xx
I am making this yummy sounding dish now. My question is, I’ll be serving this for a crowd, and I’ll be serving it out of a crockpot. So…..should I just mix the butter, grilled corn, mayo/lime juice into the mix into the creamy corn dip? Your recipe indicates to toss them on at the end just before serving, but this won’t really be feasible unless each person does it themselves. Thank!
Hi Carol,
Yes, that will be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this recipe is a hit! xT
Made this for date night for my husband and I. It was DELICIOUS!! Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Hi Kate,
Happy Memorial Day!!🇺🇸🎆 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Can this be made into a cold dip or reheated in a crockpot?
Hi Stephanie,
I prefer this served warm, so heated in a crockpot would be nice! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xT
Really really good. Just made it to celebrate Mother’s Day with a Mexican flare, quac & fresh salsa. My husband and I both loved it & will definitely be having it again.
I’ll be making this to share with family & friends. Totally amazing.
Hi Chandra,
Happy Monday!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
Just gonna save this under “best recipes I’ve ever made.” If you want to be the hero of the party, heck the hero of the decade, go for it. It was slightly time consuming, but worth it. I used whole fresh corn. I did 2.5x the recipe for a party with 30 people (I’m sure some people didn’t have some) and it was the perfect amount. I wish I had a picture to add because it truly looked just like the pic.
Hi Grace,
Perfect!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Happy Mother’s Day!💐
Made this app for a family dinner celebrating Cinco de Mayo. It was a hit! Creamy and delicious! Ended up serving the remaining as a side to our taco dinner.
Love to hear this Katie!! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback:) Happy Monday! xT
This was amazing!!! I made this for my Cinco de Mayo party. Everyone raved about it and wants me to make it for every party!
Hey Renae,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
This was a huge hit at our Cinco de Mayo party! Everyone loved it and I will be making this again! Thank you for sharing.
Hey Cindy,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend!! xT
I made this for a Halloween party and it was a hit, I am making it again for Memorial Day party!!
So glad to hear this Amanda!! Thanks for making the recipe:) xT
I love love love this recipe. I love that you can get the distinct flavors of each of the components, but that it all blends together beautifully in one bite too. I just wish I could get the gorgeous char on my corn like you do LOL.
Hey Sunny,
Happy Friday!!🍍🥥 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT