Quick Take: Crispy and golden on the outside, soft and moist all the way through...no dry, crumbly centers here. I've always hated a dry hush puppy, so this recipe was built specifically to avoid that. Finely minced fresh onion is what keeps every bite moist, while frying at 360°F gives the outside its classic crunch.
They're the classic side for fried fish and seafood and perfect next to my Copycat Long John Silver's Fish, piled onto a Fried Catfish Po' Boy, or dunked straight into my Cajun Remoulade Sauce.
Made with self-rising cornmeal, buttermilk, finely diced onion, and a little Cajun seasoning, these hit the contrast that makes a good hush puppy so hard to stop eating. Crunchy shell, tender center, with just enough Southern flavor to give them some character without turning them spicy.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Self-Rising Cornmeal – The foundation of the batter. Use either yellow or white, whichever you have or prefer.
All-Purpose Flour – Combined with the cornmeal, it gives the hush puppies structure while keeping the interior tender.
Kosher Salt – Seasons the batter and brings out the flavor of the cornmeal, onion, and Cajun seasoning.
Cajun Seasoning – Adds a layer of savory flavor and a little spice — this is what gives these more character than a basic hush puppy.
Baking Powder – Provides additional leavening for a lighter, more tender interior.
Baking Soda – Works with the acidity in the buttermilk to help with both texture and browning.
Sugar – Just one tablespoon, for a subtle sweetness that balances the savory ingredients without making these sweet hush puppies.
Onion – Finely mince or dice one small onion so you get little pieces of onion throughout instead of large chunks.
Buttermilk – The key to the texture — adds richness and tang while keeping the inside moist and tender instead of dry.
Egg – Helps bind the batter and adds richness and structure.
Vegetable Oil – For deep frying until crispy and golden brown.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Begin by thoroughly whisking together all of the dry ingredients.
You want everything evenly distributed before adding the wet ingredients so you don’t end up overmixing the batter later.
Step 2: Mince the Onion
Next, finely mince the onion.
I like to keep the onion pretty small for hush puppies.
You still get that classic onion flavor in every bite, but you don’t have large pieces interfering with the soft texture inside.
Step 3: Mix the Batter
Now add the buttermilk, egg, and minced onion to the dry mixture.
Stir everything together just until the hush puppy batter is fully combined and you don’t see any dry flour or cornmeal remaining.
You don’t need to aggressively mix the batter here.
Just like with biscuits or cornbread, once everything is combined, you’re good to go.
Set the batter aside and let it rest while you heat your frying oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
Giving the batter a few minutes to rest allows the cornmeal and flour to hydrate while the oil comes up to temperature.
And getting that oil temperature right makes a big difference.
If the oil isn’t hot enough, the hush puppies can absorb too much oil and become greasy instead of developing that crispy outside we’re looking for.
Step 4: Fry the Hush Puppies
Once the oil reaches 360 degrees, carefully drop about five or six hush puppies into the fryer at a time.
Try not to overcrowd the fryer.
Adding too many at once can bring the oil temperature down and prevent them from frying evenly.
Cook the hush puppies for about three minutes, flipping them over halfway through so they become evenly golden brown on all sides.
As they fry, you’re looking for that deep golden color and crispy exterior while the inside becomes soft and fluffy.
As soon as they’re finished frying, transfer the hush puppies to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
I don’t recommend placing them directly onto paper towels.
The wire rack allows air to circulate underneath them instead of trapping steam against the bottom, which helps preserve that outside crunch.
Expert Tips
- Keep your oil around 360°F. If it drops too much, the hush puppies can absorb excess oil instead of developing a crisp exterior.
- Finely dice the onion so it distributes evenly and cooks through during the short frying time.
- Don't overcrowd the fryer. Too many at once will drop the oil temperature.
- Don't skip the buttermilk; it's essential to the moist interior.
- Adjust the size if you'd like. A heaping tablespoon makes about 10 substantial hush puppies. Smaller scoops give you more hush puppies and a higher crust-to-center ratio, but they'll cook faster, so keep an eye on them.
- Serve them fresh. Like most fried foods, hush puppies are best shortly after they come out of the fryer.
What to Serve With Southern Hush Puppies
Southern Hush Puppies are a classic side for fried fish and seafood. Serve them alongside my Copycat Long John Silver’s Fish for crispy battered fish and hush puppies at home, or add them to a meal with my Fried Catfish Po’ Boy.
They’re also perfect for dipping in my Cajun Remoulade Sauce. The cool, creamy, tangy sauce is a great contrast to the hot, crispy hush puppies.
Recipe FAQs
Hush puppies are small portions of cornmeal-based batter, deep fried until golden and crispy. They're closely associated with Southern cooking and commonly served alongside fried fish and seafood.
A dry hush puppy can come from the batter itself or from overcooking. This recipe uses buttermilk along with a mix of cornmeal and flour specifically to create a moist, tender center while keeping the exterior crunchy.
360°F. At that temperature, these take about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Absolutely. A heaping tablespoon of batter yields about 10; use less for smaller ones. Just watch them closely, since smaller hush puppies cook faster.
Yes, either works. Use whichever you prefer.
No, Southern hush puppies aren't meant to be sweet, just one tablespoon of sugar provides balance without turning them into a sweet cornbread-style side.
The Cajun seasoning adds flavor and mild spice, but these aren't intended to be extremely hot. The exact heat level depends on the Cajun seasoning you use.
My Cajun Remoulade Sauce is my first choice. Its creamy, tangy flavor works great against the crispy cornmeal exterior and Cajun seasoning. Another great option would be some plain old ketchup or tarter sauce.
More Southern & Cajun Recipes You'll Love
If you made this Southern Hush Puppies recipe or any other of my recipes, please leave a Star Rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Don't forget to tag @chickenfriedkitchen on Instagram, Subscribe on YouTube, and Follow on Pinterest and Facebook! I'll see you there!
📖 Recipe
Southern Hush Puppies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Self Rising Cornmeal Mix
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Medium Onion finely minced
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- Vegetable Oil for frying
Instructions
- Thoroughly whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
- Finely mince the onion.
- Add the buttermilk, egg, and minced onion to the dry mixture.
- Stir everything together just until the hush puppy batter is fully combined and you don’t see any dry flour or cornmeal remaining.
- Set the batter aside and let it rest while you heat your frying oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Carefully drop about five or six hush puppies into the fryer at a time.
- Cook the hush puppies for about three minutes, flipping them over halfway through so they become evenly golden brown on all sides.
- As soon as they’re finished frying, transfer the hush puppies to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Video
Notes
- Keep your oil around 360°F. If it drops too much, the hush puppies can absorb excess oil instead of developing a crisp exterior.
- Finely dice the onion so it distributes evenly and cooks through during the short frying time.
- Don't overcrowd the fryer. Too many at once will drop the oil temperature.
- Don't skip the buttermilk; it's essential to the moist interior.
- Adjust the size if you'd like. A heaping tablespoon makes about 10 substantial hush puppies. Smaller scoops give you more hush puppies and a higher crust-to-center ratio, but they'll cook faster, so keep an eye on them.
- Serve them fresh. Like most fried foods, hush puppies are best shortly after they come out of the fryer.
