Gluten-Free Hush Puppies

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these gluten-free hush puppies are a delightful Southern classic. Infused with a hint of sweetness and a savory corn flavor, they make the perfect accompaniment to any meal.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 30 min Total: 35 min Serves: 4

At a glance: This easy salads and sides recipe yields 4 servings in about 35 minutes (5 min prep, 30 min cook). It uses 10 ingredients — including gluten-free cornmeal blend, gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, granulated sugar — and walks through 6 steps. Updated October 24, 2026. Browse more salads and sides recipes or return to all gluten-free recipes.

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Cross-Contamination Warning for Gluten-Free Hush Puppies: When preparing this salads and sides recipe, always verify that all packaged ingredients, especially baking powder and flour blends, are gluten-free to prevent cross-contamination with gluten. Ensure your frying oil is fresh and has not been used to fry gluten-containing foods. In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.

Gluten-Free Notes for Gluten-Free Hush Puppies: This recipe is designed to be gluten-free by using gluten-free cornmeal and flour blends, avoiding any gluten-containing grains.

Scale Recipe:

servings

Ingredient amounts update automatically

Instructions

1 In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free cornmeal blend, gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, granulated sugar, gluten-free baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly for about 1 minute until they are well incorporated and no lumps remain.
2 In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the lightly beaten egg, buttermilk, and 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Mix until the wet ingredients are smooth and emulsified, which should take about 30 seconds.
3 Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the sweet corn kernels to the mixture. Stir everything together with a spoon or spatula until just combined; be careful not to overmix, as this can result in tough hush puppies. The batter should be thick but pourable, with a consistency similar to thick pancake batter.
4 Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). You can test the oil temperature by dropping a tiny bit of batter into it; it should sizzle immediately and float to the surface.
5 Carefully drop rounded tablespoons of the hush puppy batter into the hot oil, being sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches for about 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until they are golden brown and puffed up. They should sound crisp when gently tapped.
6 Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked hush puppies from the oil and place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batter, ensuring the oil temperature remains consistent between batches.

Nutrition (per serving)

185

Calories

Protein

25g

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

295mg

Sodium

Tips & Notes

Use baking powder and cornmeal labeled gluten-free. Some baking powders use a starch filler that may not be gluten-free, and cornmeal is often milled on equipment shared with gluten grains.
Fry one hush puppy first and break it open: the center should be fully set and steamy, not wet. If the outside browns before the inside cooks, the oil is too hot; if they come out greasy, it has dropped below 350°F.
For a dairy-free batter, stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 1 cup of unsweetened plant milk labeled gluten-free and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Use it in place of the buttermilk in step 2.

Common questions

How hot should the oil be for hush puppies, and how do you check it?

Heat 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C). A tiny bit of batter should sizzle at once and float. Fry one first and break it open: the center should be set and steamy, not wet. If the outside browns before the inside cooks, the oil is too hot; greasy hush puppies mean it dropped below 350°F.

Can hush puppies be made without buttermilk?

Yes. For a dairy-free batter, stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 1 cup of unsweetened plant milk labeled gluten-free and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Whisk it with the beaten egg and 1/4 cup vegetable oil in place of the buttermilk, then stir it into the dry ingredients with the corn until just combined.

What cross-contamination risk is specific to Gluten-Free Hush Puppies?

Check gluten-free cornmeal blend, gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, granulated sugar before they go into Gluten-Free Hush Puppies. Always verify that all packaged ingredients, especially baking powder and flour blends, are gluten-free to prevent cross-contamination with gluten. Ensure your frying oil is fresh and has not been used to fry gluten-containing foods. In a shared kitchen, avoid porous materials — wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, and scratched non-stick pans can harbor gluten proteins even after washing. Prefer glass, metal, or silicone tools.

Which gluten-free swaps does Gluten-Free Hush Puppies use?

Gluten-Free Hush Puppies relies on 0.5 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Keep those gluten-free-labeled products in place of a gluten-containing flour or sauce.

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