Sweet freezer corn is a way to enjoy everything you love about hot buttered corn all year long! Freezing corn is so much easier than you think! We love serving it as a side dish, or adding it to soups, stews, casseroles, salads, etc!
Sweet corn is also called corn on the cob, or corn off the cob. If you want to preserve all the yummy flavors of fresh corn on the cob, freezing sweet corn for later is the answer!
I have childhood memories of freezing corn. We lived in a place where it was too cold to grow. Friends from warmer climates used to share their bumper corn crops with us.
My brothers and I would husk the corn. My mom would boil the corn on the cob. Then she would cut it off the cob, put it in bags, and freeze it.
The most memorable part of the experience happened when my mom would turn around. We would grab pieces of corn that were in a big chunk, run and hide behind the couch, and savor it! I’m surprised that she actually had any corn left to freeze.
How many ears of corn does it take to make one cup of corn? About 3/4 a cup of corn kernels on each ear. It will take about 20 ears of corn for this recipe.
Ingredients in freezer corn
Justin’s great aunt shared this recipe with me many years ago and it’s the BEST freezer corn in the world! There are a few little things about this recipe that make it extra yummy!
- Corn: Pick fresh corn ears that don’t have any brown spots on them. I like white and yellow corn varieties like Honey and Pearl or Peaches and Cream.
- Sugar: Granulated. Yes, this recipe has sugar added to it! Some people think sweet freezer corn is sweet enough on its own. That might be true, but once you try it this way those extra calories will be worth it! I also think it helps the corn freeze a little better.
- Salt: Regular iodized table salt. Use the exact amount or it will affect the freezing point. It adds extra flavor to the corn. We don’t need to salt when serving this recipe.
- Butter: Use real butter. Adding a little butter to the mixture obviously makes the freezer corn richer and gives it amazing flavor!
How to freeze sweet corn – step-by-step instructions
Freezing corn off the cob is actually really easy! With this recipe, you don’t even need to know how to blanch corn because thank goodness that isn’t one of the steps!
Step 1: Husk corn. Clean the cobs to remove any silk that’s stuck on them.
Step 2: Cut fresh kernels off the cob. See my tips below for the easiest way to do this.
Step 3: Add raw corn kernels, water, sugar, salt, and butter to a large pot.
Step 4: Bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Let cool until about room temperature.
Step 6: Ladle corn and some juice in freezer containers or freezer bags.
Step 7: Lay bags flat and freeze.
Tips on how to freeze corn off the cob
It seems like no matter how careful I think I’m being, I always make a huge mess when I freeze corn. Part of freezing corn is mopping the floor and cleaning up the sticky mess afterward! Here are a few little hacks that seem to help minimize it though!
- Place the cutting board inside a large cookie sheet. The cookie sheet helps catch some of the flies away from corn kernels.
- Some people place a corn cob in the hole of a bundt pan and slice it from there. The kernels are supposed to fall in the pan. I don’t have super great success with this method, but others do.
- For this recipe cut the kernels from the cobs before cooking the corn. This is so much easier than cooking the corn cobs first. It’s easier to handle before it gets hot. More corn fits in the pan after it’s cut off too.
- My boys do all the husking outside. At least that mess isn’t in the house!
- Freezing corn really is easier with two people. It helps to have someone hold the bags while you add corn to them.
FAQs about freezing sweet corn
In an airtight freezer container, or in a sealable freezer bag. Lay the bags flat, freeze them, then stack them to conserve freezer space.
Up to one year in a deep freeze.
Up to three days.
I plant peaches and cream, and white and yellow corn. Check out these other sweet corn seed varieties.
How to cook frozen corn on the cob?
Corn can either be thawed in the fridge before cooking, or it can be cooked frozen. Here are three different ways to cook it!
- Microwave – Microwave thawed or frozen corn on high until warmed through. Time will vary depending on how much corn you’re cooking.
- Pressure Cooker– Add frozen corn and 1/2 a cup of water to the Instant Pot. Close seal. Cook on High Pressure for 4-5 minutes. It will take longer for bigger pieces of corn.
- Stove Top- Add thawed or frozen corn to a saucepan. Start cooking on medium heat. As it heats the juices will melt and you can start stirring occasionally. Cook until warmed through.
Freezer Corn Recipes
Now that you know how to freeze fresh corn you’ll also want to know what to do with it! We love adding corn to soup, chili, warm dips, and salads, and eating as a side dish. Here are a few of our favorite recipes!
- Cheesy Corn Dip with Cream Cheese– serve with crackers or chips
- Creamy Taco Soup – the BEST taco soup ever
- Mexican Bean Dip – slow cooker appetizer
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn – easiest side dish
- CrockPot Chicken Nachos – we love topping these with corn
- Classic Slow Cooker Roast – serve with mashed potatoes and corn
- Chicken Taco Pizza – with Doritos on top
- Poolside Dip – skinny version
Grab my Sweet Freezer Corn Recipe
Now that you know how to freeze fresh corn you need to head to the farmer’s market and grab some fresh sweet corn! Trust me, you’ll be so glad to have it in the freezer! It knocks the socks off of canned or store-bought corn! And
Sweet Freezer Corn Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 cups corn kernels
- 1/8 cup salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- Husk corn. Clean the cobs to remove any silk that’s stuck on.
- Cut fresh kernels off the cob.
- Add raw corn kernels, water, sugar, salt, and butter to a large pot.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Simmer 10 minutes.
- Let cool until about room temperature.
- Ladle corn and some juice in freezer containers or freezer bags.
- Lay bags flat and freeze.
Mary says
So easy to use all the corn we picked this year. I am new to gardening and appreciate any suggestions I can get to preserve our vegetables for the winter.
Amy Engberson says
Welcome to gardening! It’s my favorite! You’ll love having corn in the freezer for later. Be sure to check out my pickled cucumbers recipe. They aren’t preserved, but they are one of my favorite ways to eat cucumbers during the summer. And my roasted green beans are a fantastic way to cook green beans! We also really love grilled zucchini and summer squash.
Shimla Hills says
Wow! Great One. Thanks for sharing these amazing tacts. Yellow corn makes for a palatable sweet or savory dish. Flavor aside, these yellow grains come packed with soluble fiber and antioxidants, thus deservedly a guilt-free food. You surely know about the diverse palette of corn colors but there’s so much more to yellow corn. So, let’s start with the basics before knowing the health benefits of yellow corn.
Susan Dubose says
I am so happy to use my new food saver with this recipe! I did feel like it was a bit salty and took away from the flavor of the corn the first time I made.
Amy Engberson says
It’s a perfect recipe for using the food saver! Saltiness is such a personal preference. You are more than welcome to salt it to taste!
Richard Tunner says
Thank you so much for such a wonderful detailed site and information on exactly what to do with the fresh corn.
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Richard Tunner says
I am so happy to use my new food saver with this recipe!
Kat says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. But there seems to be a glitch with the printable version it lists the ingredient amounts as 225 cups corn kernels
1.88 cup salt
7.5 cup granulated sugar
60 cups hot water
3.75 cup butter
Amy Engberson says
Hmmm! I’ll have my tech guy check into it. I just printed the recipe and it is printing exactly as it’s written. I wonder if the servings got changed at the top of the printable recipe.
Deb says
This is delicious!! I have never in my 60 years frozen any corn. I’m excited to say I have 16 bags in my freezer. I’m saving it for later this fall & winter, but I did send a bag with my kids on a camping trip last weekend. They said it was fantastic!
I used my electric knife & the bowl from my kitchen aid stand mixer. I put the bowl in my kitchen sink & cut with ease. No splattery mess to clean off off floors & counter. I was very surprised because the sweet corn was really juicy.
Thanks much for this easy & delicious recipe!!
Amy Engberson says
I’m so excited that you have corn in the freezer to enjoy throughout the fall and winter! Cutting corn in the kitchen sink is genius! I’m going to try that this year!
Shannon says
I haven’t frozen corn since I was little and corn never seemed to fit in my garden. This year I so wanted corn in my garden and I’m happy I planted it. I looked online for frozen recipes and stumbled into this recipe. What a fabulous recipe! It’s easy to follow, easy ingredients and wonderful flavor. I couldn’t wait for it to cool down…I just had to skim a little off the boiling pot and try. This is so good!
Amy Engberson says
Yay! It’s so fun that you were able to fit corn in your garden this year! It’s so fun to watch grow, and even better when it’s ready to eat! I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
Teresa Stueck says
Our bodies does not digest corn it enters our body whole and exits the same way.
Amy Engberson says
Sometimes it does! We love adding corn to lots or recipes; salsa, casseroles, stew, etc.
Emma T says
We were lucky to find corn on sale 6 ears for 1.00 so of course we purchased lots of corn about 12 ears. My husband husks the corn and took the silks off, I found your recipe, I used milk instead of water. I used milk because I cut the tips off first and then I cut the rest of the kernels off and used my knife to scrap upwards on the cobs to get what was called milk in the old days. LOL
I must say it worked PERFECT!
We are blessed, we look forward to having it for the upcoming holidays Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We recently relocated from Los Angeles to an area that is simi rural and we are loving the peace and quite as well as the feel of country life.
Amy Engberson says
That’s a great deal! Using the “milk” from the corn cobs sounds like a great idea! Enjoy country life…it’s the BEST life!
Cathy Mullen says
I used your recipe last year to freeze fresh-from-the-farm corn. And today, one year later, I’m freezing corn again, using your recipe. The corn was perfect. I prepared it exactly as written. A couple of weeks after freezing it, I took some to a family pool party because I had forgotten it was a potluck, and its all I had. They RAVED over the corn — including all the good country cooks. I don’t understand why people give advice about the recipe: cooking versus not cooking. Sugar versus no sugar. Don’t like it? Move along.
Amy Engberson says
Pulling a bag of this corn out of the freezer for a potluck is genius! It doesn’t get any easier than that! I’m old school, so I like sugar, butter, and all the things people have been enjoying for years! I’m sure there are a million variations of this recipe, but I’m with you! I like it just the way it is! Thanks for taking time to let me know how much you love it!
Judy Rehak says
This was wonderful! Thank you so much!
Amy Engberson says
Yay! Glad you loved it!
Lisa says
I make this every year. We love it.
Amy Engberson says
It’s the BEST recipe! It tastes so fresh straight from the freezer!
JayJay says
For those who use plastic containers instead of ziploc (I like they stack well in my freezer), allow 1 cup per 2 ears…or an average dozen ears, not those huge gmo ears, just normal, will yield 6 cups for the freezer.
Hope this helps someone.
Phyllis says
I want to know how to freeze Corn on the COb. Not cut off; on the cob.
JayJay says
I shuck and silk, break in half. Why?? Because when I get ready for corn, it’s ready and this method takes less space in the freezer.
Whits@amusebouche says
Awesome! Now if I could just keep those darn squirrels from eating my corn! Thanks for sharing
Amy Engberson says
Those dang varmints! Racoons used to get into our corn patch before we built a fence and got a dog! Those two things saved our corn patch! I hope you enjoy the corn all winter long!
Jennifer says
Amy, I got such a big smile from stealing those big slabs of corn when you were a kid! I did the same thing!
My mother used this recipe for the most part. I remember her blanching the corn, cutting and bagging it. I don’t think she put any sugar in, though. It was certainly good coming out of the freezer.
I have not corn for years until this year, but I tried freezing it in a brine this time. The nicest thing about it is shucking the corn in the garden, cutting it off the cob outdoors, and then bringing the cut corn into the house. No mopping that way. 😀 Have no idea how it will turn out, but it came another dairy farmer’s page, so I’m hopeful. I’m retired from milking, myself, but there are still beef cows here so I still chase cows, too! Lucky you have those boys to help chase!
Amy Engberson says
Haha! I remember sitting behind the sofa eating corn like it was yesterday! You could omit sugar if you would like. I love your idea of husking and cutting it off the cob outdoors. Anything to eliminate the mess. This year I lined my floor with old towels, then when I had finished all I had to do was throw the towels in the washing machine. It worked great.
It’s always fun to connect with other dairy farmers. Not everyone understands us and exactly what goes into this lifestyle. Glad you found my page and hope you’ll visit again soon!
JayJay says
I have an old king size sheet on floor now waiting for second cutting. I clean and cook/heat 24 ears at a time.
These young could learn from us old women, huh!!
Husband grabbed some corn, took to back porch and of course I had to sweep/clean that mess.
Easier inside with sheet on floor.
I also use $1 laundry baskets for shucks and silked corn.
Karen says
The best reciepe I.ever found so delicious and easy to do.
Amy Engberson says
Easy recipes are the best! I’m glad you love this recipe too!
Sherry says
I have been freezing corn like crazy, thank you for the great recipe. . So easy
Amy Engberson says
Yay! It’s always nice to have corn in the freezer and ready to pull out later on! Happy harvesting!
Bonnie says
About how many cobs of corn makes 15 cups??
Amy Engberson says
One ear of corn is typically about 3/4 a cup. For this recipe you’ll need about 11-12 ears of corn. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Georgia says
I don’t understand people. You choose to go on websites to research recipes that you can use. All the people that get on here and critique your recipes make me crazy!! Take it or leave it. That’s you choice, but don’t criticize the person that is offering you their recipe and help from their experience.
Thanks for all your research and testing to offer it to others!!
Happy cooking!!!!!
Amy Engberson says
Thank you, Georgia! I learn so much when people share their tips and suggestions for a recipe with me. You are right though, not all people will be pleased by the same recipe. It would be nice if they would politely make a suggestion and move on to a recipe that’s more appealing to them. Thanks for stopping by!
JayJay says
I just finished a few dozen and my corn was average, not those huge GMO ears. I buy from Amish.
I got 12 cups exactly from each dozen. Remember, this is just an idea so you’ll know how many containers to have ready.
I use (quart) square plastics…stackables, not filled of course since I only need 3 cups for a dinner.
Nancy L Kent says
Thank you for this recipe for freezing corn! I did a batch today & it turned out great! Can you believe I am 70 as of yesterday & this is my first time to freeze corn! My parents raised a ton of corn when I was a kid & we ate delicious frozen corn all winter! I just help husking!
Amy Engberson says
Yay! I’m so happy you are freezing corn! It will be so fun to pull it out of the freezer all winter long! You need some kids to come do the husking for you…that’s my kids job!