Homemade Hush Puppies Recipe – the lightest and fluffiest hushpuppies ever. So easy to make, delicious, crispy and great for game day, snacks, or even a side dish with dinner.
When I was a kid, my dad loved going out for fish and chips whenever we traveled. Often times when we went on a road trip, we would stop at Long John Silvers for lunch. The best part of it to me, was the hush puppies. Seriously, I could have created a meal of just those. And so good when dipped in Red Lobster Tarter Sauce.
Even as an adult, they are a huge weakness. I almost never get to have them, most restaurants don’t have them on the menu. And the idea of making them at home seemed like they would be a lot of work. But after testing out a few batches, it is so darn easy!

What Are Hush Puppies?
A hush puppy is a small deep-fried ball of goodness that is a cornmeal base. They are often served with fried fish or other deep fried foods. Hush puppies are traditionally served in the south, so this Mid-Western raised girl didn’t grow up with them around all the time. They were definitely more of a special treat.
What Are Hush Puppies Made Of
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to get the measurements and full instructions!
- Cornbread Mix
- Onion
- Buttermilk
- Egg
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt & Pepper
You can make a hush puppies recipe with a box of cornbread mix, or there are plenty of from scratch recipes out there. But the Jiffy corn mix is just so easy, and the perfect amount. So I will take the short cut when I can. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love my Best Cornbread Recipe, and will make that with dinner any night of the week. But for this, the shortcut makes sense.
If you have an extra box of Jiffy corn mix, check out this Sloppy Joe Cornbread Bake for a hearty and delicious dinner.

How To Make Hush Puppies From Scratch
- To make the batter you just mix all of the ingredients together until it is well blended.
- It is best to let the batter rest and sit in the fridge before you use it. Anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 hours, just depends on your timing when you want to fry them.
- Fill a large stock pot or deep fryer with about 2-3 inches of oil. And heat oil to 350-375 degrees.
- I like to use a small cookie scoop or a small spoon, drop balls of dough into the hot oil. If you submerge the spoon in the oil, it helps to release cleanly from the spoon.
- Cook for for 2-3 minutes, turning over to make sure they are completely golden brown.
- Remove and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Serve immediately.

Hush Puppies Variations
The fun thing about this recipe is you can mix up the batter a little and get different flavors!
- Add a can of diced green chilies
- Mix in corn
- Add taco seasoning
- Mix in crab meat
What Dip for Hush Puppies
They are often served with seafood, so tarter sauce is a common one, but here are a few other tasty ideas.

More Delicious Appetizer Recipes
Homemade Hush Puppies

Homemade Hush Puppies Recipe - the lightest and fluffiest hushpuppies ever. So easy to make, delicious, crispy and great for game day, snacks, or even a side dish with dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
- 1/2 cup onion, grated
- 5 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together until just combined.
- Set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, for up to 5 hours.
- Fill a large stock pot or deep fryer with about 2-3 inches of oil. Heat oil to 350-375 degrees.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a small spoon, drop balls of dough into the hot oil. If you submerge the spoon in the oil, it helps to release cleanly from the spoon.
- Cook for for 2-3 minutes, turning over to make sure they are completely golden brown.
- Remove and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 381Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 45mgSodium 923mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 2gSugar 13gProtein 16g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.
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Gg
Wednesday 28th of June 2023
The absolute best compliment to these IMHO is jelly. In Florida that's what your served with them. Preferably a tropical jelly like Mango or anything similar. Divine.
Veronica
Wednesday 4th of January 2023
I never buy buttermilk, could regular milk be used instead?
Gg
Wednesday 28th of June 2023
@Erin S, or 1 tbls lemon juice instead of vinegar
Erin S
Wednesday 4th of January 2023
You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Elle
Tuesday 1st of November 2022
You just throw the breadcrumbs in the mix? Not rill the hushpuppies in the breadcrumbs before frying?
Erin S
Tuesday 1st of November 2022
Yes, the breadcrumbs just make the inside not mushy as they cook, gives them just a tiny bit of texture, but not crunchy.
Melody
Saturday 29th of October 2022
Can you you plain cornmeal instead of the box mix?
Erin S
Sunday 30th of October 2022
It might work, I haven't tried it. The box mix has flour, sugar and a rising agent in there. So you they may not be as fluffy if you didn't use it. There are lots of homemade Jiffy Mix recipes out there that are just a couple ingredients, that would definitely work!
Jack
Monday 15th of March 2021
Hands down the best most accurate clone of Arthur Treacher's or Long John's hush puppies out there....not even close. I found this recipe a year ago then through series a of tweaks and bastardizations ruined the recipe! because I had changed browsers I lost the bookmark to the source!! Finally through multiple searches found it again!!
Saved in multiple locations now ;-)