Golden Crispy Cornmeal Dough Balls (Printable)

Golden crispy cornmeal dough balls with tender savory interior—classic Southern side ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal, medium grind
02 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1½ tsp baking powder
04 - ½ tsp baking soda
05 - 1 tsp sugar
06 - 1 tsp salt
07 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
08 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - ¾ cup buttermilk
10 - 1 large egg

→ Aromatics

11 - ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
12 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

→ For Frying

13 - Vegetable oil for deep-frying (6-8 cups)

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl until fully blended and smooth.
03 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture. Stir gently with a spatula just until combined—do not overmix or hushpuppies will become tough.
04 - Fold in diced onion and chives. Let batter rest for 5 minutes to hydrate cornmeal.
05 - Pour vegetable oil into deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying.
06 - Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter into hot oil using two spoons or small scoop. Fry in batches without overcrowding.
07 - Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and crispy on all sides.
08 - Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The contrast between that shattering crispy crust and the steamy soft interior hits different every single time
  • They come together in about thirty minutes flat, but everyone assumes youve been working on them all afternoon
02 -
  • Batter consistency matters—too thick and theyll be raw inside, too thin and theyll spread into weird jagged shapes
  • Letting that oil come back to temperature between batches is the difference between light puppies and grease-soaked disappointments
03 -
  • Use a small cookie scoop for uniform size so everything cooks at the same rate
  • Keep finished hushpuppies warm in a 200°F oven while you finish frying the remaining batter
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