Crispy Fluffy Hush Puppies Recipe

There are plenty of crispy appetizers out there, but what about ones that are both crispy and fluffy? With recipe developer Miriam Hahn's hush puppies recipe, you can enjoy a crispy-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside bite, which is guaranteed to please any crowd. "When you are looking for a crispy appetizer to serve with dip, this one is a classic and very easy to make," Hahn shares. 

So, what might be a good occasion to whip up this crispy little treat? "Hush puppies are a fun appetizer to serve for a fun game-day spread or they are great for a child's birthday party or play date," Hahn suggests. "They come together quickly and the ingredients are mostly pantry and fridge staples." And, while this recipe does call for frying the hush puppies — that's how they earn the crispy title — Hahn does note that you could also air fry them, cutting back on the oil but maintaining that irresistible texture. 

To make these crispy fluffy delights, you'll need milk, apple cider vinegar, cornmeal, baking powder, garlic granules, salt, a beaten egg, melted butter, chopped red onion, some diced jalapeño, vegetable oil for frying, and some fresh dill for garnish if desired.

Now, if you've ever made hush puppies before, you may be wondering — where's the buttermilk? "The special method is making your own buttermilk by adding vinegar to regular or dairy-free milk," Hahn explains. "I always hate buying a carton of buttermilk when you just need a small amount for a recipe so this vinegar trick is super helpful." It doesn't matter what kind of milk you use here, as both dairy and dairy-free options will do the trick.

First things first, you'll want to make that buttermilk — to do so, simply combine the milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set it aside. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, garlic granules, and salt. 

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine the beaten egg, melted butter, diced onion, and diced jalapeño, then add in the buttermilk mixture from earlier. Finally, stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until everything is evenly distributed.

With your hush puppy batter thoroughly mixed, go ahead and roll it up into 12 even-sized, round balls. Then, place a large skillet over high heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Once it's hot, carefully drop in the hush puppies, allowing them to cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. You'll know they're done, of course, once they have that perfectly crispy, golden brown exterior. 

Once all of the hush puppies are done frying, use tongs to carefully remove them from the oil, and lay them out on a paper towel to drain the excess. 

Once the hush puppies have had a chance to release some of the extra oil, you're ready to serve them up. Optionally, sprinkle some fresh dill on top, then serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. 

"You can use a variety of dips alongside these hush puppies but a few of my favorites are ranch, blue cheese, garlic aioli, and Thousand Island," Hahn suggests. After all, no appetizer is complete without a creamy dipping sauce!