Elote Fritters

There are always some great cookbook releases around the holidays and it happens to be one of my favorite things about the end of the year. I always try and support fellow food authors by getting as many new cookbooks as possible during this time. I’m baking getting around to sharing some of my favorites from this past season. A couple weeks ago I shared an amazing orzo recipe from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen Keepers. This week, I’m sharing these Elote Fritters from one of my new favorite books, Savory Baking by Erin Jeanne McDowell. I love everything Erin does (her past two cookbooks are in constant rotation in my house) and this one is right up my alley because I happen to love a savory baked good 10000 times more than a sweet bake. I have so may recipes ear-marked that I might as well saved every single thing in the book. These fritters remind me of my childhood elote treats from the park. They’re a dream come true.

Make the corn fritters: In a medium bowl, toss together the corn, scallions, and cilantro until well combined.

**Note: You want about 3 cups of kernels and so that’s about 4 ears of fresh corn, but you can also substitute this for frozen thawed corn instead!**

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper to combine. Add the eggs and half-and-half or milk and whisk until well combined. 

Fold in the corn mixture and Cotija.

**Tip: If you can’t find cotija, which is the classic elote cheese to use, you can also use crumbled queso fresco or crumbled feta in a pinch!**

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, working in batches, scoop 80g/heaping-1/4-cup mounds of batter into the skillet, without crowding.

Use a spatula to gently flatten the fritters and panfry until evenly golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the fritters to a wire rack and continue cooking the rest.

To serve, in a small bow, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and chili powder together.

**Tip: This can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to use. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.**

Spoon a thin layer of this mixture over each fritter and sprinkle with Cotija and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges. The fritters can be made ahead of time and rewarmed on the day you plan on serving them.

These are honestly some of the best fritters I’ve ever eaten. They taste just like elote, which I grew up eating a lot of. This is a fun twist on a classic, and I think they’re definitely a keeper. Be sure to check out Savory Baking by Erin Jeanne McDowell. All of her recipes are amazing! Let me know what you think below, and as always, thank you so much for reading and following along.