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Mexican Corn Dip (Elote Dip / Street Corn Dip)

Mexican corn dip with skillet-charred kernels folded into a creamy, tangy base for a bubbling, spoonable texture. Finished with crumbled cotija, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime for that street-corn style elote dip.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 3 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thawed)
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
cotija cheese, crumbled, divided
  • 1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled, divided
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder divided for stirring and topping
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
jalapeño, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp jalapeño, finely diced
salt to taste
  • 1 salt to taste
fresh cilantro and extra chili powder for garnish
  • 1 fresh cilantro and extra chili powder for garnish
tortilla chips for serving
  • 1 tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the corn kernels and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until you see charred spots on one side. The corn should look darker where it touches the pan.
  2. Stir the corn and cook for 2 more minutes until the kernels are hot and slightly blistered. You should see a mix of browned edges and bright yellow kernels.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce heat to medium, then stir in the cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated. The mixture should look smooth with no visible lumps.
  2. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, half the cotija, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, jalapeño, and lime juice, then stir until creamy and heated through for 1–2 minutes. The dip should bubble lightly at the edges.
  3. Taste and season with salt to taste, then transfer to a serving bowl or serve directly from the skillet. The texture should be thick, scoopable, and evenly seasoned.
Garnish and serve
  1. Top with the remaining cotija, dust with extra chili powder, and add fresh cilantro. The topping should look fresh and speckled on top.
  2. Serve immediately with tortilla chips for serving. The chips should be ready for dunking right away while the dip is warm.

Notes

Pro tip: use thawed frozen corn and avoid overcrowding the pan so you get real char. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a covered container; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring until smooth. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy base can grain after thawing. For a lighter option, replace mayonnaise with an equal amount of Greek yogurt.