Fresh corn, fresh thyme and a little maple syrup team up to make this fresh corn johnny cakes recipe something special for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
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Why this recipe works
I am always up for pancakes for dinner (or breakfast, or lunch) and I am always up for anything involving fresh corn. In fresh corn season I use it in everything from corn in pasta to corn in omelets to plain old corn on the cob.
But one of my favorite ways to use corn is in good old-fashioned Johnny Cakes, which are made with corn puree and cornmeal and topped with fresh corn and did I mention that I love corn?
Johnny Cakes are more robust than regular pancakes, what with the cornmeal and the corn puree in addition to flour and buttermilk and a few other things.
I top them with some fresh thyme, a few fresh corn kernels and for a sweet sensation, a little drizzle of maple syrup.
You want to keep the syrup really just to a drizzle so the maple flavor doesn’t overwhelm the corn.
All of this wonderfulness comes together pretty quickly, and is a fun and different way to luxuriate in fresh corn. Maybe with some cornmeal-dusted bacon and some soft fried eggs on the side? Yummmm.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Corn: This Johnny Cakes recipe is at its very best with fresh corn, but you can also use defrosted frozen corn if you are making this outside of fresh corn season.
- Buttermilk: This thick fermented milk is in the dairy case, usually near the cream.
- Thyme: You can swap out any herb you like for the thyme – oregano, basil and even mint would all be great.
- Cornmeal: We use finely ground cornmeal for this recipe, but you can use a coarser cornmeal if you want an even more rustic texture. Cornmeal is usually in either the baking or the breakfast aisles of your supermarket.
- Maple Syrup: This is optional, but I love love love the hint of sweetness this lends to these cakes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Put 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels, some butter and buttermilk in a food processor and puree until it is smooth.
STEP 2: Pour the corn mixture into a bowl and stir in some thyme and 1 more cup of the corn kernels (you should have about 1/2 cup of the corn kernels left over for the garnish, give or take).
STEP 3: Mix up some flour, cornmeal, baking soda and baking powder together.
STEP 4: Add the pureed mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. It’s going to be thick – that’s the way it should be!
STEP 5: Heat an electric griddle to medium high, or put a large skillet over medium high heat with a little butter in it. I like to use a griddle because it makes the cakes easier to flip! Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each cake. It’s a thick batter, so you can quickly smush it down a little into a pancake shape. Cook the cakes for about 2 minutes, carefully flip them and cook them for 2 minutes more.
STEP 6: Arrange them in a stack and top them with a drizzle of maple syrup, a scattering of corn kernels, a little fresh thyme and a grinding of fresh pepper. Serve ’em while they are hot!
Recipe FAQs
Spread a dishtowel out on your counter (this is to catch the runaway kernels that like to bounce away), put a shallow bowl on the cloth and firmly hold the top of the ear of corn in one hand in the center of the bowl – it doesn’t matter which end. Use a paring knife in a zig-zag motion to cut the kernels off in strips until you have gotten all the kernels off.
Buttermilk is milk that has been fermented (similar to yogurt) so it is thick and a bit sour tasting. Because it is fermented it works to tenderize everything from pancakes to biscuits to chicken…we even use buttermilk for tenderizing steak! It doesn’t add any taste, but it does make things soft and tender in miraculous ways.
Pancakes are lighter and use flour and sugar as their dry ingredients. Johnny Cakes use cornmeal with the flour, so their texture is heartier and more rustic. They also don’t use sugar, so the taste is more savory (and packed with corn flavor!).
I usually estimate two to three, since these are more substantial than regular pancakes.
Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!
Equipment we used for this recipe
These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!
- Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
- Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowls: These classic sturdy bowls come in all different sizes and are great for everything from mixing ingredients to being casual serving bowls.
- Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
- Fish Spatula: It’s not just for fish (although we love it for Julia Child’s Filet of Sole)…it’s thin enough to scoot under anything you want to flip…including Johnny Cakes!
- Griddle: Perfect for making everything from these Johnny Cakes to these cinnamon oat pancakes.
- Food Processor: This all-star kitchen appliance is one of the very few that gets to live on our countertop 24/7.
What to serve with this recipe
We love some brown sugar bacon on the side of these Johnny Cakes, along with some Perfect Fried Eggs. This Farmer’s Omelet also makes a delicious combo, and for a sweet ending we love these super easy banana muffins!
Other pancake recipes we love!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe.
Corn Johnny Cakes
Fresh corn, fresh thyme and a little maple syrup team up to make this fresh corn Johnny Cakes recipe something special for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 6 Johnny Cakes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- Kernels cut from 3 ears of corn (about 3 cups of corn)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, plus a little more for garnish
- 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup fine ground cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Fresh ground pepper
- Maple syrup for topping
Instructions
- Put 1 1/2 cups of the corn kernels, the butter and the buttermilk into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the thyme and 1 more cup of the corn kernels (you should have about 1/2 cup of the corn kernels left over for the garnish, give or take).
- Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and baking powder together. Add the pureed mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Heat an electric griddle to medium high, or put a large skillet over medium high heat with a little butter in it. I like to use a griddle because it makes the cakes easier to flip!
- Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each cake. It’s a thick batter, so you can quickly mush it down a little into a pancake shape.
- Cook the cakes for about 2 minutes, carefully flip them and cook them for 2 minutes more.
- Arrange them in a stack and top them with a modest amount of maple syrup, a scattering of corn kernels, a little fresh thyme and a grinding of fresh pepper. Serve ’em while they are hot!
Notes
-
- Corn: This Johnny Cakes recipe is at its very best with fresh corn, but you can also use defrosted frozen corn if you are making this outside of fresh corn season.
-
- Buttermilk: This thick fermented milk is in the dairy case, usually near the cream.
-
- Thyme: You can swap out any herb you like for the thyme – oregano, basil and even mint would all be great.
-
- Cornmeal: We use finely ground cornmeal for this recipe, but you can use a coarser cornmeal if you want an even more rustic texture. Cornmeal is usually in either the baking or the breakfast aisles of your supermarket.
-
- Maple Syrup: This is optional, but I love love love the hint of sweetness this lends to these cakes.
Katie says
These are delicious! The perfect summer breakfast for dinner ๐
Isn’t breakfast for dinner the BEST? :)
Mary Emanuelson says
A little more butter would not be amiss on those delightful little cakes, just before drizzling the maple syrup. (As my father always said “There’s no such thing as too much butter”, although I don’t entirely agree on that point!)
Hi Mary, and you are so right! Bring on the butter! :)
Nancy Worsham says
Have you ever tried this with frozen corn?
I haven’t, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work – make sure the corn is thawed, of course, and it should be fine!
Marilyn says
These look wonderful! I have an old children’s story picture book, “Journey Cake, Ho” and am thinking the next time our grandsons visit, I will make these to go along with the story.
Do you cook the corn on the cob first?
Hi Marilyn! No, you don’t have to cook the corn first – the sweet corn kernels will be just perfect right off the cob. And I love your plan for the book and supper for your grandsons!
Diane Kloberdanz says
Can these be reheated? I am thinking maybe in the oven as opposed to a microwave.
I’ve never tried reheating them (they disappear almost instantaneously in my house!) but I don’t see why not. I agree the oven instead of the microwave, as that would also help to crisp them up again.