Corn Oysters Are the Retro Summer Dish You Need to Make

There are no actual oysters involved!

By
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus is a food writer and editor, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in New England. Her work appears in print and online for America's Test Kitchen, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, King Arthur Baking Company, and cookbooks for Ten Speed Press, in addition to her work for Simply Recipes.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
and
Nicole Hopper
Nicole Hopper
Nicole Hopper

Nicole Hopper is a recipe tester and developer based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published May 27, 2025
Corn fritters arranged on a blue plate

Simply Recipes / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The fresh, plump sweet corn of high summer is bursting with flavor, so it’s no surprise that American cooks have been finding creative uses for it for centuries. One such beloved historical recipe is “corn oysters,” which are small, bite-sized fried corn fritters or corn pancakes. Corn oysters don’t contain seafood of any kind, but instead are named for their oyster-like shape.

This recipe is a more modern interpretation, with added seasonings for more flavor, a thicker batter for a heftier and taller fritter, and some baking powder added for extra lift and lightness. Think of these corn oysters as corn held together with a little batter, not batter with a little corn sprinkled in.

The resulting fritters are well-seasoned, browned at the edges, and tender and moist on the inside. The corn kernels burst with sweetness as you bite into them, making it hard to eat just a couple!

Crispy corn fritters laid out on a surface

Simply Recipes / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Tips and Tricks for Making Corn Oysters

  • Don’t be tempted to make this recipe with frozen or canned corn. We gave it a try, and the results were very bland. Peak season summer corn is a must here!
  • A 2-teaspoon cookie scoop is the perfect size for portioning the batter quickly and neatly into the oil. But if you don’t have one, you can use 2 small dessert spoons instead.
  • For a little kick, add some minced jalapeños or serranos to the batter.
  • You can serve these corn oysters plain, with a dipping sauce, or use them as the base for a little hors d'oeuvre. Try topping them with crème fraîche or sour cream and some minced chives or another topping of your choice!

More Summer Sweet Corn Recipes

Corn fritters arranged on a flat surface and sprinkled with salt, consisting of fried mixtures with visible kernels

Simply Recipes / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Corn Oysters

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 8 to 9 servings
Yield 36 fritters

The flavor that fresh sweet corn offers in this recipe is essential. We don’t recommend substituting frozen or canned corn, as we found the fritters made with them to be bland and flavorless.

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Ingredients

  • 4 medium ears fresh sweet corn

  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/4 cup neutral oil, plus more as needed

  • Flaky salt, for serving, optional

Method

  1. Prep the corn:

    Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer the kernels to a large bowl. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups corn kernels.) Working over the bowl, run the back of your knife along the cobs to release any remaining corn pulp and milk.

  2. Make the fritter batter:

    Stir in the scallions, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until a thick, cohesive batter forms.

  3. Fry the corn oysters:

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, use a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop or two small spoons to drop the batter into small mounds in the oil (you should be able to fit about 12 fritters in a 12-inch skillet). Cook, flipping occasionally, until the fritters are browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes total.

    Transfer the corn oysters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat frying with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed if it becomes dry.

  4. Serve:

    Transfer the corn oysters to a platter, sprinkle them with flaky salt, and serve.

    Corn oysters are best eaten fresh (within 1 hour of cooking) for maximum crispiness, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or in an air fryer to re-crisp as best as possible.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
140 Calories
5g Fat
21g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 9
Amount per serving
Calories 140
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 307mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 4mg 19%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 155mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.