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Mexican Corn Dip

Mexican corn dip (elote dip) made in a skillet with charred corn and a creamy, tangy base of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Finished with cotija, chili powder, and fresh lime for a street-corn-style chip dip that’s ready fast.
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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: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn dip base
  • 3 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen (thawed).
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cotija cheese Crumbled; divided.
  • 1 tsp chili powder Divided; plus extra for garnish.
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp jalapeño Finely diced.
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro For garnish.
  • 0.25 tortilla chips For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add corn kernels, then cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred on one side, keeping the skillet hot and the corn mostly undisturbed.
  2. Stir the corn and cook for 2 more minutes, until the kernels are lightly browned and steaming.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated, scraping the bottom so no lumps remain.
  2. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, half the cotija, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, jalapeño, and lime juice, then stir until everything is creamy and heated through.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste and season with salt, then transfer to a serving bowl or serve directly from the skillet while warm.
  2. Top with remaining cotija, a dusting of chili powder, and fresh cilantro, then serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Notes

Pro tip: charred flavor comes from undisturbed cooking—don’t stir until the first 3–4 minutes are up. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of sour cream if it thickens. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and reduced-fat cream cheese (the dip will still be creamy, but slightly less rich).