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Street Corn Dip (Elote Dip)

Street corn dip (elote dip) with charred corn kernels folded into a smoky, creamy skillet sauce. Topped with cotija and a Tajín dust for that classic Mexican street corn dip vibe—warm and scoopable with chips.
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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
  

Street corn dip
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.3333333333 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.3333333333 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled, plus more for topping
  • 1 tsp Tajín or chili lime seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño chopped
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 lime wedges for garnish
  • 1 Tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char and melt
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, add the corn, and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred. You should see browned, blistered spots on the kernels before stirring.
  2. Stir the corn and cook for 2 more minutes. Keep the heat high so the kernels continue to caramelize at the edges.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cream cheese, then stir until fully melted into the corn. The mixture should look creamy and cohesive with no visible lumps.
Build the creamy elote dip
  1. Stir in the mayonnaise, Mexican crema or sour cream, cotija, Tajín, garlic powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and pickled jalapeño until everything is combined. Cook just until heated through and bubbling at the edges.
  2. Taste and adjust salt, then transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Aim for balanced salt and tang before topping.
  3. Top with extra cotija, a dusting of Tajín, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge, then serve warm with tortilla chips. Finish right before serving so the surface stays inviting and creamy.

Notes

Pro tip: thaw frozen corn in a colander and pat off excess moisture so you get real char instead of steaming. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing: no, the crema-based texture can break when thawed. If you want a lighter dip, use low-fat cream cheese and Mexican crema made with reduced-fat sour cream.