This homemade corn tamales recipe is so delicious! They are sweet tamales that taste just like warm, lightly sweetened cornbread. These tamales are made with fresh sweet corn, masa quebrada, cinnamon, and vanilla. A light drizzle of crema and a bit of queso fresco makes them perfect.
A sunny burst of sweet corn is just the thing to add a pop of unexpected flavor to the holiday tamales selection. Among the deep rich flavors of slowly cooked meat and chile, like my banana leaf-wrapped tamales, apple braised beef tamales, tahini potato and kale tamales, and chicken and pumpkin tamales, this corn tamales recipe is just the little hint of sweet we need.
When eaten warm, the tamales are like soft bites of fluffy corn cake, with each bite melting in your mouth. These dessert tamales are not too sweet, but just sweet enough (I personally think they are great for breakfast). They’re the perfect holiday tamal to make, share, and gift this holiday season!
Loads of Sweet Corn Flavor
These sweet corn tamales are flavored with fresh sweet corn all the way through. The masa is mostly pureed corn with just a bit of fresh masa quebrada to bind everything together. Fresh corn kernels are the secret to that flavor.
Traditionally fresh corn husks are used to wrap the tamales but during the holidays it can be hard to find sweet corn in the fresh husk so we are using dried corn husks for this recipe. If the grocery stores in your area have corn in the husk, use the fresh corn husks instead.
You can also substitute frozen corn kernels if you can’t find fresh sweet corn. Just make sure to thaw it first.
In Mexico, no masa is used to make corn tamales but in the United States the sweet corn we have is less starchy so we need a bit of masa to hold everything together.
Ingredients
- Dried corn husks
- Fresh ears of corn or frozen corn
- Masa quebrada or 1 3/4 cup masa harina mixed with 1 1/2 cups hot water
- Ground cinnamon
- Coconut oil or butter. If you use coconut oil, this is a vegan tamales recipe.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Mexican crema, room temperature
- Queso fresco, room temperature
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Soak the corn husks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the dried corn husks, pushing them down to submerge them in water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes.
step two
Puree the corn. Remove the corn from the cob by slicing the kernels off the sides of the corn cobs with a sharp knife into a large bowl. Add the corn to the bowl of a food processor in two batches and pulse in ten 1-second pulses. You want it to be roughly pureed with a little bit of whole kernels here and there.
*CHEF’S TIP: Place the corn cob in the hole of a bundt pan and slice down the cob letting the kernels fall into the bundt pan.
step three
Make the masa dough. Beat the coconut oil in an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on high. Add sugar and beat another 2 minutes or until it is dissolved in the coconut oil. Add the masa, little by little until all has been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
step four
Add corn. Mix in the corn and any juices in the bowl. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and beat a minute more.
step five
Prep the steamer pot. The water in the steamer needs to have boiling water in it before you put the tamales in there.
Fill the bottom half of the steamer pot with several cups water. Place the steamer basket inside the pot and line the bottom of the steamer with the smallest husks that are too small or torn for filling.
Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so it’s just simmering.
step six
Assemble the tamales. Now we can finally put everything all together! The method for these dessert tamales is very similar to my other sweet tamales recipes like my sweet lime tamales and my chocolate tamales.
Take one corn husk that is about as wide as your hand on the bottom, dry both sides with a kitchen towel.
Spoon about 1/2 cup of dough in the middle of the wide end of the corn husk. Fold one of the long sides of the corn husk over the filling and pull as tight as you can without the filling spilling out the open end. Roll up.
Fold the triangle tip over the wide bottom. Tie with thin strips of corn husks if you’d like. Set up-right in a baking dish with high sides to prevent the filling from spilling out the top. Repeat with remaining masa and filling.
step seven
Cook the tamales. Place tamales on the steamer insert, vertically, with the top of the tamales pointing up. Lean the tamales against the side of the pot to keep from falling until you have enough in the pot that they support each other.
This recipe doesn’t make a ton of tamales so use a large ball of aluminum foil or a few of the leftover corn husks to fill up the middle of the steamer.
Place over medium heat so there’s lots of steam. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and then the lid.
Steam until masa mixture is cooked through, about an hour. Check occasionally to add more warm water from the kitchen sink to the steamer if needed.
step eight
Check to see if they are ready.To see if the tamales are ready, remove one from the pot and let cool for a few minutes. Unwrap. If the masa sticks to the husk it is not ready yet. Return to the pot and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
Once they are ready, remove to a tray, cover with a towel and let cool 30 minutes before serving.
step nine
Serve. Drizzle warm tamales with a little crema and crumbled queso fresco then sprinkle with a little cinnamon and serve. I also like to get fancy and drizzle the tamales with a bit of salted caramel sauce and broiled corn.
To broil the corn, just heat the broiler to high and place 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels under the broiler until lightly charred, about a minute or two.
For A Savory Version
Omit the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and add 1/2 cup diced green chiles and 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese to make savory tamales.
Top 5 Most Popular Tamales Recipes
- Black Bean and Cheese Tamales with Green Chiles
- Strawberry Tamales with Horchata Sauce
- Red Mole Pork Tamales
- Pork Tamales with Salsa Verde
- Chili Verde Chicken Tamales
The First Time You Try These You Will Fall In Love
There are so many different types of tamales and I think you will love this sweet corn version. Let me know when you make them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Sweet Corn Tamales
This homemade corn tamales recipe is so delicious! They are sweet tamales that taste just like warm, lightly sweetened cornbread. These tamales are made with fresh sweet corn, masa quebrada, cinnamon, and vanilla. A light drizzle of crema and a bit of queso fresco makes them perfect.
Ingredients
- 30 dried corn husks
- 8 cups of corn kernels from 8-12 ears of corn depending on the size or frozen, thawed
- 1 cup extra virgin coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups fresh masa quebrada or masa harina (see note)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving
- 1 cup Mexican crema, room temperature
- 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, room temperature
- 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce
- 1 cup broiled corn kernels
Instructions
- Soak the corn husks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the dried corn husks, pushing them down to submerge them in water. Let soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the kernels. Remove the corn from the cob by slicing the kernels off the sides of the corn cobs with a sharp knife into a large bowl. If you have a bundt pan you can stick the cob into the whole in the center of the pan and slice down letting the kernels fall into the pan. You can also use frozen corn, just make sure it is thawed first.
- Puree the corn. Add the corn to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment in two batches. Blend for 1 minute. You want the corn to be roughly pureed.
- Make the masa dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on high. Add sugar and beat another 2 minutes or until it is dissolved into the coconut oil. Add the masa, little by little until all has been added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add corn. Mix in the corn, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and beat a minute more.
- Prep the steamer pot. Fill the bottom half of the steamer pot with water. Place the steamer insert inside the pot and line the bottom of the steamer with the smallest husks that are too small or torn for filling. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so it’s just simmering.
- Assemble the tamales. Now we can finally put everything all together! Take one corn husk that is about as wide as your hand on the bottom, dry both sides with a kitchen towel. Spoon about 1/2 cup of dough in the middle of the wide end of the corn husk. Fold one of the long sides of the corn husk over the filling and pull as tight as you can without the filling spilling out the open end. Roll up. Watch video for an example. Fold the triangle tip over the wide bottom. Tie with thin strips of corn husks if you’d like. Set up-right in a baking dish with high sides to prevent the filling from spilling out the top. Repeat with remaining masa and filling.
- Cook the tamales. Place tamales on the steamer insert, vertically, with the top of the tamales pointing up. Lean the tamales against the side of the pot to keep from falling until you have enough in the pot that they support each other. This recipe doesn’t make a ton of tamales so use a large ball of aluminum foil or a few of the leftover corn husks to fill up the middle of the steamer. Place over medium heat so there’s lots of steam. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and then the lid. Steam until masa mixture is cooked through, about an hour. Check occasionally to add more warm water from the kitchen sink to the steamer if needed.
- Check to see if they are ready. To see if the tamales are ready, remove one from the pot and let cool for a few minutes. Unwrap. If the masa sticks to the husk it is not ready yet. Return to the pot and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
- Cool. Once they are ready, remove to a tray, cover with a towel and let cool 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve. Drizzle warm tamales with a little crema and crumbled queso fresco then sprinkle with a little cinnamon and serve. If you want to be super indulgent you can also drizzle with salted caramel sauce and a sprinkling of broiled corn kernels.
Notes
- Sweet Corn: If corn is not in season, use frozen corn. You will need about 2 1/2 pounds or 3 (1-pound) bags. Thaw the corn then continue with the recipe as written.
- Masa quebrada: Fresh masa or masa quebrada can be found at your local Latin grocery store. If you can't find it, substitute masa harina. Use 1 3/4 cups masa harina mixed with 1 1/2 cups hot water.
- Corn husks: Use larger corn husks and roll them tightly so the tamales don't open while steaming.
- Filling: Place the filling more in the middle of the corn husk so it doesn't spill out of the top of the tamales.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 739Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 156mgCarbohydrates: 141gFiber: 16gSugar: 28gProtein: 22g
In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!
leave a reply