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Mexican Corn Dip

Mexican corn dip (elote dip) with charred skillet corn and a creamy, tangy base—bubbly at the edges like street corn. Topped with crumbled cotija, chili powder, and fresh lime for a quick, easy party chip dip.
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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: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

corn kernels
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen (thawed)
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
cream cheese
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
cotija cheese
  • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled, divided
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder plus more for dusting and garnish
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
jalapeño
  • 2 tbsp jalapeño finely diced
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro for garnish
tortilla chips
  • 1 serving tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add corn kernels, cooking undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred on one side, then stir and cook 2 more minutes.
  2. Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated.
Make it creamy and season
  1. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, half the cotija, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, jalapeño, and lime juice and stir until everything is creamy and heated through.
  2. Taste and season with salt, then transfer to a serving bowl or serve directly from the skillet.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with remaining cotija, a dusting of chili powder, and fresh cilantro, then serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Notes

For the best char, keep the corn largely undisturbed during the first 3–4 minutes, and thaw frozen corn completely so moisture doesn’t steam the skillet. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave and stir to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended due to texture changes in the dairy. If you want a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and reduced-fat cream cheese while keeping the same seasonings.