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Mexican Corn Dip

Mexican corn dip (elote dip) with charred corn and a creamy, cheesy base—bubbly at the edges like street corn. Topped with cotija, chili powder, and a squeeze of lime for a bold chip dip recipe.
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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: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn and flavor base
  • 3 cup corn kernels
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp jalapeño finely diced
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 cup cotija cheese crumbled, divided
Creamy dip base
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled, divided
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder for dusting/garnish
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika for flavor

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the corn kernels and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred on one side (look for dark brown patches).
  2. Stir the corn and continue cooking for 2 more minutes over medium-high heat, until the kernels are evenly warmed and lightly blistered.
Melt the cheese and build the dip
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the softened cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated (the mixture should look smooth and thick).
  2. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, half of the cotija cheese, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, jalapeño, and lime juice, then stir until everything is creamy and heated through.
Season and serve
  1. Taste the dip and season with salt to taste, then transfer to a serving bowl or keep warm in the skillet for serving.
  2. Top with the remaining cotija cheese, dust with chili powder, and add fresh cilantro, then serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Notes

For best char, let the corn sit undisturbed for the full 3–4 minutes before stirring. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; rewarm gently on low in a skillet or microwave until hot (it will thicken as it cools). Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the dairy. For a lighter version, use light mayonnaise or Greek yogurt in place of some sour cream/mayo while keeping the cream cheese for structure.