A fritter is a deep-fried dough that can be made from different types of flour. It can also be made from any kind of food by coating it in batter and deep frying. 

In Corn fritters, fresh corn kernels are mixed into a batter and fried until they are golden and crispy.  

A hush puppy is a similar preparation that is made from a batter of cornmeal.  

Sometimes hush puppies are referred to as corn fritters which is not wrong but can also be quite confusing.

So how do you distinguish between hush puppies and corn fritters? One of the ways you can tell them apart is that corn fritters usually contain whole corn kernels which are mixed into the batter and fried.

In this post, we learn more about these two preparations as well as the differences between them.

What are corn fritters? 

Corn fritters are also known as corn nuggets  

They are a dish of fried dough that is also made with corn kernels  

Corn fritter has Native American origin and is eaten as a snack in the American south 

These fritters can be sweet or savory 

They consist of a batter or dough made from all-purpose wheat flour, egg, milk and butter. The batter may also feature different spices, green onion, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cheese 

Whole corn kernels are also mixed into the batter which is fried until crisp and golden 

Fresh corn kernels can be used to make corn fritters, they can also be made from frozen or canned corn. 

Corn fritters are easy to make, the batter is dropped into a hot skillet to fry on both sides. These fritters can also be baked 

Corn fritters can be eaten as appetizers or as a side dish. 

Different sauces can be used for corn fritters including spicy sauces. The corn fritters can be dressed in maple syrup, jam and honey. It is also served with a dip or together with seafood 

What are hush puppies? 

A hush puppy is a savory dish from the south 

It is a fritter that is made from a batter of cornmeal 

The batter also contains eggs, salt, baking soda, milk, and water. It may be flavored with spring onion, garlic and peppers. 

These fritters are deep fried until they are golden and Crunchy in the exterior. Hush puppies can also be baked in an oven, 

They are usually ball shaped and bite sized. 

You can find these treats at restaurants, where they are served as a side dish together with fish. 

Corn fritters are shaped like patties

Corn fritters are often shaped like patties almost like pancakes fried on both side until crispy, they can also be shaped like balls too that are deep fried  

In hush puppies the batter typically formed into ball shapes as it is dropped in oil to deep fry.

Corn fritters have a bumpy texture

Corn fritters contain whole corn kernels which make them have a rough surface  

Hush puppies do not usually contain whole corn kernels and have a smoother texture than corn fritters 

Hush puppies make use of more cornmeal

Although the batter for both corn fritters and hush puppies may contain corn meal, the batter for hush puppies is a lot more cornmeal focused while this ingredient is optional in corn fritters

The same can be said for whole corn kernels which can be used in a few recipes for hush puppies although in smaller amounts.