Name: Mexican Corn in a Cup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 8 ears of fresh corn, husked (or 5 cups frozen or canned); 3/4 cup mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons melted butter; ¼-½ cup red onion, finely diced; ¼ cup cilantro, chopped; 1-2 limes, juiced; ¾ cup cotija cheese, crumbled; Chili powder

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Mexican corn in a cup takes your classic Street Food Elote into an easy to eat portable corn cup. Made with classic ingredients like mayonnaise, melted butter, cotija cheese, and chili powder for an authentic taste.

Make this corn in a cup as a snack, appetizer, or side dish!

Why this Mexican Corn in a Cup Recipe needs to be on your next BBQ Menu!

I’m a sucker for anything mini: Something about putting this recipe in little cups make them so irresistible. Their quaint size and colorful ingredients will have these flying off your food table.

You can make them ahead of time! These little corn cups make for a PERFECT appetizer. Pair them with a frozen strawberry margarita for a festive party starter.

They are full of authentic elote flavor: These may be served in a cup but they pack all the same authentic flavor from an elote. Made with mayo, melted butter, fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, salty cotija, and of course chili powder!

Ingredients for Mexican Corn in a Cup:

corn on the cobb
mayonnaise
melted butter
red onion
cilantro
lime juice
cotija cheese
chili powder
Hot sauce

What is in Elotes?

An elote is a street food staple made from a grilled/cooked corn on the cobb that has been slathered in mayonnaise, sprinkled with cotija cheese, and topped with chili powder. They are served on a stick and usually topped with your fav hot sauce.

While elotes are insanely delicious, they can be a bit messy to eat! These Mexican corn cups pack all the same elote flavor in a cute Lil cup.

How do you make corn in a cup?

Remove husks from corn on the cobs.
Heat your grill to medium (350-400 F) and grill the corn on the cobs for 10 minutes, rotating the corn every few minutes so it doesn’t burn. Remove the corn from the grill and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
Trim the corn kernels off of the cob and place into a large mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise, melted butter, red onion, cilantro, limes, and cotija cheese. Mix until well combined.
Serve with a sprinkle of chili powder, lime wedge, and hot sauce for topping.

What kind of cups should I put them in?

Any kind of small stemless wine glasses and little mason jars work perfectly for this recipe!

Can I use frozen corn or canned corn?

Yes, you can use frozen or canned corn. I haven’t personally tried it but I’m sure it would be okay. You will lose a little bit of flavor/freshness that comes from the fresh corn.

If you are using frozen corn, Trader Joe’s has a great fire roasted frozen corn that would probably work well for this recipe!

Is corn in a cup healthy?

I would say for the most part, yes. It’s a great vegetable, plant-based side dish. It’s a bit heavy on the fat content with the mayo and melted butter but is also relatively low carb.

Other Summer Side Dishes to try!

More of my fav Mexican Recipes to try!

If you make this Mexican Corn in a Cup Recipe be sure to give it a 5-Star Review and tag me on Pinterest and Instagram!

I seriously love seeing what you guys are making and sharing your creations with the College Housewife community.