These gluten-free hush puppies lean sweet instead of savory, with a soft interior and subtle sweetness. Finished with a generous coating of powdered sugar, they’re an irresistible little treat that melts in your mouth.
Gluten-Free Hush Puppies
I grew up in Florida, and every trip home from the beach came with a ritual stop at our favorite little fish fry restaurant. They had the BEST hush puppies!
This might be sacrilege, but they weren’t savory - they were covered in powdered sugar! Since going gluten-free, I’ve been craving hush puppies again, and I knew I wanted to recreate this childhood favorite.
If sweet hush puppies feels like an abomination to you, don't worry, you can make these savory too!
Sweet or Savory
Traditionally, Southern hush puppies are savory, made with ingredients like grated onion, cheddar cheese, and seasonings such as onion powder, garlic, or Creole spice. While they do contain a small amount of sugar, the flavor profile is primarily savory rather than sweet.
This recipe can be made both ways! For this version, I left out the savory ingredients and dusted them with powdered sugar.
If you prefer savory, they work great for that too! Just omit the powdered sugar and add your savory ingredients instead.
Key Ingredients
- Gluten-free flour - I used Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. You can find it at Target, Walmart, Lowe's Foods, or on Amazon. It's my favorite brand for baked goods and it tastes great.
- Cornmeal - For it's corn flavor! A combo of cornmeal and flour keeps the consistency fluffy and not too dense.
- Sugar - Whether you make them sweet or savory, don’t skip the sugar. It enhances the batter’s flavor either way.
- Leavening - Baking powder and baking soda are important for a fluffy texture that's not mushy or dense.
- Buttermilk - For the best results, use store-bought buttermilk! Homemade buttermilk won't give you the same consistency.
- Butter - Butter keeps the hush puppies moist and not dry.
How to Make Gluten Free Hush Puppies
The hardest part when making hush puppies is the frying! The batter comes together quickly and is easy to make.
- Heat the oil - This step is crucial! Use a clip-on frying thermometer to keep a close eye on the oil temperature - 300°F is the ideal target. If the oil is too hot, the hush puppies will brown too fast on the outside while staying raw in the center. Too cool, and they’ll absorb excess oil and turn greasy.
- Make the batter - Combine the dry ingredients, then whisk the wet ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry, then stir to combine. Add the melted butter last.
- Scoop the batter - Another key step: size matters. Each hush puppy should be about 1½ tablespoons of batter. If they’re too large, the outside can brown before the inside has a chance to fully cook.
- Fry the hush puppies - I've found the hush puppies need exactly 3 minutes in the hot oil to cook all the way through. If they get too brown in that time, the oil is too hot. Continue to turn them while they cook so they brown evenly.
- Roll in powdered sugar - Move the cooked hush puppies to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to contain the mess and keep them crispy.
Are hush puppies gluten-free?
No, hush puppies aren’t naturally gluten-free. Although they’re made with a cornmeal-based batter, all-purpose flour is typically added to keep them from becoming too dense. That said, they can be made gluten-free by substituting a gluten-free all-purpose flour for the regular flour.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
Sweet Gluten Free Hush Puppies
Equipment
- large dutch oven
- spider
- wire rack
- Portion Scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- vegetable oil for frying
- powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Set a wire rack over a sheet pan. Fill a medium bowl with powdered sugar.
- Fill a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil over medium heat. Clip a frying thermometer to the side of the pot to watch the temperature. You want it to get to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If the oil is too hot, the outsides will brown too quickly and the middles won’t cook through.
- While the oil heats up, make the batter. In a large bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- In a liquid measuring cup, measure the buttermilk then add the eggs. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir until a thick batter forms. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon portion scoop to scoop the hushpuppy batter into the oil. You can do 6 at a time. Use a spider strainer to turn the hushpuppies as they cook for 3 full minutes. If the hushpuppies are getting too brown before the 3 minutes is up, the oil is too hot.
- Once the 3 minutes is up, use the strainer to transfer the hushpuppies to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining hushpuppies.
- Roll the hushpuppies in powdered sugar and serve. You should get 18 hushpuppies.
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