12 Bones Smokehouse Corn Pudding Recipe (Easy Copycat)

If you’ve ever waited in line at 12 Bones Smokehouse in Asheville, North Carolina, you know the ribs get the headlines — but the corn pudding is what people talk about on the drive home. Sweet, creamy, just barely set, and somewhere between a custard and a cornbread, it’s the side dish that makes you scrape the container clean.

This 12 Bones Smokehouse corn pudding recipe is my copycat version, built to get as close as possible to that plate in Asheville without a smokehouse in your backyard. It takes about 10 minutes of prep, one bowl, and a 9×13 pan.

[PHOTO: Finished corn pudding in a baking dish, one scoop removed, golden top]

What Is 12 Bones Corn Pudding?

12 Bones is a barbecue institution in Asheville known for bending the rules — blueberry chipotle ribs, a BLT that’s been written up in national food magazines, and a sides menu good enough that vegetarians happily eat there. The corn pudding is one of the most-requested sides on that menu.

Unlike a dry, crumbly cornbread, corn pudding is soft and spoonable. Whole corn kernels are suspended in a lightly sweetened egg-and-cream custard, so every bite has pops of corn and a rich, silky texture. At 12 Bones it comes out golden on top and creamy underneath, and it’s sweet enough to balance smoky, saucy meat.

Why This Copycat Recipe Works

• Blended corn + whole kernels. Puréeing half the corn releases its natural starch and sweetness, thickening the custard and giving it real corn flavor instead of just corn texture.
• Cream and milk together. All cream is too heavy; all milk is too thin. The mix lands right at that smokehouse richness.
• A little flour and baking powder. Just enough structure to hold a scoop without turning it into cornbread.
• Optional cheddar. Not in every version of corn pudding, but a handful of sharp cheddar pushes it toward that savory, BBQ-side-dish territory.

Ingredients

• Corn kernels: fresh sweet corn is best in summer; frozen corn, thawed and drained, works great the rest of the year
• Large eggs: the base of the custard that gives corn pudding its soft, spoonable texture
• Heavy cream: for that rich, creamy smokehouse-style flavor
• Whole milk: lightens the custard so it isn’t too heavy
• Sugar: just enough to bring out the natural sweetness of the corn
• All-purpose flour: adds structure so the pudding holds a scoop
• Baking powder: gives the top a light, golden lift
• Kosher salt: balances the sweetness
• Melted butter: richness and a crisp, golden edge, plus a little extra for the pan
• Shredded sharp cheddar (optional): for a savory, BBQ-side-dish version of Southern corn pudding

Ingredient notes: Frozen corn works surprisingly well here and is what I use most of the year. In summer, fresh corn is worth it — scrape the cobs with the back of your knife to get the milky bits into the bowl. Canned corn is a last resort; drain it very well.

How to Make 12 Bones-Style Corn Pudding

Step 1: Heat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously.

Step 2: Purée half the corn. Add 2 cups of the corn and the heavy cream to a blender. Pulse until roughly puréed — you want some texture left, not a smooth soup.

Step 3: Make the custard base. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth with no flour lumps.

Step 4: Combine. Stir the corn purée, the remaining 2 cups of whole kernels, the melted butter, and the cheddar (if using) into the egg mixture.

Step 5: Bake. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 45–50 minutes, until the center is set (it should jiggle only slightly) and the top is golden brown.

Step 6: Rest. Let it sit 10 minutes before serving. It firms up as it cools and scoops much more cleanly.

Tips for the Best Corn Pudding

• Don’t overbake. The center should be just set. If you wait until it’s firm like a cake, it will be dry by the time it hits the table.
• Use a glass or ceramic dish for even, gentle heat. A dark metal pan can brown the bottom too fast.
• Add heat. A finely diced jalapeño stirred in with the corn gives it the sweet-heat balance 12 Bones is known for.
• Scale it down. Halve everything and bake in an 8×8 dish for about 35–40 minutes.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• Make ahead: Assemble the whole thing (unbaked) up to 8 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 5–10 minutes to the bake time.
• Leftovers: Keep covered in the fridge up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Cover with foil and warm at 325°F for 15–20 minutes, or microwave individual portions. It’s also very good cold, straight from the pan, at midnight.
• Freezing: It freezes fine for up to 2 months, but the texture is slightly looser after thawing. Reheat covered in the oven, not the microwave.

What to Serve With Corn Pudding

This is a barbecue side first and foremost. It’s at its best next to:

• Baby Back Ribs in the Oven: easy, fall-off-the-bone ribs that pair perfectly with a creamy corn side
• Copycat Longhorn Steakhouse Ribs: tender ribs with a caramelized barbecue glaze, made in the air fryer, oven, or grill
• 3-Ingredient BBQ Sauce or Hot Honey BBQ Sauce: sweet and smoky sauces to drizzle over everything on the plate

It also holds its own on a Thanksgiving table next to the sweet potatoes.

Corn Pudding vs. Cornbread vs. Spoonbread

People search all three and mix them up constantly, so here’s the difference:

	Texture	Main base	Sweetness
Corn pudding	Soft, custardy, scoopable	Eggs + cream + whole corn	Sweet
Cornbread	Firm, crumbly, sliceable	Cornmeal + buttermilk	Mildly sweet to savory
Spoonbread	Light, soufflé-like	Cooked cornmeal + eggs	Savory

If you want the dish 12 Bones serves, you want corn pudding — this recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the actual 12 Bones Smokehouse recipe? No — this is a copycat recipe developed at home to match the flavor and texture of the corn pudding served at 12 Bones. The restaurant’s own version appears in their cookbook, which is well worth owning.

Can I use creamed corn? You can swap one 14-ounce can of creamed corn for the blended corn-and-cream step, and reduce the cream to 1 cup. It’ll be a little sweeter and softer.

Can I make it without the cheese? Yes. The cheddar is optional; leave it out for a sweeter, more traditional Southern corn pudding.

Why is my corn pudding watery? Usually one of three things: the corn wasn’t drained well (especially canned or thawed frozen corn), it was underbaked, or it was cut into before resting. Give it the full 10 minutes.

Can I make it in a slow cooker? Yes — cook on low for about 3 hours, until set. You won’t get the golden top, but it’s handy for cookouts and potlucks.

Is corn pudding gluten-free? Not as written, but you can swap the ¼ cup flour for cornstarch (use 2 tablespoons) or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.