Crockpot Corn Dip

What Keeps It Thick and Smooth

• Well-drained corn and Rotel. Extra liquid is what makes corn dip thin and watery, so press both in a colander.
• Cubed cream cheese. Small cubes melt evenly instead of leaving streaks.
• A stir every hour. Slow cookers run hottest at the sides; stirring stops the edges from scorching and blends the melting cheese.
• Cheese you shred yourself. Bagged shreds have anti-caking starch and can turn greasy or grainy.

What You'll Need

• Corn. Two cans, drained, or 3 cups frozen corn, thawed and patted dry. Fire-roasted frozen corn adds smokiness.
• Rotel. Diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained well.
• Cream cheese. The creamy base.
• Pepper jack or a Mexican-blend cheese. Pepper jack adds gentle heat; the blend is milder.
• Jalapeño. Seeded and diced for flavor without much heat.
• Chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. A simple Tex-Mex seasoning.
• Bacon, green onions, and cilantro. Toppings for crunch and color.

How to Make It

Lightly grease the slow cooker. Add the drained corn and Rotel, cream cheese cubes, shredded cheese, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder and stir; the cream cheese will still be in chunks. Cover and cook on LOW 2–3 hours or HIGH 1–1½ hours, stirring every hour, until everything is melted and steaming hot.

Stir until smooth, taste, and add salt if it needs it; canned corn is mild. Top with bacon, green onions, and cilantro, switch to WARM, and serve with tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops.

Crockpot, Oven, or Stovetop

Troubleshooting

• Too spicy. Pepper jack, jalapeño, and Rotel all add heat. For kids, use Monterey Jack and mild Rotel and skip the jalapeño.
• Watery. The corn or Rotel wasn't drained. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 20 minutes to thicken.
• Bland. Don't skip the chili powder and cumin, and salt it at the end.
• Greasy. Too much heat or pre-shredded cheese. Cook on LOW and shred your own.
• Scorched edges. Grease the crock and stir every hour.

Variations

• Street corn style. Add ½ cup crumbled cotija, 2 tablespoons mayo, a squeeze of lime, and extra chili powder.
• Bacon ranch. Add 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning and double the bacon.
• Chicken. Stir in 1½ cups shredded cooked chicken and heat until the dip reaches 165°F.
• Queso style. Swap the shredded cheese for 8 ounces cubed Velveeta for an extra-smooth dip.
• No cream cheese. Use 1 cup sour cream plus 2 more cups shredded cheese, and cook uncovered for the last 20 minutes.

Make-Ahead and Party Holding

To prep ahead, stir everything together in a covered bowl and refrigerate up to 24 hours. On party day, scrape it into a room-temperature slow cooker insert and add about 30 minutes to the cooking time, since it starts cold. Don't put a chilled ceramic insert into a hot base; the sudden temperature change can crack it.

Once it's hot, WARM keeps it above 140°F, the safe holding temperature. The texture is best within about 2 hours; stir it whenever you refill the chips, and add a splash of milk if it thickens.

For a Crowd

For about 25 guests, make a double batch in a 6-quart slow cooker; the time stays about the same on LOW, but stir every 45 minutes. Figure on one large bag of tortilla chips for every 8 guests. Set it up as a hot dip station next to crockpot buffalo chicken dip or this oven-baked buffalo chicken dip, with bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers and mango guacamole nearby. Add a tray of shredded chicken nachos, and the rest of the menu is in these game day food ideas. For a holiday side instead of a dip, try crockpot corn casserole.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate within 2 hours of turning it off and eat within 3–4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, or on the stove over low heat with a splash of milk, until steaming hot. Freezing isn't recommended; the cream cheese turns grainy.

Cook's Tips

• Use a 3–4 quart slow cooker. In a big crock, a single batch spreads thin and scorches.
• Wear gloves for the jalapeño. The oil lingers on your skin.
• Warm the chips. Five minutes in a low oven makes them taste freshly fried.
• Keep a spoon in the dip. People stir as they scoop, which keeps the edges from drying out.