Mister Rogers Loved This Corn Pudding Recipe From His Grandmother, So I Gave It a Try

Thanksgiving is almost here, which means it's time to start thinking about what you want to serve (or bring) for this year's feast. Some dishes never go out of style, like roast turkey with gravy , buttery mashed potatoes , sausage stuffing and, yes, creamy corn pudding. Many families have a version of corn pudding that they've passed down from generation to generation—including Fred Rogers , the host of the longtime children's show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. 

PBS Food recently shared a recipe that they claim is Mister Rogers' grandmother's original corn pudding recipe—and it got a ton of love on social media. Turns out that most people are a fan of making (and eating!) this comfort food classic during the holiday season.

And how could you not? It's the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors and complements just about every other Thanksgiving dish. And the best part is that it's so easy. You can make the mixture entirely in one bowl in just a few minutes, then bake it in a casserole dish. 

Whether you call it corn pudding or corn casserole, there are many variations of this old-fashioned side dish, including my singular favorite Thanksgiving side dish , my grandmother's Jiffy corn casserole. I was excited to see how the Rogers' family recipe would compare to my family's. Here's what happened when I whipped it up in my kitchen.

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What Is Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding?

Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding is a simple holiday side dish that's made with just six ingredients—a can of creamed corn, melted butter, milk, eggs, flour and salt.

To get a little more intel on the recipe, I reached out to the folks at Fred Rogers Productions. They told Parade that Fred Rogers talked about his love for this dish in a speech to the Scientists Institute in 1987. "And then there was my grandmother Rogers' corn pudding—and even though she died when I was 6 years old, I still love to eat corn pudding and any other food that's even remotely like it," Rogers said.

"This does confirm that his grandmother made the corn pudding," an archivist working with Fred Rogers Productions tells Parade . "Whether it's this recipe is another story." The plot thickens!

Regardless of the recipe's specific origins, people hopped into the comments of PBS Food's Instagram account to express their love for the side dish. "My late friend Betsy used to make this recipe every year for Thanksgiving. Oh how I miss it thank you for publishing!" one user wrote. 

"It is so good! It's a Thanksgiving staple at my house," added another.

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Ingredients You Need To Make Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding

You don't need many ingredients to make this classic Thanksgiving side dish. Just grab a can of cream-style corn, whole milk, unsalted butter, eggs, all-purpose flour and salt and get ready to make this old-fashioned favorite.
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How To Make Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding

Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding recipe is quick and simple. It only requires about five minutes of prep work. Start by preheating the oven to 350° and brush a small baking dish with butter. Next, melt two tablespoons of butter and set it aside to cool.

Beat two large eggs in a mixing bowl until the whites and yolks are homogenous. Add one can of creamed corn, the melted butter, milk, flour and salt. Whisk everything to combine, being careful not to overmix the ingredients, which can make the casserole chewy.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until the casserole is set, which should take about an hour. 

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My Honest ThoughtsAbout Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding

Although the ingredients in this recipe are pretty similar to my grandmother's—a can of cream corn, eggs, butter, salt—the biggest difference is the amount of dry ingredients.

While the traditional Jiffy corn casserole recipe uses an entire box of Jiffy corn muffin mix , Mister Rogers' Grandmother's Corn Pudding only calls for two tablespoons of flour. The result was a side dish that was much looser and wetter, rather than the consistency of a creamy quick bread like the version I'm used to. The mixture set, but just barely. My husband said the texture reminded him of soft scrambled eggs , which neither of us found appealing.

And because there wasn't a large volume of ingredients, it didn't make a huge batch of corn pudding. I baked the mixture in an 8-inch square aluminum pan and the corn pudding didn't rise at all. I think it would be hard to serve more than six small servings, so you'd have to double it for a larger Thanksgiving crowd. While I was happy to try a recipe that was so beloved by Mister Rogers, I think I'll stick to my own grandmother's recipe for Thanksgiving this year.

All of that said, just because this recipe wasn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you. Soft, creamy corn pudding is a different style of the old-fashioned dish that some people prefer. If that's more your speed, this recipe could be what you're looking for.

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This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.