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Mexican Corn Dip (Elote Dip)

Mexican corn dip with skillet charred corn and a creamy, tangy base—topped like street corn with cotija, chili powder, and lime. This easy party dip is a quick Tex-Mex chip dip recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn kernels
  • 3 cup corn kernels Fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen.
Dairy and flavor base
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cotija cheese Crumbled, divided.
Seasonings and aromatics
  • 1 tsp chili powder Divided for mixing and topping.
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp jalapeño Finely diced.
  • 1 salt To taste.
Garnish and serving
  • 1 fresh cilantro For garnish.
  • 1 tortilla chips For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the corn kernels and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until charred on one side, with a clear browning/blackened spot visible.
  2. Stir the corn, then cook for 2 more minutes until lightly blistered and hot throughout.
Make it creamy
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the softened cream cheese until melted and fully incorporated, leaving no visible lumps.
  2. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, half of the cotija, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, jalapeño, and lime juice, then stir until everything is creamy and heated through, with bubbling at the edges.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste and season with salt until the flavors pop, then transfer to a serving bowl or keep warm in the skillet.
  2. Top with the remaining cotija, a dusting of chili powder, and fresh cilantro, then serve immediately with tortilla chips for dunking.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at medium-high just long enough to get real char—over-stirring can prevent browning. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy base can break. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and reduced-fat cream cheese while keeping the charred corn and cotija topping the same.