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Street Corn Dip (Elote Dip)

Street corn dip brings Mexican street corn flavors to a creamy skillet-style party dip with charred corn and a smoky, tangy sauce. Bubbling charred corn kernels are stirred into melted cream cheese and finished with cotija, Tajín, and a lime crema drizzle for a craveable elote dip texture.
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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: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 3 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Creamy sauce
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.33 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.33 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled, plus more for topping
  • 1 tsp Tajín or chili lime seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp pickled jalapeño chopped
  • 1 salt to taste
Garnish and serving
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 lime wedges for garnish
  • 1 Tortilla chips for serving
  • 1 cotija cheese additional topping
  • 1 Tajín or chili lime seasoning dusting for topping

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, add corn, and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the kernels are charred, then stir and cook 2 more minutes.
Melt the base
  1. Reduce heat to medium, add cream cheese, and stir until fully melted into the corn.
Build the creamy dip
  1. Stir in mayonnaise, crema, cotija, Tajín or chili lime seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, lime juice, and pickled jalapeño until everything is combined and heated through, with the sauce looking smooth and bubbling lightly.
Season and serve
  1. Taste and adjust salt, then transfer to a serving bowl and top with extra cotija, a dusting of Tajín or chili lime seasoning, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Serve warm
  1. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping so each scoop sticks to the charred corn and creamy sauce.

Notes

For the best elote-style texture, thaw frozen corn completely and pat off excess moisture before charring so it browns instead of steams. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, stirring to loosen with a splash of crema if needed. Freezing isn’t recommended because the creamy base can separate. If you want a lighter version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and light crema/sour cream—flavor stays bold with the Tajín, smoked paprika, and lime juice.