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Mexican Street Corn Cups

Mexican Street Corn Cups with crispy golden charred corn filled with a creamy cotija cheese mixture and finished with fresh lime. Skillet-seared kernels deliver street food texture in warm, spoonable cups.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Corn
  • 4 ears corn
For the crispy charred corn
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • 0.5 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
For the cotija cheese mixture
  • 0.5 cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 0.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lime

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Char the corn
  1. Cut the corn kernels from the cob with a sharp knife.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the melted butter and corn kernels.
  3. Stir occasionally and cook until the kernels char and turn golden, about 12-15 minutes.
Make the cotija cheese mixture
  1. In a bowl, combine cotija cheese, mayonnaise, fresh cilantro, minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
Assemble and serve
  1. Divide the charred corn among four small bowls or corn husks.
  2. Top each serving with the cotija cheese mixture and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.
  3. Serve warm immediately after assembling.

Notes

For the crispiest charred edges, let the kernels sit undisturbed for 30-60 seconds at a time before stirring. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge up to 3 days; rewarm in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Freezing isn’t recommended since the corn texture softens. If you want a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt (full-fat for best texture) to keep the mixture creamy.