Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Cups) Recipe
Esquites—also known as Mexican street corn cups—are creamy, buttery, and packed with flavor. Made with sautéed corn, garlic, and onion, then layered with crema, cheese, lime, and Tajín, they’re the ultimate antojito. Serve them traditional or go all in with a loaded version featuring chamoy and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Perfect as a snack, side, or party favorite.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Corn Base
- 4 corn on the cob with husk or 2½ cups kernels / 300 g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves finely diced
- 2 cups white onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup cold butter cubed
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp chopped epazote optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Traditional Toppings
- 2 tbsp crema sour cream
- 1/3 cup grated semi-hard cheese
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp tajín or chili-lime seasoning
Loaded Southern US–Style Toppings
- 1½ tbsp crema sour cream
- 1/3 cup grated semi-hard cheese
- 2 tbsp melted cotija cheese
- 1/2 tbsp chamoy
- 1/4 cup Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crushed
- 1/2 tsp tajín
Instructions
- Husk the corn and remove the silks. Cut the kernels off with a sharp knife, avoiding the hard core. Cut the cobs in half for easier handling.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until the garlic is golden and fragrant, not burned.
- Lower heat to low and stir in the corn kernels. Once combined, add the cold butter and let it melt fully.
- Pour in chicken broth and add the epazote. Cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove epazote. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
Traditional Toppings
- Spread crema around the inside of a cup. Add a base layer of cheese.
- Spoon in the hot esquites. Top with more cheese, lime juice, Tajín, and a final drizzle of crema.
Loaded Southern US–Style Toppings
- Crush Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into fine crumbs.
- Spread crema inside the cup and add a layer of grated cheese.
- Add hot esquites, then pour over melted cheddar, another layer of cheese, chamoy, crushed Cheetos, lime juice, and Tajín.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh corn is queen. If you can, use fresh cobs for the juiciest flavor. Frozen works too, but give it a good drain.
- Cold butter = magic. It melts slowly into the warm pan, making every bite extra glossy and rich.
- Don’t skip the crema swirl! It coats the cup and adds that silky bite in every spoonful.
- Add toppings just before serving so they stay crunchy and cute.
- Want more heat? Drizzle on extra chamoy or sprinkle more Tajín—go off, spicy babe.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 460IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 0.3mg