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Freezing corn on the cob is the easiest way to preserve the delicious taste of summer. Learn how to freeze corn on the cob for fast healthy side dishes that you can enjoy all year long.

4 frozen ears of corn on a baking sheet
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Fresh corn is peak summer deliciousness. Perfect on the grill, topped with creamy butter and salt, corn on the cob is a beloved summer tradition.

But it’s also possible to enjoy it all year long when you have a freezer stash full of frozen corn on the cob. Let me show you how easy it is to preserve this tasty treat!

If you end up with more corn than freezer space, try your hand at canning corn, for a shelf-stable preservation method.

Can You Freeze Corn on the Cob?

Yes, you sure can!

Maybe your garden produced an amazing crop of homegrown corn, or you found a fantastic sale on your favorite variety. Freezing corn gives you an amazing shelf-stable source of ready-to-heat and eat corn.

Freezing corn also allows you to stock your pantry with ingredients that you have total control over.

How to Freeze Corn on the Cob

*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.

I’m going to walk you through three main methods here:

  • Husking, blanching, and then freezing
  • Freezing in the husk without blanching
  • Freezing corn kernels. Choose the method that works for you.

How to Blanch Corn on the Cob

Husk corn and remove silk. Set the ears aside. Pro tip: if I am husking a lot of corn, I move outside and do it on my porch. It’s so much easier to clean up.

Lay parchment or a silpat on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water.

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Boil corn for 7 minutes for small ears, 9 minutes for medium ears, and 11 minutes for large ears.

Using tongs, remove the ears from the boiling water and immediately place them in the ice water. Allow to fully cool.

Two photos showing ears of corn in a pot and an ice bath for freezing corn on the cob

Once the ears have cooled in the ice water, remove them and blot them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Place cooled ears of corn on the baking sheet and freeze for 3 hours. Place ears in a freezer bag and store for 9-12 months.

4 ears of corn on a baking tray lined with parchment.

How to Freeze Corn on the Cob Without Blanching

Simply place the ears of corn, still in the husk into a clean paper bag. Wrap the bag tightly, tape it shut with freezer-safe tape, and place the bag in the freezer.

While this method is easier, the storage time is shorter. Corn on the cob that is not blanched is best used within 2-4 months.

How to Freeze Corn Kernels

Husk corn and remove silk. Lay parchment or a silpat on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water.

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Boil corn for 4 minutes and then transfer to the ice water until the cobs have fully cooled.

Cut the kernels from the cob. Freeze on the baking sheet for 2-3 hours. Break apart any clumps of corn and transfer them to freezer storage. Freeze for 6-9 months.

Should Frozen Corn on the Cob be Thawed Before Cooking?

No, there is no need to defrost the corn before cooking. Which makes your meal prep and weeknight dinner game even easier. Get excited!

How Do You Reheat/Cook Frozen Corn on the Cob?

Fill a large saucepan with 2 inches of water and add a metal steamer rack. Lay the ears of corn in the steamer, put a lid on it, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP Corn IN THE FREEZER?

If the ears have been balanced and are stored in freezer-safe packaging, they’ll be good for 9-12 months. Ears of corn that have not been blanched are best used within 2-4 months.

Frozen corn kernels that have been blanched are good for 6-9 months. We love these reusable silicone bags for storing all our frozen produce.

How to Use Frozen Corn

For frozen corn on the cob, follow the reheating/cooking instructions above. Serve with butter and salt or use it to make Street Corn With Garlic Butter or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.

I love using frozen corn kernels in Corn Pizza, Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Turkey Casserole With Rice.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

  • If you don’t fully cool the ears of corn in the ice bath before freezing, your frozen corn on the cob may have an earthy/”cobby” taste when you eat it.
  • Prep the ears as you prefer to serve them. If your family prefers entire ears, then freeze them like that. For smaller portions, cut cobs in half BEFORE freezing.
frozen ears of corn in a silicone zipper bag.
5 from 1 rating

How to Freeze Corn on the Cob

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 11 minutes
Freezing Time: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 26 minutes
4 frozen ears of corn on a baking sheet
Freezing corn on the cob is the easiest way to preserve the delicious taste of summer. Learn how to freeze corn on the cob for fast healthy side dishes that you can enjoy all year long.

Ingredients 

  • whole ears of corn

Instructions 

  • Husk corn and remove silk. Set ears aside.
    whole ears of corn
  • Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water.
  • Lay parchment or a silpat on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
  • Boil corn for 7 minutes for small ears, 9 minutes for medium ears, and 11 minutes for large ears.
  • Using tongs, remove ears from the boiling water and immediately place in the ice water. Allow to fully cool.
  • Remove ears, blot dry with a clean towel.
  • Place cooled ears of corn on the baking sheet and freeze for 3 hours.
  • Transfer to a freezer bag and store for 9-12 months.

Notes

Alternative method: Place the ears of corn, still in the husk into a paper bag. Wrap the bag tightly, tape it shut, and stick it in the freezer. While this method is easier, the storage time is shorter. Corn on the cob that is not blanched is best used within 2-4 months.
Freezing Corn Kernels: Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Boil corn for 4 minutes and then transfer to the ice water until the cobs have fully cooled.
Cut the kernels from the cob. Freeze on the baking sheet for 2-3 hours. Break apart any clumps of corn and transfer them to freezer storage. Freeze for 6-9 months.
To cook {from frozen}: Fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water and add a metal steamer rack. Lay the ears of corn in the steamer, put a lid on it, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1earCalories: 100kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: How To
Cuisine: American
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About Sarah

Helping you serve up budget-friendly sustainable recipes with a side of balanced living.
Come for the food. Stay for the snark.

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6 Comments

  1. I don’t understand blanching. When I cook fresh corn on the cob for immediate consumption, I never cook it for more than 3 or 4 minutes. More than that makes it mushy. So why would I want to “blanch” it for 11 minutes before freezing, only to cook it even more before consumption?!

    1. We must cook corn very very differently then, Robert. 3-4 minutes would make it still raw in my eyes.

      That being said, 11 minutes is what is called for by the National Center for Home Food Preservation for safety.

    1. No it doesn’t. It “par-boils” it, which means it cooks it part of the way. The ice bath stops the cooking process before it is fully-cooked. This allows you to reheat it when you’re ready to eat it without it being mushy.