Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts
They’re one of your favorite crunchy addicting snacks easily made at home! Our Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts have all the salty flavor and crunch but are baked in the oven instead of deep-fried, making them everything you want in a corn nut, but just a little bit better for you.
You’ll also love our Honey Roasted Peanuts!
For all of my fellow salty crunchy snack lovers out there, this one is for you! Our Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts have everything you love about a classic corn nut; a deep crunch and a wonderfully addicting salty flavor! But by baking them in the oven vs. deep frying them, you’ll have a version that’s just a little bit healthier for you, still with everything you love about a corn nut!
Ingredients Needed
- Dried Hominy – These large kernel corn nuts are perfect for getting a nice big corn nut. You can also find it called just giant white corn or Maiz Mote Pelado. Be sure to use dried hominy and not canned because canned hominy is already cooked and will not make the same delicious crunchy corn nut as the dried.
- Peanut Oil – This is our favorite high smoke point oil to use for these homemade corn nuts because of the nutty flavor it adds. But you could also use vegetable oil or corn oil.
- Salt – While we use kosher salt for most of our cooking, for these it’s important to use fine ground salt to ensure better, even coating.
- Paprika and Garlic and Onion Powder – We love this combo of spices to add just the right touch of savory flavor to these crunchy corn nuts, but you can add any of your favorites, too!
What is Hominy?
Hominy is corn, but not like the corn off of the cob or popcorn kernels. Instead, this corn is dried maize (field corn) kernels that are soaked in an alkali solution in a process called nixtamalization that removes the hull and germ of the corn. This causes them to “puff” up to be much larger than typical corn kernels and also makes them more nutritious than corn off of the cob because the nixtamalization process allows the vitamin B3 in the hominy to be better digested by the human body. This process also allows for the corn to be easier to grind which is what makes ground maize aka masa harina – the key ingredient in corn tortillas!
Hominy is used in a variety of Mexican dishes and cooking. In addition to being ground down for masa harina and grits, it’s also used in many Mexican soups and stews (like pozole) and is a great addition to a variety of recipes in place of corn.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Soak and Dry Hominy
Soaking the hominy is an important step because this is what will rehydrate them, similar to soaking dried beans.
Dry the hominy well, this is what will ensure the quintessential corn nut crunch! We do this by spreading it out on a baking sheet and patting them dry with a paper towel. Then, if it’s nice out, I’ll pop that tray out in the sun or in a sunny spot in the kitchen to finish drying out.
Prep your Salt and Spices
To ensure an even coating, mix your salt and spices first, before adding to the hominy. I like to put it all into a small mason jar and give it a good shake. We love these little 4 oz mason jars, it’s what we use for all of our spices in our spice drawer.
Add Oil and Salt Mixture
Once the hominy is dried, then just add it to a bowl, give it a good mix with the peanut oil and then add the salt mixture. For the best coating, add a little bit at a time, mix well, and repeat until all of the hominy is well coated.
Return to Tray and Bake!
Add those oily salted corn nuts back to your tray, spread in an even layer, and bake!
Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts! They will absolutely fulfill that corn nut craving but in just a tad healthier way!
These homemade corn nuts are just perfect with an ice-cold beer or as a party snack or accompaniment to any meat, nuts, and cheese board.
Customizable
One of the best parts of these homemade corn nuts? You can adjust the seasoning to whatever you’re feeling! Here are some other great suggestions:
- Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Ground Mustard
- Chili Powder or Cayenne
- Nutritional Yeast
Other Salty Crunchy Snacks
- Kale Chips
- Homemade Potato Chips
- Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips
- Honey Roasted Peanuts
- Homemade Onion Rings
- Everything Bagel Rye Crackers
- Cheddar Sour Cream Potato Chips From Scratch
- Chex Mix From Scratch
Recipe Questions and Tips
Yes, you will need to reconstitute/rehydrate the hominy first by soaking it for 6-12 hrs.
Dried is best for this recipe. Even drying out the canned hominy, because it’s already cooked, will produce a chewy “nut”, not the classic crunchy corn nut.
Definitely! Your air fryer is basically the same thing as the convection setting on your own, just smaller. See recipe notes for air fryer instructions.
Store them in an airtight container and they will last for about 2-3 weeks – if you’re able to keep them around that long! It’ll be easy to tell when they’ve gone bad.
The main difference between these homemade corn nuts and store-bought is that these are baked vs. being deep-fried in oil. So yes, they are a little bit healthier.
If you can’t find it at your go-to grocery store (often they’ll just have canned and not dried), you can buy it online, or check out your local Mexican market.
These Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts have cemented a place on any party menu or snacks list. While they take a little bit of planning and prep time, they’re so easy to make in advance and are a snack that is perfect for any kind of gathering.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 oz dried hominy
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 2 teaspoons salt fine ground
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add dried hominy to a large bowl. Fill with water so that the hominy is covered with at least 1-2 inches of water. Let soak for 6-10 hrs.
- Drain hominy into a colander or strainer and shake off excess liquid. On a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet, spread out hominy. Gently pat the top with another paper towel or clean kitchen linen to remoe excesss water. Set out to dry for about an hour. You can also set in the sun to speed up process.
- Pre-heat oven to either 375° convection or 400° regular bake.
- Meanwhile, add your salt and spices to a small jar or bowl and mix well.
- Once dried, add hominy to a large bowl. Drizzle peanut oil on top and stir well. Add salt mixture about a 1/2 – 1 teaspoon at a time. Mix well after each addition. Repeat until all hominy is well coated.
- Wipe the baking sheet dry and then add hominy. Spread out into an even layer and add to oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes and then gently stir. Return to oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, being sure to check throughout the last 5 minutes for burning (40 min total for regular bake).
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Enjoy!
We loved this healthy take on a classic tasty snack! Thank you so much!
I had no idea it was so easy to make corn nuts at home!! This recipe was absolutely delicious – way better than the store bought version!
Ahh I was so excited to find this recipe! Our neighborhood store when we lived in the US used to make these and they were a ‘must have’ for neighborhood parties! They were called East Sac Crack, and I have been trying to find something similar forever. These turned out perfectly, and I love that they are baked and not deep fried!
Do the homemade ‘corn nuts’ have a lighter crunch than the original? My teeth are not able to withstand the hard crunch anymore. 🙁
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that, Beth! These still have quite the crunch to them, so unfortunately they may not work for you. But, maybe some roasted chickpeas with a similar flavoring would work? They can provide a nice crunch that’s a little easier on the teeth.
These would be an awesome snack for the kids this week while they are on spring break! They are always looking for a snack LOL and Healthier makes mom happy.
Yes! My kiddos love them and I love that they’re not deep fried!
I sourced some dried hominy in the U.K. just to make this recipe and it was so worth it! Nicer than peanuts or popcorn!
Wonderful to hear, Freya!
My husband would love these! Corn nuts are one of his favorite foods to snack on. I have never thought about making them at home. What a great idea!
This was so easy to make and it is so tasty. I’ve been packing it in lunches this week.
So great to hear, thank you Dana!
I love that these corn nuts are baked in the oven instead of being deep fried. Looking forward to trying your recipe and adding a touch of chilli as you’ve suggested.
Yay! Enjoy!
I love these corn nuts and have always been buying them from the local Sprouts store. Never knew these are so easy to make. I love the recipe and can’t wait to play with different spices.
Surprisingly easy! I hope you enjoy them!