Did you know you can make homemade cornmeal using regular everyday popcorn kernels? If you ran out of cornmeal, or for some reason it isn’t available where you live, learn how to make cornmeal at home.
Making cornmeal at home is so easy to do. And it can be used in any recipe that requires cornmeal such as cornbread, corn dogs, etc.
If corn meal is readily available at your supermarket you may not want to make it at home, but it is so fun to try it at least once. It’s nice to think that, the homemade cornbread you just made was made from homemade cornmeal from popcorn kernels, haha. It is so easy to do, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
In order to make homemade cornmeal you need just a few ingredients and tools:
- Popcorn Kernels – I just use the really cheap store brand stuff. Or you can use feed corn or dried whole kernel corn. If you buy corn on the cob, you can set it out and let it dry for several weeks and use that too.
Tools
- Food processor, coffee grinder, or hand crank mill
- Bowls
- Strainer
Step 2: How to make homemade cornmeal from popcorn kernels
Begin with a bowl of popcorn kernels. They are probably easier to find then dried whole kernel corn or feed corn. But you can certainly use either of those.
If you don’t mind waiting you can buy corn on the cob from the store and then just let it dry out. It will take several weeks however to dry out completely. Then you need to take the time to remove the kernels from the cob. Plus it is kind of fun just making homemade cornmeal with popcorn kernels!
Add the popcorn kernels to a food processor, coffee grinder, or hand crank miller. Then turn it on and blend for a few minutes. It will be really loud. Eventually the kernels will start to break down.
I generally will do it in stages.
After blending the kernels for a few minutes, remove them and the resulting cornmeal and pour them into a strainer, shake and move the kernels around to allow the cornmeal to fall into a bowl. You can use clean hands to push them through as well.
Put the leftover kernels back in the food processor and repeat.
NOTE: If you plan to do this often, you may elect to use an actual mill/grinder so it doesn’t dull the blades of the food processor. A few times once in a while will be fine in the food processor, however.
Keep repeating until you have broken up all the popcorn kernels into homemade cornmeal. It will take 7 to 10 minutes depending on the food processor, coffee grinder, or hand crank miller that you use.
And that is the basic process for making homemade cornmeal using popcorn kernels. Which the same steps will be applied to any whole kernel dried corn.
And now you can use that cornmeal that you just made in any recipe that calls for cornmeal. Super easy right? Enjoy!
How long does homemade cornmeal last?
If you store the cornmeal in a cool and dry place in an airtight container it will last about a year in the pantry, or 3 to 4 years frozen. Pretty awesome shelf-life.
Here are a few other recipes you may like:
Homemade Cornmeal
Equipment
- Food processor, coffee grinder, hand crank miller
- Strainer
- Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup popcorn kernels or feed corn dried whole kernel corn, etc. (will make about 1 1/4 cups of cornmeal)
Instructions
- Place the popcorn kernels in the food processor, coffee grinder, miller, etc. Blend for a few minutes until the corn starts to break down.
- Pour the contents into a strainer or sifter and sift out the cornmeal. Then place the remaining larger kernels back in the food processor and repeat the process until what is left is a nice bowl of freshly ground cornmeal.
- Use the cornmeal in any recipe that calls for cornmeal.
- Store any leftover cornmeal in an airtight container, in a cool dry place like a pantry for about a year, or freeze it for a few years.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like this recipe? Share and Pin it! Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Can you use this homemade Cornmeal for Polenta??
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for certain, but it may work.
I never knew this!
Great idea! If I wanted to store the cornmeal long-term, can it be vacuum-sealed in a Mylar bag, like other dry goods?
Thank you and yes it sure can! 🙂
Thank you these instructions! My daughter requested cornbread for dinner but when I checked my cornmeal supply it was empty. This saved me a trip to the grocery store and got dinner on the table on time. Success!!! Thanks again!
You are so very welcome!! Glad it was helpful 🙂 🙂 Glad you were able to do this workaround for homemade cornmeal.
Hello! I just found your site and the recipe to make corn meal out of Popcorn kernels. I just bought a food processor and tried it out. It’s great!!! I recently had hop surgery and it’s hard to get to the grocery store, and I’ve been wanting to make a recipe that requires corn meal. Now I have some. Thank you so much.
You are so very welcome! I am happy it was helpful for you.
I also live where they don’t sell cornmeal in the stores. They sell corn flour or mass but not the coarse grind. I never though of making it myself until someone asked me about my cornbread stuffing. I have a bag in my freezer but now I know that when I run out I don’t have to wait for a trip to the US to stock up on it since dried corn is readily available here. Plus I have a grain grinder attachment for my mixer. Thank you!
You are welcome, Kris! Yeah, that grain grinder for your mixer will work awesome. 🙂 🙂
I’m one of those “people living in other countries” you referenced in your video —
Corn flour isn’t available in Greece, and, thanks to the internet, my daughter has been dying to try American corn dogs. A google search for homemade corn flour + corn dogs led me to you, and *you* now have a new fan. Also on our weekend Thanksgiving table for the first time, ever: cornbread with honeybutter. I can’t wait!
Thank you for this recipe and video, and thanks as well for thinking about home cooks who live outside the US.
Such a nice compliment, thank you, Liz! I am so glad this is helpful for you. Especially because we take it for granted, since cornmeal is super cheap and available at every supermarket here in the States. Have an amazing weekend!