What Is Cornstarch and How Can I Use It?

Cornstarch rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 2,554 recipes to cook with it.

What is cornstarch?

Corn starch , cornstarch , or cornflour is the starch of the corn grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It has a distinctive appearance and feel when mixed raw with water or milk, giving easily to gentle pressure but resisting sudden pressure. It is usually included as an anticaking agent in powdered sugar.

For this reason, recipes calling for powdered sugar often require at least light cooking to remove the raw corn starch taste. Corn starch or cornflour is also used as a thickening agent in soups and liquid-based foods, such as sauces, gravies and custard.

As the starch is heated, the molecular chains unravel, allowing them to collide with other starch chains to form a mesh, thickening the liquid.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find cornstarch: Cornstarch is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Cornstarch is a member of the Cereal Grains and Pasta US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

玉米淀粉

British (UK) term

Cornstarch

en français

maïzena

en español

maicena

How much does cornstarch weigh?

Related

Cereal Grains and Pasta

Recipes using cornstarch

There are 2554 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Air-fryer Crispy Thyme Roasted Potatoes

Have some thyme to roast potatoes but are short on time. Using your air-fryer, you can roast potatoes in a flash. Crispy classic Thyme Roasted Potatoes with a modern twist.

Blueberry French Toast Sandwiches

Golden French toast stuffed with warm blueberry-maple compote and dusted with powdered sugar. Make weekend brunch feel special with this sweet sandwich.

Chow Mein in Chanterelle Sauce with Fresh Herbs

Vegan. I always wondered how would chanterelles taste with typical ingredients of Chinese cuisine. Now I know. Of course I wouldn't be myself if I didn't make it my way.

Veg Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian was a great combo with Egg Fried Rice.We normally make Cauliflower Manchurian as a side dish for Fried Rice.This dish ends up being a clean up dish as you can add all your veggies that you might have left overs and tastes great.

Veg Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian was a great combo with Egg Fried Rice.We normally make Cauliflower Manchurian as a side dish for Fried Rice.This dish ends up being a clean up dish as you can add all your veggies that you might have left overs and tastes great.

Superb Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

Love the deep-rich chocolate taste, and the roasted hazelnut just added in another kick. Absolutely to die for.

Double Orange Macadamia Nut Cookies with Orange Frosting

Double Orange Macadamia Nut Cookies with Orange Frosting recipe

Mark's Eggless Pancakes

Egg-free, dairy-free pancakes from a whole wheat and white flour blend with wheat germ. Vegan-friendly, fast, and budget-friendly breakfast that needs nothing but water.

Tom's Bacon Potato Soup

Bacon potato soup built on a base of crisped bacon, butter-softened mirepoix, and tender chunks of potato in a creamy milk broth. Cornstarch-thickened, no canned soup required.

Shrimp Flavored Beef over Rice

My intention was to combine flavors of shrimp and beef inside the meat as well as inside the sauce..

Pork Hock with Pickled Sweet Red Pepper

I like this sour flavor. The best over buckwheat, but all is fine when over rice, potatoes, noodles, or just with lettuce mix. You may use pickled grilled red pepper.

Chicken Stir-Fry

Quick Chinese chicken stir-fry with broccoli, carrots, and celery in a savory soy-ginger sauce. Marinate 30 minutes, cook in 10 for a weeknight dinner that beats takeout.

Cherry Almond Pie

A cherry pie with an easy to prep. coconut crumb topping.

Hot & Sour Mushroom Soba Soup

Hot and sour mushroom soup with sliced mushrooms, bamboo shoots, rice vinegar, and white pepper, ladled over Japanese soba noodles. A 30-minute lighter take on the Chinese takeout classic.

Dutch Pancakes with Spicy Apples

Dutch pancake with spicy apples is a puffed, golden oven pancake cut into wedges and smothered in cinnamon-glazed apples with a sweet sour cream dollop. A dramatic, custardy brunch centerpiece.

Mini Pancakes with Berry Sauce

Light mini pancakes made with yogurt and egg whites, served with a homemade cornstarch-thickened berry sauce. A leaner brunch stack that doesn't taste like a compromise.

Favorite Beef & Broccoli

Simple ingredients and authentic technique get this sensational Broccoli Beef stirfry on the table in a flash. Faster than delivery or takeout!

Favorite Beef & Broccoli

Simple ingredients and authentic technique get this sensational Broccoli Beef stirfry on the table in a flash. Faster than delivery or takeout!

Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with a quick blueberry-lemon sauce. Honey-sweetened, lighter on fat thanks to egg substitute, and finished with a glossy fresh blueberry pour. A 30-minute breakfast win.

Best Apple Crumble Pie

Apple crumble pie cooks tart green apples on the stovetop with mace and lemon, then bakes them in a flaky shell under a buttery cookie-crumb topping. A streusel-style pie that skips the soggy bottom.

Manchow Soup

This is a Chinese-style soup popular in Indian Chinese cuisine due to its ease of preparation and hot spicy taste. The soup uses a spicies that adds lot of flavor to the soup.

Airy Pavlova

A healthier version of the classic Australian pudding

Blueberry 'N' Spice Sauce

Blueberry spice sauce simmers fresh berries with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon for a glossy dessert topping. 15 minutes from saucepan to spoon, ideal for ice cream and pancakes.

Homemade Sweet Square

Homemade sweet squares, chewy cornstarch-set candy in the style of Turkish delight, flavored with pineapple and cinnamon, dotted with candied fruit, and topped with chocolate candies. A fun treat for kids.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Old-fashioned chocolate ice cream for a hand-crank or electric churn. Cornstarch-thickened custard with semi-sweet chocolate, evaporated milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. Big batch built for porch socials.

Brandied Raspberry Sauce

Brandied raspberry sauce made with frozen raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch thickened with brandy. A quick dessert topping for cheesecake, ice cream, or pound cake.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Gluten free chocolate cake with a light, airy crumb built from whipped eggs, melted semisweet chocolate, cornstarch and ground amaretti instead of flour. Spiked with dark rum and rich without being dense.

So Yummy Peanut Butter Cookies

Lighter peanut butter cookies that bake in 7 minutes flat. Reduced-fat peanut butter, a tablespoon of oil instead of a stick of butter, and a sugar-rolled crackle top. Tender, chewy, lower in fat than the classic.

Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs

Moist and Delicious These Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs Are Great Tasting In My Homemade Sauce!! ..Topped Over A Bed Of Spaghetti Pasta!

Baked Pancake with Pineapple Sauce

A puffy baked pancake rises dramatically in the oven, then gets filled with warm pineapple-coconut sauce. The edges turn golden and crisp while the center stays custardy and soft.

Japanese Beef Stir-Fry

Japanese-style beef stir-fry with thinly sliced flank steak, snow peas, red pepper, escarole, and fresh ginger in a soy-brown sugar glaze. A fast, colorful skillet dinner.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce

Fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with a quick stovetop strawberry sauce thickened with orange juice and brown sugar. Brunch-worthy in 25 minutes from start to plate.

Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Cookie Crust

Pumpkin pie with ginger cookie crust trades pastry for crushed gingersnaps and lightens the filling with applesauce, maple syrup, and egg whites. A holiday pie with serious spice and a leaner profile.

Shrimp & Fish with Green Vegetables in Orange Sauce

delicate, a bit spicy dish inspired by Asian cuisine, and stir-fried in my favorite old wok..

Thyme-Roasted Chicken Breast with Morel-Madeira

A succulent chicken dish is going to win everyone at the dinner table.

Date Squares (Healthier Version)

Make the traditional date squares healthier by using some whole wheat flour, canola oil and applesauce. Super moist and tasty, great to enjoy at any time.

Silky Pumpkin Mousse Pie

Silky pumpkin mousse pie made with whipped egg whites, evaporated skim milk, and a hint of orange zest. A no-bake holiday dessert that's lighter than traditional pumpkin pie.

Pear Almond Clafouti with Red Wine Glaze

A whole-wheat vegan pear clafouti with almond meal base, naturally sweetened with fruit juice concentrate, finished with a glossy red wine glaze. A French-inspired dessert without dairy or refined sugar.

Two Wheat Crepes with Blueberry Sauce

Made with whole wheat flour, barley flour, and soy milk. These pancakes are packed with goodness and great flavor. Stack the crepes, and spoon the warm blueberry sauce over the pancakes to serve.

Blueberry Sauce

3-ingredient blueberry sauce thickens unsweetened pineapple juice with cornstarch, then folds in fresh berries. A no-sugar-added topping ready in 15 minutes.

Lemon Meringue Tart

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Whole Wheat Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

These deliciously moist pancakes are so easy to make and also packed with goodness. You can find juicy blueberry bursts in every bite. A perfect breakfast with a cup of orange juice.

Thai Lion's Head Meatballs

Ginger-spiked pork meatballs browned until golden, then simmered in curried coconut milk sauce and served on crisp lettuce with fresh basil and lemon zest. A Thai twist on the Chinese classic.

New Corn Chowder, Southern Style

Southern corn chowder with fresh-scraped corn pulp, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, and a bouquet garni. Cream-finished, brightened with cayenne. A simmered farmhouse chowder.

Summer Blueberry Tart

Summer blueberry tart, a French-style dessert with a buttery pate brisee crust and a filling that's half cooked blueberry glaze, half fresh berries, for vivid flavor and a clean slice. Lovely with creme fraiche.

Pork Shoulder in Chanterelle Sauce over Buckwheat

Pork shoulder in chanterelle sauce over buckwheat: tender pressure-cooked pork in a fragrant wild-mushroom sauce with herbs, spooned over nutty buckwheat. A rustic, comforting Eastern European plate.

Creamy Chocolate Coconut-Milk Ice Cream

Rich, dairy-free chocolate ice cream made with full-fat coconut milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Vegan-friendly, deeply fudgy, and scoopable straight from the freezer.

Favorite Peach Ice Cream

Fresh peach ice cream with ripe summer peaches blended into a cornstarch-thickened evaporated milk base. No eggs to temper, no custard to fuss with, just churn and freeze.

Grandma's Turkish Delight

Silky rose-scented candy squares dusted in powdered sugar, made with cornstarch and cream of tartar. Customize with pistachios, almonds, or fruit flavors for an authentic Middle Eastern sweet.

Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Homemade peach ice cream with fresh chopped peaches folded into a microwave-thickened custard base of milk, half-and-half, sugar and egg. Smooth, scoopable and a Southern summer ritual.

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