Corn nut
A crunchy snack made from deep-fried corn kernels.
Corn nuts, sometimes called toasted corn, are a snack made by roasting or deep-frying corn kernels. In Peru, they are known as cancha; in Ecuador, chulpi; in Spain, kikones; and in the Philippines, cornick. The snack has ancient roots: Native Americans made a version called parched corn, which served as a lightweight, portable, and nutritious food. It has also been prepared in Peru for more than 1,000 years.
To make corn nuts, whole kernels are soaked in water for three days, then deep-fried until hard and brittle. The soaking step is necessary because kernels shrink during harvesting and cleaning, and rehydration returns them to their original size. They can also be made at home using an air fryer, or by frying or baking.
In the United States, entrepreneur Olin Huntington introduced corn nuts in 1936, initially giving them away free at bars. A California law banning free food at bars led another man, Allan Holloway, to acquire the company and start selling the product in stores. Holloway trademarked the name Corn Nuts (sometimes written as "CornNuts") in the 1940s. After learning of a large-kernel corn variety from Cusco, Peru (called Cuzco corn, with kernels reportedly larger than a quarter), Holloway and his sons researched a hybrid that could be grown in California. After a decade of work, they introduced CornNuts made from this hybrid in 1964, though today’s CornNuts are no longer that large. The brand stayed with Holloway’s family until Nabisco bought it in 1998, and it later became a Kraft Foods trademark. On February 1, 2021, Kraft sold the Planters and Corn Nuts brands to Hormel Foods. CornNuts come in nine flavors: Original, Ranch, BBQ, Chile Picante con Limon, Mexican Style Street Corn, Jalapeño Cheddar, Kickin' Dill Pickle, Partially Popped Kickin' Cheddar, Partially Popped White Cheddar, and Loaded Taco. Other companies make similar products but must legally call them Corn Nuts or Toasted Corn.
The Filipino variant, cornick (kornik in Tagalog), is typically smaller and crispier than the American version, and is traditionally made from glutinous corn. Garlic is the most common flavor, with others including chili cheese, adobo, barbecue, lechón manok, and sweet. Major brands include Boy Bawang, Corn Bits, and Safari. A popular variety is chichacorn, a lighter, semi-popped style from the Ilocos Region, made with glutinous corn treated with lime
- current_owner
- Hormel Foods (since February 1, 2021)
Lore & Background
Corn nuts were first made by Native Americans in a form called parched corn, used as a lightweight, easy-to-carry nutritious food. They also have an early start in Peru, where they are called cancha and have been prepared for over 1,000 years, and are found in Ecuador and Brazil as well. In 1936, entrepreneur Olin Huntington introduced the corn nut to the United States, producing them to be handed out at bars for free, but a law in California banned free food distribution at watering holes. Allan Holloway then obtained the company and began selling the product at stores, trademarking the name Corn Nuts in the 1940s. Holloway later renamed the product CornNuts. After learning of a breed of corn grown in Cusco, Peru (Cuzco corn) with large kernels, the company researched a hybrid that could be grown in California, introducing CornNuts made with the hybrid in 1964. Today's CornNuts are no longer of the large Cusco corn size.
Reader's Guide
Corn nuts represent a snack with deep historical roots, originating with Native Americans and ancient Peruvian cultures. Their modern commercial form was shaped by Olin Huntington and Allan Holloway in the United States, with the CornNuts brand becoming dominant after a decade of hybrid corn research. The snack's global variants include the Filipino cornick, often made from glutinous corn and flavored with garlic, and the Salvadoran elotitos. In Spain and Portugal, they are known as kikones or milho frito, typically very salty. The CornNuts brand changed hands from Holloway's family to Nabisco in 1998, then to Kraft Foods, and finally to Hormel Foods in 2021. The product is available in nine flavors, and many other companies produce similar items under the same name. Corn nuts illustrate how a simple ancient food can evolve into a globally marketed snack with regional adaptations.
Did You Know?
- Corn nuts were first made by Native Americans in a form called parched corn.
- In Peru, corn nuts are called cancha and have been prepared for over 1,000 years.
- The CornNuts brand was trademarked in the 1940s by Allan Holloway.
- A Filipino variant called cornick is typically smaller and crispier than the American variety.
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