Why Are There Black Spots in My Grits?

Occasionally, you might notice a dark fleck in your grits. Not to worry! Sometimes a bit of the hull or germ of the corn kernel makes it through the milling process. This fibrous part of the corn plant is edible and no cause for alarm.

Kitchen Tested

Creamy Grits

Name: Creamy Grits
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 3 cups water; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup quick-cooking grits; 4 tablespoons butter, diced

Prep time:15 min
Total time:15 min
Ingredients:5
Servings:4
Calories per serving:380

By Pillsbury Kitchens(Opens in a new tab)Updated 08/27/2024

Creamy Grits

Prep time:15 min
Total time:15 min
Ingredients:5
Servings:4
Calories per serving:380

If you’re not from the south, making grits might seem intimidating. This simple creamy grits recipe will change your mind!

Grits are made from ground, dried corn and come in many varieties, such as stone-ground, quick, and instant versions. Stone-ground grits are very coarse and require soaking followed by low and slow cooking for hours, while quick and instant varieties get grits on the table fast. To make our interpretation of this southern staple, we opted for quick grits, to serve up bowls of creamy, filling comfort food in minutes.

Using quick-cooking grits makes this southern comfort food recipe fast and easy. With just a few common ingredients, you can make a satisfying side for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in just a few minutes, using just one pan. This versatile dish plays a starring role in southern breakfasts, but it also serves as an excellent supporting actor at lunch and dinner tables.

Whether you top them with savory, spicy New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp, serve them alongside a thick slice of ham with coffee-spiked redeye gravy, or just tuck into a bowl of plain grits topped with a little cracked black pepper, get ready to add creamy grits to your culinary repertoire.

Ingredients for Creamy Grits

Wondering what ingredients you’ll need for our grits recipe? Just a few simple ingredients are necessary for fast, creamy grits.

Cream: While standard quick grits are prepared with water, we’ve added heavy whipping cream as well for a super rich, decadent recipe that comes together in a snap.

Salt: All you need to season these simple, creamy grits is salt. Other seasonings can be added after cooking, if desired.

Quick-Cooking Grits: Quick-cooking grits or “quick grits” are finely-ground grits that haven’t been precooked like instant grits. They’re the best of both worlds, delivering a freshness and flavor that instant grits lack, without the long cook time of stone-ground grits.

Butter: There’s nothing like the richness of butter. Stirring in the butter at the end ensures the grits are cooked to perfection before being cloaked in a rich coating of melted butter.

Ingredients for Grits Variations

Our recipe brings the best creamy grits to your table, and fast, but if you’re looking to take it to the next level, we’ve got your back. Make it your own by trying out these fun and flavorful variations.

Different Liquids: Swap in chicken or beef broth for the water. This will produce a richer flavor, but wait until the end and taste first before adding any salt, since most broths contain sodium.

Cheese: Instead of the butter, add 2 ounces of your favorite shredded melty cheese, such as cheddar or pepper Jack.

Savory Seasonings: Instead of salt, opt for Cajun or Creole seasoning, or stir in garlic powder or chopped bacon. Check out our Bacon, Ranch and Cheddar Grits Casserole for a fun take on classic savory grits.

Sweet Seasonings: Drizzle with honey and top with fresh berries for a sweet riff on classic grits.

How to Cook Grits

How do you cook grits? We’ve got your simple, stress-free run-down right here.

Bring the Liquids to a Boil

For best results, bring the water and cream to a boil before adding the grits.

Stir in Grits

Stir in the grits slowly to prevent the mixture from clumping and help avoid boil-overs. If it looks like the water mixture is about to boil over, reduce heat or even briefly remove from heat if necessary.

Just Keep Stirring

After reducing the heat and covering the grits, be sure to stir occasionally. Keep stirring until the mixture has thickened to avoid sticking and clumping. If you forget to stir you may end up with lumpy grits!

Add That Butter

Stir in butter at the end of cooking. This will give your grits a rich, creamy, decadent final coating. For other finishing options, check out our serving suggestions below.

How to Serve Grits

Now that you know how to make grits, you’ll need to know what to serve with them. Whether you serve them for breakfast, dinner, or as a snack, we’ve got plenty of ideas to plus-up your creamy, dreamy grits.

Pork: As an essential breakfast component, grits are often served with bacon, breakfast sausage, or ham steak. To up the ante, turn that sausage into sausage gravy or make coffee-spiked redeye gravy with the drippings from a skillet-fried ham steak. A little gravy drizzled over grits turns an ordinary breakfast into an extraordinary one!

Shrimp: The traditional New Orleans topping for grits? Shrimp. Hands down. Whether lemon peppered, blackened, barbecued, or grilled, shrimp make a perfect topping for creamy grits. One of our Pillsbury Bake-Off™ finalists agreed: Check out her recipe for Smoky Shrimp with Creamy Grits. As they say on the bayou, “It’s so good, it’ll make your tongue slap yo’ brains out!”

Grits Cakes: Try upcycling leftover grits to make pan-fried cakes. Spray a cup with cooking spray, and add the warm leftover grits. Cover and refrigerate until cold, or up to one day. When ready to use, run a small metal spatula around the edge of the cup and turn the cup over onto a cutting board. Slice the cold grits into thin slabs (at least 1/2 inch thick). Cook in melted butter in a skillet, carefully turning once, to make delicious grits cakes. Top with fried eggs, braised meats or greens, or cheese and hot sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

The secret for perfect creamy grits? Just follow our recipe above, of course! Seriously though, we’ve tried to make delicious southern grits achievable with very little effort, but there are a few important things to remember.

Stir, Stir, Stir: As with any grain, the most common problem you’ll encounter when making grits is sticking and clumping. Stirring often prevents both problems from occurring.

Lower the Heat: Be sure to reduce heat to medium-low and keep covered as much as possible while cooking to retain moisture.

Serve Immediately: Grits set up and thicken quickly once cooked, so don’t make them too far in advance. If you need to hold them for a few minutes, remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup of water, and keep covered up to 15 minutes. If needed, add a little more water just before serving.

Creamy Grits

Prep time:15 min
Total time:15 min
Ingredients:5
Servings:4
Calories per serving:380

Ingredient

3 cups water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking grits
4 tablespoons butter, diced

Instructions

Step 1
In 4-quart saucepan, heat water, whipping cream, and salt to boiling over high heat.

Step 2
Slowly stir grits into water mixture.

Step 3
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat.

Step 4
Stir in butter. To serve, top with additional butter, if desired.

Recipe Tips

Spray saucepan with cooking spray before adding water mixture for easier cleanup.
Don’t forget to stir! Also, when stirring the grits, make sure to use your spatula or spoon on the edges where the bottom of the pan meets the side.
Stir the grits in slowly, since adding them too quickly can cause the mixture to overflow. And creamy grits are delightful to eat; they’re much less fun to clean off your stovetop.
Try serving with Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers Biscuits topped with your favorite jam.

Nutrition Facts

Calories
380
Total Fat
31g
Protein
3g
Total Carbohydrate
24g
Sugars
2g

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 Cup

Amount Per Serving Calories : 380

Nutrition Facts
Food Component / Nutrient	Amount	% , Daily Value*
Total Fat	31g	47%
Saturated Fat	19g	95%
Trans Fat	1g	% Value Not Available
Monounsaturated Fat	9g	% Value Not Available
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	% Value Not Available
Omega-3	0g	% Value Not Available
Cholesterol	95mg	32%
Sodium	870mg	36%
Total Carbohydrate	24g	8%
Dietary Fiber	1g	5%
Soluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Insoluble Fiber	1g	% Value Not Available
Sugars	2g	% Value Not Available
Protein	3g	% Value Not Available
Vitamin D	Value Not Available	4%
Calcium	Value Not Available	15%
Iron	Value Not Available	60%
Potassium	100mg	3%
Vitamin A	Value Not Available	20%
Vitamin C	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin E	Value Not Available	4%
Thiamin	Value Not Available	35%
Riboflavin	Value Not Available	15%
Niacin	Value Not Available	15%
Vitamin B6	Value Not Available	2%
Folic Acid	Value Not Available	15%
Vitamin B12	Value Not Available	2%
Pantothenic Acid	Value Not Available	2%
Phosphorus	Value Not Available	6%
Magnesium	Value Not Available	4%
Zinc	Value Not Available	0%
Manganese	Value Not Available	2%
Selenium	Value Not Available	8%
Copper	Value Not Available	0%
Beta-Carotene	Value Not Available	% Value Not Available
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Exchanges

Starch 1,
Fruit 0,
Other Carbohydrate ½,
Skim Milk 0,
Low-Fat Milk 0,
Milk 0,
Vegetable 0,
Very Lean Meat 0,
Lean Meat 0,
Medium-Fat Meat 0,
High-Fat Meat 0,
Fat 6,
Fruits 0c,
Vegetables 0c,
Grains 1oz-eq,
Meat & Beans 0oz-eq,
Dairy 0c,
Fats & Oils 3tsp

Carbohydrate Choice

Carbohydrate Choice1&½

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Ingredients for Creamy Grits

Wondering what ingredients you’ll need for our grits recipe? Just a few simple ingredients are necessary for fast, creamy grits.

Cream: While standard quick grits are prepared with water, we’ve added heavy whipping cream as well for a super rich, decadent recipe that comes together in a snap.

Salt: All you need to season these simple, creamy grits is salt. Other seasonings can be added after cooking, if desired.

Butter: There’s nothing like the richness of butter. Stirring in the butter at the end ensures the grits are cooked to perfection before being cloaked in a rich coating of melted butter.

Ingredients for Grits Variations

Different Liquids: Swap in chicken or beef broth for the water. This will produce a richer flavor, but wait until the end and taste first before adding any salt, since most broths contain sodium.

Cheese: Instead of the butter, add 2 ounces of your favorite shredded melty cheese, such as cheddar or pepper Jack.

Sweet Seasonings: Drizzle with honey and top with fresh berries for a sweet riff on classic grits.

How to Cook Grits

How do you cook grits? We’ve got your simple, stress-free run-down right here.