Baked Hush Puppy?

[Elf]

I know that hush puppies are supposed to be fried, but has anyone tried to bake them?
I have a desire for some and I do want to deal with the oil afterward, I don't fry very often so storing the used oil is a problem and just throwing it out after 1 use goes against my grain.

[Selkie]

Hush Puppies, just like breaded catfish fillets, demand to be fried!

I do understand your hesitation to deal with the issue of the oil. Being single and cooking for only one, my solution has been to use a minimum amount of oil that I don't mind throwing away afterward. I use an inexpensive oil, usually canola, and do my frying in a cast iron skillet with a splash guard. I only use about a 1/4" or so of oil so that the total amount is a little less than a cup. In cooking, I resolve myself to simply paying attention to them and turning them with a long handled pair of tongs until completely browned on all sides. It's the price I pay.

When cooking hush puppies I generally fry my main protein (catfish, oysters, clams, breaded shrimp, or whatever) so I don't feel as though throwing away the used oil is a total waste.

And sometimes, while everything is out and hot, I'll fry a second food item to use at a later date, such as French Fries to be reheated in the oven the next day.

I hope this has helped.

[Dixie_Amazon]

You could try your recipe in mini muffin pans and brush the tops with melted butter before baking. It wouldn't duplicate the crust a hush puppy has but it might satisfy your craving.