It seems like it was just yesterday when the entire country was bombarded with "Got Milk?" ads pushing everyone from toddlers to grannies to consume more milk and dairy products. Fast-forward a few decades later, and the consensus seems to be "dairy milk, who??"
In 2025, non-dairy milk reigns supreme, with coconut, almond, and oat milk serving as just a handful of the many options available to thirsty consumers. And now, another contender has entered the arena: corn milk.
What Is Corn Milk?
Corn milk is certainly nothing new. Across Asia, various countries have their own recipes for the intriguing sip. Vietnamese Corn Milk in particular is made by boiling corn cobs, corn kernels, water, coconut cream, and salt in a saucepan. The cooled mixture is then blended and strained to create a rich beverage that's best served on ice. Travel a few hundred miles south of Vietnam and you'll find Susu Jagung, an Indonesian corn milk that's slightly different due to the addition of (actual) milk and cinnamon.
Here in the U.S., homemade versions of corn milk are surfacing on social media. In one video, TikTok user @asipoftexas demonstrated how she makes corn milk by blending corn kernels, milk, and condensed milk. She described the end result as "creamy" and "sweet," and boasting a prominent corn flavor.
Unlike the corn milk that Vietnam and Indonesia have to offer, Maïzly corn milk, a new offering available in the United States, is less decadent and more practical as a straight-up cow milk alternative. But it's still different from many more mainstream non-dairy milks—while the likes of soy and almond milk typically consist of soaking and grinding soybeans or almonds, Maïzly uses a blending process.
"Our recipe of ingredients is blended in a tank with water, it then passes through a homogenizer and a sterilizer before being packed into aseptic packaging. All the water and raw materials end up in the final product," read a description on the Maïzly website.
What Is Maïzly Corn Milk Made Out Of?
Here's a look at how Maïzly stacks up, nutrition-wise, with other popular milk alternatives, based on data for a 1/2-cup serving from USDA's FoodData Central:
Maïzly contains a blend of ingredients, including water, soluble corn fiber, coconut oil and corn maltodextrin. Additionally, it includes chickpea protein for plant-based protein, sucrose esters of fatty acids as an emulsifier, and tricalcium citrate and dipotassium phosphate for mineral content. The product also contains salt for flavor, gellan gum as a thickening agent, and vitamins like vitamin D2 and vitamin A acetate for nutritional benefits. Lastly, tocopherol is included as an antioxidant preservative.
As the brand points out, corn fiber is a good-for-you ingredient that is scientifically proven to assists with the absorption of calcium and other nutrients for good bone health. Studies have also shown it helps maintain blood sugar levels and good gut health. Corn milk may also be a good option for those aiming for a milk alternative that's offers similar nutrients as dairy.
"[Maïzly] is fortified with vitamin D, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin E," Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, and author of Health Shots, tells Delish. She says this is important because it means you get some of the same nutrients as from soy milk and cow's milk.
However, there are a few nutritional red flags.
"Compared to other plant-based beverages, [Maïzly] has a lot more artery-clogging saturated fat due to the addition of coconut oil," says Amidor. (Coconut milk itself is a close second.) She also points out that the vanilla has 4 grams added sugar. "The calories per cup are also much higher compared to many of the plant-based beverages," she says. Also worth noting: at 190 calories, Chocolate Maïzly clocks in at a higher calorie count than Original Maïzly (130 calories).
On the plus side, in addition to its fiber content, Maïzly does boast a handful of other benefits. The dairy alternative uses non-GMO corn, and is free from common allergens, including dairy, soy, and nuts. The use of coconut oil in Maïzly comes with its own impressive set of perks. Coconut oil can boost skin health, raise good cholesterol levels, and reduce stress.
What Does Maïzly Taste Like?
Although Maïzly can be stored in your pantry until opened, I placed my cartons of corn milk in the refrigerator before testing to chill them for a bit. To really get the essence of what corn milk tastes like, I tried it on its own. Appearance-wise, it looks very similar to egg nog. It boasts the same off-white color as the seasonal favorite and as I twirled my serving of corn milk as if it were a glass of Merlot, I noticed that, like a rich wine, it had legs. The beverage stuck to the sides of the glass before slowly disappearing.
Upon taking my first few sips, there wasn't much to write home about, flavor-wise. There just wasn't anything there. It wasn't until my third sip—when I decided to hold the beverage in my mouth a for a bit—that I experienced a subtle sweetness. Texturally, I will say that Maïzly does a great job mimicking the creaminess of dairy milk.
Where Maïzly really shines is as an ingredient. I usually opt for dairy milk or almond milk for my smoothies, teas, and other beverages. After taking a sip of my chai tea made with Original Maïzly, I was impressed at how creamy my go-to tea was. It also gave the drink a warm, golden brown color that I don't think could be achieved with almond milk or another dairy-free alternative. As far as its taste, it was similar to adding dairy milk to my tea, but a tad creamier.
As far as my strawberry and banana smoothie, this is where the neutral flavor of Maïzly was welcome. Because honestly, tasting hints of corn while sipping a strawberry banana smoothie would have taken my taste buds on a journey they would have preferred to opt out of.
Of all the chocolate combinations out there, chocolate and corn was absolutely not on my list of need-to-try pairings. So, I admit that I was a bit skeptical about chocolate-flavored corn milk. Texturally, the chocolate Maïzly was surprisingly different than the original flavor. Despite shaking the carton for a good 20 seconds, the mixture didn't look cohesive. There were small chunks floating around and it didn't look appealing overall. As far as taste, it left something to be desired. I'm not a chocolate lover and even I could have used more chocolate. Where the original Maïzly came across as promising, the chocolate version fell short.
Final Thoughts
Unless you live for the cold, creamy, neutralness of a glass of milk, I'd pass on drinking Maïzly straight out of the carton. But if you want to swap out your usual addition to teas, coffee, smoothies, and more with a preservative-free, gluten-free newbie that's packed with nutrients and mimics the effect of dairy milk, then you should give Maïzly a shot.
To find Maïzly, visit the brand's website to use their locator tool.
