For Baked Hot Corn Dip:

1. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray or butter. If using canned or frozen corn, make sure it’s thoroughly drained—excess moisture will make your dip watery.
2. Mix the base: In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir vigorously until smooth and well blended with no lumps of cream cheese remaining. This creates your creamy base.
3. Add flavorings: Stir in 1½ cups of the shredded cheese (reserving ½ cup for topping), diced jalapeños, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated throughout the creamy mixture.
4. Fold in corn and fresh ingredients: Gently fold in the corn kernels, chopped green onions, and cilantro (if using). Make sure the corn is evenly distributed throughout the dip. The mixture will be thick and creamy.
5. Transfer and top: Spread the corn dip mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese over the top, covering the entire surface. Dust lightly with paprika or chili powder for color and extra flavor.
6. Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dip is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. You should see bubbles breaking through around the sides.
7. Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes (it will be extremely hot!). Garnish with additional chopped cilantro, green onions, and crumbled cotija cheese if desired. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

For Cold/Room Temperature Corn Dip:

Follow steps 2-4 above, then transfer to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Top with cotija cheese, cilantro, and green onions just before serving.

For Slow Cooker Corn Dip:

Combine all ingredients (reserving some cheese for topping) in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 2 hours or HIGH for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Top with reserved cheese, cover for 5 minutes to melt, then serve directly from slow cooker on WARM setting.