In this study, the gelatinization of heat-moisture treated (HMT) corn starch was investigated by rheometer (RHE) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) under the same condition of excessive water (starch∶water=1∶10) with heating-rate dependent gelatinization and time-temperature gradient gelatinization tests. DSC and RHE results showed that multiple endothermic transitions (G and M₁) and two viscosity peaks (PV₁ and PV₂) were observed in viscosity curves and DSC traces even in excess water for HMT starches. The gelatinization process of HMT starch could be divided into three stages by correlation analysis of thermal and viscosity characteristics as follows. The first stage of swelling corresponded to the G endotherm, and the second stage of swelling corresponded to the M₁ endotherm, followed by swelling non-corresponding to any endotherm. The temperature-dependent behaviors of corn starch gelatinization were evidenced by RHE results and starch gelatinization has different temperature thresholds at different stages. The degree of time- and temperature- dependence was closely related to these temperature thresholds.