Whether you are making a quick weeknight family meal or taking a dish to a potluck, gluten-free cornbread is one of the most versatile side dishes you can make, and everyone loves it! Bake the recipe in a pan for traditional, flaky cornbread or pour the batter into muffin tins for tender, sunshine-colored gluten-free cornbread muffins.
Made with honey and dairy-free “buttermilk” this recipe is healthier than the processed sugar recipes and it’s allergen-friendly. This is one of our family’s favorite recipes and I have found that I can whip up a batch quickly and it can bake while I am prepping the rest of our meal.
This cornbread pairs perfectly with these crispy baked chicken drumsticks!
Gluten-Free Cornbread
The aroma of cornbread baking always takes me back to the simpler days of my childhood. I can’t help but close my eyes when I take the first steaming, buttery bite, savoring the moment. I just love the fresh, moist texture and the subtly sweet flavor.
Sure, you could go buy a gluten-free cornbread mix, but homemade is always better and gluten-free cornbread is quick and easy to make.
Traditionally, cornbread is served with heavy, winter foods like chili, soups and stews, but we love it as a light, warm-weather side dish, too. Some of our favorite summertime recipes to have with cornbread are Lemony Cedar Planked Salmon, Flanken Ribs, and London Broil.
Dairy-Free “Buttermilk”
To make gluten-free dairy-free cornbread, you need to make dairy-free buttermilk. It is simple to make and makes all the difference in this recipe, which typically calls for buttermilk. Mixing the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar together gives the same reaction as traditional buttermilk.
Canned Coconut Milk
I use the Thai Kitchen brand of canned coconut milk in this recipe, since it’s extra thick and creamy.
Apple Cider Vinegar
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand, you can also use fresh squeezed lemon juice, or white distilled vinegar.
This mock dairy-free “buttermilk” makes this recipe rich and delicious. Not to mention, it also aids in leavening, so please don’t omit it from the recipe!
Is All Cornmeal Gluten-Free?
NO! As with all ingredients, you must make sure you are purchasing a certified gluten-free product. Although cornmeal on its own does not have gluten, it is often processed with equipment that also processes foods containing gluten, so cross-contamination is possible.
How to Store Gluten-Free Cornbread
If you have leftovers, they can easily be stored for another meal and cornbread warms up nicely in the microwave. The best way to keep your cornbread moist is to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep on the counter for a day or two.
What To Do with Leftovers
- Warm up leftovers for breakfast – it goes great with a frittata or scrambled eggs
- Use in place of gluten-free breadcrumbs to make crunchy chicken nuggets
- Make croutons or gluten-free cornbread stuffing
- Crumble over soup or salad
Of all of the recipe conversions I have done, making cornbread gluten-free is one of the easiest and tastiest. Put this on your menu today!
I hope you enjoy this gf cornbread as much as my family does!
xoxo,
Mēgan
Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipe:
Gluten-Free Cornbread
Whether you are making a quick weeknight family meal or taking a dish to a potluck, gluten-free cornbread is a versatile side dish everyone loves!
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk, full fat
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups gluten-free cornmeal
- ¾ cup tapioca starch
- ¾ cup sorghum flour
- ½ cup millet flour
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F) and lightly grease a 9x13” baking pan.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the canned coconut milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to sit for at least 10 minutes (this creates a dairy-free “buttermilk”).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free cornmeal, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, millet flour, organic brown sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- Add the melted vegan butter and coconut oil, honey, and eggs.
- Now slowly stir in the coconut milk/vinegar mixture. Mix until just blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. The batter will be thick, so use a spatula to spread it evenly on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes (the cornbread tends to cook faster in a metal pan vs. a glass one), or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the center of the cornbread.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
CANNED COCONUT MILK
I use the Thai Kitchen brand of canned coconut milk in this recipe, since it’s extra thick and creamy.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand, you can also use fresh squeezed lemon juice, or white distilled vinegar.
VEGAN BUTTER
If you are unable to use vegan butter, you can also use more coconut oil, or ghee (if you tolerate it).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 309mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g
Don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @allergyfreeak and #allergyfreealaska with your cornbread gluten-free pics!
Cindy says
It looks amazing I have a recipe almost as close to this one but I’m going to make this one I love cornbread I grew up on this I’m in my late 60’s. Thx
Cindy says
Hey I’m a knitter also
Mēgan says
Thank you, Cindy! I hope you enjoy it! (I love knitting!)
Roslyn says
Hi Mēgan,
I was wondering if you have ever made your cornbread with any egg replacement? If so, what did you use? Or do you recommend anything to try? My son has an egg allergy, as well as others. I’m still a novice to baking allergy friendly foods but I have found may of your recipes absolutely delicious!!!! Words cannot express how grateful I am for you and others out there that share your experience/recipes. It has made our life transition from never having to deal with food allergies to having a child with 6 of the top 8 allergies a little less stressful when I have a place to look to find so many wonderful recipes to try! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!
Mēgan says
Hi Roslyn! You are sweet! THank you so much for the compliments. I actually haven’t tried this recipe with any type of egg replacement (we’ve been testing eggs again with my daughter). That said, I want to try an egg-free variation, I’ve just run out of cornmeal and am waiting for what I’ve ordered to come in! So if I’m able to come up with a vegan variation, I’ll post it. 😉
Paula Globerman says
I made this with egg replacer for my vegan grand daughter and it is fantastic. Very very yummy. I just mixed the egg replacer as it says on the box.I am making it again today.
Mēgan says
Hi Paula,
Thank you so much for sharing that egg replacer worked well! I’m happy to hear that!
Ashley says
I don’t know how to express how grateful I am to you. I’ve tried so many different websites and cookbooks and I have yet to find anything so delicious as your recipes. The pumpkin bread and cornbread are better (way better) than my best gluten recipes. Thank you thank you thank you for what you do. Since the celiac diagnosis, we appreciate so deeply that we can benefit from these recipes. Seriously. So good. You are magic.
Mēgan says
Ashley, your comment literally brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for your kind compliments – I really needed this today!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Aura says
Anything I can use instead of coconut milk (can’t have) or nut milks (don’t want to make my own without all the extra ingredients they add)?
Mēgan says
Hi Aura,
The reason why I use the coconut milk is because it’s high in fat (so it aids in moisture). If you were to try a substitute, I might suggest hemp, though hemp milk is slightly thinner, so you may need less of it. Also, you’d want to add 1-2 tablespoons more of fat to make up for the loss of fat in the coconut milk.
In summary: try 1 cup hemp milk + 2 tablespoons more of oil. Check the consistency of the batter. If it’s too thick, add more hemp milk, little by little, until it matches the consistency of my batter in the video.
Hope that helps!