Easy Gluten-free Cornbread

This post may contain affiliate links. Click for complete disclosures. 

This Gluten-free cornbread recipe is the perfect gluten-free quick bread to make when you don't want to wait for anything to rise before baking.

If you've been searching for a delicious gluten-free cornbread, look no further. This homemade gluten-free cornbread comes together faster than you get to the store to search for a box of gluten-free mix.

Jump to:

• Is cornbread gluten-free?
• Ingredients.
• Ingredient notes and substitutions.
• Steps.
• Make it your own.
• Cornbread FAQ
• Storing cornbread.
• Make ahead and freezing.
• Serving suggestions.
• More gluten-free bread recipes.
• 📖 Recipe

Is cornbread gluten-free?

Most cornbread recipes call for a combination of corn meal, flour, and leveling agents as a base. This means most cornbread recipes are not gluten-free because they use a typical all-purpose flour that contains gluten. Cornbread will only be gluten-free if you make or buy a gluten-free cornbread mix.

Ingredients.

For this gluten-free cornbread recipe, we are going to make our own gluten-free cornbread mix before combining it and turning it into a delicious gluten-free quick bread to enjoy.

• 1:1 Gluten-free Flour
• Cornmeal
• Corn Starch
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Buttermilk
• Melted Butter
• Eggs
• Honey

Ingredient notes and substitutions.

• Gluten-free flour - You want to use a lighter blend that contains xanthan gum. For this gluten-free cornbread recipe, I use King Arthur 1:1 blend. The light Pillsbury gluten-free flour also works well for this recipe. Be sure to measure the gluten-free flour by weight for the most accurate results between batches.
• Cornmeal - You can use white or yellow corn, depending on your preference. Make sure to double-check your packaging since not all store-bought cornmeals are gluten-free. This is because it is often produced on shared lines, and cross-contact can occur. The two brands I know that are labeled gluten-free are Arrowhead Mills and Bob's Red Mill. Make sure you are using fine or medium ground cornmeal. Course cornmeal takes longer to cook, and the texture of your gluten-free cornbread will be tough.
• Sugar - This gluten-free cornbread only uses a little bit of sugar. If you prefer your cornbread on the sweeter side, feel free to double it. If you don't want it sweet at all, you can reduce it.
• Buttermilk - I prefer the texture of this cornbread when it's baked with buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk, you can easily make some. For this recipe, you'll want to add together one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and then fill one cup remaining with your milk of choice and let it rest.
• Melted butter - You can also use light cooking oil instead of melted butter.
• Dairy-free cornbread - Instead of buttermilk, make a dairy-free buttermilk using apple cider vinegar and dairy-free milk of choice, and use a light cooking oil instead of the butter.
• Egg-free cornbread - You can substitute the egg for either equal parts flax egg or one-third (⅓) of a cup of apple sauce per egg.

Steps.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
2. Add the wet ingredients.
3. Pour into a dish.
4. Bake and enjoy!

Make it your own.

• Honey - Use all honey instead of the sugar.
• Spicy Jalapeno Cheddar - Add a sliced jalapeno pepper along with about half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the batter. I also like to add a few on top.
• Use a cast iron skillet - Warm the cast iron in the oven while you prepare the batter. Once warm, lightly grease the skillet and then bake the cornbread. Note: baking this cornbread in a skillet will create more of a crust on the outside of the skillet.
• Gluten-free cornbread muffins - Scoop about ¼ of a cup of the batter into a greased muffin tin. Place the pan into the oven and bake. Starch checking on the muffins at about 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Remove them from the oven to cool once a toothpick inserted is removed with only a few dry crumbs. Note: depending on your pan, you might not get a full dozen cornbread muffins.
• Gluten-free corn pancakes - Prepare the batter as written. Instead of baking it in the oven, cook it on a hot, greased griddle to make easy gluten-free pancakes. You can also cook the batter in a greased waffle iron to make waffles.

Cornbread FAQ

Storing cornbread.

Store cooled cornbread in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge. It will last for about 3-4 days, and then it tends to dry out.

Make ahead and freezing.

• Cooked cornbread can be frozen to save for later. Just wrap the cornbread in parchment paper and store it in a freezer-safe container.
• When you are ready to eat it, let it defrost at room temperature and then warm it up in the oven or microwave till warm.

Serving suggestions.

• This recipe is the perfect gluten-free quick bread to make and serve with everything from gluten-free fried chicken to some delicious pork ribs and gluten-free baked beans to even a big bowl of gluten-free beef stew or chili.
• It's also delicious on its own with just a little bit of butter. I also love to drizzle a little bit of honey on top. You can even use this cornbread as a base to make your own gluten-free cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving. It's bound to be a hit.

More gluten-free bread recipes.

📖 Recipe

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!