The BEST Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread Recipe
Fall is coming, and this Healthy Vegan Cornbread recipe is on repeat in my house all season long. Moist, tender, and crumby muffins with a hint of sweetness from maple syrup. The perfect accompaniment to vegan chili, stews, soup, and more!
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 3/4 cup gluten free oat flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar or use maple syrup
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/3 cups light coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or use lemon juice
- 1/3 cup apple sauce or pumpkin puree or oil
Optional
- 1 cup charred corn frozen
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (for 20 min) degrees and line or grease a muffin tin.
- Prepare your batter by whisking together cornmeal, oat flour, tapioca starch and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, add apple cider vinegar to coconut milk and let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. Whisk in pumpkin purée or apple sauce and maple syrup until smooth.
- Create a small well in the center of the dry ingredient bowl and add your wet ingredients, using a spatula to mix until combined.
- Pour batter into your muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes, until tops are golden brown and muffins are cooked through.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- If you’d prefer to make a pan of cornbread rather than muffins, I recommend using an 8 x 8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper or greased. Keep in mind that the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pan. I recommend baking for 22-25 minutes at 375 F. Check the center with a toothpick and add additional time if needed.
- You can use yellow or white cornmeal and fine ground or medium-grind cornmeal. I've tried with several cornmeal types, and the outcomes vary slightly in texture, but you shouldn't have any issues with the actual recipe. I find that the medium grind cornmeal is my favourite end-result texture, but use what you have available!
- If preferred, you can substitute the pumpkin or applesauce for your favourite neutral oil. ⅓ cup will do.
- Substitute ⅓ cup granulated cane sugar instead of the maple syrup if desired.
Recipe Variations
- To make a spicy, savoury cornbread, consider a cheezy jalapeño cornbread. Add a shredded vegan cheese of choice and sliced or pickled jalapeño peppers into the batter.
- An herbed cornbread can be made by adding your favourite fresh or dried herbs of choice into the batter. Chives also make an amazing addition.
- Maple is a lovely addition to cornbread, in my opinion, and you could sweeten the batter as you would a sweet muffin. If you want to play up the savoury sweet, consider plant-based bacon AND maple.
Serving Tips
- Serve warm with vegan butter and maple syrup if desired.
- This delicious vegan cornbread recipe is the perfect side dish for my vegan chili or any Fall/Holiday dishes!
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- To freeze, store leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container or ziptop bag and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and serve!