This gluten-free cornbread is easy to make. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix until a batter forms, and bake until golden brown. That’s it. For an extra touch of richness, spread a pat of butter on the cornbread when it comes out of the oven.
It’s great enjoyed on its own or served as a side dish. The recipe includes a dairy-free option.
Cornbread at its best is deeply flavorful with a tender crumb. And, most importantly, it shouldn’t be dry. This recipe meets all of those requirements plus one: it’s easy to make.
Whether you like your cornbread savory or sweet, this recipe is for you. Adjust the sugar content to suit your tastes.
For the best texture, bake the cornbread in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. It makes cornbread that’s golden brown on the bottom with an almost crunchy crust.
And if you want to make corn muffins, follow this recipe for gluten-free corn muffins. The bake time and method are slightly different than they are for cornbread.
Gluten-Free Cornbread Ingredients.
- Gluten-Free Cornmeal. The key ingredient in this recipe is cornmeal. If you prefer a cake-like cornbread, use finely ground cornmeal. Use a medium ground cornmeal if you prefer a coarse, almost crumbly cornbread.
Note: Although corn is a naturally gluten-free grain, some brands of cornmeal aren’t considered gluten-free by their manufacturer because of how they’re processed. Use a cornmeal that’s labeled gluten-free. - Gluten-Free Flour. A little gluten-free flour gives this cornbread a tender crumb. It also helps to keep it moist for a day or so.
Since there’s such a small amount of flour, most gluten-free flours should work. (This recipe was developed with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour.) Don’t use almond or coconut flour. The almond flour makes for a heavy, greasy cornbread, and coconut flour will give you an unpleasantly spongy cornbread. - Sugar. This isn’t a sweet, cake-like cornbread, but it does contain two tablespoons of sugar. The sugar helps the cornbread to brown and enhances the natural sweetness of the cornmeal. In fact, if you try this cornbread with sugar and without, the recipe made with sugar tastes more “corn-y” than the one made without.
If you want a sweet cornbread, increase the sugar. You can use up to 1/2 cup granulated sugar. And if you don’t want to use sugar, leave it out of the recipe. Most of the time omitting sugar from a baking recipe is a no-no. But it works great in this recipe.
- Baking Powder. The rise and tender crumb come from a full tablespoon of baking powder. For a very dense cornbread, reduce the baking powder to one teaspoon.
Always use fresh baking powder for baking. The container should have an expiration date on it. If you’re unsure about its freshness, test it. Stir one teaspoon of baking powder into a half cup of hot water. The mixture should bubble immediately. - Salt. A little salt helps enhance the flavor of the cornbread. Without salt, bread tastes flat. Use table salt (fine salt) for this recipe. It blends easily into the batter.
- Eggs. Two eggs give the cornbread lift, moisture, and flavor. I haven’t tested the recipe with egg alternatives. So I can’t say if this recipe works egg-free.
- Milk. Since I rarely have buttermilk in the house, I stopped using it in my cornbread. Not only is this great for making last-minute cornbread, but it also benefits folks who are on a dairy-free diet. If you follow a dairy-free diet, replace the milk with your favorite dairy-free alternative. Avoid using full-fat coconut milk. It’s too thick and rich for this cornbread.
- Oil (or Butter). Any baking oil (corn, canola, or soy) works well. If you include dairy in your diet and prefer the flavor of butter, swap the oil for melted butter. After melting the butter, cool it before adding it to the batter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cornbread.
Gluten-Free Cornmeal
It’s easy to make a batch of this cornbread. Follow these steps and you’ll have a pan of cornbread in under 30 minutes.
1. Preheat the oven.
For the best rise and crumb, preheat your oven before baking cornbread. Most ovens take about 15 minutes to preheat. Small countertop ovens preheat much faster.
If you’re using a cast iron skillet, place it in the oven to preheat. A hot skillet gives the cornbread a crunchy exterior. Don’t have a skillet? No problem. Use a cake pan. (Don’t preheat an empty cake pan. If it has a coating, the heat can damage it.)
2. Make the batter.
All you need to make this batter is a large bowl and a whisk. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients. Don’t skip this step. It removes any lumps and helps distribute the sugar, baking powder, and salt throughout the cornmeal and gluten-free flour. This gives the cornbread a great texture.
Then add the milk, eggs, and oil. Stir until the batter is smooth. It’ll be a little thick. If you’re using finely ground cornbread and the batter seems too thick to spread, add two tablespoons more milk.
3. Bake Until Brown.
If you’re using a skillet, the cornbread should take about 15 minutes to bake. Cornbread baked in a cake pan takes about 18 minutes.
To check the cornbread for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. It should come out clean. You can also gently press the top of the cornbread with your hand. It should feel firm and spring back to the touch.
Baking Gluten-Free Cornbread in a Skillet
I think a cast iron skillet is one of the best pieces of equipment you can have in your kitchen. You can use it to make a steak or make a cake. (Or, in this case, cornbread.)
If you have an 8-inch cast iron skillet, use it. Pop it in the oven before you turn it on to preheat. A hot skillet gives gluten-free cornbread a crispy and brown exterior. And if you’ve ever baked gluten-free, you know how challenging it can sometimes be to get a nice brown crumb on baked goods.
When the oven is at temperature and your batter is ready to go, remove the skillet from the oven. Grease it generously. Use either cooking oil or nonstick cooking spray. If you use vegetable oil, swirl it around in the pan to coat the pan evenly.
Spread the batter into the hot pan. It might sizzle a little. Quickly return the pan to the oven.
Cornbread baked in a hot skillet bakes a little faster than cornbread baked in a cake pan. Check the cornbread after 15 minutes.
When the cornbread comes out of the oven, you can spread a pat of butter over the top. It’ll melt right away. Doing this adds a little richness and flavor.
4. Cool and Serve.
Before serving, cool the cornbread for about 5 minutes. If you cut the cornbread as soon as it comes out of the oven, it can crumble. Cut into pieces and enjoy.
You can enjoy this cornbread on its own. A lovely way to eat a slice is to butter it and toast it in a skillet. Or serve it as a side dish. It’s great with chili or roast chicken.
If you like your cornbread on the sweeter side, drizzle a little honey over the top. It’s so good.
How to Store Gluten-Free Cornbread.
Cornbread tastes best the day it’s baked. Wrap leftovers and store on the counter for up to two days.
If you’d like to reheat the cornbread, place it in a warm oven or butter it and toast it on a griddle or in a hot pan.
This cornbread freezes really well. Allow the cornbread to cool. Then wrap tightly or place into a freezer container. Freeze for up to three months.
Gluten-Free Cornbread
Easy gluten-free cornbread recipe. Mix all ingredients in one bowl and bake until brown. Dairy-free variation included.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups coarse/medium ground gluten-free cornmeal (see note) (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- ½ cup gluten-free flour, see note (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, see note (1 ounce; 28 grams)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk, see note for dairy-free option (6 ounces; 170 grams)
- 2 large eggs (about 4 ounces out of shell; 114 grams)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (2 1/3 ounces; 66 grams)
Instructions
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Heat oven. Preheat oven to 425°F.
If using an 8-inch cast iron skillet, place into oven before preheating.
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Whisk together gluten-free cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, and oil. Whisk until combined. Batter will be thick. If it's too thick to spread, add two tablespoons of additional milk.
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If using a skillet, remove it from the oven and place it on a heatproof surface. Grease with nonstick cooking spray or brush generously with vegetable oil.
If using an 8-inch round cake pan, grease the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread batter into pan. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. The cornbread should spring back when touched.
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Allow cornbread to cool for about five minutes before cutting into pieces.
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To store: Wrap cornbread and store on the counter overnight. Or cool thoroughly, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to two months. Allow cornbread to thaw on the counter.
Recipe Notes
Cornmeal
This recipe was developed for coarse and medium-ground cornmeal. If you use finely ground cornmeal, the batter might be thick. If that occurs, add 1/4 cup additional milk.
Gluten-Free Flour
Bob’s Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour is recommended.
Dairy-Free Option
Replace milk with a dairy-free alternative, such as rice milk or soy. Full-fat coconut milk is not recommended because the fat content makes for a very rich, almost greasy, cornbread.
Sugar.
For a sweet cornbread, increase sugar to a ½ cup.
For a savory cornbread, omit the sugar. Gluten-free cornbread baked without sugar doesn’t brown as much. Check for doneness by using a toothpick.
Becky says
So no to buttermilk?
Elizabeth says
This one was developed without buttermilk. So I’ve never tested it with that option. It might work but the leavening might be off. It’s hard for me to say. Sorry!
Marcia says
I made it with buttermilk and it was really good. The 1/4 tsp of baking soda added for flavor actually compensates for the extra acidity of the buttermilk.
Deb says
Crumbly, course texture, delish- loved it! I may make it even more savory next time by adding herbs- should go well since this isn’t sweet. Would just want to know nutritional info- especially carbs.
Elizabeth says
Hi Deb,
I don’t have a calculator for the nutritional info. Sorry!
Michelle says
Thank you for this perfect recipe! This will be my forever cornbread. I found it just sweet enough to satisfy what I’m looking for in a cornbread without it tasting like dessert.
Diane says
Thankyou for explaining options and cooking logic behind the ingredients? Great for a cook who likes to make educated alterations. Excellent recipe.
Sage says
Hi, how many muffins will this recipe make?
Thanks, Sage
Sage says
I just made muffins and was able to get 10 from the recipe. I also switched the sugar to coconut sugar…this recipe is delicious, thank you!
Elizabeth says
Ah! Fantastic! Sorry. I didn’t see your question until now. Glad you enjoyed them.
Maribeth Stearns says
10-30-20
This was absolutely delicious! I am a new gluten-free eater and have had a favorite recipe for cornbread for years. I am delighted to find one that is equally as good!
Michelle Abel says
I need 12 cups or cornbread for my gluten free cornbread stuffing. I made it already, but cannot cube it until Wednesday. About how many cups are in this?
Elizabeth says
It depends on how large you cut your cubes. I usually get about 8 cups of cubes from this batch.
Sally says
I am new to gluten free baking so I needed a new recipe. This one was fabulous. I don’t keep milk in the house so I used diluted can milk, I also had just cut some corn off the cob and decided to put a handful in the batter. The texture was great. Corn bread turned out perfect. I had to come here before I forgot the recipe so I could print a copy for my files.
Phyllis says
Just found this recipe and will try soon. We used a GF mix at Thanksgiving and it was loaded with sugar – which was not to our liking.
Will try in my cast iron pan but it is either 10″ or 12″. I’ll post my results.
Thank you for sharing and for providing the why behind the ingredients.
Elizabeth says
Hi Phyllis,
I hope you enjoy it! If your cast iron pan is 12-inches, I’m afraid that will be too large. An 8-inch cake pan would be a better option if you have one. If it’s 10-inches, it will work, just know that the cornbread will be thin.
I hope this helps!
Rosa Sierra says
The bomb. I just made this with coconut flour as the gluten free option. The crust on the cast iron skillet is perfect. It’s just perfect cornbread. Craving satisfied!
Patricia Ausborn says
Can you make cornbread dressing with this?
Thanks
Elizabeth says
Yes! And here’s my recipe for gluten-free cornbread stuffing if you need one.
Sharon B says
Elizabeth, thank you so much for this recipe, and for explaining the role of sugar (I am in the UNsweet cornbread camp) in the recipe, as well as using fine cornmeal, which was all I could find. The cornbread came out beautifully and tasted amazing! I do have a confession…not sure I put in the vegetable oil, it still worked! Thank you so much again!
Elizabeth says
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
There are many traditional recipes for cornbread that skip the oil. It’s the one cake-like baked good where we can get away with this. Happy it worked!
Carol K. says
I came across this recipe looking for a different gluten-free one I had used a few years ago. I don’t need to cook gluten-free so I substituted all-purpose wheat flour and greased the cast iron pan with bacon grease. It took about 8 minutes longer to bake, but was beautifully golden-brown with a wonderful crust. My go-to cornbread recipe is a Marie Calender mix clone which is sweet and cake-like. My husband prefers a more savory, dense cornbread. This recipe is a happy medium between the two: light, crunchy, and not overly sweet.
I noticed a while ago someone asked about nutrition. My recipe software (MacGourmet Deluxe) calculated it for me (using all-purpose flour, not gluten-free) as 351 calories per serving (1/6 of the recipe).
Heather says
Dear Elizabeth, I am new to the GF world. My doctor has recommended it for awhile as part of my treatment for SIBO (also low FODMAP). Honestly, it’s felt kind of depressing not being able to eat so many foods. I’m really glad to have found your website and will bookmark it! I just made this cornbread… YUM!!! I used unsweetened almond milk, olive oil and slightly less sugar (1-1/2T) with complete success and made it our cast iron skillet, so it also looks very cute. It’s a delicious, super easy and fast recipe! Woo hoo! Thanks so much! I’ll be back to bake more of your recipes. Sincerely, Heather
Jessica Clark says
I have made this twice now and it turned out perfect each time! I used unsweet vanilla almond milk and olive oil. This is definitely our go-to side for chili now!
Rivkah says
Love love love this cornbread! I tweak it a little bit to be free of processed sugar, and it comes out perfectly sweet & savory, fluffy & sponge-like on the inside, yet delicately crispy brown outside. We eat it with all kinds of different stews, with southern fried fish w/ green beans & mashed potatoes, or as “breakfast cakes” – topped w/ cottage cheese & salmon served warm ? Absolutely versatile & delicious, even by itself!
Alissa Robbins says
The first time I made this i used egg replacer cause I had no eggs came out great. I just made a second one and added cinnamon to it. Can’t wait to eat it
Darby says
Made this recipe as a vegan option using Just Egg as a substitute and almond milk. Halved it as it’s just me and I don’t eat that much. I’m guessing my corn meal was fine ground as it was very thick batter. Next time will add the extra milk to see how it does while leaving the baking powder/soda the same.
Jennifer Muck-Dietrich says
I’ve tried this recipe twice using buckwheat flour with the cornmeal and even with extra milk it comes out dry. What can I do????
Elizabeth says
I’ve never tested the recipe with buckwheat. I’d try making using the flour recommended. Cornbread does tend to be on the dry side. It’s not a moist bread, like banana bread. So it might not be a texture you like.
Brenda says
Very tasty. I don’t think people will know it’s gf and df. I used melted coconut oil, Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 flour and Native Forest canned light coconut milk and it turned out great. Nice crumb. Somewhat crumbly, but I haven’t had a lot of cornbreads in my life. I baked it in a greased 8×8 inch pan for 15 minutes.
Lisa says
Wonderful receipe. I used kefir and a quarter cup more. Also grated some fresh corn in and put a Tablespoon of butter in the cast iron pan. Delicious!