The Best Gluten Free Cornbread
Skip the box mix for GF cornbread. This gluten free cornbread is super simple to make and really is the best! It is the perfect combination of Yankee Corn Bread and Southern Buttermilk Corn Bread. You can make this in a cast-iron pan for a deliciously crispy crust or in a standard baking dish. This cornbread is super versatile and can accommodate most dietary needs while still being the perfect side dish.
I love when I can make food that everyone in my family enjoys. It gets even better when nobody can tell it’s a gluten free dish. Don’t get me wrong, there are a ton of foods that are gluten free and delicious. It’s just that many bread-type gluten free foods have that “gluten free” taste to them. Luckily for all of us, this cornbread recipe is NOT one!
I have made this cornbread when we’ve had dinner guests and nobody knew it was gluten free. Someone even got those wide eyes and questioning looks when my deathly-allergic-to-wheat son ate his giant piece of cornbread. We quickly reassured the guest that the cornbread was gluten free (and egg free!) so our son was not about to die. The person had no idea the cornbread was gluten free. Perfect.
Feel free to eat this cornbread piping hot from the pan without any toppings. If you’d like to add a little something though, I’d go with honey or your favorite jam like huckleberry-raspberry jam.
Let’s talk pans for a minute. I used to always make this in my smaller (7″x11″) glass pyrex pan. It works great actually. But one time we were camping and I wanted cornbread to go with the chili we were having. Since we typically bring cast iron pans with us camping I decided I’d try that out. There’s nothing quite like cornbread straight out of the cast iron after cooking over a bed of coals. Oh man, it was yummy. Since then we will usually make this cornbread in our cast iron pan (in the oven, not over coals). Another fabulous option is in a muffin tin. I don’t use muffin liners but just give the muffin tin a quick spray with cooking oil to prevent sticking. This is the way to go if you want to freeze some for later.
Time for the ingredients discussion. I love this cornbread recipe because you can swap out ingredients based on food and allergy needs and it is still delicious. Here are a few of the ingredients that can be adjusted as needed:
- Gluten free flour – I typically use Bob’s Red Mill brand (the bag with the blue label). I have also used Namaste brand because our Costco started carrying GF flour. I have had great results with both. Just make sure whatever brand you use has xanthan gum in it. If you don’t have a wheat or gluten allergy you can also just use regular all purpose flour.
- Milk – when my son was very allergic to milk I never used dairy milk in this recipe. Now that he can have dairy milk, we use whole milk for this cornbread. In the past I have used almond milk and oat milk with success.
- Applesauce – use 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce. This replaces the egg. I have tried using egg instead of applesauce, but my whole family prefers this made with applesauce.
- Butter – some people are sensitive to butter. I have not replaced butter with a vegan/dairy-free option so I can’t speak to those results. Let me know how it turns out if you use a replacement.
Follow the pictures below for your step-by-step guide to make the perfect gluten free cornbread. Just don’t forget to use hot pads getting the pan back into the oven!
Serve this with your favorite chili, soup, or smoked/bbq meat. The muffins are great for an after school snack.
The Best Gluten Free Cornbread
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron dutch oven Or another 2-qt baking dish
- Oven set to 400℉
- pastry brush if using cast iron dutch oven
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter use in dutch oven
- 1¼ Cups cornmeal yellow, white, or blue are all great options
- 1 Cup gluten-free flour
- ½ Cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Cup milk substitute non-dairy milk if needed, I've had success with almond milk and oat milk
- ¼ Cup butter, melted
- ⅓ Cup applesauce or 1 egg
Instructions
- Put the 2 Tbsp butter in dutch oven and place in the oven while it preheats to 400℉. After the butter is melted, take the cast iron out of the oven. Use the pastry brush to "paint" the sides of the pan with the butter. This ensures the cornbread won't stick.
- While the oven is preheating and the butter is melting, prepare your ingredients. Mix cornmeal, gf flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to remove any lumps.
- Combine melted butter, milk, and applesauce (or egg) in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until everything is moistened. Batter will be lumpy, don't over mix. Pour into prepared dutch oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean or the cornbread is turning golden brown. Serve hot out of the oven.
Notes
- No cast iron dutch oven? No problem! This can easily be made in an 8-in square pan, a 9-in round pan, or a 7×11-in baking dish. Just make sure to grease whatever pan you choose with shortening or cooking spray.
- Turn these into muffins! Divide the batter evenly among a greased, medium 12 cup muffin pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Freeze the leftovers for snacking on later.
- You can adjust ingredients based on your dietary needs. When my kids were allergic to dairy, we used non-dairy milk. We can now use cow’s milk. This recipe is very adaptable to your needs.
