When transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle, the first thing you’ll probably miss is bread. Many grocery store gluten-free breads are sad and dense. But here’s a clever workaround. While gluten-free bread recipes can be finicky, quick breads are generally easy to make gluten-free. The simplest of all? This gluten-free cornbread!
Is cornbread gluten-free?
Cornbread sounds innocent because cornmeal is naturally gluten-free. However, most cornbread recipes call for some wheat flour as well as cornmeal. Why? Cornmeal’s coarse texture makes for a delicious grainy mouthfeel, but it doesn’t provide much structure on its own. Adding some flour—whether all-purpose wheat flour or a gluten-free substitute, as in this recipe—makes for a more tender crumb and loftier rise.
Gluten-Free Cornbread Ingredients
- Gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
- Cornmeal
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Butter
Directions
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, combine just the dry ingredients to start: flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk until the mix is uniform in color.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and butter or oil.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl.
Step 4: Stir
Stir the batter until just moistened.
Step 5: Smooth batter in pan
Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula so it’s even in depth. (It’s OK if the top isn’t perfect, though.)
Step 6: Bake
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with butter and honey!
How to Store Gluten-Free Cornbread
Gluten-free cornbread tastes best the day it is made. (Most gluten-free baked goods dry out faster than traditional gluten-containing bakes.) Store any leftovers at room temperature, tightly covered. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.
Gluten-Free Cornbread Tips
What kind of gluten-free flour should I use?
Make sure to choose an all-purpose gluten-free flour, like one of our favorite store-bought GF flour blends or a homemade gluten-free flour mix. These mixes combine different GF flours and starches to mimic the flavor and texture of traditional all-purpose flour.
Can I make gluten-free cornbread dairy-free?
It can be tricky to convert a recipe to dairy-free. This cornbread includes both butter and buttermilk, but you may substitute both. Canola oil (or another flavorless oil, such as peanut oil) can be switched one-to-one for the butter. Buttermilk is trickier: You want both the tang of the buttermilk and the liquid. Your favorite plant-based milk should do the trick—just add a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for acidity.
Can I make gluten-free cornbread muffins?
You may bake corn muffins rather than a large bread, if you prefer! Simply pour the batter into a lined muffin tin; fill about 3/4 of the way. Smaller muffins will bake more quickly, so reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes and keep a close eye. These gluten-free corn muffins will freeze even better than cornbread: Wrap the baked and cooled muffins in an airtight bag and freeze for up to a month.
What can I serve with gluten-free cornbread?
Everything that tastes good with traditional cornbread will be delicious with gluten-free cornbread. Serve slices of cornbread alongside a cozy stew recipe to sop up the sauce. A square or two of cornbread transforms a soup recipe into a hearty lunch. Leftover cornbread makes a tasty breakfast treat: Reheat in the microwave and slather with butter and honey. You can also chop leftover cornbread into cubes, lightly toast and serve as croutons with a salad.
