This gluten-free cornbread is so moist, fluffy, and easy to make that you’ll never find yourself reaching for a packaged mix again!

This recipe comes to you courtesy of Mama Garcia! She’s been making this cornbread for years and years, and we were so happy to find that it could easily be converted to gluten-free. While you may be used to making your cornbread from a packaged mix, rest assured that this one comes together with minimal effort. This cornbread is fluffy, moist, and lightly sweetened. It’s the perfect side for soup, chili, or for Thanksgiving stuffing!
Is cornbread gluten-free?
First things first, you may be wondering whether cornbread is naturally gluten-free. The answer is no because while cornbread has a cornmeal base, it typically also contains flour to give it a finer crumb and a more cake-like consistency.
What kind of cornmeal is best for cornbread?
While most cornmeal is gluten-free, if you have Celiac Disease or are super sensitive we recommend double-checking your cornmeal to make sure it isn’t processed alongside wheat. The other thing you’ll want to look for when making gluten-free cornbread is fine-ground cornmeal (our favorite is this one from Bob’s Red Mill). If you go with coarse-ground cornmeal, the cornbread will be more crumbly and not as fluffy.
Ingredients
This recipe calls for a relatively short list of staple ingredients. Hereโs what youโll need:
- Finely Ground Cornmeal – to start, youโll need to grab 1 1/2 cups of finely ground cornmeal.
- Gluten-Free Flour – in addition to the cornmeal, youโll also need 1 cup of gluten-free flour. We like Bobโs Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour and King Arthurโs Measure for Measure GF flour.
- Baking Powder – 1 tablespoon of baking powder will do here.
- Sea Salt – youโll also need 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
- Whole Milk – 1 1/2 cups of whole milk makes up the bulk of the liquid component of this recipe.
- Butter – 1/3 cup of melted salted butter adds a beautifully rich flavor.
- Honey – for a touch of sweetness, weโll also add a 1/4 cup of honey. Know that this is optional, but recommended!
- Egg – youโll use 1 large egg to bind everything together!
How do you make gluten-free cornbread from scratch?
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make this cornbread:
- Whisk the dry ingredients. First, you’ll place the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Mix in the wet ingredients. Next, you’ll add the honey, milk, egg, and melted butter to the bowl and mix it until a smooth batter is formed. No need to use a mixer for this one!
- Pour the batter into a round pan. We used a round cake pan to make this gluten-free cornbread, but you can also use a cast-iron skillet if you’d like! If you decide to use a cast-iron, we recommend preheating it in the oven while you make your batter. The hot pan will help the cornbread get extra-crispy on the edges and allow for even heating.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Finally, you’ll bake the cornbread for 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
What is the best egg substitute for cornbread?
Weโre so glad you asked! We actually did some really extensive research on this (you can find our full egg substitute guide here), so we feel really confident in the ability to make *almost* any baked good egg-free! When it comes to cornbread, we recommend subbing in a flax egg. To do this, youโll simply combine 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water, mix it together, and let it sit for about 5 minutes (until it becomes slightly gelatinous), then youโll use it just like you would a regular ole egg!
Can I make this cornbread dairy-free?
Yes! You can make this cornbread dairy-free by replacing the milk with full-fat coconut milk and the butter with coconut oil.
Can I reduce or leave out the honey?
Yes, this cornbread is slightly sweet (which is how we prefer it), but if you’d like a more savory cornbread, you can reduce or leave out the honey without issue.
Gluten-Free Cornbread Variations
While we love this recipe for a standard cornbread, here are a few ideas to spice up your cornbread a bit!
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread – Leave out the honey and add 1/4 cup diced jalapenos (about 2 de-seeded jalapenos) and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the batter.
- Bacon & Fresh Corn Cornbread – Reduce the honey to 2 tablespoons and add 1/2 cup bacon and 3/4 cup corn kernels to the batter.
- Sweet Blueberry Cornbread – Use 3/4 cup of honey and add 1 cup of blueberries to the batter for this fun twist on traditional cornbread.
What to Serve with Cornbread
In the wintertime, cornbread is a go-to side for me for any kind of soup or stew. This cornbread also makes a great base for gluten-free stuffing! Here are our favorites:
- Bacon and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing
- Paleo Bison Chili
- Gluten-Free Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Squeaky Clean Chicken & Veggie Soup
- Rustic Beef & Potato Slow Cooker Soup
- Oven Baked Crab Legs
How to Store and Reheat Cornbread
If you’re making your cornbread ahead of time (meal prep-style), let it cool after cooking, then cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the fridge. When you’re ready to heat it, simply pop the whole thing (foil cover included) back in a 350ยฐF oven for about 20 minutes. If your cornbread is a few days old and pretty dried out, place a damp paper towel over the cornbread, then cover it with foil, and bake at 350ยฐF for 20 minutes or so.
If you don’t have a baking dish of cornbread left over and are instead heating up individual slices, wrap each slice in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds, until warmed through.
Easy Gluten-Free Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground cornmeal
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup salted butter melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 large egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยบF
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
- Add the milk, melted butter, honey, and egg to the bowl and mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour into a greased 8×8 or round baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
- If you’re making your cornbread ahead of time (meal prep-style), let it cool after cooking, then cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the fridge. When you’re ready to heat it, simply pop the whole thing (foil cover included) back in a 350ยฐF oven for about 20 minutes. If your cornbread is a few days old and pretty dried out, place a damp paper towel over the cornbread, then cover it with foil, and bake at 350ยฐF for 20 minutes or so.
- If you don’t have a baking dish of cornbread left over and are instead heating up individual slices, wrap each slice in a damp paper towel and microwave for about 30 seconds, until warmed through.
I put bacon fat in my cast iron skillet and put it in the oven while it preheated, and I substituted coconut milk for the whole milk. Added pickled jalapenos on top before I baked it. Very good, and there was no coconut taste at all.
I love cooking with bacon fat! And pickled jalapeรฑos, yum! Thank you for taking the time to share with us! ~Melissa
This is, incredible. I’ve got a partner that wants every thing to taste like the real deal that his taste buds are used to. He’s been slowly over the years adjusting to my little tweaks in ingredients! When it comes to accompanying cornbread with chili for dinner, I’ve played around with many cornbread recipes and have had complete failures. Cassidy, you’ve hit it out of the ballpark with this one! Simple and sweet, but also tastes incredible. I love that you baked it in the cast iron and it’s consistency is, spot on! You are a special human.
So glad you guys enjoyed the cornbread, Hannah!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Would love it if you would add in egg substitutions as well. I have a nephew who is allergic to dairy, gluten, nuts, eggs, and soy and maybe a few other things. Iโm always on the lookout for great recipes for them. They have such a difficult time and at this point havenโt been able to fully control his allergies. They are a family of 6 and he is the youngest. He ends up eating most of the things he isnโt supposed to have because it seems so impossible to fit all of his needs.
So sorry to hear about your nephew Deborah. We do try to add substitutions wherever possible, but unfortunately replacing eggs while baking is tricking. On the sidebar you’ll see a recipe key and you can search for egg-free recipes there! I’d also recommend searching for AIP recipe sites and books – those will all have recipes that are dairy, gluten, nut, egg, and soy free.