sweet, tender-crumbed, easily customizable, and perfect for serving with a bowl of chili, this recipe for Cornbread Without Milk has all the flavor you crave while managing to stay dairy-free.
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Now that we're firmly in comfort food season, I'm all about soups, stews, and sheet-pan dinners. And while all of these cozy meals are delightful on their own, future baby and me like a little extra carby goodness to mop up every last drop of flavor.
My newest favorite vehicle for sopping up all the juices, broths, and gravies that abound this time of year? This rich and tender dairy-free cornbread. It has all the flavor and texture of the Southern staple dish, but without any pesky lactose to set my tummy on fire. Hooray!
Best of all, this easy from-scratch recipe for cornbread without buttermilk or butter is made in a single bowl with just 10 minutes of active effort. That's basically as fast as you could whip up a box of Jiffy, and so much tastier to boot.
Can you make cornbread without milk?
You sure can! This dairy-free cornbread recipe is completely devoid of milk, buttermilk, sour cream, Greek yogurt, butter, or any other sneakily milky products that might be added to a normal batch of cornbread. It also happens to be simply delicious, so you won't miss the milk at all.
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Why you'll love this dairy-free cornbread recipe:
Aside from being absolutely ideal for serving alongside your favorite bowl of soup, this cornbread recipe without milk is also:
- Made In One Bowl. Less Cleanup = Happy Me.
- Quick & Easy. 10 minutes of prep, 1 bowl, and no electric mixer? Even other quickbread recipes are rarely this fast and simple.
- Requires Fewer Than 10 Ingredients. Chances are you already have most of what you need on hand.
- Versatile & Customizable. Turn this non-dairy cornbread recipe into perfectly portioned corn muffins, bake it over the top of your favorite chili for an easy casserole, boost the flavors with your choice of add-ins... this recipe is easy to tweak to fit your needs, whatever they may be. Read on below for lots of great ideas!
Wondering what to serve this cornbread with? My Instant Pot Turkey Chili, Vegan Jackfruit Chili, and Pork Green Chili are all delicious picks!
Ingredients:
As promised, this cornbread recipe without buttermilk requires just a few easy-to-find ingredients. Here's what to grab:
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray - Even if you're using a non-stick pan, greasing it will ensure your no milk cornbread pops out in a single, flawless, golden piece.
- Vegan Butter - For richness without dairy.
- Honey - For sweetness, moisture, and a hint of honey flavor.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk - You won't find a better milk substitute for cornbread! If possible, I suggest using canned.
- Eggs - To bind everything together.
- Medium-Ground Cornmeal - For sweet corn flavor and a lovely texture.
- Salt - For seasoning.
- Baking Powder - For rising power.
- Granulated White Sugar - For a bit more sweetness without adding too much moisture.
- All-Purpose Flour - White flour is all you need.
Ingredient substitutions:
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray - Feel free to use coconut oil or vegan butter to grease the pan instead!
- Vegan Butter - You can swap in virgin coconut oil here, but the cornbread won't be as buttery or moist if you do.
- Honey - You're welcome to trade in more granulated white sugar if you like. Agave nectar, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup can also be used.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk - Another substitute for milk in cornbread is any other rich and creamy non-dairy milk like unsweetened oat milk or unsweetened soy milk.
- Eggs - Feel free to use your favorite store-bought egg replacer (e.g. JUST Eggs) or swap in flax eggs instead. 1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon Flaxseed, whole or ground + 3 Tablespoons Water + Stir + 5 Minutes Rest
- Medium-Ground Cornmeal - You can use coarser-ground grits or polenta here, but the crunch factor will definitely increase if you do. You can also use corn flour, but you won't get the same lovely texture.
- Salt - I use kosher salt in my kitchen. If you're using a different type (e.g. pink salt, sea salt, or table salt), make sure to refer to this conversion chart.
- Granulated White Sugar - You're welcome to use a less-refined sugar here like coconut sugar or organic cane sugar if you prefer.
- All-Purpose Flour - You can also use cake flour for a more tender crumb, or swap in your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
How to make cornbread without milk
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This coconut milk cornbread comes together in a flash. Here's how it's done:
Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven and grease your baking pan.
Step 2: Warm Butter & Honey in the microwave until the butter is melted.
Step 3: Wet Ingredients. Whisk coconut milk and eggs into the honey-butter mix until well combined.
Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined and smooth.
Step 5: Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 6: Cool the bread on a wire cooling rack until at room temperature or your desired temperature. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe variations
I love this cornbread with coconut milk just the way it is written, but there are plenty of ways to gussy it up to your liking. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Consider Add-Ins - Try adding up to ½ cup of chopped pickled jalapeños, bacon bits, shredded dairy-free cheddar cheese, diced and roasted green chiles, and/or frozen corn kernels for some extra pizzaz.
- Super Southern - Swap bacon fat for the vegan butter for an extra rich and savory Southern-style cornbread.
- Spicy - Add diced fresh jalapeños and vegan pepper jack cheese to the mix for an extra zesty side.
How to make gluten-free dairy-free cornbread with this recipe:
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the same amount of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour.
Making this cornbread at high altitude:
Good news! This tasty recipe works at high altitude without any modifications.
Recipe pro-tips:
- To properly measure flour, use a kitchen scale (preferred) or use the scoop & sweep method.
- Don't overmix the batter or you'll risk a tough result. The cornbread is ready for the oven when all streaks of the dry ingredients are gone and the batter is smooth.
- Prep your baking tin. It only takes a few extra seconds of effort and ensures you get every last crumb of corny deliciousness.
Recipe FAQs:
I have heard of several recipes that use corn kernels, corn flakes, or corn flour in place of cornmeal. While I haven't developed this particular dish for it, you can probably come up with a hybrid recipe using my dairy substitutes and a different cornmeal-free cornbread recipe!
You can, but the resulting cornbread will be drier and crumblier if you do since you won't have the added fat. If you need to make this swap, add about a tablespoon of vegan butter or coconut oil for each cup of water you use.
It all depends on the recipe. I've seen some cornbread recipes that only use cornmeal and no flour. If that's the case, so long as the cornmeal was milled in a facility that doesn't have cross-contamination with wheat, it would indeed be naturally gluten-free.
However, I learned how to make cornbread with both cornmeal and regular flour. That said, you can easily adapt my cornbread with coconut milk to be gluten-free by using your favorite measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend!
Storage & freezing
Leftover cornbread covered in an airtight container at room temperature will last for 2-3 days. Any leftovers can also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
More bread recipes:
- Homemade Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Corn Soufflé (without Jiffy Mix)
- Dairy-Free Banana Bread
- Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer
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Cornbread without Milk
Sweet, tender-crumbed, easily customizable, and perfect for serving with a bowl of chili, this recipe for Cornbread Without Milk has all the flavor you crave while managing to stay dairy-free.
Ingredients
- Non-stick cooking spray or coconut oil
- ⅓ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup honey (or additional granulated sugar)
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups medium ground cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup + 2 T (135g) all-purpose flour (or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with non-stick spray or coconut oil.
- Add the vegan butter and honey to a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat in the microwave on 20-30% heat in 30-second increments, whisking between increments, or until the coconut oil and honey are melted and combined.
- Whisk the coconut milk and eggs into the butter and honey mixture until combined.
- Add the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, sugar, and all-purpose flour to the mixing bowl and whisk until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is baked through and a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Cool the bread on a wire cooling rack until at room temperature or your desired temperature. Serve with honey, vegan butter and/or coconut oil.
Notes
- Leftovers last covered in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the same amount of 1-to-1 gluten free flour for the all-purpose flour.
- Virgin coconut oil can substitute for the vegan butter, but the flavor of the bread won’t be as buttery or moist.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1/12 of the cornbreadAmount Per Serving Calories 293Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 31mgSodium 273mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 2gSugar 10gProtein 6g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dietitians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
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