This homemade gluten-free cornbread is an easy one-bowl recipe that’s ready in under 35 minutes! Made with honey and unsalted butter, this bread is comforting and sweet while containing no gluten and is easily made dairy-free. Try it out today!
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Cornbread is quintessential Americana baking and a delicious recipe for any occasion, whether it be a casual breakfast or the fanciest of holiday dinners. Today, I'm sharing you a version of the beloved classic that is deceptively easy to make, inspired by my good friend whose celiac disease has often gotten between her and a nice hunk of bread.
This gluten-free cornbread recipe is perfect not only because it tastes good, with all the sweetness and richness of classic cornbread, but also because it’s ready in just 35 minutes and only uses one bowl! Now all of us -- gluten-free or not -- can enjoy delicious, comforting cornbread with minimal hassle, time, and dirty dishes.
If you’re interested in more easy gluten-free bread recipes, check out my Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread, and Gluten-Free Banana Cake!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Classic flavor. Gluten-free baked goods often get a bad rap but fear not. This gluten-free cornbread is sweet, buttery, and tender, and tastes just like the traditional version. It’s guaranteed to please both gluten-free and non-gluten-free diners alike!
- Quick and easy. Ready to eat in just 35 minutes, this GF cornbread recipe saves on both time and hassle as it doesn’t use any yeast and can be whipped up in one bowl for easy cleanup.
- Perfect for a crowd. Cornbread goes with almost anything, and not only is this cornbread recipe gluten free, it’s also easily made dairy-free meaning it can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of dietary restrictions.
Ingredients
- Cornmeal: Fine-ground cornmeal is ideal for this bread’s texture.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I love Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend, but if you’re using another brand just make sure it works 1-to-1 in place of regular flour or you otherwise calculate the appropriate ratio beforehand.
- Honey: Honey adds a rich and natural sweetness to the cornbread – any kind you have on hand will work.
- Granulated white sugar: Sugar helps balance out the savory, salty flavors for that classic cornbread taste.
- Milk: Either dairy or dairy-free milk will work perfectly.
- Unsalted butter: There’s no need to bring the butter to room temperature for this recipe, as we will be melting it down with the honey.
- Half & half: Adds an extra touch of richness to the cornbread.
- Eggs: This recipe uses 2 large eggs.
- Salt: Elevates the flavor of the cornbread, giving it the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
- Baking powder: Allows the bread to rise without needing to use yeast.
- Non-stick cooking spray or butter: Ensures the bread won’t stick to the baking pan – use whichever you prefer.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Milk: If you’re dairy-free, substitute the milk and the half & half for oat milk or unsweetened almond milk.
- Butter: A vegan butter alternative will work great for a dairy-free option. Try to use an unsalted version if possible.
- Flour: This recipe can very easily be made traditionally with all-purpose flour, but it will no longer be gluten-free. Simply substitute the same amount of all-purpose flour and continue with the recipe as directed.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cornbread
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
Step 2: Combine the butter and honey in a large mixing bowl and melt on low heat in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
Step 3: Whisk the half & half and large eggs into the melted honey butter until combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 24-27 minutes, or until the corn bread is baked through and a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Use a 1-to1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum. I used Bob's Red Mill's version to make this corn bread gluten free, as it has great flavor and texture in baked goods. Whichever brand you use, just make sure that it has xanthan gum added to it as that’s what mimics the gluten and helps the bread bake correctly.
- Weigh your flour instead of scooping it. Scooping flour can increase the amount of flour in a recipe by up to 20%, so do yourself a favor and grab yourself a kitchen scale – your baked goods will thank you. Watch this quick video below to learn how to weigh your flour:
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Substitute oat or nut milk for the milk and half & half and use a vegan butter substitute.
- Traditional: Substitute the gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour.
- Cornbread muffins: This recipe also makes great gluten free corn muffins! Just make the batter as directed and pour into a regular-sized muffin pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray instead of an 8 x 8 pan. Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, and let sit on a wire rack until they’re cool enough to turn out.
- Gluten free corn bread mix: Making a cornbread mix ahead of time is great for baking on the go and a fantastic gift idea! All you need to do is whisk together the dry ingredients and package them up in a tupperware or other airtight container. When it comes time to make the cornbread, just whisk in the wet ingredients and you're set!
Serving Suggestions
While it’s a great breakfast or snack on its own, cornbread is also a staple side dish that pairs well with almost any meal. For those of you wanting to serve it alongside dinner, I love to pair it with Turkey Chili, Sloppy Joes, Roasted Turkey Breast, and Steak Soup. It's such a comforting bread that perfectly rounds out those warming winter meals, but also goes great with a summer BBQ!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep refrigerated in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Cut bread into squares and freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Defrost the bread at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then reheat in the microwave or toaster oven if desired.
FAQs
Cornbread is usually not gluten-free as it often contains wheat flour, but you can make cornbread gluten free by using a 1-to-1 gluten free flour substitute as I do in this recipe.
Cornmeal is made exclusively from corn, which naturally contains no gluten. However, it’s worth double-checking that the corn meal you buy is certified gluten-free, as some brands process it on machinery that also processes wheat products.
Yes! Sometimes the lower air pressure at high altitudes can cause baked goods to rise too quickly, making them turn out dense or dry. If you are baking above 5000 feet, just add an extra 2 tablespoons of milk to the recipe and you should be good to go! Otherwise, no adjustments are needed – I've made this cornbread at 5000 and 9200 feet and it turned out perfectly each time!
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Tools Needed to Make This Recipe
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
- Gluten-Free Apple Cake
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten-Free Blackberry Cobbler
- Gluten-Free Brownies
Homemade Gluten-Free Corn Bread
Ingredients
- non-stick cooking spray or butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅔ cup milk I use 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons half & half or additional milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups fine cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup (150g) 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter.
- Add the butter and honey to a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat in the microwave on 20-30% heat in 30-second intervals, whisking between intervals, or until the butter and honey are melted together.
- Whisk the milk, half & half, and eggs into the melted butter mixture until combined.
- Add the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, sugar, and gluten-free flour to the mixing bowl and whisk in until smooth.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 24-27 minutes, or 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 room temperature or your desired temperature. Serve with additional butter and/or honey!
Notes
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep refrigerated in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Cut bread into squares and freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Defrost the bread at room temperature for 2-3 hours, then reheat in the microwave or toaster oven if desired.
- Use a 1-to1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum. I used Bob's Red Mill's version to make this corn bread gluten free, as it has great flavor and texture in baked goods. Whichever brand you use, just make sure that it has xanthan gum added to it as that’s what mimics the gluten and helps the bread bake correctly.
- Weigh your flour instead of scooping it. Scooping flour can increase the amount of flour in a recipe by up to 20%, so do yourself a favor and grab yourself a kitchen scale – your baked goods will thank you!
- To make this recipe dairy-free: use oat or nut-milk in place of the dairy milk and half & half and vegan butter in place of traditional butter.
- You can also make this recipe with traditional all-purpose flour, though it will no longer be gluten-free. Just substitute the same amount of all-purpose flour and continue with the rest of the recipe as directed.
Thank you! This was very good. Most cornbread I’ve had was very dry, but not this!
I have never made anything with honey before either. Do you think that was the reason?