My best Homemade Gluten-Free Cornbread is a comforting one-bowl recipe that is ready in under 35 minutes!
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Made with honey and unsalted butter, this Homemade Gluten-Free Cornbread recipe is tender and sweet while containing no gluten! It's also a one-bowl recipe and is ready in under 35 minutes. This recipe is also easily made dairy-free.
Today I'm sharing with you a recipe that is deceptively easy to make.
But one, even though it is so simple, doesn't taste simple. A baking recipe that is quintessential classic Americana baking, but adapted to our country's (and other's!) well-deserving gluten-free folks.
A recipe that is delicious in almost any format: for breakfast, as a snack, or with Sunday or holiay dinners.
I am, of course, talking about my gluten-free cornbread recipe.
I whipped up my first iteration a few weeks ago when, staring down at a fresh pot of sweet potato chili, decided that I couldn't serve it without a big slab of cornbread.
Being that I was planning on sharing some of the chili with my good friend Kayla, I realized I wanted to not only make the cornbread but also to make it gluten-free.
After all, Kayla is gluten-free, but not because she chose to be. She's told me of many of the times her celiac disease has gotten between her and a nice hunk of bread or bowl of pasta.
And, given my love for both of those, she inspires me to find ways to adapt the dishes so she and all you other amazing gluten-free folks can enjoy them, too.
So, that night in the kitchen I scrambled to whip up my first interpretation of the sweet and tender bread. It was good -- sweet, rich, and homey -- but there were still a few finishing touches I needed to make to make the crumb perfect.
A few rounds of testing later -- testing out the recipe with dairy milk, nut milk, all-purpose flour, and gluten-free flour, I landed on this perfect homemade gluten-free cornbread recipe.
Perfection was reached not just because of flavor or texture, but also because this bread is ready in 35 minutes and only uses one bowl!
So now, all of us -- whether gluten-free or not -- can enjoy a piece of this comforting bread tonight with minimal hassle, time, and dirty dishes. Buon appetito, friends!
Table of contents
- This gluten-free cornbread recipe is...
- Recipe ingredients:
- Ingredient substitutions:
- Is there gluten in traditional cornbread?
- What type of cornmeal do you need for this recipe?
- What gluten-free flour is best for this recipe?
- Can you also make this recipe with traditional all-purpose flour?
- What is the best way to measure flour?
- How to make this gluten-free cornbread...
- Can you make this recipe at high altitude?
- Can you make gluten-free cornbread muffins with this recipe?
- Can you make this recipe dairy-free?
- How to make your own homemade cornbread mix!
- Can you freeze cornbread?
- What do you serve with cornbread?
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Other gluten-free baking recipes you might like:
This gluten-free cornbread recipe is..
- Sweet
- Tender
- Buttery
- Comforting
- Made without yeast
- Ready in 35 minutes
- Made in just one bowl
- Easily made dairy-free
- Perfect for a crowd
- Safe for high altitudes
- A deceptively gluten-free bread!
This gluten-free bread tastes just like traditional cornbread -- meaning gluten-free and non-gluten-free diners alike will love this recipe!
Recipe ingredients:
- Cornmeal - fine-ground gluten-free cornmeal is best for this recipe
- 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I love Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- Honey - whatever type you have on hand works just great
- Granulated white sugar
- Milk - dairy or dairy-free milk (more on that below) are perfect
- Unsalted butter
- Half & half - adds a special touch of richness to the recipe
- Large eggs
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Non-stick cooking spray or butter - use whichever you prefer
Ingredient substitutions:
- Milk -- this recipe works well with dairy or nut milk. I've made it both ways, but since we're not dairy-free I make it with cow's milk more regularly. If you are dairy-free, however, substitute the milk and the half & half for oat milk or unsweetened almond milk.
- Butter -- unsalted butter adds a memorable richness to this recipe. You can substitute a vegan butter in its place, however.
- Flour -- this recipe can very easily be made traditionally with all-purpose flour. It will no longer be gluten-free, however. Just substitute in the same amount of all-purpose flour and continue with the recipe as directed.
What type of cornmeal do you need for this recipe?
The best cornmeal for this recipe is fine-ground gluten-free cornmeal.
Though cornmeal is gluten-free on its own (alter all, it is made with literally just corn), some brands process their cornmeal on machinery that also processes wheat products. So, find certified gluten-free cornmeal or proceed at your own risk with uncertified cornmeal.
What gluten-free flour is best for this recipe?
1-to-1 gluten-free flour is best for this recipe. I used Bob's Red Mill's. It has great flavor and texture in baked goods.
There are many other 1-to-1 gluten-free flours out there, so use whichever you prefer, just make sure that it has xanthan gum added to it.
Can you also make this recipe with traditional all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can easily also make this recipe with traditional all-purpose flour. The bread will taste identical and have the same great texture.
To use traditional all-purpose flour, simply substitute in the same amount of the flour for the gluten-free flour and continue with the recipe as directed.
What is the best way to measure flour?
I had a light bulb moment last year: I started weighing my flour (instead of scooping it) and my baking results changed overnight.
My baking results were more accurate, consistent, and -- most importantly -- tastier.
Then, I did a little experiment and found that scooping flour could increase the amount of flour in a recipe up to 20%!!! No wonder the results could fluctuate so much!
So, do yourself a favor and grab yourself a $10 kitchen scale and change your baking today! Watch this quick video below to learn how to weigh your flour.
How to make this gluten-free cornbread...
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8 x 8-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
- Combine butter and honey in a large mixing bowl and melt on low heat in the microwave.
- Whisk the butter, half & half, and large eggs into the melted honey butter until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- 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.
Can you make this recipe at high altitude?
Yes! I've made this cornbread at 5000 feet and 9200 feet and it turned out perfectly each time!
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 to bake this recipe at altitude!
Can you make gluten-free cornbread muffins with this recipe?
You definitely can make gluten-free cornbread muffins with this recipe. Make the batter as directed, but pour the batter into a regular-size muffin pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (instead of an 8 x 8-inch pan).
Then bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack until the muffins are cool enough to turn out. Enjoy them when they have reached your desired temperature!
Can you make this recipe dairy-free?
Yes, you can certainly make dairy-free cornbread with this recipe. Just...
- Substitute oat or nut milk for the milk and half & half
- Substitute vegan butter for the unsalted dairy butter
And continue with the recipe as directed!
How to make your own homemade cornbread mix!
A few weeks ago I made this recipe into a cornbread mix I brought to the mountains for my husband's birthday! It was so simple.
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 melted honey butter and other wet ingredients and you're all ready to bake!
I love that it's so easy to make your own cornbread mix and bet it would make a fantastic holiday or Christmas gift!
Can you freeze cornbread?
You certainly can freeze cornbread. For best results, freeze the cut squares of bread (not the whole pan) in freezer-safe bags or containers. They will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When it comes time to defrost the bread, just remove the pieces from the freezer and defrost them covered at room temperature for a few hours. Reheat the bread quickly in the toaster oven or microwave or serve at room temperature. So tasty!
What do you serve with cornbread?
I always love to serve my cornbread with butter and honey to pass. I've even been known to have leftover bread this way for breakfast... 😳
Seriously, though, it's soo good!
For those of you who are making this for dinner though, I love to serve it with the following dishes:
- Turkey Chili
- BBQ -- chicken, ribs, brisket, etc.
- Sloppy Joes
- Roasted Turkey Breast
- Steak Soup
It's such a comforting bread that rounds out so many of those warming winter meals!
Tools needed to make this recipe:
More health baking recipes:
- Dairy-Free Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Apple Cake
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
- Gluten-Free Banana Cake
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!
Homemade Gluten-Free Corn Bread
Email FacebookIngredients
- non-stick cooking spray or butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, cut into ½" cubes
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅔ cup 1% or 2% milk oat or almond milk if dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons half & half or additional milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup or 150g 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (traditional all-purpose flour can also be used)
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!
Jeannette says
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?