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BLANK » Recipe Index » Appetisers

Sweet Dairy Free Cornbread Recipe (Gluten Free)

September 2, 2024 by Charla 14 Comments

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cornbread with steps
long cornbread pin

This northern style cornbread is a sweet version of its southern counterpart . It is super moist, delicious and most importantly gluten and dairy free too. Cornbread that is made with a handful of ingredients and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

6 pieces of cornbread

If you are looking for some sweet cornbread that is free from gluten and contains no dairy, then I promise you that is cornbread will go down as a real treat this thanksgiving.

It's so good that you don't even have to wait until thanksgiving to whip up a batch for the entire family.

Christmas is right around the corner, so please check out my Caribbean Christmas Recipe Roundup.

I remember my first time trying cornbread when I went to the southern states of America. I had some cornbread with some beans on the side.

Let me tell you that the food was truly delicious and finger licking good. To the point where you wanna head to the restaurant's kitchen, find the chef and ask for the recipe so you can make it at home.

This is the Northern style cornbread which is sweet in taste but still super moist and great to serve at a family gathering.

You can also serve this cornbread with some Candied Yams, Sweet Potato Pudding or even some Caribbean Style Potato Stuffing.

What is cornbread?

Cornbread is a type of quick bread made with cornmeal. It is a bread that is commonly associated with American cuisines, more specifically the southern region.

Typically you will find that cornbread is made on a piping hot iron skillet sealed with bacon grease which is then baked in the oven.

However it can also be steamed albeit this is quite rare and a rather soft/mushy texture more like a pudding (pone).

Don't forget to check out my Vegan Cornbread Muffins which is a savoury and vegan friendly version made into muffins.

9 pieces of cornbread

Northern vs southern cornbread

There is a clear distinction between northern and southern cornbread. The former is lighter, sweet and relies on flour and sugar for sweetness and is more of a cake like texture.

Therefore is not unusual to see the northern cornbread being prepared to be baked in a rectangle or square baking tin and once baked cut into squares.

The latter is crispy, crunchy and grainier while depending on the type of cornmeal that is used (coarse, medium or fine) and omits the use of sweetener with little to no flour used at all. It is made in a cast iron skillet and cut into wedges upon serving.

I guess you could say that the northern is an imitation or a spin off of the original renown southern style cornbread.

Some people feel that sugar has no place in cornbread but I simply embrace both versions and make whichever I see fit for the occasion.

Ingredients you will need

ingredients for dairy free cornbread
  • Yellow cornmeal: I like to use the finest grain of cornmeal for my cornbread. It's the stuff that is so powdery that it looks like flour. Some places refer to it is as cornflour, but you can use the coarse/gritty texture cornmeal if you wish to.
  • Gluten free flour: I started to use my very own GF flour blend which works just fine for this cornbread recipe.
  • Oil: I like to use olive oil because it's super quick, some people use coconut or even canola oil but I think a neutral oil works best.
  • Eggs: I use large free range eggs.
  • Baking powder: Regular old baking powder but if you are sensitive to trace be sure to use GF.
  • Coconut sugar: This is a lower GI version of dark sugar, it taste just like butterscotch and isn't overly sugar like brown sugar which is great if you are after a subtle (not too overpowering) hint of sweetness.
  • Dairy free butter: I like to use vitalite but some people use another vegan butter called earth balance.
  • Almond milk: Almond milk is fatty, it helps to balance out the moisture from the dry ingredients and doesn't have a strong taste like coconut milk but you can use that if you want to.
  • Lemon juice: Used for the acidity to make buttermilk
  • Pink salt: Simply to enhance the taste.

Reasons to make this cornbread recipe

  • Offers a subtle, but not overly hint of sweetness.
  • It's a great alternative to the classic southern cornbread
  • Contains no dairy and it's gluten free
  • Uses my homemade gluten free flour blend instead of a bunch of different flour(s)
  • Who doesn't love some cornbread

Other gluten free flour alternatives

Fortunately, for you guys I have been your guinea pig and made the recipe a few times now and played around a bit with some other variations of gluten free flour.

I have come to the conclusion, aside from using my very own GF flour blend, you can also use either buckwheat flour or rice flour.

Buckwheat flour: Contrary to the name buckwheat actually derives from the rhubarb family and contains absolutely no gluten. It is quite a dense, nutty textured flour with a dark hue to it and due to its density you might want to add some tapioca starch to reduce it's denseness and to act as a binder.

i.e. 1 ¼ cup of buckwheat flour with ½ cup of tapioca starch.

Although buckwheat yields some nutritional value to your cornbread will be more dense in taste and texture.

Brown rice flour: There are a few rice flour options but I personally love brown rice because it's obviously a whole grain and not overpowering in taste like some GF flours i.e millet/quinoa.

You can easily use brown flour alone although the cornbread may not be as light/fluffy but I would recommend adding 1 teaspoon of xantham gum so the cornbread isn't crumbly.

The steps

Steps 1-4 making the batter
  • Preheat the oven at 180c/356F/gas mark 4
  • Grease a square baking tin or line with parchment paper) and set aside (picture 1)
  • In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, gluten free flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, pink salt, stir and set aside. (picture 2-3)
  • In a bowl or jug, whisk together the almond milk with the lemon juice to make buttermilk and wait for the milk to curdle slightly. This should take a few minutes to achieve.
  • Once the buttermilk has formed add and whisk the melted butter, eggs yolks and oil together.
  • Pour and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (picture 4-5)
Steps for folding the egg whites into the batter
  • Have the egg whites in a separate bowl and whisk preferably with an electric whisk  starting at the lowest setting  then gradually increase the speed until the egg white peaks are formed (picture 6)
  • Fold a small amount of egg whites at a time into the batter using a spoon, try not to over mix so the air doesn't escape nor the volume. (picture 7)
  •  Pour the batter into the baking tin (picture 8)
  • Bake for roughly 30 minutes until golden in colour and check the cornbread is cooked through by testing it with a toothpick/skewer.
  • Once baked, allow to cool down before transferring onto a cooling rack.
  • Once cool, cut into squares and serve immediately.

Ingredient substitutions

Dairy free yoghurt: If you don't want to use almond milk or simply don't have any to hand, you can see make this recipe successfully using some coconut yoghurt. I would recommend adding the lemon juice to the yoghurt to yield that acidic buttermilk flare.

Flax or chia eggs:  I seen a lot of amazing vegan cornbread recipes online that call for chia or Flax Eggs. I personally haven't tried making my cornbread with flax eggs so you're going to have to do a bit of trial and error. I would advise using the flax eggs with something with more structure like apple sauce.

Apple sauce: Another vegan favourite that's applesauce, this yields great moisture without the use of eggs.

Additional add ins

  • Dairy free cheese
  • Chilli
  • Corn kernels
  • Herbs - chives, thyme, parsley
  • Onion
  • Nuts or seeds

Frequently asked questions

How long will the cornbread last?

2-3 days, but make sure the cornbread is tightly wrapped or stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can you make the recipe into muffins instead?

Yes, sure simply use a muffin tin instead of a baking square pan.

Can you freeze the cornbread?

Yes, although I recommend eating it immediately but you can simply store the cornbread in some freezer friendly wrap and then place it in some aluminium foil.

From there you can single or double bag with a freezer friendly zip lock bag to help retain that fluffy texture.

You can either store it whole or into small slices. Just make sure to thaw it out completely either in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.

Why did my cornbread turn out crumbly?

If the cornbread is crumbly it could be because the egg whites were folded into the batter and the air was lost. Alternatively, it might be due to using too much flour so next time reduce the flour by ¼ cup.

Why is my cornbread heavy/wet?

If the cornbread is wet at the bottom, it needs to be baked some more.

If it hasn't baked in the given time simply cover the top of your cornbread with foil to stop it from burning and continue to bake until it's done (skewer comes out clean).

Check its readiness every 15 minutes or so.

Can you use coconut or almond flour instead?

No, it won't work. If you choose to replace the flour then it should be only 1 to 1 gluten free flour substitute only.

Do you have a vegan version of this cornbread?

YES!! Please check out my Vegan Sweet Potato Cornbread recipe.

How do you re-heat cornbread?

Wrap the cornbread in foil and heat in the oven until completely heated through.

Notes and tips

  • I used a square baking pan that was 8x8 inches.
  • Use whatever grain of cornmeal you prefer. The more powdery cornmeal results in a fine fluffy cornbread while coarse cornmeal yield a grainier texture.
  • Remember to line your pan with parchment paper if it doesn't have a very good non stick coating or else it will stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • This is the link to my Gluten Free Flour Recipe.
  • Depending on the country cornmeal is known as cornflour.
  • If you don't want to use a gluten free flour blend then use either brown rice flour or buckwheat although buckwheat is quite dense so you may need to add more liquid
  • Make sure to separate the egg whites and whip up the whites. This is crucial to achieving more volume and a soft, fluffy cornbread
  • The amount of sweetness is dependent upon each person I used ½ cup coconut sugar which is a subtle amount of sweetness. Use ¼ cup of less if you only want a hint of sweetness or more if you want it super sweet.
  • To have the recipe more savoury simply omit the use of sugar and follow the steps
  • Use a muffin tin to make cornbread muffins if you wish
cornbread in a bowl and on top of each other

Serving suggestions

  • Curried Butter Beans
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Oxtail Stew
  • Stove Top Candied Yams
  • Black Beans
  • Gluten Free Fried Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Ground Turkey
  • Dairy Free Mac and Cheese
  • Turkey Neck Soup
  • Vegan Nut Roast
  • Sweet Potato Casserole Without Marshmellows

**Please comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Support my website by leaving a donation through Buying Me a Coffee. A site to show your appreciation of my hardwork over the years.  Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

6 pieces of cornbread

Sweet Dairy Free Cornbread Recipe

This northern style cornbread is a sweet version of its southern counterpart . It is super moist, delicious and most importantly gluten and dairy free too. Cornbread that is made with a handful of ingredients and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetiser
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 786kcal
Author: Charla

Ingredients

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (160g) fine, organic, if possible
  • 1¾ cups Charla's gluten free flour (238g)
  • ¼ ½ cup coconut sugar (40g)depending on how sweet you want yours
  • ½ tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon himalayan pink salt (1.5g
  • 1 cup almond milk (250g) or coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup dairy free butter (212g) melted
  • 4 large eggs yolks and whites separated
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil plus more for greasing the pan

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven at 180c/356F/gas mark 4.
  • Grease a square baking tin (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
  • In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, gluten free flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, pink salt, stir and set aside.
  • In a bowl or jug, whisk together the almond milk with the lemon juice to make buttermilk and wait for the milk to curdle slightly. This should take a few minutes to achieve.
  • Once the buttermilk has formed, add and whisk the melted butter, eggs yolks and oil together.
  • Pour and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  • Have the egg whites in a separate bowl and whisk preferably with an electric whisk, starting at the lowest setting  then gradually increase the speed until egg white peaks are formed.
  • Fold a small amount of egg whites at a time into the batter using a spoon, try not to over mix so the air doesn't escape nor the volume.
  •  Pour the batter into the baking tin.
  • Bake for roughly 30 minutes until golden in colour and check the cornbread is cooked through by testing it with a toothpick/skewer.
  • Once baked, allow to cool down before transferring onto a cooling rack.
  • Once cool, cut into squares and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • I used a square baking pan that was 8x8 inches.
  • Use whatever grain of cornmeal you prefer. The more powdery cornmeal results in a fine fluffy cornbread while coarse cornmeal yield a grainier texture.
  • Remember to line your pan with parchment paper if it doesn't have a very good non stick coating or else it will stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • This is the link to my Gluten Free Flour Recipe.
  • Depending on the country cornmeal is known as cornflour.
  • If you don't want to use a gluten free flour blend then use either brown rice flour or buckwheat although buckwheat is quite dense so you may need to add more liquid
  • Make sure to separate the egg whites and whip up the whites. This is crucial to achieving more volume and a soft, fluffy cornbread
  • The amount of sweetness is dependent upon each person I used ½ cup coconut sugar which is a subtle amount of sweetness. Use ¼ cup of less if you only want a hint of sweetness or more if you want it super sweet.
  • To have the recipe more savoury simply omit the use of sugar and follow the steps
  • Use a muffin tin to make cornbread muffins if you wish

Nutrition

Calories: 786kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 801mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!

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About Charla

I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

Comments

  1. zafcreation says

    December 15, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    5 stars
    Hi I tried this today and it's delicious, soft and moist. A must try recepie!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      December 15, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      Thank you so much for your feedback.

      Reply
  2. Neha says

    August 30, 2020 at 3:48 pm

    Such an amazing corn bread! I love that it uses gluten free flour, it will be perfect for my friend who is gluten intolerant.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 30, 2020 at 5:22 pm

      That's good to know Neha!!

      Reply
  3. Laura Tobin says

    August 30, 2020 at 9:13 am

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday for my son's birthday, it was excellent. The boys loved it and I was able to please my nephew who is allergic to milk. I will definetly do it again.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 30, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Thank you so much Laura

      Reply
  4. Julia says

    August 29, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    5 stars
    Very simple recipe, we love it and it always comes out so fluffy:)

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 29, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you Julia!!

      Reply
  5. Julia says

    August 29, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    5 stars
    I cannot believe I have all the ingredients on hand for this dairy free cornbread! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 29, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      Enjoy Julia!!

      Reply
  6. Jen says

    August 29, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    5 stars
    I made this to go along with a big pot of chili and it was a hit! So delicious that we were fighting over who got the last piece.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 29, 2020 at 2:15 pm

      Thanks for the feedback Jen. I'm so glad that you liked it!!

      Reply
  7. Nart at Cooking with Nart says

    August 29, 2020 at 1:16 pm

    5 stars
    This looks so good. Can't believe it's dairy-free!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 29, 2020 at 1:26 pm

      Thanks Nart!!

      Reply
5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Hey, I'm Charla!

I'm an avid Caribbean foodie. Welcome to the haven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

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