Easy Gluten-Free Cornbread (Moist & Fluffy!)
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Let’s make Fluffy Gluten-Free Cornbread! This is the BEST gluten-free cornbread recipe we’ve ever tried. Soft, sweet, and so easy to make!
Fall is allllllmost here! Can you feel it?
Okay, I know it’s mostly wishful thinking since we’ve got at least another 2 months of heat where I live, but the *idea* of fall is almost here, which means it’s almost time to roll out the soup & chili recipes! That means, it’s cornbread time!
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to cornbread. Some like theirs super sweet, while others like savory cornbread with barely a hint of sugar. I’m more in the middle, but I tend to lean sweet. (Sweet = more northern-style cornbread, while not sweet = southern-style cornbread)
This easy gluten-free cornbread recipe mixes up in minutes, has a light, moist, fluffy texture (THE BEST TEXTURE!), and gently sweet flavor. It’s the perfect side dish for soup, salad, chili, and more.
Here’s what you need to make our favorite gluten-free cornbread…
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing readers love about this homemade cornbread? The simple ingredients list! Let’s take a look:
- Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. To keep this cornbread gluten-free, we’re using a simple gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend. We prefer this one from King Arthur Flour, but if you use another brand, just be sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Gluten-Free Cornmeal. Next up is gluten-free cornmeal. We usually use Herbaila (Amazon) or Bob’s Red Mill (Their GF Option!). Be sure that the cornmeal you use is certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination! (More on this in the FAQ below) Yellow cornmeal works best!
- Sugar. We’re making sweet gluten-free cornbread, so we’ll need sugar. I don’t recommend any substitutes here (like honey) because you’ll throw off the proportion of wet/dry ingredients.
- Baking Powder. Plenty of baking powder gives this cornbread its signature light, fluffy texture.
- Salt. Last, but not least is some salt! This balances the flavor beautifully.
- Milk. Any kind you drink will work great here, whether that’s dairy or dairy-free milk. (We usually use unsweetened almond milk!)
- Eggs. Just enough to hold the cornbread together. (This recipe hasn’t been tested with any egg substitute)
- Butter. Melted butter blends into the cornbread batter easily and keeps this gluten-free cornbread moist and fluffy. I much prefer the flavor! (You can use vegan butter, if you prefer.)
What Brands Of Cornmeal Are Gluten-Free?
You want to look for the “certified gluten-free” or “gluten-free” label to be sure your cornmeal is free from cross contamination or cross contact with gluten. Our favorite brands of gluten-free cornmeal are:
- Bob’s Red Mill (Gluten-Free Variety Only) – Amazon, Vitacost, iHerb
- Herbaila (My favorite!) – Amazon
- P.A.N. – Amazon (Check near the Latin/Hispanic foods section at grocery stores!)
Many common brands of cornmeal, like Martha White cornmeal, Quaker cornmeal, and Albers cornmeal are NOT considered gluten-free, as they’re made on shared equipment with gluten. Look for the “certified gluten-free” designation to be sure you’re buying gluten-free cornmeal.
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How To Make Gluten-Free Cornbread, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ metal pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine The Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Mix In The Milk & Eggs. Add milk and eggs to the dry ingredients and begin to stir.
- Whisk In The Melted Butter. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking until just incorporated. (A few small lumps are ok–just no large dry patches)
- Bake. Pour the cornbread batter into your prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. The top will likely just begin to turn golden brown
- Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices. Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestions & Toppings To Try
- Whipped Cinnamon Butter. If you want to elevate one step beyond just plain butter, our whipped cinnamon butter is restaurant-quality delicious. The sweet cinnamon honey flavors melt into every nook and cranny of a slice of warm, fluffy cornbread and the end result is beyond fantastic. SO GOOD.
- Honey Butter. Or, opt for a classic honey butter! You only need a few ingredients, and it combines the best of both worlds.
- Jam. We’ve got a soft spot for freezer jam at our house. A dollop of strawberry or raspberry freezer jam (my favorite!) can be just the ticket on gluten-free cornbread.
- Soup Or Chili. Is there a more delightful pairing than gluten-free chili and cornbread!? Yum! We love how this cornbread tastes with Simple Slow Cooker Chili, Chipotle Black Bean Chili, or this 20-minute Salsa Verde Chicken Chili (SO GOOD!!!). Or, pair it with Pumpkin Taco Soup or Vegan Black Bean Soup.
- Salad. We often bake up a batch of this moist cornbread to go with a big salad or salad bar for dinner. It’s light, fresh, and lovely in every way.
- Cornbread Stuffing. Try cutting the cornbread into cubes & drying to make gluten-free cornbread stuffing!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Cornbread
Can I Use This To Make Corn Muffins? Yes! Follow our simple recipe for gluten-free cornbread muffins to get the right temperature and bake time. It works like a charm!
What’s The Best Way To Store Gluten-Free Cornbread? Reducing air exposure is the name of the game when it comes to keeping your cornbread from drying out. Cover the cornbread and store in the refrigerator 2-3 days, or wrap leftover gluten-free cornbread in plastic wrap/food wrap and tuck into a freezer-safe bag to freeze up to 2 months.
Is Cornbread Normally Gluten-Free? While corn is naturally gluten-free, most cornbread is NOT gluten-free. Most corn bread recipes use a combination of cornmeal and white flour. To make gluten-free cornbread, you must use gluten-free ingredients, such as gluten-free cornmeal and gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, as we do here.
Is Cornmeal Gluten-Free? Corn and cornmeal are naturally gluten-free. However, they’re usually processed in a way that can cause cross contamination or cross contact (i.e. made on shared equipment with gluten-containing flour, etc.). If you have gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, it’s important to buy certified gluten-free cornmeal.
Mix It Up! Try Adding Some Goodies For Extra Flavor
My favorite way to enjoy this easy gluten-free cornbread is as written, but if you’re looking for a few ways to mix things up, try adding:
- Sliced Jalapeño
- 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Snipped Chives or
- 1/2 cup Crumbled, Cooked Bacon Bits
- Fresh Corn Kernels
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Fluffy Gluten-Free Cornbread recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Gluten-Free Cornbread (Moist & Fluffy!)
Ingredients
For The Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, weighed or scooped and leveled (180 grams)
- ½ cup gluten-free cornmeal (we recommend yellow cornmeal) (76 grams)
- ⅔ cup sugar (133 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Wet Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 large eggs – room temperature
- ½ cup butter, melted (113 grams/1 stick)
Instructions
- Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8″ metal pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine The Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Mix In The Milk & Eggs. Add milk and eggs to the dry ingredients and begin to whisk.
- Whisk In The Melted Butter. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking until just incorporated. (A few small lumps are ok–just no large dry patches)
- Bake. Pour the cornbread batter into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices.
Notes
- Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur gluten-free measure for measure flour for this cornbread. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum or your cornbread will not turn out properly. Almond flour, coconut flour, oat flour, etc. will not work in this recipe.
- Reduce The Sugar. This cornbread runs on the sweet side. If you want to reduce the sugar, I suggest reducing down to 1/2 cup (100 grams) for starters. You can go as low as 1/3 cup (67 grams), but keep in mind the less sugar you add the more dry the cornbread will become.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/gluten-free-cornbread/
Amazing recipe, I just substituted vegetable oil for the butter and it was delicious. I used a vegan milk (Ripple) and I added 1/3 c of brown sugar to the mix and 1/3 c of the sugar. I added 3TBSP of honey as well.
Thank you for the delicious recipe!!!
So glad you loved it Leah!
Have you ever used buttermilk in place of regular milk?
I haven’t, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Can I use either regular corn meal or precooked cornmeal interchangeably in this recipe? I have both so I’m not sure if one would be better. Thank you in advance.
I recommend regular (uncooked) corn meal for this recipe 🙂
I love how simple this gf recipe is and how delicious it turned out! I used Silk Next Whole Milk and King Arthur Baking Mix and it rose nicely and was light and fluffy!
Fantastic!!! I’m so happy you loved it.
This is what cornbread should be! So good
If I leave out the sugar, do I need to make any other adjustments in the ingredients? I’m making gluten free Cornbread Dressing for Thanksgiving and need a cornbread that is not sweet. Thanks
Hi! I haven’t made this one without the sugar, but it will definitely dry the cornbread out somewhat to leave it out. This may work in your favor since you’re drying the bread for stuffing anyway, but it may also not hold together quite as well. If you have the option, you may consider making a test batch before the big day so you know if it will work for you!
So made this today and it is definitely light and fluffy. I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and cut back the sugar to 1/3 c. Now my issue is I jumped right to the recipe and skipped all the verbage at the top. It didn’t specify what type of cornmeal to use and I had Indian Head Stone Ground White cornmeal on hand. The end result was fine as far as texture, but it doesn’t have that corn flavor or color. Guess I need to find another brand of GF cornmeal on my next grocery run. Will try this again.
Hi Patricia! I’m sorry for the confusion–I always try to provide extra notes in the blog post to help avoid things like this. I’m sorry you ran into trouble! I’ve updated the recipe card to specify YELLOW cornmeal.
Also – I just looked up Indian Head brand cornmeal and it looks like the package says “may contain traces of wheat.” If you’ve got Celiac disease or are baking for someone who does, you may want to check out one of the brands we mentioned to avoid any risk of gluten cross contamination. Cheering you on for your next batch!
Great texture, more like a cake. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it Dawn!
THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST CORNBREAD!!! YUM!!!
I thought 2/3 cup sugar was too much so I put a little less than 1/3 cup and subsequently put in half of the salt. Turned out amazing!!
It’s good. Its sweetened just right. It’s simple and easy to make. It taste more of a cake, and has less corn flavor than regular cornbread. But still yummy. Will make again.
Really good. I used Bob’s Red Mill one for one gluten free flour, and was out of milk so used water. Very tasty, and cake like. This recipe is a keeper!
Yum! This is such an easy, delicious cornbread recipe. It’s really moist and slightly sweet. It’ll be our new go-to. Thanks for sharing!
It was delicious. I forgot the
butter but it turned out great. It is an amazing and easy recipe.
I’m so glad it worked out!
Another winning recipe!! Hubby loved it. I swapped half the milk with coconut milk and used a little less sugar than called for. It turned out light, fluffy and delicious. Thank you.
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it Nat! THANK YOU for taking the time to leave such a kind review!
Can I just use all honey or maple syrup instead of a granulated sweetener?
I don’t recommend that with this recipe since you’d need to alter the amount of wet & dry ingredients to accommodate the liquid. You might love this Maple Cornbread on our sister site! It’s formulated to use pure maple syrup. 🙂
Tis was delicious! I unfortunately was out of milk though so I subbed 1/2 greek yogurt and a mixture of half and half and water! Even with my crazy substitutions this was light and moist. The best gf cornbread I’ve had. I can’t wait to try it the wsy it is supposed. to be made! I was trying to pin this recipe but couldn’t find a way to do it. Did I just overlook something?
Thanks for a great recipea
Hi Nancy! I’m so glad you loved it! It’s my all-time favorite cornbread–we LOVE it this time of year!
I’m so sorry you ran into trouble trying to pin the recipe. If you look in the recipe card there are two blue buttons. The one on the left says “Print Recipe” and the one on the right says “Pin Recipe.” The “Pin Recipe” should help you with pinning!
Just found this recipe and would love to try it tonight. I see my cornmeal, though gluten free, does not have xanthan gum in the ingredients. Can I sub/add glucomannan instead and if so, how much? Thanks for your help!
Hi Cindy! The cornmeal doesn’t need to contain xanthan gum. Just the gluten-free flour blend!
Love it! Used honey in recipe. Then topped with butter and honey.
So glad it worked for you Susan!
Do you think swapping out the sugar for maple syrup would work out ok?
Jana – Yes, and no. When subbing liquid sweetener for granulated, you typically need to use half the amount. It will also change the texture of the cornbread somewhat, so keep that in mind.
So delicious! I cannot get over how good this cornbread recipe is. I used Better batter GF flour.
YAY! So glad you loved it Judy!
Emily,
We baked GF cornbread following your recipe and enjoyed the very moist and delicious bread with Chili on a ‘cold’ evening in San Diego. Thank you. We will definitely be baking this one again and again! Jim
I’m so glad it was a win for you Jim!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
The best gluten free cornbread recipe and possibly the most “normal” gluten free bread recipe, period!
GAH!!! You totally made my day Melissa!!
Made this recipe last night. Used a mix of gluten free flours (white rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch and arrowroot). Did not add xanthum gum. Used lactose free milk. Yellow cornmeal (fine ground). Served with turkey and wild rice soup on a cold night. Was the best cornbread I have ever made! Perfect even without honey. Not crumbly at all…
5 star for sure! Loved this recipe. Made it “as written” with one exception. Added some fresh chopped rosemary. It’s now been requested for Christmas dinner.
Delicious! I bet that was divine!
This turned out really well! I used almond milk and plant free butter and it was still wonderful.
So glad it was a win for you Shannon!
If I add a can of creamed corn, do I need to adjust any other ingredients?
Hi, Kim! I’d recommend regular corn over creamed corn, since the “sauce” in creamed corn can throw off the ratio of wet to try ingredients.
found this recipe because i was making chilli and wanted to try my hand at making cornbread to go with (not a thing over here). was too sweet for me and my family’s liking as a side to the chilli but WOW, such an amazing recipe as a dessert! tastes exactly like a gluten-full sponge cake: moist and fluffy, little bit sweet. goes great with jam, honey, cream, or even just by itself. i made it 3x over the past week and we devoured each time! fool-proof recipe, thank you!!
SO glad you loved it Maria! It’s our FAVORITE.
Please quick question. For a little extra corn favor would 1 teaspoon of sweet corn flavor extract throw the ratio off? Thank You.
Hi, Cheryl! I’ve never even heard of sweet corn flavor extract! I haven’t baked with it here, but 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional liquid shouldn’t ruin the cornbread.
Absolutely delicious! Love!!
So glad to hear that Patti! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a glowing review!
Very respectfully, I might suggest that you add to the recipe summary that the gluten-free flour must include xanthan gum. I did not read the entire recipe, and relied only on the summary, and, not being familiar with gluten free flour, did not understand the need for xanthan gum. Three successive disasters.
Hi Mark! I’m so sorry you ran into trouble. I know that’s so frustrating, especially when it feels like you’re wasting ingredients. I always recommend reading the full recipe for best results, since bloggers like me usually include more notes and tips in the post than they can possibly fit in the printable recipe card.
I’ve updated the recipe card to include the note about the flour so no one else runs into the same issue. Hope you get the chance to try it again!
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I have now failed 4 times, even with the flour with xanthan gum! What’s happening is that the recipe is forming two layers – a top cakey layer, and a bottom eggy/custardy/gummy layer. The flavor is delicious – but the texture is problematic. Any suggestions?
This is wild! I’ve never had anyone come back with results like this, but I’d love to help. A few questions:
1. Where are you based? US? UK?
2. Are you by chance at high altitude?
3. What specific flour blend are you using?
4. How are you measuring the dry ingredients? Are you scooping them with your measuring cup, spooning them into the measuring cup, or weighing them?
5. Are you making any substitutions at all? (Egg substitute, reducing sugar, etc.)
6. How are you mixing everything? (Spatula, whisk, hand mixer, etc.)
7. What kind of pan are you using? (Metal, ceramic, glass)
One thought if it’s not the specific flour blend or your altitude is that you might be having an issue with the mixing. The eggs should help emulsify the batter so it’s nice and cohesive. Another idea is that if you’re using cold milk, it might be making the melted butter seize up and form pockets in the batter, which could impact how smooth and uniform it is, leading to the separating you’re talking about.
US. no Alabama, I’m using king Arthur flour GF flour, and yellow cornmeal. whisking dry ingredients, then hand mixer the wet into the dry. using a glass 8×8.
The glass pan is the most likely culprit! I recommend a metal pan for this recipe (it’s specifically called for in the recipe instructions). Glass and ceramic conduct heat much more slowly, so they require a much longer bake time. I think if you switch to a metal pan, your bake time will be much shorter!
Thanks for the response!
I’m in the US – Florida – very low altitude.
Most recent flour blend was Bob’s 1:1 Gluten free with Xanthan gum.
Weighed out the flour and cornmeal (Quaker brand – we’re not celiac suffering – just people that want less gluten). Leveled out sugar.
No substitutions
Whisking everything
Metal pans,
I did use Cold, nonfat cow milk? I note other people are using different kinds of milk . . .
Thank you, Mark! I really want to get to the bottom of this.
I don’t have any Bob’s flour on hand at the moment, but I’ll try to pick up a bag this week and see if I can see what might be going on. We’ve made this recipe literally dozens of times (sometimes with Bob’s 1:1 and often with King Arthur’s Measure-For-Measure) since 2013, when we went gluten-free and I’ve never had the separating you’re talking about. That sounds so frustrating!
It sounds like you’re doing a lot of things right (weighing ingredients, whisking, no substitutions, metal pan, etc.), so I’d love to see if I can figure out why things aren’t turning out for you.
Made this according to recipe and
Loved it!! What’s your suggestion for reheating next day?
Honestly, I usually just pop slices in the microwave! Otherwise, you can put the whole pan back in the oven at 300 for 5-10 minutes!
Look no further – this recipe is SO good! I used 1/3 C sugar and it was perfect! Highly recommend and will make again!
Thank you Alexandra! I’m so glad you loved it!
What about using coconut milk?
Structurally, it will likely work, though it may add a slight coconut flavor.
Delicious!! I’m trying to follow the FODMAP diet so substituted Lactaid for the milk. Also, cut sugar and butter in half and it was still fluffy!
So glad you loved it Vicki!
love this recipe, however, I keep having trouble with it. I literally have to bake it an hour and a half to get the middle/bottom to not be gooey and not done? can you help?
Best recipe I’ve found
I’ve made this recipe several times to serve with chili or soup. My guests love it and are surprised to learn that it is gluten free!
Delicious! Added a can of corn to it. I was wondering if you have any guidance on how to meal plan ahead of time for this? Could you make the cornbread the day before but leave it unbaked in the fridge then cook this in the oven the day you want to eat it? Wondering if those working parents who want to prep but not necessarily eat it the day they prep it. 🙂
Ooh, great question! My favorite is honestly to bake it and freeze it so it stays as fresh as possible. Otherwise, I’d mix up the dry ingredients and mix up the wet ingredients (other than melted butter) and store them separately to speed up prep for later in the day.
Really easy to make. I took a butter & rubbed on top. Next time adding jalapenos
YUM!
This turned out amazing! I made this recipe, reduced to 1/3 c sugar. Added 3 tbsps of rubbed sage and 1 tbsp poultry seasoning. Using this in my cornbread GF dressing, and saved a few slices for turkey sandwich! Delicious!!
Delicious! So glad it was a win for you!
I made jalapeño and shredded cheese GF cornbread per your instructions to mix it up, it’s mine and my hubby’s favorite!!
Thank you for this recipe!
Delicious!!
I cook GF foods for my son. This was the first baked recipe that tastes good.
Oh, I’m so glad you loved it!
so easy and tasted great. did have to cook it a little longer- just read some reviews and i think that may have been because i used a glass pan. that being said- even though the middle is still a little doughy, i like it because then it doesn’t dry out as i reheat it- it just finishes baking. thank you!!
tastes great, made in round cake pan (only metal pan i have) not totally cooked in center (just cut it out) can I use honey instead of sugar? can I bake in glass pan?
Hi Cathryn! If you’re using a round pan, you’ll probably need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time, since it’s thicker than in a square pan.
You can use a glass pan, but it will take longer to bake since glass conducts heat differently than metal. You’ll need to add extra time to the bake time and know that it may have a less level surface since sometimes the batter tries to “climb” the sides of a glass pan.
I don’t recommend honey in this recipe. On my other blog, I have a great maple cornbread recipe that’s naturally sweetened. You can use honey in that recipe, but it will brown more quickly so you may need to tent the pan with foil if it starts getting too dark.
Great on the second try! I’m sensitive to both gluten and eggs, so I substituted with Eggs From Plants: Just Egg (box recommends 3 tbsp:1 egg). It was far too wet the first try. Second attempt, I used the same amount of Just Egg, but only 1 cup almond milk, and slightly less than 1/2 cup melted butter. It came out perfect!
Thanks so much for sharing your swaps for our egg intolerant friends!
This recipe was great! I made just a few adjustments. I used 1 1/4 cup of gf flour and 3/4 cup of corn meal (because I like a strong corn meal flavor). I substituted buttermilk for the regular milk and added 1/2 tsp of baking soda. I added 3/4 cup of sweet corn to the batter and cooked the cornbread in a cast iron pan preheated to 400. I swirled a tablespoon of butter in the pan before pouring the batter in. It was baked perfectly in about 22 min with a nice browned crust. It was really delicious: light, fluffy, and sweet just as promised. This recipe is a keeper!!