Vegan Cornbread

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Vegan cornbread is the warm, moist, and tender side you’ve been missing out on! It has a subtle sweetness balanced by savory notes, and the skillet method results in a perfectly crispy, golden-brown crust. Pair it with vegan chilis or stews, or serve it as a holiday side dish at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Not too sweet: We add just a touch of sweetener to complement the savory cornmeal base rather than overpower it.
• Perfectly textured: With the hot skillet method, you can achieve a crispy crust on the outside while maintaining a soft, fluffy interior.
• Allergen-friendly: This guilt-free treat is especially great for those looking to avoid dairy and eggs. Plus, it’s simple to make a gluten-free version as well!
• Quick & easy: We’ve kept this dairy-free cornbread recipe as simple as possible with just 9 ingredients and less than 30 minutes of preparation.

If you love vegan cornbread, you should really check out our dairy-free bread, vegan naan, sourdough bread recipe, vegan garlic bread, and vegan biscuits.

🌽 What is cornbread?

Cornbread is a classic Southern side dish with roots in Native American cuisine. Much like in Mexico, corn has been a staple ingredient in Native American culture since long before the colonial era.

They would grind and bake it into pone, porridge, and other nutrient-dense meals. Over time, as settlers adopted and adapted the recipe, dairy ingredients became a common addition. Nowadays, cornbread still remains a staple food in America, especially in the South.

🌱 What is vegan cornbread?

In the early days, cornbread was vegan — just cornmeal and water! However, in today’s recipes, it’s commonplace to add ingredients like buttermilk, eggs, sugar, flour, bacon fat, and butter to improve the flavor and texture.

In this vegan cornbread recipe, we simply make our own vegan buttermilk and use vegan butter. There are also countless ways you can prepare cornbread, but we’re utilizing a traditional Southern skillet method.

The pan is preheated with a touch of butter while you mix the batter. By the time it hits the pan, it’s already sizzling and creating a crispy crust.

The result? A buttery, golden-brown crust with a light, fluffy, and slightly crumbly interior. Who said you have to compromise on flavor or texture with a vegan version?

🍬 Is cornbread meant to be sweet?

Cornbread is traditionally meant to have a natural sweetness from the cornmeal itself. However, the quality of cornmeal started deteriorating around the 20th century when stone mills were replaced with steel roller mills.

To compensate for the reduction in sweetness produced by steel mills, people began adding sugar. Nowadays, it’s a hotly debated topic and depends on the region! Some people prefer a sweet corn cake flavor while others like to keep it more on the savory side. We like it somewhere in the middle, but it’s all a personal preference.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• All-purpose flour: Gives structure to the cornbread. If you’re sensitive to gluten, replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and increase the liquid by about 3-4 tablespoons.
• Yellow cornmeal: We use fine-grain yellow cornmeal for this recipe since that’s what we have available, but you can also use stone-ground cornmeal if you prefer.
• Leavening agents: We use both baking soda, which reacts with the vegan buttermilk, and baking powder to make this vegan cornbread recipe rise. Ensure they’re both fresh for the best results.
• Salt: Enhances the other flavors, bringing out the sweetness of the cornmeal and other sweeteners. Use fine-grain salt for the best results.
• Sugar: You can use either cane sugar or brown sugar. Brown sugar will add more moisture and a molasses flavor, while cane sugar adds a more delicate sweetness.
• Vegan buttermilk: Provides moisture and creates an ultra-tender crumb. To make it, simply mix vinegar or lemon juice with plant-based milk. See our dedicated vegan buttermilk post for tips and more information.
• Liquid sweetener: Provides a touch more sweetness, while also adding moisture and binding the ingredients. Use either agave or maple syrup.
• Vegan butter or oil: For a rich, moist texture. You can use all vegan butter or all vegetable oil, or try a mixture. We find the flavor is better with vegan butter (Earth Balance to be exact), but it’s also more budget-friendly to opt for oil.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan cornbread

Step 1: Prepare the skillet

Start preheating the oven. In the meantime, heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-low. You can also heat the pan in the preheating oven if you prefer.

Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk to combine, ensuring an even distribution for a consistent bread texture.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients

Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add the maple syrup or agave, melted vegan butter or oil, and homemade vegan buttermilk. Stir the batter until it’s just combined, but avoid overmixing to prevent a dense, tough outcome.

Step 4: Bake the cornbread

Before transferring the batter to the skillet, add some extra vegan butter and let it melt. This adds more flavor and helps achieve that quintessential golden and crispy crust!

Add the batter and bake your vegan cornbread until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it chill for 10 minutes before slicing. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this dairy-free cornbread recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🍲 What to serve with vegan cornbread

You can serve this vegan cornbread recipe alongside any dish you’d normally serve regular cornbread. Think hearty meals like these:

• Vegan chili
• Chipotle fajita veggies
• Butternut squash soup
• West African peanut stew
• Vegan potato soup
• BBQ tofu
• Vegan fried chicken
• Fried oyster mushrooms

For a sweet treat or breakfast, try serving your dairy-free cornbread with a pat of vegan butter, some extra maple syrup or agave, or jam. It’s a deadly combination!

🌡️ Storage & reheating

Vegan cornbread is best served fresh, but if you have any leftovers or decide to make a big batch, take a look at these storage tips:

• Countertop: Once cooled, you can store your vegan cornbread recipe in an airtight container or bag for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: For longer storage, wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months.
• Reheating: Thaw individual pieces if they’re frozen, then warm them with a cover in a preheated oven at 350F for 10 minutes or in the microwave.
• Prep ahead: The vegan cornbread batter can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Just allow 20-30 minutes for it to come to room temperature before baking.

♻️ Variations

• Blue cornmeal: Use blue cornmeal twist on color and slightly nuttier flavor.
• Jalapeños: Add diced jalapeños and vegan cheddar for a spicy, cheesy kick.
• Chipotle: Mix in diced chipotles in adobo or chipotle chile powder.
• Herbs: Fresh or dried herbs, like rosemary and thyme, can be added to infuse this dairy-free cornbread recipe with an earthy, herbaceous flavor.
• Fresh corn: Mix in fresh corn kernels for more texture and bursts of juiciness.
• Nuts: Walnuts or pecans add a crunchy element and a rich flavor.
• Fruit: Mix in blueberries, strawberries, or cranberries for a sweet twist.
• Pancakes: Try making vegan cornbread pancakes with the batter instead.

🧑‍🍳 Top Tips

• Heat the skillet: Don’t forget to preheat your skillet to create the crispiest crust!
• Avoid overmixing: Fold the wet ingredients in just until they’re mixed. Overmixing can result in a dense vegan cornbread.
• Use cast iron: Always use a cast-iron skillet if you have one. It retains and evenly distributes heat, resulting in a perfectly golden-brown crust.
• Check for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cornbread. If it comes back clean or with minimal crumbs, it’s ready!
• Resting time: Allow your vegan cornbread to rest for at least 10-15 minutes after it comes out of the oven, giving it time to set.
• Use extra vegan butter: Don’t skip the vegan butter in the skillet! It infuses the cornbread with flavor and helps brown the crust.
• High-quality cornmeal: Using the best quality cornmeal you can afford makes a difference in overall flavor and moisture content.
• Serve it warm: Vegan cornbread is best served warm, so once it’s finished resting, start eating!

💬 FAQ

🍴 More side dishes

If you enjoyed this dairy-free cornbread recipe, take a peek at some more side dishes like these:

• Potatoes and Green Beans: A combination of tender potatoes and crisp beans.
• Air Fryer Green Beans: Quick and easy side dish perfect to pair with any main.
• Red Skin Mashed Potatoes: Packed with rich, buttery, and hearty flavors. 
• Air Fryer Eggplant: A crispy, cheesy side to serve with pasta or marinara sauce.