This homemade gluten free honey cornbread recipe is our new permanent companion for chili.
Not too dry and not too moist, no one would guess this cornbread is gluten free! I've even included adjustments to make this recipe dairy free, as well.
This honey cornbread was something of a happy accident. I've made grain free/dairy free/gluten free cornbread in the past, but when I remade it to pair with some chuck roast chili, I knew I could do better.
A couple big adjustments and minor tweaks later, and I have a gluten free cornbread recipe I'm happy to share!
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Ingredients needed
Cornmeal - I reach for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal for this recipe. Certified gluten free, and I personally trust Bob's Red Mill as a quality brand! Likewise, I like that this cornmeal is somewhat coarsely ground, which gives a rustic texture to this cornbread that my family loves.
You can opt to use other brands, but note that how coarse or fine the grind is will affect the overall texture of the cornbread.
Gluten free flour blend - My go-to is Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. You're welcome to use your preferred blend, but I can't guarantee it will work the same!
Please let me know in the comments if the blend you use works/doesn't so I can update the post.
Honey - This is my only sweetener for this recipe; enough to add a touch of sweetness without making this cornbread more of a dessert.
I know to some, cornbread shouldn't be sweet at all - but I love the touch of sweetness as a counter to smoky, savory chilis that I'd pair this cornbread with!
Milk or milk alternative - You can use milk, almond milk, soy milk, buttermilk, etc.
Butter - You're welcome to use a plant-based butter for a dairy free version, or swap out for neutral-flavored oil or applesauce.
Egg - 1 large egg is all you need here!
Is cornmeal naturally gluten free?
While corn IS naturally gluten free, it can be easily contaminated with gluten-containing grains during growing, harvesting, and/or processing. This can be a huge problem for folks with Celiac disease who can have intense symptoms from the smallest exposure.
So to make truly gluten free cornbread, it's important to buy cornmeal that is certified gluten free and clearly states so on the packaing.
My go-to brand is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal. It's a medium-grind cornmeal that works so well for rustic cornbread. And Bob's Red Mill processes and tests their gluten free products in dedicated facilities to ensure no contamination.
How to make homemade cornbread
Homemade cornbread is pretty straightforward to make, and closely resembles the steps of a quick bread recipe.
Here's the quick hits:
- Mix the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix the honey, milk, and egg
- Combine the wet & dry ingredients
- Stir in the butter
- Pour into a prepared skillet or baking pan and bake
And that's it! No need to overcomplicate it.
FAQs
A couple things may have happened here - the skillet or pan you baked in may have been too low in the oven (which is typically hotter since it's closer to the coils) or the pan you baked in generates more heat than other pans (dark pans heat up faster than lighter-colored pans)
I ran into a similar issue when baking in my cast iron skillet rather than a 9x9 baking pan. I chalked it up to my cast iron retaining more heat than a typical baking pan - fortunately, it doesn't affect the taste!
Use a milk alternative in place of dairy milk - I like unsweetened almond milk.
Swap the butter for a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable oil or a mild olive oil.
Typically with baked goods, this is due to under-baking. Next time, test with a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cornbread. If it comes out with just a couple moist crumbs but no wet batter, it's good to go.
Otherwise, if you over-measure baking soda or baking powder, the cornbread could rise too quickly and collapse, leaving the center gummy.
Usually the culprit is expired baking powder and baking soda.
To test if your baking soda/powder are fresh, put ¼ teaspoon soda or powder in a cup and add a small amount of vinegar or very hot water. If it doesn't bubble, it should be replaced.
Absolutely! Cut the cornbread into wedges or squares and place in a freezer-friendly, air-tight container. If you're layering squares/wedges, place parchment or wax paper in between the layers to avoid them sticking together.
Defrost the cornbread for 30 minutes at room temperature before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Make a "flax egg" by combining 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 2.5 tablespoons water. Let thicken for about 5 minutes. Use in place of the egg in this recipe.
Variations and substitutions
I've included a few major substitutions in this section, including making the recipe dairy free and/or entirely grain free (meaning, no corn)!
Make gluten free dairy free cornbread
To adjust this recipe and make it gluten- AND dairy-free, swap out the milk for a milk alternative, like almond milk or soy milk.
Replace the butter with a plant-based butter replacement (such as Smart Balance), a neutral-flavored oil, applesauce.
Swap out gluten free flour blend for almond flour
The original version of this recipe used almond flour, and you still can if you'd like.
However, you'll have to reduce the amount of milk in the recipe, since almond flour on its own has quite a bit of moisture. Start with ½ cup milk and increase if the batter is too thick/dry.
Swap out cornmeal for almond flour
If you can't do corn, you can also swap the cornmeal out for almond flour! Yes, you'll lose a decent amount of "corn" flavor, but almond flour actually does a pretty decent job of filling in the role.
That said, you'll have to reduce the milk in the recipe, starting with ½ cup and increasing a tablespoon at a time if needed.
I also ONLY recommend this if you can't have corn for whatever reason. Cornbread truly is better with corn - common sense!
Chili recipes to pair gluten free cornbread with
Did you make your own gluten free honey cornbread? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.
Print📖 Recipe
Homemade Gluten Free Honey Cornbread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Not too dry and not too moist, no one would guess this cornbread is gluten free! See NOTES for instructions to make this recipe dairy free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend (I like Bob's Red Mill)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400 degrees F and position an oven rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a 10" cast iron skillet or 8x8 square baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk honey, milk and egg until smooth. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Finally, stir in the melted butter just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into greased skillet or pan and bake for 25-30 min. Rest for 10 to 30 min, then turn out onto plate.
Notes
To make dairy free: Use a milk alternative in place of dairy milk - I like unsweetened almond milk. Swap the butter for a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable oil or a mild olive oil, or applesauce.
Egg alternative: Make a "flax egg" by combining 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 2.5 tablespoons water. Let thicken for about 5 minutes. Use in place of the egg in this recipe.
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