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Whether you have it with Chili or top it with Jam or Butter, this Gluten Free & Vegan Cornbread is a wonderful healthy treat.
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, but is now updated with better photos + a recipe update to make it even fluffier!
I love cornbread. If my Thanksgiving table was only filled with fluffy, yellow squares, I honestly would be perfectly content.
Heck, I’d be content with that any day of the year. Especially with this recipe, because it is so dang GOOD!
Not only is this cornbread delicious, but it’s actually good for you too. It’s made with 10 simple, plant-based ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! It’s also free of refined sugars and oils…which is pretty rare in the realm of cornbread.
Would you believe that White Beans are responsible for this pillowy, soft texture? Well, you better – after using beans in the dough for my Vegan Corn Empanadas, I knew I wanted to experiment with them further, and I’m so glad I did. They also add extra protein and fiber to this recipe, which is a win-win in my book!
Whether you’re serving this Vegan Cornbread with a bowl of warm Chili, Stew, or smothering it in Jam or Vegan Butter, it’s sure to satisfy your cravings. When I first made this recipe, my family and I loved it so much that we ate it all and made another batch the very next day!
A Few Final Thoughts:
- I like a little texture in my cornbread, so I used a Medium Grind Cornmeal for this recipe. You can also use Finely Ground if you prefer yours to be smoother.
- Along those lines, I’d like to note that classic Cornbread recipes can vary significantly, depending where you are from. This version is fluffy, soft, and only subtly sweet. If you’d like yours to be sweeter, please see the recipe notes!
- This Cornbread can freeze well if you have leftovers…but I never do 😉
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 
Easy Vegan Cornbread
Whether you have it with Chili or top it with Jam or Butter, this Gluten Free & Vegan Cornbread is a wonderful healthy treat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 pieces 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Ground Flax + 6 tbsp Water
- 1 cup Unsweetened Soy Milk*
- 1 cup White Beans + 2 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (see notes)
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Cornmeal (Medium Grind or Fine)
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric (optional, for color)
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 375F. Mix 2 tbsp of Ground Flax with 6 tbsp of Water in a small bowl, then set aside to let thicken. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar to the Soy Milk in a separate bowl, then set aside to let “curdle.”
- Rinse and drain the canned White Beans, then add 1 cup of them to a blender with 2 tbsp of Water. Pour in the curdled Soy Milk, thickened Flax “egg”, and Maple Syrup. Blend for 30-60 seconds, until smooth.
- Add the Cornmeal, Flour Blend, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, and Turmeric to the blender; process until smooth.
- Use a spatula to evenly spread the batter around a greased or lined 9×9″ baking pan, and place in the oven for 27 – 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing, and store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Ground Flax can be substituted with Ground Chia.
- I suggest using Soy Milk for this recipe, as it’s higher protein content allows for the milk to curdle and form a “buttermilk.” You can substitute with another Non-Dairy milk of your choosing, but the final bread will not be as fluffy.
- I used this Gluten Free Flour Blend for this recipe, and would only suggest the use of a GF blend. If you are not GF, you can substitute with All-Purpose Flour or Spelt Flour instead.
- This Cornbread recipe is more savory than sweet; if you would like it to be sweeter, add an additional 2-4 tbsp of Maple Syrup to the wet ingredients.
- You may use any soft, white bean for this recipe. You could also use Pinto Beans or Black Beans, but I would not advise this as the final color of the Cornbread will look strange.
Keywords: vegan cornbread, healthy cornbread, gluten free cornbread, oil free cornbread
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I followed the recipe but the bread is quite dense. What do you think went wrong?
Did you use Gluten Free flour? I have found that regular flour makes the bread more dense.
Thanks. I will try. Will let you know results.
★★★★★
excuse typing=== can’t see good.
I liked thus and so did my family. Thanks. Any ideas ion making this recipe Mexicsn
Hi Linda! You could add in some fresh corn or pickled jalapeños to the batter – I think 1/3 -1/2 cup would be good here
hi! would corn flour be okay in this recipe? 🙂
The bread will not have as much texture, but it should still work!
thanks! what about polenta? would it work well? in my supermarkets that’s all we got – cornflour or polenta. no in between 🙁
Hmm…I would use about half corn flour, and half polenta! i think that would work best 🙂
Just made these very good topped with melted butter and devoured it ?… I did used 4 tbsp of maple syrup since I wanted a sweet cornbread but it wasn’t sweet at all any suggestions?
★★★★★
Just made this recipe! So good! I had to use whole Chia seeds instead but it still turned out great! Thanks for this gluten free timeliness!
★★★★★
would it be better to use buckwheat flour or spelt flour? I don’t have gluten free or all purpose flour on hand
I would recommend spelt flour!
This looks amazing and I love the idea of using white beans 🙂 I was thinking of experimenting with the flour & maybe trying oat flour? This might be a ridiculous idea though, what do you think? x
Hi Bethan, I have listed all flour recommendations in the recipe notes; I would not recommend using Oat Flour.
I can’t have vinegar (or lemon as a sub), could I just leave it out and still get good results?
Yes, it may not be as fluffy, but should still come out tasty x
Can you add corn kernels? If so, how many cups would you recommend so as not to change the final product too much? Thanks!
Hi Tracy, I believe you could with no problems, just fold them in at the end after the batter has formed. I think anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup would be fine 🙂
Hi again, one more question do I have to grind my chia seeds or can I use them whole?
★★★★★
I would recommend ground chia seeds!
Could I use spelt flour in place of the all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can!
Hi,
Is whole ground flaxseed meal okay to use? I’m planning to make this for thanksgiving. Can’t wait to try it!
The flaxseed must be ground into fine pieces – it can’t still be whole!
White beans in cornbread?! I actually think that they would totally work in this recipe! Have you tried this recipe with chickpeas? If so, would it work the same way?
Hi Cassie! I would not recommend this recipe with chickpeas as they are not as soft as white beans and will not blend into a smooth paste as easily.
Love! But can I substitute the flour for oat flour since that’s all I have in hand? Do you think it will work/ change the recipe? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, I would not recommend oat flour for this recipe, as the bread will be very dense. A finely milled flour works best in this one!
Made a batch today and it turned out great! Just like you said, fluffy, a little bit moist and very delicious. Thank you for a great recipe. I’ve tried to bake a decent vegan cornbread before, using different (and way more complex!) recipes, but failed. This one is a winner. And so simple to make!
★★★★★
Thank you Natasha! I feel the same way 🙂
What would you suggest for plant milk?
★★★★★
Hi Tenelle, I have made this recipe with both Soy Milk and Cashew Milk and got great results! I think you could use Almond Milk as well with no problem.
Can I leave the maple syrup out?
★★★★★
You can, but it does not make the cornbread sweet. I would still recommend that you use a little to help balance the flavors of the bread out.
Hi,
Why are you suggesting only GF flour? And do I need to use all-purpose? What about bob red mill’s whole wheat pastry flour? Thanks
Ally, I tested this recipe with GF flour, but Whole Wheat Pastry flour will work perfectly as well!