My Gluten-free Kitchen

Recipes for easy meals and sweet treats for your gluten-free family.

The Best Sweet Cornbread You’ll Ever Have! {Gluten-free}

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Thanks for sharing!

Moist, sweet gluten-free cornbread that’s so good, your gluten-eating friends will be asking for it!

The Best Gluten-free Sweet Cornbread Recipe. Tried and true recipe we've used for many years!

This is truly my most-requested recipe of all time from gluten-free folks and gluten-eating folks that have tried it at my house or at potlucks. Pretty much every person I’ve made this gluten-free cornbread for has absolutely loved it and said it was their favorite cornbread ever.

A dear friend shared this recipe with me many years ago and we’ve loved it ever since.  After having to switch to baking gluten-free, I was so happy to find that it turns out just perfect with a good quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.

Gluten-free Sweet Cornbread Recipe perfect for potlucks

I always use gfJules all-purpose gluten-free flour when I make this, but it should turn out well with other high quality gluten-free flour blends as well. Just remember, if your blend doesn’t have xanthan gum or guar gum already in it, you’ll need to add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum with the dry ingredients in this recipe.

My father-in-law always says this tastes like dessert!  This is definitely a sweet cornbread, not a southern style, savory cornbread. If you are looking for a more savory one, check out this gluten-free savory cornbread recipe from my friend Jules.

Ingredients for sweet gluten-free cornbread

Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions for Gluten-free Sweet Cornbread: 

  • Cornmeal – Make sure your cornmeal is certified gluten-free! Depending on your sensitivity, I’d also advise checking into the manufacturing practice of the company as well.  It is not uncommon for cornmeal to be made by companies that make/process flour as well so a high risk of cross-contamination.  Also, some brands (like Bob’s Red Mill) make a much coarser cornmeal.  When I used that coarser cornmeal, it resulted in a very gritty cornbread that none of us cared for, so I’d recommend finding a finer grade cornmeal.  I always buy mine from nuts.com.  They have a great selection of certified gluten-free ingredients and I find their gluten-free cornmeal to be just the right size for perfect results.
  • As always, I only recommend baking with a good quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. All flour blends are not created equal! I recommend avoiding flour blends that contain any bean flours or that are primarily rice flour, as you’ll get a more gritty result. I always make this recipe with gfJules gluten-free flour. You can buy gfJules gluten-free flour directly or through Amazon.
  • Buttermilk – Regular store-bought buttermilk has modified food starch clearly listed on the label. In the US, if modified food starch is made from wheat it has to have wheat clearly labeled. If the product simply says “modified food starch” and has no wheat allergen warning, it is derived from a gluten-free source. The most common sources include corn, potato and tapioca.  So, using regular buttermilk is fine in the US for anyone on a gluten-free diet.  You can also choose to buy organic buttermilk as it doesn’t contain modified food starch, but organic buttermilk can be very difficult to find in stores: impossible in my town. I like to buy Darigold buttermilk because it doesn’t have a bunch of added ingredients to it.
  • Buttermilk Substitute – Also, I know many people don’t always have buttermilk on hand.  A great substitute to keep on hand in your fridge is Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend.  It is a powdered buttermilk that you keep in your fridge and then in a recipe that calls for buttermilk, you instead add this powdered buttermilk with your dry ingredients, and then add extra water with your wet ingredients.  The package gives exact measurements for substitutions.  I buy this at my local Winco store, but you can also buy on Amazon here.

The Best Sweet Gluten-free Cornbread. Tried and true family favorite recipe.

My gluten-free cornbread bakes up nice and tall, is incredibly moist and needs only a slather of butter to make it a perfect accompaniment to any homemade meal. We especially enjoy it with chili, creamy gluten-free ham cheddar chowder and gluten-free chicken broccoli rice casserole. I’m going to make these crispy oven baked chicken thighs recipe soon to have with it.

This is my favorite food to bake to bring to potlucks as well since you can make it ahead and it cuts and serves so nicely. I bake it in my 9×13 Pyrex, and once cooled a bit, I can put on the lid and bring it. Here’s the Pyrex 9×13 dish and lid I have from Amazon. It makes it super easy to bring to potlucks!

Trying to bake ahead and freeze meals for future dinners? I often make this 9×13 pan of it for our family and then put half of the cornbread squares in a freezer bag and freeze.  On the night I want to use it, I just pull out, thaw, and then warm in the oven or microwave right before serving.

You can also bake this in a pretty 913 ceramic pan. Then once cool, just cover with plastic wrap so the cornbread doesn’t dry out.

Tried and True Sweet Gluten-free Cornbread Recipe.

What will you serve your gluten-free cornbread with?

Here’s a video showing you how to make this gluten-free sweet cornbread:

 

The Best Sweet Gluten-free Cornbread You'll Ever Have!

Print shopping list
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Yields 20

This moist, sweet, gluten-free cornbread will hopefully become a family favorite recipe at your home like it is at mine!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour (I use gfJules)
  • 1 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if flour blend already has xanthan or guar gum in it)
  • 1 tsp. salt

Directions

  1. In a glass measuring cup, measure buttermilk then add baking soda, mix together and let sit.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, melt butter in microwave. Add sugar and use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix into butter. Add eggs. Add buttermilk/baking soda to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix just until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together cornmeal, gluten-free flour, xanthan and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir. Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan.
  4. Bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with crumbs only and top of cornbread doesn't sink in if pressed with fingertip. Let cool at least 5 minutes or longer, until desired temperature for serving.

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Recipe Notes

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, I recommend using Saco Cultured Buttermilk powder, following the substitution directions on the package.
gfJules gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum. If your gluten-free flour blend of choice doesn't contain xanthan gum, you'll need to add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum in with the dry ingredients.
If you don't want a huge pan of cornbread, feel free to cut this recipe in half and use an 8x8 pan. I do this when my freezer is full and just our family will be eating it. If you have leftovers, these freeze and reheat well.
4.7 rating
87 reviews

*Originally posted 2013, updated text and photos November 2016.

Pin this to your gluten-free bread Pinterest board:

The best gluten-free sweet cornbread! Tried and true recipe!


Thanks for sharing!

Comments

  1. why do the gluten free things have so many eggs in them. I love the choc brownies but has two eggs and two egg yolks. Now this cornbread has four eggs. I’m not suppose to have eggs or dairy either. 🙁

    Reply

    • Suzanne, that is hard that you also have to avoid both eggs & dairy. I’m going to start labeling the dairy-free recipes (or those you can easily adapt to dairy-free) so those will be easier to find, and I’ll do that with egg-free also. You can find those in my Tags section on the right side of the blog. I believe you told me you have one of Gluten Free Mama’s cookbooks. If you have her latest one, In the Kitchen with Gluten-free Mama, she gives some great alternatives/substitutions for eggs as well. I’d recommend it for sure!

      Reply

    • I have used mashed potato flakes as egg substitutes in many recipes. It works great in cake. I mix theflakes with water and make an egg consistencey.

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    • Hi, you can replace the eggs by ground flax seeds. 1TS ground flax seeds + 2TS water = 1 egg and it works perfectly.

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    • YOU CAN USE WHIPPED AQUAFABA (the liquid from a can of chick peas) as an egg substitute. It’s like adding whipped egg whites, helps with structure.

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    • A great dairy free buttermilk substitute is 2 cups unsweetened soymilk + 1 1/2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Mix well and let sit for several minutes to curdle before adding to the recipe. I used it with great success with this recipe!

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    • Why do people whine so much at someone else for their own issues?? Here is a lovely gluten-free recipe from someone who doesn’t have egg issues…not her problem when someone else can’t use it. I’m restricting myself from dairy at the moment…so I will choose to not whine about it and either substitute with dairy free or keep searching for something that works with what I’m looking for! That’s what big kids do.

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      • I read Suzanne’s question as general curiosity: (why so many eggs?) and nobody answered her. The reason for so many eggs is they act as a binder which gluten free recipes need because normally gluten itself is wonderful at creating that binding texture. If you’re new to gluten free (and dairy and egg free) it can be overwhelming. Let’s not assume the worst of everyone.

        I use the flax meal replacer someone else mentioned and it works well. Make sure to let it sit 10 minutes to thicken before adding. Good luck!

        P.s. I’ve been cooking gf for 10+ years and this is the best cornbread recipe I’ve tried. Thank you!

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    • This recipe is perfect if you substitute the 4 eggs for:
      4 tablespoons of ground flax meal
      10 tablespoons of water
      (Mix together and let stand for 5 minutes)
      Add to the recipe the same time you would add the eggs.

      It’s my go to recipe! (I also use almond milk with a tsp of lemon juice instead of the buttermilk, and coconut oil in place of butter)

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  2. Was hungry for that yummy cornbread. Was going to text you then thought I bet she has it on her web page and sure enough here it is! Now it is printed and in my cookbook. Yea
    At least it is a 5 star recipe when you bake it. We will see what I can do! I like your freezer idea.

    Reply

  3. I made this for a church potluck tonight and I loved it! It got a bit brown on top because I wasn’t paying close enough attention, but it was delicious. I used milk and lemon juice to make “buttermilk,” so I wonder if that change may have caused more browning.

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  5. Just made this to accompany our first batch of chili for the fall since going gluten free. What a great consistency and taste to pair with the spiciness of the chili! (can’t believe how easy it was too!) Thanks, can’t wait to try out some of your other recipes!

    Reply

  6. This is awesome. I am the only one that is GF, and my lovely family tolerates GF meals….I have tried MANY GF cornbread recipes, but this is by far the best! I am done searching for any more recipes. Everyone loved the recipe too! Thank you

    Reply

    • Lisa, I’m so glad that you love this one! Good for you for keeping on searching until you found one that was perfect for your tastes! Thanks so much for stopping and leaving a comment! Comments like these make my day!! (P.S. I’m so sorry I didn’t see this comment before today!!) ~Michelle

      Reply

  7. WOW! How delicious was THAT?!?!?! I followed your recipe, using another gluten free flour mix, and using a buttermilk substitute (1Tbsp White Vinegar to 1 Cup Milk – obviously doubled for your recipe) and that was the BEST! 🙂 THANKS!!! I’m curious, do you have a recipe for UNsweetened cornbread? Our family uses an unsweetened cornbread to make our Thanksgiving “Dressing”. I’m new to the gluten free baking, so I thought I’d ask, since yours was SO good! Thanks again!!!

    Reply

    • Alison, I thought for sure that I replied to your comment already, but it isn’t here. So sorry for the delay in responding to your question. I don’t have an unsweetened cornbread. We love this sweetened one so much, I’ve never searched for another one. I’ll let you know if I come across a good one!
      So glad that you thought this was delicious! Happy Baking!!

      Reply

      • Couldn’t you just cut the sugar in half? I want to make this but avoid sugar so was thinking of cutting it in half. Looks like a great recipe!

        Reply

        • Regarding unsweetened cornbread — I made some tweaks to make the cornbread savory and it came out just perfect. I eliminated the sugar, and instead added about a tablespoon of honey for a touch of sweetness. I also upped the salt to about a teaspoon and a half. I suspect it would be just as good entirely sugar-free. Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe!

          Reply

  8. Simply Amazing!!!! I have been looking for an easy GF cornbread recipe that looked and tasted like the real thing. Your recipe was spot on. I made this last night and it came out light, fluffy and absolutely delicious. I used Trader Joes gluten free flour and did have to add xanthan gum….I also cut the recipe in half and baked in a round cake pan. It still came out perfect. This is a keeper. Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes. I love experimenting with gf recipes but the cornbread had me baffled. So thank you for taking that one off my list. 🙂

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  9. I made this recipe for my family, and they nearly passed out. It’s so good! Sweet and moist, and you can’t tell it’s gluten free! Thanks!

    Reply

  10. I am making this tomorrow for a big crew and would like to make them as individual muffins. How long would I bake this? Much love…

    Reply

    • Hi Julie! The muffin instructions are in the recipe instructions above. Bake about 10-12 minutes. Time varies based on the amount of batter you use for each muffin and how hot your oven runs. Just keep an eye on them. When done, you should be able to put a toothpick in and have it come out with moist crumbs attached but no batter.
      Good luck! I’m sure your crew will love these!

      Reply

  11. Hi! I am very new to gluten free cooking (a whole week & I failed miserably – lol). I love cornbread but I am not only having issues with gluten (I think) but also very sensitive to Dairy, Whey & Soy. So, what do you suggest I do about the buttermilk? Thoughts? Help!

    Reply

  12. A girl after my own heart. SWEET cornbread! YES! Thank you for sharing! Someone posted this on my FB page tonight and declared it to be “perfection!” I’d say that’s about the best compliment a girl could get! Congrats, Michelle!
    xoxo
    ~jules

    Reply

  13. I LOVE this cornbread! It really is the best ever.
    I like it best with butter, milk and eggs but I have at times substituted:
    2 cups almond milk with a tbsp of vinegar for the buttermilk
    Flax Meal with water for the eggs
    1/2 C Coconut Oil + 1/2 C Vegetable Shortening for the butter.
    And It tastes great too. 🙂

    Reply

  14. Do you ever use honey instead of sugar?
    Is there a ratio of the amounts of each so I can replace sugar with honey?
    Thanks.

    Reply

  15. Hi!
    Just wondering if you have the recipe for the honey cinnamon butter that you mentioned in the sweet cornbread recipe? Looking forward to making the recipe to accompany my delish Beet Borscht
    Lenae

    Reply

  16. My boyfriend made these for me, and they turned out fantastic! He cut the recipe in half because we didn’t much like the last two recipes we tried. We brought these to a dinner with friends, and they had no idea they were gluten free. I agree with the earlier commenter that these taste like the ones from boston market! Thank you!

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  17. I never take time to do this, and i am VERY picky, but this has to be one of the best GF recipes Ive ever had! This is better than standard cornbread recipes! The only difference in my execution: I was told to start cornbread recipes by soaking the cornmeal in the buttermilk first. This makes it more cake-like, less crumbs, softer, smoother texture. You truly did beautifully on this recipes! Kudos

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  18. i made this recipe into muffins, and they came out wonderful! I used Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free flour, and the Saco cultured buttermilk powder. I did not have xanthan gum, and it was also not in the flour, but they still came out perfectly. I read on another site that if you don’t have xanthan gum to make your mix into muffins instead of a cake for a better result. The taste and texture were both excellent!

    Reply

  19. Dairy free and egg free ***** cut recipe in half otherwise the egg substitute wont stay stable. Use Energy egg replacer for 2 eggs. ….. for the buttermilk, add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a measuring cup, then top off with almond milk to equal one cup( or dairy free milk of your choice) …for your butter; substitute coconut oil or Earth Balance buttery sticks.

    Reply

  20. This is so good that I making it again right now! 3:00 in the middle if the afternoon on a 96 degree day…It tastes like cake! Put it in a mug and pour over some cold milk, mmmmm, so tasty. Super easy, and not one bit dry, even after a week in the fridge! Love it. Thanks 🙂

    Reply

  21. Hi Michelle, I have been looking for a good gluten free cornbread recipe and came across this one. My only gripe is that is has a lot of sugar. If I wanted to use honey instead, what would you recommend? I just don’t think this much sugar is necessary. It’s not cake lol! thanks!

    Reply

  22. This recipe is great my family loves sweet cornbread I could do with just half the sugar but I most times I’m out numbered. I will state that I agree about Bob Red mills GF Cornmeal being too coarse but I did find Bob Red Mills GF Cornflour that finely grinds the cornmeal and it is fantastic it makes a very nice textured cornbread.

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  23. I just made this for tomorrow and already ate four pieces, it is sooo good! I got the Jules gf flour and the corn meal from nuts.com too.

    Reply

  25. Great recipe. I made a few changes to fit my own dietary needs. Used cashew milk instead of buttermilk, agar powder instead of Xantham Gum, and used a combination of coconut sugar and maple syrup, rather than regular sugar. Worked out wonderfully. Everybody raved over it during the holidays. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply

  26. Fantastic recipe – hubby said better than Marie Calendars!!! We used powdered milk with water and 3 TBS of vinegar, coconut sugar and 1 TBS of ground flax seed in place of the Xanthum Gum…. excellent!!!

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  27. Hands down, the best cornbread I’ve ever put in my mouth! My daughter, who doesn’t like cornbread, ate 3 pieces! I only had pillsbury gf flour on hand so, that’s what I used (it has xanthan gum). It worked fine. I also spread butter over it shortly after it came out of the oven. I made it again this morning and am pairing it with Crab Bisque Soup to take down to South Carolina for my moms birthday. Thank you for this recipe. I have celiac disease and love to cook so, always looking for great recipes to add to my arsenal so my sceptical of good tasting gf food family will be won over.😋

    Reply

  28. Hi! Could I add a can of Sweet corn, well-drained, or would that adversely affect texture or cooking? Thanks in advance. 🙂

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  29. WOW!! This tastes just like my old recipe that I used when I didn’t know I had a gluten problem. I subbed 3/4 cup olive oil for the butter. Thanks for what you do 😊

    Reply

  30. Wow… made these tonight to go with red beans and rice. I cut the sugar by 1/4c and still they turned out like cake! Not what I was looking for, but good.

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  31. This was great – better than any recipe I’ve made – including those with flour. My grandkids absolutely loved it. I even used a gluten free flour that worked poorly in other recipes, but worked well here. T was moist and flavorful. My question – would it work equally well with regular flour? (Isn’t that backwards from most questions!)

    Reply

  32. This cornbread is to die for! Thank you SO much for the recipe. I made it sugar free by using erythritol and cut back on it by about 1/3. I didn’t have a gluten free flour blend at the time, so I made my own out of almond meal, coconut flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, & xanthan gum. I used a medium grind cornmeal. It made for a great texture. My husband has never been a fan of cornbread, but he couldn’t get enough of this one. I even have it for breakfast with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, and slices of strawberries. It’s divine! Thanks again for a fabulous recipe!

    Reply

  33. This corn bread is delish!!! My family loved it and my son took leftovers to have with lunch. It’s not easy finding gf foods they really enjoy and this was spot on. For those concerned with sugar content, it is quite a bit, but you can cut it back to your liking. Thanks for sharing the recipe! 🙂

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  34. Absolutely the best ever! Even with almond milk and almost burning after I accidentally turned off my timer! 😬👍🏼

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  35. This cornbread is amazing. I did one cup of sugar, coconut milk, and a tbsp (about) of apple cider vinegar. Turned out so yummy and I used white corn cornmeal. I was wondering how long can this sit out on the counter? Or do you have to freeze it ASAP? Thanks for the amazing recipe and Winco is my fave grocery store!

    Reply

  36. This was so easy and delicious! Needed some cornbread to accompany a spicy butternut squash chili, and this hit the spot. Loved how tender this is and not at all dry. Winner!

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  37. I cut the sugar in half and used a stevia blend for the other half. I also owed applesauce in place of eggs (1cup) and these turned out amazing! Can’t tell they’re gluten free and do moist! Thank you for the recipe! 😋

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  39. Mouthwatering recipe! My husband is not eating gluten free and he raved about it. I baked 1/2 the recipe and saved other half for a few days later. It was JUST AS GOOD!

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  41. Hi, I found this recipe by doing a google search for GF cornbread, and after reading the reviews, knew I had to try it. Just made it, and I cannot tell you how my kids’ and hubby’s eyes bugged out. So moist, subtly sweet, and oh so good. I lowered the sugar to just under 1 cup, and i put them in mini muffin cups so that they were easily preportioned and reduced bake time to 15 mins. Now I know, and there’s no going back. This is my bookmarked cornbread recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

  42. I don’t have the time to read through all the other comments to see if you addressed my question or not. So, here goes, I already have medium coarse corn meal on hand. Can’t I just put in the food processor for a few pulse and “make” it fine cornmeal? Also, I have been very successful substituting applesauce for eggs in cookie recipes. Am wondering if you could sub out two of the eggs and possibly a little sugar and get the same sweetness? Not trying that as I need it for tonight. Thanks.

    Reply

    • I think that would work for you to just pulse a bit to make it a little finer. Obviously not turning it into powder, but like you said, just a few pulses. As far as substituting applesauce for the eggs in this, I haven’t tried that substitute in this so I can’t say for sure. I’ve never used applesauce as a sub for eggs, only as a sub for oil/butter. Let me know if you do try it and any tips you can pass on!

      Reply

  43. Hi! I’m probably way to late with commenting on this recipe but I just got diagnosed with celiac and really crave some cornbread. First off, thanks for making my life easier!! Awesome blog. Then a quick question, can I substitute honey for the sugar? How do you think I’d have to go about it?
    Thank you

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  44. Great recipe, thank you! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 GF flour (the blue bag) which is the best GF flour I have ever used. I also used half regular unsalted butter and half refined coconut oil. I reduced the sugar a little bit and added about a tablespoon of honey. Everything else I kept exactly the same. It turned out wonderful and delicious! Nothing wrong with the original recipe, I just like to experiment.

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  45. Thank you for a truly delicious recipe!

    I have a question about the cooking time. I baked it for 35 minutes but the middle part was still soft and liquid. I added another 5 minutes but then took it out as I was worried that the outer areas were turning too dark. I let it sit for a while before I cut it up. The problem was that the edges and corners were delicious but I had to throw out the center as it was gooey – I’m not sure why I got that result. Any suggestions?

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  47. I soured the milk myself with vinegar, used Bobs GF one-for-one baking flour, and Bobs egg replacer. It’s my second time making it and I am so happy with the result! We have wheat and egg allergies in the family and I’ve been searching for a GF cornbread recipe we can all enjoy and I think I’ve finally found it! Thank you!

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  48. Please could you email this page to me? There seems to be no way of doing so myself. If like to try out this recipe and I’m afraid of losing the link.

    Thanks Kay

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  49. I am so happy I found this recipe. It is easy to make an actually turns out better than I ever expected! I made my own “buttermilk” as I am allergic to dairy. This is my new favorite. Thank you!

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  50. Can I substitute almond flour for gluten free flour and almond milk in place of buttermilk in your cornbread recipe. I want to make this for Thanksgiving.

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  52. I am celiac and this is my go-to cornbread recipe. It’s always a hit and I constantly get asked for the recipe. My non-GF friends and family can’t believe it’s gluten free. I use Namaste GF flour and it turns out amazing! I backed off the sugar to one cup recently and it’s still great.

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  53. Thank you for this recipe! Roommates request for Thanksgiving was cornbread… first time I’ve made cornbread since I had to go gluten free and was worried. I used Pillsbury gluten free flour. Roommates inhaled it and warned me I couldn’t touch it, they were amazed it was gluten free. Thank you again, I’ll be making it again soon im sure!

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  54. Oh my this is fabulous! We just made this as I’m new to the gluten free cooking for about 2 weeks now. We had it warm drizzled with maple syrup 😁 We look forward to finding more recipes thank you delicious!

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  55. Tried your Sweet GF Cornbread last night, it was outstanding. I used course ground corn grits which resulted in a crunch. Yumm. Good bye packaged cornbread mix’s…

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