Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe
My moist, sweet gluten free cornbread recipe is so good, your gluten-eating friends will be asking for it! This is the best recipe and one you need to try soon!
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 recipe for has absolutely loved it and said it was their favorite cornbread ever.
This gf cornbread goes perfectly with so many meals, including my go-to Crock-pot gluten-free chili recipe. We enjoy it with gluten-free beef stew too!
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.
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.
Is cornmeal gluten-free?
Cornmeal is not always gluten-free! It is common for cornmeal to be made by companies that make/process flour as well so there is a high risk of cross-contamination during transport, production, and packaging. Make sure your cornmeal is certified gluten-free!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
Let’s talk about the other ingredients a bit too.
- Cornmeal – As stated above, be sure to purchase certified gluten-free cornmeal. 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 use and like Arrowhead corn meal from Amazon – it’s certified gluten-free!
- 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 almost always make this recipe with gfJules gluten-free flour. Feel free to use your favorite high quality gluten-free flour blend.
- 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. Locally, I like to buy Darigold buttermilk or Trader Joe’s 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.
When I travel to my in-laws house, I usually mix up the dry ingredients for this recipe (cornmeal, gluten-free flour, salt) and bring with me. Then at my destination, I can just grab my bag of gluten-free cornbread mix, some butter, sugar, buttermilk and eggs and I can whip this up for everyone to enjoy!
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 gluten-free 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 9×13 ceramic pan. Then once cool, just cover with plastic wrap so the cornbread doesn’t dry out.
What will you serve your gluten-free cornbread with?
I like it with just butter, but some guests like to make it even more sweet by adding honey!
You can also make a batch of this cornbread to make my gluten-free cornbread stuffing recipe. Here’s what it looks like:
That definitely needs added to your holiday menu!
Let me know how you enjoy this gluten-free corn bread. Please come back and leave a rating and comment when you have a minute! Thanks!
Best Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe
Our guests always say this is the best cornbread ever, let alone the best gluten-free cornbread! 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.
Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum (*if needed)
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- In a glass measuring cup, measure buttermilk then add baking soda, mix together and let sit.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake at 375º for 30-35 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.
Notes
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, I recommend using Saco Cultured Buttermilk powder, following the substitution directions on the package.
*If the gluten-free flour blend you use already has xanthan gum or guar gum in it, then omit the xanthan gum called for in this recipe.
gfJules gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum so I don't add any when I use that blend.
*Originally posted 2013, updated text and photos November 2016.
Pin this gluten-free cornbread to your gluten-free bread Pinterest board:
I hope you and your family enjoy this gf cornbread recipe as much as my family does!
Thank you for this recipe! It IS the best gluten free cornbread! My family ate half of it in one sitting.
I have printed this recipe and added it to my favorite recipe collection. Thanks again!
Salted or not salted butter?
Found this recipe when I had to go look up a new corn bread recipe after being unable to find the last one I used and made muffins with (thought I had bookmarked it…oops…guess not). Boy am I glad I had to go looking again! My house is a gluten free zone for my health. These were inhaled. I split the recipe into two 8″ square pans because I don’t have a 9×13. This also gives me double the corner pieces (my favorite part of cornbread, forever and always). With 5 of us in the house, these were pretty much gone inside of 24 hours…many opting for cornbread for breakfast and snack. I just made them a second time tonight. I asked everyone to raise their hand if they wanted cornbread. Hands went into the air so fast! One “child” even threw her feet in the air too. As for me, I find this to be VERY similar to the cornbread my mom always made growing up…and as I currently can’t find THAT recipe, this will do wonderfully. We always used a bit coarser grain than this does, but as I can’t find the mid ground between medium and coarse, I’ll stick with the medium. Love it! Now…I better go grab me some before everybody eats it all…
Just made this for Thanksgiving dinner and OMG! Best cornbread my husband and I have ever had!!!! Sooooooo yummy!
I thought the cornbread was delicious. Very moist. I changed a few things which I think added to the taste. I substituted 1/2 coconut flour and added diced red pepper and green onion to the mix. My husband loved the taste.
This is the best sweet cornbread I’ve tasted. I is Marie Callender caliber! I made a batch on Sunday to accompany my husband’s delicious sirloin beef and vegetable soup. OMG I was so impressed how good this gf cornbread is. It’s sweet and fluffy. Plus here it is a Tuesday and I just ate the leftover and it is delicious. I stored at room temp in my pantry. So impressed how good this is.
Is the xanthan gum 100% necessary? How will it turn out without xanthan gum?
This was the best cornbread I’ve had, with gluten or without!!
I did one small modification…I did not have buttermilk, so I used yogurt.
This was moist, delicious and sweet! It held together beautifully. I wanted something that wouldn’t just crumble away.
Just what I was looking for!!
Hi there!
Delicious recipe! I’m wondering if you have recommendations for storing the batter? The recipe just makes WAY too much for me and my husband (I didn’t think about halving the recipe, my own fault) and we have enough batter for 3 dozen muffins – we won’t eat it all right now! Can this be frozen? Thanks!
I hate writing this review since I had to change up so many things. However, the basic record must be fantastic because with all the substitutions and omissions, this turned out to be the best cornbread I’ve ever eaten. Also, I’ve never had sweet cornbread before, but I will again!!!
Anyone multiplied this recipe to make a dry ready-to-use mix and, if so, did you have to make any modifications? My elderly neighbor has several medical conditions and an extremely restrictive diet, but can no longer find her favorite Martha White Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix. I’m wanting to make her a tin of mix (with dry buttermilk) with instructions for adding the liquid. Thanks for any feedback!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It was so delicious!!! I used the coarser Bob’s the Red Mill but didn’t mind the texture at all. I’m dairy free as well so I used Earth Balance instead of butter and almond milk mixed with lemon juice instead of buttermilk. I also cut the sugar to 1 cup and the sweetness was perfect. I will definitely be making this again! I’m so full but it tastes so good I want to eat more.
I have only just started this recipe and have come across a flaw. I measured my buttermilk in a glass measuring cup, as instructed, and added the baking soda. Turned my back to melt some butter, and it was all over my counter. It would have been nice to know that I needed a 4 cup measure or more to accommodate the science experiment that has occurred. I guess, as a very seasoned and classically trained chef (although many years out of the profession) I should have known that such a reaction would have happened with the mixture of these two ingredients. But being tired and stressed working from home trying to teach 20 second graders and care for my own family, I was just on autopilot and made the error of losing half my buttermilk mixture to my counter and having to begin again. Might have been a nice touch to warn the cook of the danger. So much more fun to cook without having to clean a cup of foaming buttermilk off my counter after a long day of work.
Delicious! ( I used Pamela’s Flour and Pancake Mix.) Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’ve never made my own Cornbread before
never mind making it gluten-free
I have eaten cornbread made with regular gluten flour many times but
I must say this recipe ended up with the MOST moist cornbread I ever have eaten in my 65 plus years !!
I did cut the sugar down to 1 cup ( still made it JUST sweet enough )
Also I used my own homemade gluten-free flour (SOOOOO Easy)
in fact all of my flour ingredients are ORGANIC including the Cornmeal
you can buy all the ingredients you need to do that @ WHOLE PAYCHECK aka Whole Foods
I did use 2 cups of Almond Milk with 4Tbsp of Fresh Squeezed Lemon juice and it worked great
Thank you for this Terrific recipe !!
Charlie,
Your comment made my day. Thanks for the humor! Also thanks for including your successful substitutions to help others! Thank you for taking the time to comment. Happy baking!
Mine never fully cooked. I followed the recipe to a T! I even cooked it 15-20 minutes longer than suggested. It did not cook in the middle at all. This happen to anyone else?
Factors that can influence baking time include the size of your baking pan (if it isn’t a true 9×13 but instead narrower it will take longer), oven temperature (check with an oven thermometer) and accurately measuring the buttermilk. Even humidity and altitude can have an affect on baking ties. Best to keep on baking until the center tests done with a toothpick and just make a note of that time so you’ll know for future batches!
Hi all, I want to not only wish everyone a Happy New Year 2020 but, I also want to thank everyone on here for the gluten-free recipe and the change suggestions. In my household, there are gluten-free folks/diabetics/the weight-conscious and the health “fanatics”. Hence, this past Monday, I made my cornbread by doing/using the following (like another poster wrote – I also cut most everything in half):
1 cup Almond milk with 1 tbsp. white vinegar added,
1/2 tsp. baking soda,
1/2 a stick of butter, melted
4 tbsp. of vegetable oil,
2 eggs, left out at room temp,
1 cup of Bob’s Red Mill cornmeal,
1 cup of my “gluten-free all-purpose” flour (2/3rds cup of rice flout, 1/3 cup of tapioca flour, mixed together)
1/2 tsp. salt,
4 packets of stevia mixed in with 1 tbsp. of sugar
1) After mixing the vinegar with the almond milk, I let that set for about 5-7 minutes – this became my “buttermilk”.
2) After placing the cornmeal into a large mixing bowl, I took the “buttermilk” and mixed it in thoroughly with the cornmeal. I let this mixture sit for about 10-12 minutes (like another poster(s) recommended for using coarse cornmeal – mine was the Bob’s Red Mill brand).
3) While the cornmeal was “soaking”, I sifted my “all-purpose flour” mixture, then set that aside.
4) I took my 1/2 stick of near-semi-softened butter to grease my 9-in. cake pan.
5) Into a medium-sized bowl, I mixed the remaining butter with the 4 tbsp. of veggie oil (I used “Smart Balance”) till fully softened/near full liquid.
6) I beat the 2 eggs in a cup, then mixed with the butter/oil mixture. Then, I added this mixture with the cornmeal mixture, and mixed.
7) I added the flour mixture to the cornmeal mixture, then added the baking soda, stevia, salt and sugar, and mixed well.
8) Placed the mixture into my cake pan, and let bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.
9) Let cool on a baking rack for 5-10 minutes.
Now, I readily admit – I’m no chef! However, I had absolutely NO xanthan gum in the house so, I was praying that this mixture worked (I think that Michelle’s original recipe calls for using xanthan gum). I had 6 folks, NOT including myself, to try this out on! Well, lo and behold, it turned out a success! Keep in mind that this recipe is NOT for those who like real-sweet cornbread – as mentioned earlier, I had to feed a couple of diabetics so, I had to keep the sugar usage to an near-absolute minimum. Also, a lot of us need to keep the solid fat (butter) intake in check so, I substituted the 2nd half of a stick of butter with the 4 tbsp. of veggie oil (a liquid fat).
My diabetic Dad liked my cornbread a lot – he then asked me to make him some muffins to take home! “Of course, Dad.” My Mom wasn’t too pleased that I said “Yes” to Dad’s request, because she monitors his diet. All of us family members know that my Dad could literally eat anything and everything under the sun! Then, of course, his sugar level would skyrocket! So, I made a diplomatic statement/compromise – I’d make 6 muffins, 2 for Dad, 2 for Mom and 2 for me! My siblings will have to either make their own cornbread, or wait till next year to get some more…whatever cornbread I make from here on out will be for ME!!!
Happy 2020 to all!!! And thanks again for all the suggestions!
@SondrasDaughter, thank you for making a recipe that’s more realistic for everybody to use.
This is the best cornbread I have ever made. I substituted honey for the sugar (use a conversion chart), and I didn’t have all purpose flour, so I used a blend of rice flour and almond flour.
Consistency is perfect. Thank you!
Has anyone halved the recipe and used a smaller pan (8×8 or similar?) with success? Also, does it freeze well after baking?
And I realized that all my answers were in the intro to the recipe! ?♀️