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The best vegan cornbread recipe delivers sweet, moist, and fluffy goodness! The perfect side dish sensation for chili. Oil-free and egg-free!
Looking for the perfect vegan version of traditional cornbread that’s simple yet bursting with flavor? Look no further!
A delicious blend of wholesome ingredients and just the right balance of sweetness and savory goodness, this cornbread is a definite crowd-pleaser.
Made with simple ingredients like cornmeal, flour, non-dairy milk, and a touch of maple syrup, it’s moist, fluffy, and oh-so-satisfying.
If you’re feeling creative and want to color outside the lines, use this recipe as a base for making theseJalapeño Cheddar Cornbread MuffinsorEasy Cornbread Dressing.
Whether served with your favoritechili recipe,baked beans,black eyed peas, or enjoyed on its own, this cornbread will no doubt be a staple in your kitchen.
Table of Contents
Ingredients you’re going to need
The foundation of this easy vegan cornbread recipe is a blend of cornmeal and organic unbleached all-purpose flour.
You can use either fine or medium grind cornmeal, but the fine ground is my own personal preference and will give you the best texture.
To mimic the tangy quality of buttermilk, I mix soy milk with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Instead of vegetable oil, I used aquafaba, and the results were excellent.
It makes the cornbread nice and moist and works as a binder as well. So, you don’t have to use a flax egg or other vegan egg replacement.
For a hint of sweetness, maple syrup is perfect.
- yellow cornmeal
- organic unbleached all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- maple syrup
- vegan buttermilk (soy milk + apple cider vinegar)
- aquafaba
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
How to make vegan cornbread
If it’s your first time attempting to make a plant-based version of traditional cornbread, this easy recipe is perfect. You combine the ingredients, mix, dump into a pan, and bake.
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is well combined. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate small bowl.
- Now, add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is combined and the batter is pretty smooth. Don’t overmix!
- Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cornbread is done when you insert a toothpick into the center, and it comes out clean.
Try replacing the maple syrup with an equal amount ofhomemadevegan creamed corn. You get the sweetness along with some added texture.
How to store vegan cornbread
You can store vegan cornbread leftovers in the refrigerator, freezer, or on the counter at room temperature.
- Room temperature: Place cornbread in an airtight container and store on the countertop for 3-4 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to a week in a covered container.
- Freezer:Vegan cornbread freezes well. Make a second batch, place it in a freezer-safe container, and store it in thefreezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave or oven when you’re ready to enjoy.
Variations
- Cornbread muffins: Add the batter to a nonstick muffin pan and bake at 300˚F for 30 minutes.
- Skillet Cornbread: Preheat your oven to 400˚F and place a cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Once ready, remove the skillet and add 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, like Earth Balance, to the skillet. Swirl the melted vegan butter around to coat the bottom and sides. Carefully pournbatter into the hot skillet and spread it out evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Texture:Add one can (15-ounce) of whole sweet corn kernels to the batter before baking.
- Savory:If you’re not a fan of sweet cornbread, leave out the maple syrup. Toss in some chopped onion, garlic, or your other favorite spices.
Substitutions
- Oil-replacement– Apple sauce can be used in place of the aquafaba. It will also give you a little sweeter cornbread.
- Sweetener– Organic cane sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar can be used instead of maple syrup. It’s great for enhancing the texture. Be sure to use ½ cup of aquafaba to make up for the loss of liquid.
- Flour:Whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour can be used instead of unbleached flour.
- Gluten-free:Replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour to make this recipe gluten-free. I love Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any will work.
Top tips for making the best vegan cornbread
If you’re going to make this recipe, make sure to follow these top tips!
- Don’t overmix the batter. Your cornbread will come out dense and flat with too much mixing.
- Do not decrease the liquids in this recipe! You want this cornbread to be moist, and reducing the liquid will cause it to be dry and crumbly.
- For best results, I like to use yellow cornmeal.
- If you’re new to vegan baking,this guidecan help you navigate the best vegan egg substitutes.
Vegan cornbread FAQs
What can I use instead of egg in cornbread? Flax egg and others you can buy at the grocery store. Check out this list of
What is a non-dairy milk substitute for cornbread? Soy milk, unsweetened almond milk, or oat milk can all be used instead of cow’s milk. If you are making vegan buttermilk, soy milk is the best, followed by almond milk.
What cornbread mix is vegan?365 by Whole Foods Cornbread & Muffin Mixand Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mixare my favorites.
More delicious recipes for you to try!
Here are a few delicious “sweet” treats you should try: Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Healthy Vegan Banana Bread, and Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole.
- Vegan Corn Chowder
- Easy Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe
- Easy Cheesy Vegan Grits
- Healthy Homemade Tortilla Chips (Baked, Oil-free)
If you would like to know more about oil-free baking check out this article, Healthy Oil Replacements In Baking.
If you make this recipe, let me know. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. Be sure to share a picture onInstagramwith the hashtag#shaneandsimple. I want to see your work.
The Best Vegan Cornbread Recipe
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5 from 62 reviews
The best vegan cornbread recipe delivers sweet, moist, and fluffy goodness! It is the perfect side dish sensation for chili. Oil-free and egg-free!
- Author: Shane Martin
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 25 mins.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 ¼ cups of whole wheat flour or organic unbleached flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup or agave
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened soy milk (or sub unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup aquafaba
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is well combined. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate small bowl.
- Now, add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is combined and the batter is pretty smooth. Don’t overmix!
- Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cornbread is done when you insert a toothpick into the center, and it comes out clean.
Notes
Aqufaba is the juice from a can of chickpeas and a very important ingredient. It takes the place of oil in this recipe and doesn’t affect the flavor. If you don’t have aquafaba you can use unsweetened apple sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 107
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 73.5 mg
- Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.9 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
