14 Tips For Baking Delicious Vegan Cornbread

No proper Southern-style meal is complete without a slice of soft and fragrant cornbread. This bread is quite simple to make at home, as it only requires a few ingredients — namely cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk, and leavening agents. While many folks may not be able to imagine cornbread without a generous pour of buttermilk or a sizable pat of butter on top, there are indeed ways to transform this recipe and make it suitable for folks who have dairy and egg allergies or those who are adhering to a vegan diet. 

As someone who ate vegan for nearly six years, and who still enjoys experimenting with plant-based recipes, I've experimented with vegan cornbread many times. Whether you're normally an omnivore looking to revamp a classic cornbread recipe for a plant-based companion, or you're a plant-based eater already who can't seem to scratch that itch for a warm slice of the South's favorite side, you're in the right place. Here are some of my top tips for making delicious cornbread, sans the animal-based ingredients. 

If you've ever indulged in a piece of cornbread at a Southern restaurant or fast-food spot, you've likely only tasted a batch made with yellow cornmeal. Yellow cornmeal is quite ubiquitous in the world of cornbread mixes and recipes, but there are also a whole host of other types of cornmeal that you can add to your cornbread — vegan or not — to infuse it with a different flavor. White cornmeal, for one, has a less corn-forward taste. Meanwhile, blue cornmeal tends to have a sweeter profile, which is in good company with a sweetened cornbread recipe. The next time you try making cornbread from scratch, try integrating one of these other types of cornmeal into your recipe. It's important to note, though, that you may need to do some digging to be able to find more diverse cornmeal varieties. I'd recommend looking at a natural foods store or an online retailer if you can't seem to track a bag down. 

You should always pay attention to the coarseness of your cornmeal when you add it to your recipe, too. For the absolute best cornbread, consider complementing the finely ground cornmeal with a coarser grind size. Coarse-ground cornmeal tends to offer more flavor nuances and complexities that will elevate any batch of cornbread that you're making. However, don't completely skip out on the finely ground cornmeal, as it's essential for making a structurally sound bread. 

If you ask a vegan what the best type of egg replacer is, you'll get one of two answers: a "Well, it really depends on what you're making" or a statement that insinuates brand (or product) loyalty. I think that in general, the first statement is generally what I resort to when I'm asked the same question. While you can get away with using a flax or chia egg for some pancake recipes or opt to use some sort of applesauce or mashed banana mixture as an egg replacer for a cake, the product that I have found works the best across the board — including for cornbread — is powdered egg replacer. 

Soaked chia seeds and flax "eggs" tend to have a grainy texture that isn't suitable for most recipes. The powdered egg replacer, on the other hand, is made with a combination of starches and flours, so it chemically mimics the same function as an egg. Brands like Bob's Red Mill make egg replacers specific for baking, too; it's the brand I look for when I'm baking cornbread. Follow the instructions on the label to make your "egg" before adding it to your batter. It's easy to do and will yield consistent results every time — all without the grittiness of flax or chia seeds. 

Some, but not all, plant-based cornbread recipes will call for a milk substitute. Milk helps hydrate the batter, and it imparts a slightly sweet flavor to the cornbread. If you're looking for the most analogous product to regular dairy milk, I would personally recommend turning to oat milk. 

If you sampled some dairy-free milks side-by-side, you'd quickly realize that oat milk has a creamy consistency and mildly sweet flavor to it (almost like whole milk) — which makes it a perfect match for baking. Almond milk is a little thin, while soy milk has an off-putting taste. However, some folks will opt to use soy milk to bake certain breads and make pastries because it has a higher protein content than other types of plant-based milk. Oat milk, since we're after flavor here, is the one ingredient you'll want to add to your cart in preparation for your vegan cornbread bake-a-thon.

No cornbread recipe is complete without buttermilk. This ingredient, which is normally made with cultured and fermented dairy-based milk, interacts with the baking soda to encourage the cornbread to rise. The acid also limits the gluten in the flour, thus preventing the bread from becoming too stodgy. 

If you've looked on the shelves of your local grocery store (or even a natural foods store), chances are that vegan buttermilk brands are few and far between. Luckily, there are many ways that you can make a vegan buttermilk substitute — so long as you have a plant-based milk and an acid. If you're making buttermilk, I would recommend buying soy milk specifically, as it has more protein in it. My go-to for baking, in general, though, is almond or oat milk combined with a little splash of apple cider vinegar (mainly because I just never have soy milk on hand). You'll only need to use about a tablespoon of vinegar for each cup of milk. Give it a quick stir and set it aside on your countertop while you're preparing the rest of your ingredients. As gross as it may sound, you need to give the acid enough time to curdle the proteins in the milk and thicken. Then, after about five minutes have passed, you can pour the vegan buttermilk straight into your batter. 

A keystone of good cooking and baking, vegan or not, is the ability to establish unique flavors. While your basic cornbread recipe may include staples like cornmeal, flour, (vegan) buttermilk, and oil, you have tons of opportunities to add your own creative spin to the recipe, all while staying in the confines of your dietary needs. For one, you may want to try adding unique spices to your cornbread to boost its flavor. 

Sage skillet cornbread is a great place to start. Though this recipe includes honey, you could always complement the fresh sage leaves with maple syrup or agave instead. Other mix-ins that will elevate your cornbread recipe include dried cayenne or ancho chili pepper — the latter of which is a favorite of mine for adding a smoky heat to the quick bread. For a sweeter cornbread, consider mixing a medley of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. At that point, you may want to take it a step further and add some fall flair with a scoop of pumpkin puree, too. 

I'm not here to say whether or not you should add sweetener to cornbread. I'm just here to say that the sugar that some folks add to the quick bread isn't always vegan. This is because some white sugar is processed with bone char. If you want a product that's truly vegan, opt for a product with the vegan seal, organic sugar (as the organic certification prohibits bone char from being used in the process), or beet sugar.

Honestly, I wouldn't want to dump out the 5-pound bag of granulated white sugar that I bought if I was whipping up a one-off vegan cornbread recipe. So, my recommendation, in that case, would just be to use an alternative, plant-based sweetener instead — like maple syrup — instead of the sugar that the recipe calls for. This sticky, sweet concoction has a slightly oaky profile that will add complexity to your recipe and turn it from good to great. Plus, it may complement your other additions (like jalapeños) better than you'd think. 

The only thing more important than the cornbread is the butter that's slathered on top of it. Seriously, I don't know what's so mesmerizing about watching a pat of butter drip down into the craggy, spongy cornbread and infuse that delicious fatty flavor into absolutely every morsel. Okay, you can stop drooling now. 

Some recipes call for butter in the batter, while others recommend just serving the cornbread with it. Regardless, you're going to want to select a quality vegan butter brand to work with. And no, vegan butter is not the same thing as margarine. Grocery store shelves are filled with every brand of vegan butter you could ever want — many of which have the same flavor and stick shape as "normal" butter. Some of your favorite butter brands might even have plant-based iterations too. 

My go-to butter brand is Country Crock — mainly because I can find it at my local BJ's Wholesale Club (I go through so much of it). But, if I'm looking for a quality-flavored butter that's a bit more upscale, then my brand of choice would be Miyoko's. 

Cornbread falls into the category of quick breads because it is made with chemical leaveners like baking soda or baking powder rather than actual yeast. Many other quick breads that you may be familiar with, like banana bread and zucchini bread, also have something in common beyond just what leaveners they're made with: They also are made with oil. Oil is an excellent addition to quick breads and loaves because it makes the bread itself super moist. The water in the butter turns to steam and evaporates, but the oil in the cornbread is all fat, so it will hold on to this moisture even after the bread is finished baking. The oil also prevents the batter from turning too stodgy and yeast bread-like — especially if it's over-mixed. 

You can use any array of different oils in your recipe, from vegetable and canola oil to sunflower oil. You won't taste the flavor oil in the finished cornbread too much, so it really doesn't matter which one you select. 

Vegan cheese is not what it used to be — in a good way. Depending on the brand of cheese that you buy, you may even find that it melts and tastes as much like normal cheese as possible. Violife, in particular, is one vegan cheese that you may want to check out for your cornbread recipe. Its sharp cheddar cheese shreds are a little dry (it is vegan cheese, after all), but it melts quite well. It also has that distinctive cheesy flavor that would bring attention to the nuttiness of the cornmeal. 

Add a sprinkle of cheese to the batter as you're mixing it. Or, add a little sprinkle on top for the last few minutes of baking it to add some extra flavor and a slightly cheesy layer.

Mayonnaise is one ingredient that is more useful than you may think it is. The base of non-vegan mayonnaise is comprised of ingredients like eggs, oil, and lemon juice — and it's easy to see how each of these ingredients, on their own, can elevate a delicious cornbread. But when they're combined into mayo, boy, are you in for a treat.

There are several different plant-based mayonnaise brands out there that offer a mouthfeel similar to that of regular mayo. Although the eggs might be out of the picture, the medley of ingredients inside brands like Follow Your Heart's Vegenaise and NotCo's NotMayo will mimic the same flavor and purpose as the regular version of the condiment. For one, the extra fat will help lubricate the gluten strands and ensure that they stay short, while the acid will help ensure that the bread stays soft and pliable. Add a scoop of vegan mayo to your next batch of cornbread and watch your recipe transform. 

One of the biggest mistakes that anyone can make with cornbread is overmixing it. Granted, this step is super easy to do. If you're anything like me, you're always checking to make sure you didn't miss a flour pocket or that your spices aren't streaky throughout the batter. While, yes, you do want to make sure that all of your ingredients are well-combined, mixing too much can yield negative consequences. The moment you combine the gluten in the flour with liquid, it will start to get tight and form that strong, elasticky structure. Any quick bread needs a little bit of gluten structure to help hold the air bubbles and ensure that it comes out soft. But too much mixing can give you a cornbread that has the consistency of a rubber tire. 

I would recommend that folks only give their cornbread batter a couple of turns with the spoon until it's well combined. Moreover, you should avoid leaving the prepared mixture sitting on the counter for too long, as you will lose air bubbles with time. It's not a cookie dough batter, which tastes better the longer it has to rest. 

Cornbread is one food that could really benefit from veggie additions. Not only does fresh produce add a unique texture to the cornbread, but it also adds a bright boost of flavor that helps distract from the heaviness of the surrounding bread. 

One of the most common additions to cornbread is jalapeños. The spicy, capsaicin-rich pepper pairs well with the mild and slightly nutty cornbread surrounding it. Or, if you want something a little more mild (but still flavorful), you may turn to garlic. Add some sauteed garlic to your cornbread batter to add some depth. Stay away from watery veggies; there's a reason why you don't see spinach cornbread. 

You aren't limited to just vegetables, either. If you want to add some sweetness to your cornbread without turning to sugar, you may want to try peaches. You can do a quick chop on this fruit and add it to your cornbread batter before you plop it into the skillet. It's a great summery treat, especially when paired with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. 

Regardless of whether you're making a plant-based cornbread or one chock-full of butter and eggs, you have to master some of the basics of a delicious cornbread. There's one and only one pan that you should be working with when making cornbread: a cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat much better than other pans, including those made with metal or glass. Once the cornbread batter hits the hot, well-preheated pan, it will develop the quintessential crispy coating. 

One big question that may be on your mind, especially if you're a vegan, is what kind of seasoning you should be using on your pan. The seasoning will ensure that the cornbread (or whatever you're cooking) doesn't stick. It also will create the aforementioned crispiness. So, it's a must-have — you just need to abstain from using bacon grease. Once your pan has been cleaned, wipe the entire thing in a neutral cooking oil, like vegetable oil, and then stick the pan in a 325-degree-Fahrenheit oven to bake for an hour. Do this regularly to keep your pan in good working condition. 

We've all felt the excitement of having something freshly baked on your counter and just wanting to dive into it as soon as it's pulled from the oven. But, with cornbread, know that everything will be better off if you just wait a little bit. The bread needs a few minutes to set in the pan before you remove it. Otherwise, it could still be soft in the middle and fall apart when you pull it out. 

There are some things that you should look for when deciding to pull your cornbread out of the oven. The top of the cornbread should be golden in color, and you'll notice that the edges will pull slightly away from the pan. However, if you're veganizing a cornbread recipe, it's important to note that sometimes the differences in fats may cause your cornbread to be more or less brown than the pictures suggest that it should be. When I'm baking veganized recipes, I always determine doneness via an internal temperature reading (cornbread should read between 195 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit), or I look for other visual cues, like the pulling away at the edges.