Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipe

There's something about the sweet, crumbly flavor and texture of cornbread that hits the spot alongside a bowl of chili or a plate of barbecue. But even though the primary ingredient in cornbread is cornmeal, most recipes aren't naturally gluten-free, making those cravings for a piece of cornbread a little less wise when you're following a gluten-free diet. "Recipes typically use some amount of flour, quantities varying, to make cornbread," explains recipe developer Sher Castellano. But in this recipe, instead of using all-purpose flour, you use gluten-free all-purpose flour, instead, making it safe if you have gluten sensitivities or intolerances. 

The good news is, even without the gluten, you won't compromise on flavor. "This yields a lightly-sweetened, savory cornbread," Castellano explains, adding that you can add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter bread. And once you have the ingredients, it's an easy recipe to whip up on-demand. "What I like best about this recipe is the simplicity of its ingredients and its ease. I have these ingredients in my pantry at all times, so throwing it together is really accessible," Castellano says. So the next time you're craving a gluten-free carb to enjoy alongside your favorite soup, you can have a piece of this cornbread ready to serve in less than 25 minutes. 

Most of the ingredients for this gluten-free cornbread recipe are pantry staples, so you may have many of them on-hand. You'll need ground cornmeal, gluten-free all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsweetened almond milk, eggs, and olive oil. 

You may have noticed that with the inclusion of almond milk, this gluten-free recipe is also dairy-free. That said, if you're not trying to avoid dairy products, Castellano says you can use low-fat dairy milk in place of the almond milk. 

As for add-ins like cheese, Castellano advises against them, as it could alter the consistency of the cornbread. There's nothing wrong with keeping things classic!

Once you've got your ingredients in front of you, go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 F and line a 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. 

Set out a large mixing bowl and whisk together the dry ingredients — the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt — until they're well-combined. 

Add the wet ingredients, including the milk, eggs, and oil, to the dry ingredients, and continue whisking until the batter is smooth. 

With the batter ready to go, pour it into the prepared baking pan and pop the pan in the oven. Bake the cornbread for 15 minutes, then test for doneness with a toothpick or fork. Simply insert the tool into the center of the cornbread, and if it comes out clean, the cornbread is ready to enjoy. 

Give the cornbread a little while to cool down, then cut it into squares and serve. This cornbread is a great side dish, though you could also enjoy it alone with a little slab of butter.