Gluten Free Cornbread

This is the gluten free cornbread recipe you’ve been waiting for. No unnecessary flours. No xanthan gum. Just wholesome and naturally gluten free cornbread. The texture is soft and tender with just the right amount of crumble, and the flavor is pure corn goodness.

Where to Find that Good-Good Cornmeal

I owe this recipe to the aisles of Your Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur, Georgia. I was hunting for something or other when a bag of JT Pollard’s Extra Fine Cornmeal, milled in Hartford, Alabama, caught my eye. 

I thought it was worth buying a bag and doing a little experiment. When I got home I pulled out my old gluten friendly cornbread recipe and swapped the all purpose flour for Pollard’s extra fine. 

I had a bag of Riverview Farms medium grind cornmeal from Freedom Farmers Market in the freezer, so I stirred up my batter and baked it up. That was a very happy day.

Since then, I’ve experimented with the texture. If you want your cornbread to be a little more toothsome you can even substitute a quarter of the medium grind cornmeal for stone ground grits or polenta. If you want it more cake-like, use a fine ground cornmeal instead of the medium grind. It’s a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure situation.

I Have Thoughts About The Correct Pan

Some people try to make you feel like their cornbread pan is better than yours because it’s been in the family for 3 generations. Simply not true. All you need is a well seasoned cast iron skillet, or hell, even a muffin pan if you’d rather make l’il cornbread cuties. 

You want a well seasoned skillet so the cornbread doesn’t stick. If you’ve got doubts, I suggest heating it up some and giving it a rub-down with a paper towel and some neutral flavored oil. And then maybe throw a little extra butter in the pan before you add the batter.

If you’d rather make the muffins, use some cupcake liners. No need to heat the muffin pan first, and you can fill the batter almost all the way to the top of the liner. Bake like normal at 375˚F.

Feel Good Vibes

• I ♡ Fiber. Cornmeal brings a little fiber to the table, especially when you use whole grain.
• A little protein, too. Eggs and buttermilk coming through with some protein for ya.
• Just sweet enough. A tablespoon of honey in the whole skillet lets the corn do its thing.

Gluten Free Cornbread Ingredient Substitutions

• Honey: Any unrefined sugar will do. Maple sugar, maple syrup and turbinado are a few examples. You can also use cane sugar if you don’t mind using refined sugar.
• Buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice to a measuring cup then add enough whole milk to reach the ⅔ cup line. Give it a stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. Or you can thin some plain whole milk yogurt out with water to a thick, pourable consistency.
• I don’t recommend any other ingredient substitutions for this recipe in order to maintain the quality.

Final Thoughts

I’m not one to get irritated when I go out to eat and a restaurant has a dish that’s not gluten free. I understand that chefs can’t always take allergies into consideration with every menu item… but it does baffle me when I see cornbread that’s not gluten free. It’s right in the name. Corn. Bread. What’s with the all purpose flour? It’s so easy to make it without it!

Ugh, ok, I’m climbing off the soapbox. It’s lonely up here. I would rather be breaking (corn)bread with friends at the table.

Have you tried this recipe yet? If so, tell us how it turned out in the comments below. I hear that leaving comments on recipe websites is an easy way to bank some good karma. And don’t forget to sign up for the Everyday Alchemy newsletter here.

Gluten Free Cornbread Storage and Shelf Life

Make Ahead: Not recommended. Cornmeal is best fresh out of the oven. Leftovers are best used for stuffing or dressing.

Refrigerate: Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days before using. Make sure to toast it with plenty of butter to combat the moisture loss.

Freezer: Yes, but as you have probably gathered by this point, only if you’re making stuffing or dressing. When I tried to freeze it I thought the cornbread was a little dry once thawed.

Reheat Instructions

I recommend melting some butter in a cast iron pan and splitting the cornbread in half to toast the insides on medium high heat until golden brown. 

Gluten Free Cornbread Serving Suggestions

• Feeling chic? Keep it simple with nothing but a pat of Banner Butter. Drizzle on some blackstrap molasses or honey if you’re feelin’ sassy.
• Thanksgiving: Use it to make my Pecan & Sage Cornbread Stuffing.
• New Year’s Day: Love it with a plate of Collard Greens, Carolina Gold Rice and Smoky Conch Peas.