This Vegan Cornbread is soft, moist and has just the right amount of sweetness! It’s a deliciously simple recipe that comes together in less than 35 minutes.

Cornbread in a cast iron skillet with a blue striped napkin tied around the handle

An easy cornbread recipe

This Vegan Cornbread is one of those easy recipes where you can just add everything to a mixing bowl and whip it up in no time! It’s one of my favourite things to eat alongside some vegan chili.

There are a few factors that make up the perfect cornbread. A perfect cornbread should be moist, (nobody wants a dry cornbread..) not too crumbly, have a buttery texture, and be subtly sweet. I’m happy to say that this vegan cornbread checks these all off the list, hoorah!

Can you make cornbread without eggs?

One of the main ingredients in a traditional cornbread is eggs. Using eggs in conbread helps add some moisture to the cornbread and will help bind all the ingredients together.

But eggs aren’t actually necessary to make a delicious cornbread, and this vegan cornbread is both egg-free and dairy-free. The cornbread is made with flax eggs in place of real eggs, plant-based milk and an option for vegan butter or coconut oil.

What to use instead of eggs in cornbread

Vegan cornbread can be made eggless by replacing eggs with either “flax eggs” or “chia eggs.”

Flax eggs are made by mixing ground flaxseeds together with water until it forms a gel. Similarily, chia seeds are made by mixing ground chia seeds together in water to form a gel. This gel-like texture will act the same way an egg would in the cornbread to help bind everything together.

You can also substitute the flax eggs in the recipe with a vegan egg replacer if you prefer to use that.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Healthy recipe. This cornbread is a healthy recipe that uses spelt flour, coconut sugar and cornmeal.
  • Not too sweet. It’s just sweet enough, but not overly sweet like some cornbread recipes. (which also keeps this cornbread low in sugar!)
  • Perfect texture. It’s moist with just the right amount of grainy cornbread texture from using medium-ground cornmeal.
  • Easy to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make this recipe, all you’ll need is 2 bowls.
  • So many ways to enjoy! You can eat this cornbread with a side of instant pot vegan chili, on its own with some vegan butter spread on top.

Ingredients you’ll need

A flat lay of ingredients for vegan corn bread

  • Flou: I use white spelt flour in this recipe, but you can use regular white flour or a mix of half whole-wheat flour and half plain white flour. If you want to make a gluten-free cornbread, use a 1-1 gluten-free flour like this one.
  • Cornmeal: I like medium ground cornmeal for cornbread because it gives the cornbread some texture. If you prefer a smoother cornbread, you can use finely ground cornmeal.
  • Sugar: to lightly sweeten the cornbread.
  • Salt: just a pinch to balance out the sweetness.
  • Baking Powder: this is what will help our cornbread rise and get nice and light and fluffy.
  • Flax Eggs” these are made by mixing ground flax seeds and water together. Flax eggs act as a great binder in vegan baked goods rather than using real eggs.
  • Vegan butter” you could also use coconut oil, but the taste of vegan butter is best for cornbread.
  • Plant-based milk: Any kind you like will work.

How to make vegan cornbread

Step 1

Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl, then mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl.

  • flour, cornmeal and sugar in a bowl
  • Melted vegan butter, flax seeds and oat milk in a bowl

Step 2

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then let the batter sit for 10 minutes, then pour the batter into a greased cast-iron skillet.

  • Cornbread batter in a white mixing bowl
  • Cornbread batter being poured into a cast iron skillet

Step 3

Bake at 375 degrees F for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

  • vegan cornbread batter in cast iron skillet
  • Cornbread in a cast iron skillet

What to serve with this cornbread

There are so many delicious things you can serve up with Vegan Cornbread! It’s such a versatile Southern dish that pairs well with soups, chilis, salads or as an appetizer with your favourite barbecue. Here are some great options to try out with this Vegan Cornbread.

Storing and reheating eggless cornbread

Store leftovers of this cornbread recipe in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week. This cornbread can also be frozen. To freeze the cornbread place it in an airtight container or in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the cornbread thaw on the countertop to defrost.

To reheat the cornbread, place the cornbread in the oven at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes until it’s warmed through. You don’t want to heat the cornbread too much as this can cause it to become dry.

Expert tips

  • Don’t over-mix your batter. I’m serious, you may be tempted to mix and whisk out all those little clumps until it seems super smooth and creamy…DON’T. Overmixing will lead to a crumby and tough cornbread. Mix the batter just until everything is incorporated.
  • Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. This one is super important and it’s one that many recipes overlook. Cornmeal takes longer to absorb water than flour does, so by letting the batter rest you’re giving the batter a chance to absorb more liquid and letting your cornmeal become nice and soft and tender. This will result in a softer moister cornbread.
  • Don’t make your oven too hot! This can dry out the cornbread. I baked mine at 375 degrees F, though if your oven runs hot, you can even try baking at 350 degrees F.

More Corn recipes you’ll love

A slice of cornbread on a white ceramic plate

If you tried this Vegan Cornbread or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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Cornbread in a cast iron skillet with a blue striped napkin tied around the handle

Vegan Cornbread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minute
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Side, Snack
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

A delicious vegan cornbread that is easy to make and has the perfect texture!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Optional mix-ins: 

  • Fresh corn
  • Jalapeno
  • Herbs

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease an 8 inch cast iron skillet with coconut oil.
  2. Mix the flour, cornmeal, coconut sugar, salt and baking powder together in a bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flax eggs, coconut oil and almond milk.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix!
  5. Let the batter sit and rest for 10 minutes.
  6. Pour the batter in the skillet and bake for 20-25, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Let cool completely before serving.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter. This will lead to a crumbly dense conbread. 

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes so the cornmeal can start to absorb the liquid. 

If you’re oven runs hot, bake at 350 degrees F. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe
  • Calories: 285
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 100mg
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 40g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 6g