Sweet, Fluffy Gluten-Free Cornbread

This recipe for gluten-free cornbread is light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. My DIY gluten-free flour blend is part of the secret. It lends better flavor to gluten-free baked goods than your average rice flour blend.

Rather not wash so many dishes? Mix up this gf cornbread in just one bowl.

Mmm, cornbread. It’s such a versatile quick bread. It goes with savory dishes, spicy, and sweet, with breakfast, lunch or dinner. This light, fluffy, sweet gluten-free corn bread has received compliments like “I don’t usually like cornbread but this gluten-free version has made me a fan.”

This gluten-free cornbread is perfect on its own, with some hearty chili or as the base for a Thanksgiving gluten-free cornbread stuffing. I also use it to make my husband’s favorite baseball watching snack. He loves pigs in a blanket  but they are not on my gluten-free list. So I use a mini muffin tin, add a dollop of this batter, a mini hot dog and you have a perfect hybrid of hot dog on a stick and pig in a blanket. These gluten-free corn dog bites fly off the plate at my parties.

Is Cornmeal Gluten-Free?

Good news! Yes, corn is one of the grains that is gluten-free. However, when grains are milled and processed, cross contamination can occur. So if you have Celiac Disease or are very sensitive to gluten, I recommend going with a brand of cornmeal that is CERTIFIED gluten-free. My favorite cornmeal is from Arrowhead Mills. It’s non-gmo, organic and perfect for this recipe.

The Best Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Gluten-Free Flour – I have used several different gluten-free flour blends for this recipe and they all worked well.

If you prefer a store bought blend, King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free flour works very well. Be sure to check out my collection of King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour recipes. Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan Blend and Cup4Cup (contains milk powder) are similar and will work too. No matter which flour blend you use, omit the xanthan gum in the recipe if you use a flour blend already contains it.

Here is my special flour blend that I love for this recipe and many more of my gluten-free recipes:

• 1 c sweet white sorghum flour
• 3/4 c millet flour
• 1/4 c brown rice flour
• 2/3 c potato starch
• 1/3 c tapioca starch

This blend gives wonderful flavor to gluten-free baked goods moreso than the average rice flour blend.

For a more simple DIY gluten-free flour blend see the notes in the recipe card or my blog post on gluten-free flours and flour blends

Other Ingredients

Sugar – This cornbread is on the slightly sweet side, Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar if you prefer it more or less sweet.

Sour cream – It adds a wonderful richness and flavor to this cornbread. Dairy also helps normally pale gluten-free baked goods brown a little better.

Recipe Variations

I am a purist when it comes to my recipes but here are a couple of fun and interesting ways to mix it up.

Gluten-Free Corn Muffins – This recipe will make 12 standard sized corn muffins with no adjustments necessary! Bahe the muffins for 18-20 minutes.

Add corn – Stir in 1/2 cup cut corn to the batter. If using canned corn, drain and lay the corn out on an absorbent kitchen towel to dry for 15 minutes. If using frozen, defrost on an absorbent kitchen towel to dry.

Add  1/2 c minced red and orange bell pepper and 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese.

Remember those Thomas’ toaster corn muffins? Maybe not? It’s a corn muffin that goes in the toaster for a perfectly ready-made muffin. All you need is a muffin top pan and a half recipe of this cornbread. About 2-3 Tbsps of batter in each well works best (this fills them almost to the top). Bake 7-8 minutes at 350°F. They are a little small for a toaster, so I reheat them in the toaster oven and slather with salted butter and honey. Heavenly!!

My Favorite Topping for Cornbread

A happy accident a few years ago led me to discover the perfection that is cornbread with sweet and salty butter. I was mixing up some sweet vegan butter (agave sweetened). Most vegan butter substitutes are on the salty side. I have yet to find an unsalted one. But for this purpose the salt with the sweet agave (or honey) on gluten-free cornbread was divine!

If you haven’t had butter, sweetened with honey or agave, you are missing out! Here’s how to make it: Mix 6 Tbsp soft, unsalted butter with 1 Tbsp honey or agave and 1/4 tsp salt. Or mix 6 Tbsp softened vegan butter (I like Earth Balance) with 1 Tbsp agave. Whisk until smooth. Slather on cornbread or your favorite muffin, biscuit, bread, pancakes or waffles.

Sweet, Fluffy Gluten-Free Cornbread

Author: Janet Harlow

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: Southern American

Servings: 1 8×8 pan or 15 muffins

This gluten-free cornbread is sweet, light and will have you swooning!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Recommended Products

• Organic Gluten Free Yellow Cornmeal – Arrowhead Mills
• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
• ¾ c corn meal
• 6 Tbsps sugar
• 2¾ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ c milk or milk sub
• ½ c sour cream
• 4 Tbsp melted butter

Instructions

 

• Pre heat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8" square baking pan.
• Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly.
• Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Beat the eggs. sour cream and milk in a small bowl. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir 10 strokes. Add the butter and stir until smooth.
• For cornbread, spread the batter in an even layer in the baking dish and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For corn muffins spoon batter into a muffin tin with paper liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.
• For Toaster Corn Muffins: About 2-3 Tbsps of batter in each well 0f a muffin top pan works best (this fills them almost to the top). Bake 7-8 minutes at 350. They are a little small for a toaster, so I reheat them in the toaster oven and slather with salted butter and honey.

Notes

If using a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, omit it from the recipe.

For an easy DIY gluten-free flour blend, combine:
2 c brown rice flour
2/3 c potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 368mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g

Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was! Tag @chefjanetk on Instagram.