Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe

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A staple for any meal around the farm! A sweet gluten-free cornbread recipe that is crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside with simple ingredients. 

A Southern Classic Turned Staple

I have shared a lot over on Youtube that one of the meals we eat the most is some form of protein and vegetable served with beans and cornbread. It’s easy, healthy, filling and just plain delicious. Beans and cornbread is just one of those things that can be served with anything. It doesn’t even have to be the whole meal, or it can be- your choice! Oh, and let’s not forget it’s the perfect side dish to a very common meal in our area- chili. It is a staple on this little slice of paradise we call our farm sweet farm. 

When I first started to learn to cook from scratch, I happened upon video after video, blog post after blog post talking about fresh milled grains and one gal in particular was fresh milling cornmeal for cornbread. After a while, I got myself a grain mill and some popcorn and hoped she was right. 

And boy oh boy was she. In fact, just the other day I picked up a bag of self rising cornmeal (before we went fully gluten free). I watch a lot of southern cooks online (hello Brenda Gantt!!) and they all use self rising cornmeal so I thought I’d give it a try. NOPE. Not for me. I promptly gave that bag to a friend who uses it too and dumped some popcorn into my grain meal.

There is nothing like fresh milled for a burst of flavor. It is my favorite way and the only way I make cornbread. This is why here soon I am hoping to swap us over to a fresh milled gluten free flour blend of my own creation. I have enough gluten free baking under my belt to feel comfortable trying my hand at it. 

Now when we went gluten free, we weren’t too worried about what this meant for our beloved cornbread because mom had been making it for a long time with a storebought gluten free flour blend and listen, when I tell you we couldn’t even tell the difference between gluten free and regular flour, I am not lying. We were eating both, with no difference detected. 

My gluten free friends, fear not! You can have your homemade cornbread just the way you like it, gluten free and all!

Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe Video

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Equipment

Cast-Iron Skillet or 9×13 baking pan

Mixing Bowl

Wooden Spoon

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Grain Mill (optional but makes this taste so much better! I have the classic and love it!)

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal (we fresh mill yellow cornmeal but there is also white cornmeal)

1 cup gluten free one for one flour blend (we prefer cup4cup and do not recomend any other brands)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pure cane sugar (adds a touch of sweetness, but can be left out if you don’t like sweet cornbread)

1 cup buttermilk

4 eggs

1/4 cup melted butter, avocado oil, or coconut oil

How To Make This Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 and stick a well-seasoned cast iron skillet with 1/4 cup butter into it while it preheats.

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup sugar.

Add in 4 eggs and about 1 cup of buttermilk, just enough to get a slightly runny batter.

Pull the cast iron pan or baking dish with the melted, sizzling butter out and pour the batter into it without stirring.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top.

Gluten Free Cooking Tips

• Gluten free baking requires more liquid with the flour. Most one for one flours you will run across are a blend of starches and rice flour with the occassional sorghum flour thrown into the mix. Rice naturally just soaks up a lot of water. Resist the urge to add more flour.
• We prefer the cup4cup brand of gluten free flour above any other. We have tried Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, Great Value and Pillsbury brands with cup4cup being the best. We have not tried any single gluten free flour such as coconut flour, almond flour, buckwheat flour, etc. Soon I am hoping to create a custom blend for fresh milling but until then, a one for one blend seems to be the easiest and most available for everyone. And the most similar to regular white flour. 
• Check that xanthan gum is added to your flour blend. If not, you will want to add a bit yourself to get a fluffy, tender cornbread with the best texture. 

FAQ’s

Can you use gluten free flour in cornbread?

​Yes you can! This is not even a cornbread recipe specifically created to be gluten free. This was just our regular old southern cornbread recipe that we swapped gluten free flour for. Cornbread is one of the easiest things to use gluten free flour in. 

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What is the best cornmeal for cornbread?

Naturally I am going to say that fresh milled cornmeal is the best for cornbread. It just truly is. But there are a number of gluten free cornmeals out there if you are not ready to mill your own. 

How to store leftover cornbread?

It is best to store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. It can be refrigerated but I find no additional benefit to this.  

More Gluten Free Recipes

• Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread Recipe
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe