Easy Vegan Cornbread [+VIDEO]

Y’all, I have been trying to make my own version of easy vegan cornbread for over a year. I’m so glad to finally be sharing this Easy Vegan Cornbread recipe with you! This classic southern dish is easy to make, moist, soft and slightly sweet.

Oh, and of course DELICIOUS! You don’t even need an egg substitute for this recipe and it’s perfect for pairing with a nice bowl of hearty vegan chili. Yum.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Easy Vegan Cornbread:

• Unsweetened almond milk – the default plant milk in my house is always unsweetened almond milk, which is why you’ll typically find it in so many of my recipes. However, you can feel free to substitute the almond milk for equal parts of another unsweetened plant milk of your choice like oatmilk or soy.
• Apple cider vinegar – when combined with the plant milk, the apple cider vinegar in this recipe makes for the perfect buttermilk. You can also substitute with white vinegar or lemon juice if you don’t have apple cider. The acidity helps to create tender vegan cornbread.
• Organic yellow cornmeal – this is an essential part of any cornbread recipe, that can’t be substituted. I reccomend finding a high-quality, stone ground, organic version for the best texture and flavor. Stone ground variations have not been industrially processed. Industrially processed versions are finely ground which result in a more uniform texture and a less distinctive forn flavor.
• All purpose white flour – to balance out the cornmeal in this recipe, we’ll use white flour in a 2:1 ratio. For a gluten-free version, you can try substituting with an all-purpose gluten-free flour of your choice.
• Organic cane sugar – the southern cornbread I grew up on was always slightly sweet. In this recipe, we’ll use organic cane sugar as the sweetener, which will also help the cornbread from having a dry texture.
• Baking powder – no one wants flat cornbread, so we’ll use baking powder to ensure that the vegan cornbread rises.
• Vegan butter – every good cornbread recipe has the perfect amount of rich buttery flavor and this vegan cornbread is no exception. We’ll use vegan butter to add moisture and flavor to this classic dish.

How to Make This Easy Vegan Cornbread:

Putting this easy vegan cornbread together is super easy! You don’t even need a mixer! It’s simply a matter of combining the ingredients and then baking it for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

You’ll want to start by preheating your oven and gathering all of your ingredients.

There’s nothing worse than starting a recipe only to realize that half way through you don’t have all of the ingredients you need!

Once all of your ingredients are gathered, measure out your unsweetened almond milk (or any plant milk for that matter) along with your apple cider vinegar.

Combining these two ingredients together will create a vegan buttermilk. Set this aside so that it has a few moments to set.

While the vegan buttermilk is setting, begin adding all of the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl– your yellow cornmeal, white flour, cane sugar and baking powder.

Mix these together, then add in your melted vegan butter and vegan buttermilk mixture. Use a whisk to continue mixing all of the ingredients together until they’re well combined.

Once this is complete, your mixture is ready! If it’s loose, don’t worry. It’s supposed to be! Grab an 8 x 8 baking dish and spray it with oil to avoid the cornbread sticking to the dish.

Alternatively, you could line the dish with parchment paper.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish and transfer it to the oven and allow it to bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown.

If you don’t have an 8 x 8 baking dish and you decide to go with something larger, it’s important to note that you will need to adjust the baking time by reducing it.

If the dish is smaller, you’ll likely need to increase the cooking time, You’ll know it’s done when you insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean, it’s ready!

Common Questions for Making Easy Vegan Cornbread:

• Can I bake this in something else other than an 8 x 8 baking dish? Absolutely! If you don’t have an 8 x 8 baking dish and you decide to go with something larger, it’s important to note that you will need to adjust the baking time by reducing it. If the dish is smaller, you’ll likely need to increase the cooking time, You’ll know it’s done when you insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean, it’s ready!
• I don’t have/use almond milk. Can I use an alternative? Yes! Any plant milk should work. If I’m out of almond milk, I’ve also used oatmilk.
• Can this dish be made in a cast iron pan? Yes, I’ve made this vegan cornbread in a recipe in a round cast iron pan and it turned out great!
• Can I make cornbread muffins with this recipe? Absolutely! If you’d like to make muffins instead of baking in a dish, simply line a muffin pan with liners or spray with oil and evenly distribute. Transfer to the oven and bake on 350 for 20 – 25 minutes. Enjoy a little spice? Try this jalapeño cornbread muffins recipe!
• Is this recipe the same as corn cake? No! Because this recipe uses more cornmeal than flour (2:1 ratio), which makes for a more present cornmeal taste and texture. Recipes that use equal ratios of cornmeal to flour typically result in a more cakey texture, which isn’t the result we want. This recipe has the perfect, crumbly, but firm texture that’s slightly sweet and firm.
• How can I add variety to this dish? I’ve seen people add toppings such as jalapeños, vegan cheddar cheese, or even fresh rosemary to a vegan cornbread dish for a little extra flare. Feel free to jazz it up as much as you’d like!
• Yellow or white cornmeal? Feel free to use whichever you can find! Where I live in North Carolina, yellow cornmeal seems to be the default, but if you can’t find yellow cornmeal, white will work too.
• What brand or yellow cornmeal is best? I haven’t personally tried a lot of different cornmeal brands, but my go-to for the past few years has been Bob’s Red Mill. It’s a medium, yellow, stone-ground, organic variation that has always produced quality results for me.
• Can this recipe be made oil-free? Unfortunately it’s not something I would reccomend. I’d find it very difficult to recreate the buttery flavor and texture without the use of oil.
• Can this vegan cornbread dish be made gluten-free? You should be able to make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the all-purpose flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour of your choice. Readers have also reported having success using a brown rice and tapioca flour mix (check the comments for deets!)
• How should I store this recipe? You can store this vegan cornbread dish by placing it in an air tight container and storing it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It can be reheated in the microwave for ~10 seconds when you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers.
• Can this dish be frozen? Yes! Place this dish in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to three months.

I know you’ll love this Easy Vegan Cornbread recipe! It’s southern staple that’s easy to make and the perfect addition to any spread you’ll make for Sunday Dinner or holidays. You can also try my Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins!

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

What to Pair with this Vegan Cornbread:

Make it a meal by pairing this recipe with a few of the items below!

• Crispy Baked Breaded Tofu
• Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Vegan Collard Greens
• Easy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Spicy Chicken Fried Tofu
• Easy Whipped Sweet Potatoes
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes

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5 from 29 votes

Easy Vegan Cornbread [+VIDEO]

Moist, tender, slightly sweet cornbread made with just 7 simple ingredients! The perfect side dish for holiday dinners or Sunday dinners.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 9 pieces

Calories 221kcal

Equipment

• Square Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowl
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons
• Dry Measuring Cups
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or sub different plant milk)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups organic yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all purpose white flour
• ½ cup organic cane sugar
• ½ tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅓ cup vegan butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°
• In a measuring cup, combine the apple cider vinegar and almond milk. Set aside.
  2 cups unsweetened almond milk, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• In a large bowl, add in the dry ingredients and whisk together.
  2 cups organic yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all purpose white flour, ½ cup organic cane sugar, ½ tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt
• Next add the melted vegan butter along with the apple cider vinegar and almond milk mixture. Whisk together to combine.
  2 cups unsweetened almond milk, ⅓ cup vegan butter, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish with a neutral oil or line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal. Transfer mixture to baking dish and bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden brown. Insert a toothpick to ensure it's done (if it comes out dry it's done, if not bake for a few minutes more).
• Let cool for a few minutes and top with additional vegan butter. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Please note I used an 8 x 8 baking dish for this recipe. If using a larger dish, you will likely need to reduce the cooking time in order for the cornbread to taste as intended. If using a smaller dish, you will need to add more time.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 10.9g | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg

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