Y’all, I have been trying to make my own version of easy vegan cornbread for over a year. Last year I tried preparing some for Thanksgiving. The sweet smell of cornbread filled the kitchen. It was a beautiful golden brown color and everything. I sliced it open and it was dense. REALLY dense. Too damn dense!
Part of the problem may have been that I was trying to veganize an old cornbread recipe. Sometimes swapping the animal products for vegan ones works, sometimes it doesn’t. This can be particularly tricky when we’re talking about baking. It’s truly a science!
I figured enough time had passed for me to start again fresh. This time I killed it on the first try. Although it takes about an hour for it to finish baking all the way through, it’s totally worth it.
When I made this easy vegan cornbread recipe, I didn’t intend on eating it immediately. I mean, clearly I needed to taste it, but my plan was to freeze it for another time to pair with some homemade chili. This kinda worked.
The Story Behind this Dish…
I ate one piece and wasn’t sure if I was completely satisfied with how it came out, so I ate another. Then I had to call in for backup- my husband. First I gave it to him plain, no (vegan) butter. Then I added butter to mine, and needed him to confirm that it was still good with the addition of the butter. He said it was. Then I had to have one more bite just to make sure. By the time it was all said and done, we’d eaten about 4-5 pieces.
After realizing this, I quickly grabbed the tupperware and put the remaining pieces in there so I could freeze them. I knew this was going to be a problem if I left them out. Before I could get them to the freezer my husband insisted I leave him a few more pieces to eat throughout the week.
Y’all, I’m sooooo excited to make chili in a few weeks so I can devour the rest of this easy vegan cornbread! It was so good! Just sweet enough! Topping it off with vegan butter (we use Earth Balance) is an absolute MUST!
Making this Easy Vegan Cornbread:
Putting this easy vegan cornbread together is such a cinch! 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.
The cornbread is tasty as is, but serving with a dollop of butter spread overtop really sets it off! This cornbread is soft, perfectly sweetened, and versatile. I’m so excited to pair this with chili when the weather gets a bit cooler! Or my simply drizzling agave over it. I can taste it now!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy cornbread? Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think 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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Easy Vegan Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose white flour
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup melted vegan butter
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a measuring cup, combine the apple cider vinegar and almond milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add in the dry ingredients and whisk together. Next add the melted vegan butter along with the apple cider vinegar and almond milk mixture. Whisk together to combine.
- Grease an 8-inch baking dish with a neutral oil or line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal. Transfer mixture to an 8×8 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!
Question: Can you substitute the all purpose white flower with spelt or some other flour? Thank you.
Hi Stacy, great question! I haven’t tried this recipe with any other flours, but I’d say it’s definitely worth a try. If you do, please let me know how it goes! I’d love to know.
Made this tonight, and used 3/4 c of Brown Rice flour along with 1/4 cup of tapioca flour to make a gluten-free cornbread. Turned out delicious.
Hey Lila, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! So good to know that alternative flours can be adapted!
I first saw this posted over the summer and have been anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving so I could make it (I bake like 2 days a year). It did not disappoint! As the title states, it’s super easy to make. The final product is delicious and filling, and great with some vegan butter on top.
Alyssa, thanks so much for giving this recipe a try! I love a little (extra) vegan butter to top mine with too!
I really like this cornbread recipe. It is simple and tasty! I held back a little on the sugar because I was afraid it would be too sweet. It was not and I don’t think it would have been if I used all of it. I plan to use this recipe as a base and add rosemary or corn and jalapeños perhaps in the future. I have tried a few vegan cornbread recipes at this point and I have not wanted to make them again. This one is a keeper.
Hey Katrina, thanks so much for checking out my recipe! I’m also planning to use this as a base for a savory version! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
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How would you store leftovers? I made it tonight and we all loved it!
Hey Christy, I usually store leftovers in the fridge then pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or so to reheat. So glad you and the fam enjoyed it!
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This is the BEST vegan cornbread- My family loves it and I’ve made it at least 3-4 times now. It doesn’t contain a crazy amount of oil/butter as is,but for those looking to cut back- you can sub all or part of it for aquafaba (the liquid from a can of)- this keeps it nice and moist. A+
Thanks Asha! So glad you and the fam enjoy this recipe and thanks for sharing the tip!
I’m not a vegan I jst like to try vegan recipes sometimes and oh my goodness this corn bread is fantastic. I drizzle some maple syrup on it before I put it in the over and I love it!
This recipe was really good. It went perfectly with the Sunday dinner spread (all vegan).
Thanks De! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Y’all make this! I have no adjustments or anything. What a beautiful recipe. I always check reviews on the blog or Pinterest for extra tips but this recipe nailed it!
Hi! Great recipe! I was wondering if you knew cooking time to do this as muffins??
Hey Meg, 20-25 min should do it! Once they’re done, the muffins should promptly bounce back up after being gently pressed down.