Vegan Cornbread (gluten & oil-free)

Vegan Cornbread (gluten & oil free)

On a recent trip to New England, I came home with a booklet of 17th-century recipes that merged English and Native American cooking. A classic recipe that kept popping up was cornbread. I was surprised and delighted to discover that this rustic American staple was originally vegan and gluten-free, often called “johnnycake”, which could be taken on the road without spoiling. Cornbread stands at the center of early American culture and reminds us of how simple food, prepared with love, can be the most rewarding.

To create a moist and cakey vegan cornbread that is also gluten & oil-free, I swapped out butter/oil with full-fat coconut milk. When combined with oat milk, the coconut flavor is undetectable yet rich tasting. Adding vinegar to the milk creates vegan buttermilk which acts as a natural leavening agent when it reacts with the baking soda.

There are two different types of flour I like to use in this vegan cornbread recipe. One is a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour. This is a great option if you want traditional yellow cornbread.

The other is teff flour. Whole grain teff flour is made from the smallest grain in the world! This gluten-free ancient grain has a light, nutty flavor and works really well in baked goods. This slightly unconventional, but oh-so-delicious cornbread bakes up extra fluffy and has a lovely brown color.

It’s so easy and satisfying to make your own vegan cornbread at home!

o Tastes delicious a side, snack, or dessert

o Pairs well with sweet or savory recipes

o Simple to prepare

o Moist and cakey with a slight crumb to it

o Versatile, use baking flour or teff flour

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it in the ratings and comments below. It’s so fun to see your creations, as well, on Instagram. Please tag me @vegeta.full.

Ingredients for Vegan Cornbread

Vegan Cornbread Ingredients — Ingredients:

o   ¾ cup (177 ml) of **coconut milk** (full fat)
o   ¾ cup (177 ml) of **oat milk** (unsweetened)
o   1½ tablespoons (23 ml) of apple cider vinegar
o   1 teaspoon of vanilla
o   1 cup (140 grams) of **yellow cornmeal** (medium grind)
o   1 cup (125 grams) of gluten-free flour (I use **Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour**) OR (**teff flour**)
o   ¼ cup (50 grams) of **beet sugar** (or granulated sugar)
o   ¾ teaspoon of fine sea salt
o   1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda

Makes 16 squares of vegan cornbread. Click on the ingredients in bold to see what I use in this recipe.

Method for Making for Vegan Cornbread

Vegan Cornbread Baking Dish — Steps 1-2:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C)
2. Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Vegan Cornbread Gluten Free Flours — Steps 3-5:

3. Thoroughly mix the full-fat coconut milk so that it’s nice and smooth with no lumps.
4. Add the coconut milk and oat milk to a small bowl with the apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Stir to combine and let sit to curdle while you gather your other ingredients. This makes vegan buttermilk and acts as a leavening agent.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the cornmeal, gluten-free flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Vegan Cornbread Batter — Steps 6-7:

6. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients. Whisk until incorporated.
7. Scoop into prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Vegan Cornbread Slices — Steps 8-9:

8. Cool for 10 minutes and, using the parchment paper as handles, lift out of the pan and set on a rack to cool.
9. Cut into 16 squares. Store leftovers in an airtight container when completely cool.

Vegan Cornbread makes the perfect side, snack or dessert! Soak up Chickpea Noodle Soup broth, slather with Strawberry Chia Jam, or have for breakfast alongside Maple Tempeh Bacon.

If your cornbread is lonely, pair it with these recipes!

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Strawberry Chia Jam

Maple Tempeh Bacon