This vegan skillet cornbread has the ideal amount of sweetness and is smooth and moist. It only takes a little over 35 minutes to complete this incredibly easy dish.

Vegan Skillet Cornbread is delicious and served alone or with chili, a Vegan Gumbo recipe, and a side of my Southern Mixed Greens.

Growing up in Jamaica hot cornmeal porridge was a staple for us. Somehow, the corn on the husk there was very hardy, unlike the soft sweet corn in the USA. Corn was also enjoyed there in soups and roasted on open untreated charcoal fire pits.

As a dessert, we had cornmeal pudding which is a very dense, moist, and rich cake. It was made with coconut milk, and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and allspice (I will share my version soon).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

Healthy recipe. The almond flour, cane sugar, and cornmeal in this recipe for cornbread are all healthful ingredients.
Not very sweet. It’s not excessively sugary like some cornbread recipes, but it’s just sweet enough. (This also keeps the cornbread’s sugar content low!)
Perfect texture. Because medium-ground cornmeal is being used, the cornbread has the perfect amount of moisture and graininess.
Simple to make. For this dish, all you need are two bowls; no special tools are required.
So many enjoyable methods! You can serve this cornbread alongside vegan chili made in an instant pot, or eat it on its own with vegan butter.

You can scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed recipe, but before moving forward to the recipe don’t skip reading the important information included in the blurb.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

Healthy recipe. The almond flour, cane sugar, and cornmeal in this recipe for cornbread are all healthful ingredients.
Not very sweet. It’s not excessively sugary like some cornbread recipes, but it’s just sweet enough. (This also keeps the cornbread’s sugar content low!)
Perfect texture. Because medium-ground cornmeal is being used, the cornbread has the perfect amount of moisture and graininess.
Simple to make. For this dish, all you need are two bowls; no special tools are required.
So many enjoyable methods! You can serve this cornbread alongside vegan chili made in an instant pot, or eat it on its own with vegan butter.

You can scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed recipe, but before moving forward to the recipe don’t skip reading the important information included in the blurb.

Origins Of Cornbread

Cornbread is a contentious topic, and we make no claim to be authorities on its origins! However, based on our investigation, it appears that the notion originated with a Native American delicacy called cornpone, which was produced with simple components such as cornmeal, salt, and water (source).

Cornmeal was a crucial component and the main source of food for slaves during the colonial era. It probably gained popularity during this time, and recipes changed in response to cooks’ preferences and the availability of particular ingredients. Although it is increasingly popular across the US, Southern food is particularly linked to it.

Our plant-based version tastes quite close to the original versions we enjoyed as kids.

Ingredients Used

Almond milk, or your favorite: Use almond milk to add additional depth of flavor. For the lump-free cookie batter, be sure you use room-temperature milk.
Melted non-dairy butter: The flavor of traditional cornbread is rich and buttery. Thankfully, vegan butter makes it simple to duplicate that.

I used melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread but you can try coconut oil. Earth Balance makes a soy-free variety as well.

Ground flax seeds: It serves as an egg substitute in this dish. You see, after being boiled in a small amount of water for a short period of time, it transforms into this odd, gummy mess that, at least in terms of binding properties, makes the finest egg substitute I’ve ever seen. You might need to look around a bit to find it, but you can get it online or from your neighborhood health market.
Cornmeal (fine): Use regular cornmeal rather than cornbread mix, which has additional ingredients. Depending on your preference, you can use either a fine or medium grind.
Oat flour: Gluten-free and high in fiber. To give this cornbread a lighter, softer texture, I used oats flour in this recipe. For the oat flour, I processed rolled oats in my high-speed blender.
Almond flour: This flour is usually used as a binding agent in savory recipes. For the almond flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill brand. You can make your own Almond Flour.
Organic cane sugar, or sweetener of choice: to add a touch of sweetness. You are free to exclude or change as desired. Use any sweetener of your choice, including maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar, and others.
Baking powder: Most of us have a simpler leavening agent in our cabinets.
Salt: A pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

How To Make Vegan Cornbread?

Vegan Skillet Cornbread is so easy to bake in a skillet. Basically, mix wet ingredients in a bowl along with ground flaxseeds, mix dry ingredients in another, and combine wet and dry ingredients. Scoop batter in a lightly greased skillet and bake in a preheated oven.

Back to the recipe, this is the best vegan cornbread I have ever had, it is so moist and delicious.

What To Serve With This Cornbread?

With vegan cornbread, you can serve so many delectable dishes! It’s a very adaptable Southern meal that goes nicely with salads, soups, chili, and your preferred barbecue as an appetizer. Here are some fantastic compliments for this vegan cornbread.

Expert Tips

Avoid over-beating your batter. You might be tempted to whisk and mix all those tiny clumps out until the mixture appears incredibly smooth and creamy. DON’T. A cornbread that has been overmixed will be tough and crumby. Mix the batter only until everything is combined.
Give the batter 10 minutes to rest. Many recipes overlook this step, despite the fact that it is extremely crucial. Because cornmeal absorbs water more slowly than flour does, letting the batter sit gives it a chance to take in more moisture, resulting in nice, soft, tender cornmeal.
Don’t overheat your oven! This might make the cornbread dry. I baked mine at 350 degrees F, but if your oven is too hot, try baking at 325 degrees F.
To prevent your cornbread from baking up too densely, measure your flour carefully using a spoon. (To avoid the flour packing down, simply spoon it into your measuring cups.)
If you need cornbread with crispy edges, set an oiled iron skillet in the oven while you prepare the batter, and then pour the batter into the heated skillet. (This is a favorite in my family!)
Allow for 10 minutes to cool before slicing.

Storage

For Storing: The leftover skillet cornbread should be stored in an airtight container. The recipe can be doubled, and the extra cornbread can be frozen for up to three months.
To Reheat: If frozen, leave it to thaw for about an hour on the counter. Then, enclose in foil and reheat in a preheated oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated throughout. Another option is to microwave it briefly while it’s wrapped in a paper towel.
Other uses for leftovers: If there are leftovers, dry the cubed bread at 250 degrees. Then, for a delicious salad, combine the croutons made from crispy cornbread with a little oil, lime juice, and chopped vegetables.

Substitutions And Variations

I made this cornbread gluten-free by combining it with quality gluten-free flour. The Bob’s Red Mill variant is our favorite. If you wish to boost the nutritional content, you can add whole wheat flour up to 50%.
If the cornbread doesn’t have to be vegan, you can use butter and milk from dairy instead.
Rosemary and thyme go nicely with cornmeal but you can also use other herbs.
For more flavor, experiment with adding chili flakes, crushed black pepper, or 1-2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast.
Incorporate vegan cheddar cheese.
Add finely chopped thyme, jalapenos, or fresh chives.
Put some vegan bacon on top.

Cornbread Variations

Mexican Style Cornbread: 2 cups of whole kernel corn, 1 onion small chopped, finely chopped jalapenos, and 2 teaspoons of taco spice.
Green Chile Cornbread: Green chili cornbread is made by using ½ cup of water, 1 cup of green chili salsa, or by adding 1 small chopped onion and 1 cup of roasted, peeled, and chopped green chiles. (It’s great in plant-based green chili stew!)
Oil-Free Vegan Cornbread: Add ⅓ cup of unsweetened apple sauce to oil-free vegan cornbread in place of the oil. Instead of using an oiled skillet to bake the cornbread, use a pan lined with paper.
Sweet Cornbread: If you prefer sweet cornbread, you may adjust the amount of sugar by adding an additional 1-3 tablespoons.

More Corn Recipes You’ll Love

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Applesauce Instead Of Vegan Butter?

There’s no need to worry if you don’t like vegan butter or just don’t have any on hand. In this recipe, you can omit the butter altogether and use pure, unsweetened applesauce instead. You may also combine applesauce and butter, half and half.

Vegan cornbread made using applesauce will be slightly denser but also moister in texture. They will also be slightly healthier due to the lower calorie and fat intake.

Is Cornbread Better In Cast Iron Skillet?

I definitely prefer to prepare my cornbread in a hefty cast iron skillet, as is customary. Due to the fact that cast iron skillets become extremely hot and maintain heat exceptionally well, you will be able to get a golden brown, crispy crust. Definitely, this is the greatest part of cornbread.

Is Cornmeal Vegan?

Cornmeal is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, making it the ideal food for people with celiac disease, dairy intolerance, or gluten allergy.

Should I Use White Or Yellow Cornmeal?

According to tradition, a lot of Southern cooks insisted on exclusively using white cornmeal. Yellow cornmeal has a more delicate corn flavor than white cornmeal. However, because it’s rare to find stone-ground white cornmeal in California, I stick to yellow. If you’re a stickler for tradition, I did get this white cornmeal online, and it worked beautifully in this recipe.

Can I Make This Recipe Oil-Free?

Sorry, no. To get the ideal balance of moisture, density, and buttery flavor in cornbread, a fair amount of fat must be used.

I Don’t Like My Cornbread Sweet. Can I Omit The Sugar?

There isn’t much sugar in this cornbread. There must be some sugar in vegan cornbread because when I tried to make it without it, the results were not excellent. You can try reducing it by ¼ to ⅓, but we haven’t personally done so.

If you like and enjoy this recipe, please leave a comment to let me know your feedback. Be sure to check out all of my Healthy Vegan Cookies Recipes before you leave. Have fun cooking!

If you enjoyed this post about Vegan Skillet Cornbread and would love to see more, join me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!

Get discounted copies of my cookbook here.

Fortunately, because of the ads on our website, readers and subscribers of Healthier Steps are sponsoring many underprivileged families.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Healthier Steps.

Vegan Skillet Cornbread

This is the best Vegan Skillet Cornbread recipe ever. It is so moist, slightly sweet and tastes just like traditional cornbread without the dairy. It will be the only vegan cornbread recipe that you will ever need.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Soul, Southern

Keyword: Vegan Skillet Cornbread

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 276kcal

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk or your favorite
1/2 cup melted non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread)
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds (I used the yellow colored)
1 cup cornmeal fine
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup organic cane sugar or sweetener of choice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven350. Lightly oil skillet and set aside. Mix non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, and ground flax seeds in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, oat flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Stir wet mixture into dry until fully combined. Scoop batter into skillet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and fork inserted into the center comes out clean.