Delicious Guilt Free Gluten Free Vegan Cornbread

 

There's nothing finer than munching on freshly baked homemade cornbread. Guess what? Eating it can be free of guilt and gluten. Look below to discover how easy it is to prepare and serve this treat, one with good taste, yet without refined sugar, dairy, or gluten.

 

 

Cornbread is versatile, and goes great with a piping hot bowl of Black Bean Soup. It also is the perfect side with Vegetarian Chili or other whole food plant-based stews.

 

Perhaps you prefer cornbread as a snack, when you’re craving comfort without the bloat of wheat-based bread. My recipe is simple to make and doesn't have cholesterol. An added advantage is that baking bread at home saves  bucks. 

 Nan's Exceptionally Delicious & Easy Cornbread

Prep time is approximately 15 minutes and cook time is 30 (cook time varies, and depends on your stove accuracy and elevation).

Fun to Bake

Festive

Fresh

Fabulous

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
4 Tablespoons warm water
1 cup ground cornmeal (if you like very flaky cornmeal use coarsely ground, for more cake-like batter use finely ground cornmeal)
1 cup gluten free flour of your choosing (I like fava or chickpea flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups almond milk or other nut milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (healthy substitution for oil, and a product to make cake moist)

Optional ingredients for a sweet tasting cornbread: cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and coriander. For Southwestern style: add chopped roasted poblano and /or a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes, and one half cup of thawed frozen corn or corn off a fresh ear of corn.

Note: I use organic ingredients when available, because organic means nutrient content is higher and product is not genetically modified, not sprayed with chemicals, and is not grown in soil that contains chemical fertilizers.

What to Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Start by selecting a loaf pan (1.5 qt.-2 qt. size), or round cast iron baker's skillet and spray it with cooking spray or use a drop of olive oil on a paper towel to coat bottom and sides of pan.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ground flax meal and water and set aside for 15 minutes. This combo acts as your binding agent. 

4. While that's setting, get a large bowl, and place corn meal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into it. Whisk ingredients together.

5. Then, get the bowl with the flax seed mixture and add milk, maple syrup, apple sauce, and any optional spices you want to add to it. Whisk to combine.

6. Pour milk mixture into flour and fold until there are no dry spots and batter is slightly lumpy.

7. Pour batter into a baking pan and put on the middle shelf of a preheated oven. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. For Southwestern style savory cornbread mix in a teaspoon of any form of chopped chili pepper or chili flakes you enjoy, a cup of sweet red bell pepper, and 1/2 cup of corn kernels. Pour all ingredients into a baking pan and put on the middle shelf of a preheated oven. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. If you're not eating the cornbread right then, let it cool to room temperature, and place bread in an airtight container and refrigerate. To serve as a dessert or sweet snack, eat a delectable slice of cornbread with berries or fruit spread. Serves about 3 or 4 people. 

Wishing you a hearty appetite and mouthfuls of good flavor. Serve this scrumptious cornbread for a family dinner, solo meal, snack food, or even for Thanksgiving. Just don’t forget to give thanks for this bounty. Cornbread stays fresh for 1 to 3 days at room temperature, 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, and up to 3 months in the freezer. 

What type of cornbread do you enjoy? Sweet or savory? Please share in the comments section below.

I must admit I like them both. I like savory with soups, casseroles, stews, and chili. Sweet is neat as a snack and dessert. 

Please comment below.  If you try this recipe, please let me know how it worked for you.

I appreciate every comment, but will not be able to share those that contain links. Thanks for understanding.

This post has been shared at Talking About it Tuesday 9 15 2026