This is seriously the Best Vegan Cornbread! It’s wonderfully moist, perfectly sweet, and easy to make in one bowl. Perfect for pairing with chili!
If you love serving bread with dinner, then you’ll also want to check out my Vegan Dinner Rolls, Vegan Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and Vegan Garlic Bread recipes!
“This! It’s better than non-vegan cornbread. I’m using it in a dressing for Thanksgiving and it’s the best cornbread recipe! So good!” – Susan
I simply cannot make a batch of my Ultimate Vegan Chili without a side of this Easy Vegan Cornbread. The whole family loves it, and it makes a pot of chili go a lot further!
I’ve tried a bunch of vegan cornbread recipes over the years, and none have made my kids smile quite as much as this one. It’s on the sweeter side, but if you’re a savory cornbread fan, feel free to reduce the sugar or fold corn kernels or vegan cheese into the batter. Most importantly, it’s very moist, as classic cornbread should be.
And the best part? It’s super easy to make with 7 ingredients in only 1 bowl! Just dump, mix, bake, and enjoy your perfect cornbread.
Why this is the best vegan cornbread
- Chili’s best friend – Sweet, fluffy, and soft, there’s nothing better than dunking a big slice of vegan cornbread into a steaming hot bowl of this Veggie Chili or this Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili.
- Better than boxed cornbread – This cornbread will remind you of the cornbread that comes from the boxed mix, except it tastes sooo much better! Plus, it’s easy to make with less than 10 ingredients and in one bowl.
- Over 600 reviews – Don’t just take my word for it. This recipe has over 600 reviews from happy readers! Give it a try yourself and you’ll understand why it’s the best.
If you end up loving this vegan cornbread as much as I do, then you’ll want to save my Vegan Cornbread Stuffing recipe for the holiday season. It’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish!
How to make vegan cornbread
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Stir the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Pour in the almond milk and canola oil and stir until well combined.
Pour the smooth batter into your prepared pan. Bake the cornbread until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Set the bread aside to cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve with vegan butter, red pepper jelly, maple syrup, or vegan honey on top.
Frequently asked questions
You can fold up to 1/2 cup of corn kernels, canned green chilis, diced jalapenos, or shredded vegan cheddar cheese into the batter. I’ll even sprinkle extras over the top of the batter before baking the cornbread for extra pops of color and flavor.
After testing this recipe countless times, I found that using fine-ground cornmeal always gave me the best, never-gritty results. Medium and coarse cornmeal sometimes work, but they make the cornbread more grainy.
Absolutely! Make the batter as normal, pour it into a lined muffin tin (3/4 of the way full), and bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes at 350ºF.
Yes, a quality gluten-free flour mix will work as a replacement for the all-purpose flour here.
Yes, you can cut the sugar in half for less-sweet cornbread or use just a few tablespoons of sugar for a barely sweet cornbread.
The Best Vegan Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow corn meal
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a 8 x 8 pan, or a 9 inch round cake pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder and stir.
- Now pour in the almond milk and canola oil. Stir until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Video
Notes
- Whole grain or gluten free – You may use white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour in place of all purpose flour if you wish. A quality gluten free flour mix works as well.
- For oil-free – replace the canola oil with applesauce.
- Make cornbread muffins – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with oil (or use liners) and fill 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Less sweet – This a sweet cornbread, but feel free to make it less sweet if you want. You can cut the sugar in half, or even use just a few tablespoons of sugar for a barely sweet cornbread.
- Adapted from allrecipes.
Fluffy and yummy and easy! Definitely a keeper.
Thank you for sharing your awesome review, Chris! I’m so glad you are loving the cornbread recipe! Happy cooking!
Could I substitute granulated sugar for coconut sugar or cane sugar?
Yes, you can use coconut sugar or any granulated sugar here.
This recipe is delicious!! So easy to make. I used half organic whole wheat flour / half all purpose flour and Bob’s Red Mill organic medium grind corn meal. I cut the sugar to 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon I had unsweetened soy milk on hand and used avocado oil. Both worked very well. I used a glass pie plate. It all mixed very nicely, I didn’t overmix and baked 20 minutes. Moist, slightly sweet, dense. Wow! So good! Adding the whole wheat and cutting the sugar makes this a more healthy version. I had two big slices with my homemade vegan chili. Will definitely make again!
Hi victoria. I’m so glad that you love the cornbread recipe! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience and ideas, as well as your glowing review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Literally the best cornbread.
I didn’t realize it was a “sweet version” until after i made it but it is perfecttttt. I don’t feel like it’s too sweet to serve with chili or something like that personally, 10/10.
I’m so glad that you loved the cornbread, Sam! Thank you for sharing your recipe feedback and fantastic review! Happy cooking!
If I double the recipe do I bake it in a 9x12pan?
I use a 9×13 inch pan when I double the recipe, but a 9×12 should work.
Can I substitute soy milk for the almond milk?
Yes, you may.
This is so easy and so yummy! I make it often. I prefer no sugar and applesauce in place of oil, and I bake it in muffin cups. This is one of my MANY go-to recipes from Nora.
awesome cornbread, super easy to make. thanks for posting!
Hello! Would this work in a loaf tin? How would I need to adjust the times?
It could probably work in a loaf pan, but it will need much longer to bake, likely around 50 minutes or longer.
Hi there, could I use coconut oil instead of canola oil?
Yes, you may use melted coconut oil. You may taste the coconut though unless you are using refined coconut oil.
Love this recipe!
I make corn cakes in the skillet with it!
Corn cakes on the griddle sound so delicious, Kathy! I’m thrilled you are loving the recipe! Thank you for sharing your recipe feedback! Happy cooking!
Thank you Nora! This is a favorite recipe that I reach for all the time! I’ve successfully substituted different types of gluten free flours with great results. As a gluten-free, vegan, it can be pretty challenging to find successfull recipes. Thank you so much!💜