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.
Amazing recipe! Fluffy and just sweet enough. Love it!
Hey y’all
I just made this delicious recipe using almond flour and xathan gum instead of flour, worked perfectly. Thank you Nora for another lifetime recipe ❤️
Hi Kris. I’m glad the recipe turned out for you! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback and baking experience! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!
Hi Kris. How much almond flour and xanthan gum did you use? Thank you for your time.
My daughter who is not vegan loves cornbread so I was looking for a recipe that we could all eat.
So incredibly easy to make, and delicious. My whole family devoured it. You would never know it’s vegan! This will definitely be my go-to!
Another fantastic recipe! Made with your black eyed peas. So good. Thank you!
Hi can corn kernels be added to this recipe?
Yes they can, anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup would be good.
Going to make this for the first time on New Year’s Day. Has anyone ever used an iron skillet? If so does that effect baking time?
Delicious and easy
Thanks for you great review!
I doubled the recipe, used regular milk but added a tbs of vinegar to it. I also used half brown and half regular sugar. It turned out amazing! Thank you 😊
Hi Noah. What does the vinegar do for the cornbread?
We made this last night for our family time with adult children. Some are vegan. Everyone loved this! This is our new chili recipe.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review. I’m thrilled this will be part of your meal rotation list!
Fantastic recipe! I used white whole wheat flour, coconut sugar instead of white and poured some maple syrup on the bottom the the pan to make maple-bottom cornbread. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, a go-to for me from now on!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and it’s always a hit.
I wanted to make it tonight but don’t know if I can run to the store tonight..would canned coconut milk work well? Or will that cause issues. Thanks!
I’m so glad you love it, Savannah! Canned coconut milk should work here but it hasn’t been tested, so I can’t say for sure.
Hi Nora, Does this freeze well?
Yes, the cornbread freezes very well.
I have made this several times and it never disappoints! Recently I developed a bad gluten allergy so I thought I would try to sub the flour portion for King Arthur’s gluten free flour and it worked very well. It yielded a slightly different texture (which I expected) and it didn’t rise as much as the original recipe, but it was still so delicious! Thanks again Nora for another great recipe!
LOVE this recipe! I used oat milk (Earth’s Own) which is already a little sweet so I cut the sugar in half the second time I made it. The result was perfect. A new family fave. Perfect pairing with a lentil loaf or Vegan Jambalaya! Thanks Nora!
What is vegan jambalaya? Do I need a recipe?
Yes! Vegan jambalaya!!!🙏🏽
Can I use sweetened almond milk instead if I cut the sugar down? What would be a good reduction, 1/3 cup sugar instead?
Thank you!
Sure you can, and reduce the sugar by 1/4-1/3 cup.
Awesome, thank you! 😊
is there a good substitution for sugar? Maybe maple syrup? How much would I use?
I have never tested this with maple syrup, however, others have and indicated that it worked. I recommend using half the amount of syrup if you try it. Happy cooking!
Would vegetable oil be ok?
Yes, vegetable oil works!
Hi Nora! Would love to make this! Can I substitute coconut oil and whole wheat flour? Thank you!!
Hi Silvia. Whole wheat flour will work but the cornbread will taste like whole wheat and be a bit dense instead of fluffy. I have used whole wheat pastry flour and that works great! You can sub coconut oil, however, keep in mind if it is not refined coconut oil the coconut flavor will be strong in the cornbread. Hope this helps!
This is my go to cornbread recipe. It’s so delicious. It’s very forgiving as I have often subbed one or more ingredients. It turns out beautifully every time. Thank you Nora!
Hello. The recipe is just what I’m looking ofr. Can I make this with oat milk?
Hi there, yes you can, oat milk or any other plant milk.
I only have unbleached flour. Will the recipe still work?
Yes, I almost always use unbleached flour.
I made it. It was good but very dry. I followed the recipe and used Trader Joe’s unbleached flour and Bob’s cornmeal. What can I do to add aome moisture. I want to be able to perfect this easy recipe. Thanks
It might be dry if you over baked it, otherwise it is moist and stays quite moist for a few days.
Excellent recipe! Everyone loved it.
If I double the recipe and make it in a 9X13 pan, how long should I bake it for?
I’m glad everyone loved it! It will take about 35-40 minutes if you double it.
I made this last minute as I thought it’s not Friendsgivjng without cornbread, even living in France now! I wanted to bring a bit of the south to France for my friends from the UK who have never tried cornbread. I didn’t have cornmeal, so I used polenta instead. It was absolutely amazing! It took a bit longer to cook and that’s just because the difference in ovens in France vs the US. I was asked to make this again for another party I’m attending today. My kids said it tasted just like the Jiffy cornbread they remember having in the US!
How wonderful the cornbread was a hit! Sounds like a very fun Friendsgiving! Thank you for sharing your terrific review and feedback!
i made this for thanksgiving and my entire family loved it. best cornbread ever!
Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! I’m thrilled your family loved the conrbread!
This is the best cornbread recipe! Nora Cooks is my go to for vegan recipes!
I am thrilled you love the cornbread, Rose! Thank you for using my recipes, and for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Wishing you happy cooking!
YUM! another great recipe! thank you nora!
You are welcome, Ashley! Thanks for your positive review!
Hi Nora, I’ve used this recipe a few times now it’s always a success! I was wondering if I could make it ahead of time like a day before, and if so, what are your recommendations on best ways to store and reheat?
I’d cover it well and keep it in the fridge until the day you plan on serving it (not more than 2 days ahead of time). Thanks!
Made this recipe many times before and loved it! If I wanted to make mini muffins instead of a pan, how would that affect the cooking time?
Mini muffins would probably only need 12 minutes or so!
Hi Nora. This recipe looks amazing. I was wondering could I also add frozen spinach and red peppers/or sun dried tomatoes? If so, how much could I add? Also I am going to substitute the oil for applesauce. Thank you so much.
You can add those, I would probably add about 1 cup or so.
How did the applesauce sub turn out?