Easy Moist Gluten-Free Cornbread

A gluten-free cornbread recipe that is both moist and slightly sweet. Made dairy-free as well this simple recipe comes together in one bowl in under 5 minutes or prep time. Then pop it in the oven for an easy side to ribs, seafood, soups and stews.

If you haven’t tried cornbread before either because you have never had the opportunity or because you are gluten-free, dairy-free or both you are in for a treat.

I find that some cornbreads can be dry and very dense. The trick to getting a lighter fluffier texture that is moist and never dry is two-fold. Use shortening instead of butter and don’t overbake!

I also used almond milk for this recipe instead of dairy because I love the subtle nuttiness of almond milk and besides the fact that is an excellent dairy-free option it also compliments the sweetness of the cornmeal well.

What is shortening?

Shortening is considered any fat that is solid at room temperature. It is shelf-stable and can be stored on your pantry shelf for many months. Cookies and bread made with shortening tend to have a more crumbly texture and higher rise producing a softer more tender texture.

Shortening is also 100% fat containing no water or dairy making it an excellent choice for those following dairy-free lifestyles.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Gluten-Free 1:1 Flour – if you are not following a gluten-free diet you can substitute with all-purpose flour.
• Corn Meal – I prefer a medium grain and not the super fine grind.
• Shortening – melted.
• Almond Milk – unsweetened and unflavoured. If you don’t have almond milk you can substitute it with any milk you wish.
• Granulated Sugar – add sweetness to the bread as well as structure.
• Egg – the glue that holds it all together.
• Baking Powder – the leavening agent that gives the bread it’s rise.
• Salt – a flavour enhancer and also activates the baking powder.

how to make gluten-free Cornbread

Start by heating your oven to 425ºF. The lightly spray or grease an 8″ X 8″ baking dish.

To a large bowl add one egg and whisk lightly. Then add in the almond milk and melted shortening.  Some people say both the egg and the milk should be at room temperature before adding the shortening but I disagree. They say this because if you add the melted shortening to the cold milk mixture then the shortening will get cold and stiffen up into little clumps.

And to that I say, perfect! 

Why? Because breads and pastries are always fluffier when you have small pieces or ripples of fat through the recipe instead of perfectly mixed in. It is these ripples of fat that produce pockets of air in the batter giving way to a light and fluffy texture.  

Next, place a large sieve with a fine mesh over the bowl. Add the gluten-free flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.

I use this method in so many of my recipes for two reasons. First, I don’t like doing dishes so using a sieve means I don’t need one bowl for the wet and another for the dry ingredients. Second, pushing the dry ingredients through a sieve helps to get blend the ingredients more evenly removing any clumps and ensuring again a fluffier texture.

Then all that is left is to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients making sure not to overmix. Then pour the gluten-free cornbread mix into the prepared baking dish using the back of a spoon or spatula to spread it out evenly in the pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Gluten-free Cornbread is best served warm so give it about 5 minutes to cool down a bit before slicing it into 9 even pieces.

Serve it with a drizzle of honey or hot honey if you like a bit of spice. Or with a pat of butter for those who are not dairy-free.

What Goes Well With Gluten Free Corn Bread?

• Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs
• One-Pot Turkey Chili
• Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs
• Irish Leek & Potato Soup
• Easy Crockpot Chili

How to Store Gluten & Dairy-Free Cornbread

Cornbread in my opinion should be eaten the same day but it is still good to eat up to 2 days later when left on the counter in a tightly sealed container.

You can also slice and freeze cornbread which is what I like to do for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Then you can just pull out a piece or two and heat in the microwave to eat with a big bowl of soup or chilli for lunch!

Can I make Cornbread Muffins with this recipe?

Sure can! Just grease a muffin tin well and fill 9 of the muffin cups with the gluten-free cornbread mix. This recipe doesn’t make enough to fill all 12 muffin cups so just leave the last 3 empty.

Bake at 425°F for about 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

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