Gluten Free Buttermilk Cornbread (Southern style)
Gluten free buttermilk cornbread is all the flavor and texture you love in the classic minus the gluten you don’t need. Whether you like it sweet or savory, you can do it all with this simple version.
Tips & Tricks
- Try not to make brand or ingredients swaps. Baking requires accuracy.
- I recommend Arrowhead Mills, or Bob’s Red Mill. As long as the bag says “gluten free cornmeal” then you’ll be fine.
- Flour adds a nice texture to a recipe that can be quite dry and disappointing without it. I tested this recipe with Cup 4 Cup Gluten Free 1:1 flour.
- Always use a finely ground cornmeal and never coarse ground or polenta style.
- If you’d like a sweet version you can use 1/4 cup sugar in the dry ingredients. If you’d like it less sweet, you can go as low as 2 tablespoons.
- Any 8×8 or equivalent glass or metal baking pan or muffin tin will work. Just make sure to grease it well and don’t ever try to preheat anything glass on your stove top. You can stick the pan in the oven to warm while you mix the batter.
Gluten free buttermilk cornbread muffins
You can easily adapt this recipe to any shape pan or tin. Make cornbread sticks in a cast iron pan, or muffins in your standard tin. Grease it well or use muffin liners if you think it might stick.
Fill them 3/4 full and bake on the middle rack at the same temperature for 12-18 minutes (ovens vary) so check them often. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Dairy free buttermilk alternatives
If you need to swap the buttermilk, keep in mind that most dairy free alternatives are largely water and flavor so they will make your cornbread much thinner in consistency.
I recommend adding just 1 or 1 1/4 cups of dairy free milk to your cornbread before adding the rest to make sure you don’t make it too thin.
Use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of non dairy milk and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then use as instructed.
How to store leftover cornbread
Tightly wrap your cornbread in plastic wrap or transfer it to an air tight container. It will last on your countertop up to 3 days. Save any dried out leftovers for making holiday stuffing or dunking in a glass of milk.
Cornbread can be frozen, tightly wrapped for 2-3 months or vacuum sealed for up to 6 months.
Craving other breads without yeast? This Indian Fry Bread is a fast and fun way to serve up dinner.
Gluten Free Buttermilk Cornbread (Southern style)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups gluten free cornmeal fine or medium grind, not coarse or stone ground
- 6 tablespoons gluten free flour we tested with Cup 4 Cup 1:1 gluten free flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs we tested with large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil vegetable oil will substitute
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil for skillet, vegetable oil will substitute
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- In a large bowl mix the cornmeal, gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- Add the oil, eggs and buttermilk and whisk until no dry pockets remain. Set aside briefly.
- Place an 8" cast iron skillet on the stove top, add the remaining oil and heat on high until the oil starts to just barely smoke–about 6 to 7 minutes. You can also preheat your skillet in the hot oven if you have time.
- Add the cornmeal to the skillet, filling it 3/4 full. Place the skillet on the center rack in the back of the oven until firm and golden around the edges–20 to 25 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean.
- If desired, use a spatula to loosen any stuck spots and flip the cornbread over for presentation.
