Easy Gluten Free Cornbread

(5.0)
By Adam Fisher
Updated 10/27/2026
Dietitian Reviewed: Christina Wright, RD, LDN
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy  |  Low Sodium  |  Gluten Free  |  Diabetic  |  Vegetarian
Easy Gluten Free Cornbread
Photo Credit: Baldwin Publishing Staff Photographer

Here's an easy recipe for a healthy gluten free cornbread you can quickly make in 30 minutes. This recipe makes a light cornbread sweetened with the same ingredients baked into traditional Southern cornbread: egg, butter, milk and a little bit of sugar. But our dietitian adds her own special blend of gluten-free baking flour and yellow cornmeal to create a moist and delicious cornbread for people with celiac disease or those following a gluten-free diet.

Make this cornbread when you need a quick gluten free side dish for Thanksgiving, or serve it alongside one of your favorite chili recipes.

 

Total Time
30 minutes
Servings
9
Calories
235

Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Cornbread

This is so much better than cornbread from a box! It's a chef-tested recipe from the HealtheCooks Test Kitchen that remakes a traditional cornbread by using gluten free ingredients. Here’s why this healthy recipe is so special:

  • Gluten-free and celiac-safe  Our cornbread is made without wheat nor refined flour. We recommend using certified gluten-free cornmeal to avoid cross-contamination.
  • Rich Flavor, Less Fat: The recipe calls for only a 1/3 cup of melted butter for a rich, classic taste while remaining lower in saturated fat. It's low fat.
  • Healthy Diet Recipe: The recipe is naturally low in sodium and uses a modest amount of sugar, making it a great choice for everyone following a healthy diet.
  • Simple & Easy: It’s a one-bowl recipe made with common pantry staples. And it's a time-saving bread recipe that's ready in 30 minutes.

FAQs About Homemade Gluten-Free Cornbread

Most cornbread that you buy at the store or mix from a box is not gluten free. Commercial corn breads are usually made with a combination of wheat flour and corn flour or corn meal. 

That's why we developed this recipe for a homemade gluten-free corn bread. We replaced traditional wheat flour with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and one cup of yellow cornmeal. Make sure to use gluten-free cornmeal in this recipe.

It can be! Unlike many store-bought mixes or traditional recipes that are high in sugar and fat, this homemade cornbread gives you full control over the ingredients, making it a much healthier choice.

Jiffy's cornbread mix lists wheat flour as its first ingredient. So, NO, Jiffy cornbread is not gluten free.

For a natural alternative cornbread sweetener, you can substitute maple syrup or honey (though this will change the liquid ratio slightly). For a zero-calorie option, monk fruit sweetener or erythritol works well.

More Healthy Side Dish Recipes

If you enjoyed this cornbread, here are a few other healthy Southern side dishes you might love:

Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Ranch Roasted Potatoes
Heart Healthy Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Dietitians Gift Guide
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Ingredients

Recipe yields 9 servings

Directions

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and kosher salt.

  3. Step 3

    Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg and milk. Stir until the mixture comes together and there are just a few lumps.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the batter to the prepared pan or skillet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  5. Step 5

    Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
1 slice

235
Calories
8
g
Fat
40
mg
Cholesterol
134
mg
Sodium
39
g
Carbs
5
g
Sat. Fat
2
g
Fiber
4
g
Protein
13
g
Sugars

Serving & Storage Tips

Ingredient Substitutions

To make the cornbread even more moist and tangy, you can replace the 1 cup of 1% milk with 1 cup of low-fat buttermilk or ¾ cup of plain Greek yogurt thinned with ¼ cup of milk.

If you need a sugar-free option, you can replace the granulated sugar with a zero-calorie sweetener like erythritol or monk fruit. You can also reduce the sugar by half for a less sweet, more savory cornbread.

For a classic Southern-style cornbread, fold in ½ cup of fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels into the batter before baking. See our simple tips for how to cut fresh corn off the cob quickly and easily, with no mess!

This recipe is designed for a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend. If you are not gluten-sensitive, you can use the same amount of regular all-purpose flour.

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