Soft, fluffy and tender, this easy corn flour bread is lightly sweetened and makes the perfect breakfast, tea-time snack or for anytime of the day! No yeast or rising time required, this quick bread requires just 8 ingredients and comes together in under an hour! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, but it’s so good no one would care. Bake a loaf or two and freeze so you can enjoy this gluten-free quick bread anytime!
Jump to:
- My Love for Homemade Quick Bread
- What is Corn Flour?
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Ingredient Notes/Substitutes:
- How to Make Corn Flour Bread (Step by Step)
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Other Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Also Love:
- Bread Recipes to Enjoy:
- Easy Corn Flour Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
My Love for Homemade Quick Bread
Nothing beats baking a loaf of homemade bread – and while I love baking yeast breads (such as this soft, fluffy gluten-free white bread, this soft brown rice bread, or this tender buckwheat bread), there are days where I prefer to make a loaf of quick bread instead.
Quick breads use baking powder for leavening instead of yeast (which means no rising time required and hence quicker prep time). This makes them great for throwing together when you’re in a hurry or simply hungry for something delicious and don’t want to wait long to eat.
Some of our favorite quick breads include this hugely popular honey oat quick bread, this low-carb almond bread, and this coconut flour bread.
Recently, I’ve also been testing a quick bread recipe made with corn flour, since I had a half a packet of corn flour in my pantry (left over from when I made the easiest corn flour pancakes ever!)
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What is Corn Flour?
Corn flour is basically made from grinding whole corn kernels very thoroughly to get a very soft, fine pale yellow powder. It is naturally gluten-free, which means it’s safe for Celiacs and those with gluten intolerances to enjoy!
Corn flour is NOT the same as corn starch, which is made only from the starchy part of corn, and is processed into a fine white powder.
Corn flour is also NOT the same as corn meal, which is basically dried corn kernels ground into a yellow, coarse meal with a sand-like texture.
Why This Recipe Works
Honestly, this recipe is literally foolproof. All you need is just 8 simple ingredients and an hour to bake a loaf of this absolutely delicious corn flour bread.
This loaf is insanely fluffy and crazy addictive, and just sweet enough to satisfy your hunger, while not being too sweet so you can eat it for breakfast, tea, or anytime you wish.
Best of all, it’s totally gluten-free and dairy-free too (so even Celiacs or those with gluten and dairy intolerances can enjoy it!), but it’s so darn good no one would notice! Trust me when I say that!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients you’ll require to make this recipe. For the exact quantities, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient Notes/Substitutes:
- Corn Flour: Note that corn flour is NOT the same as corn starch or corn meal (which is also known as polenta), so do NOT substitute it with either of those.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, or potato starch) to ensure a light and tender final texture. I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blends that include heavier flours and starches (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.
- Sugar: I used white granulated sugar, but feel free to use light brown sugar or brown if you prefer. Just note that using light brown or brown sugar will cause the interior of the bread to be a darker color (instead of the pale yellow color that it has in the photos in this post). If you are diabetic, I highly recommend using Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar alternative with zero glycemic index).
- Baking Powder: Make sure to use gluten-free baking powder if you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant. Since we are not using yeast in this bread, baking powder is what will help this corn flour bread to rise and give it its fluffy texture.
- Eggs: If your eggs were originally in the refrigerator, you can bring them to room temperature by running the eggs under warm water to warm them up a little before breaking them. The eggs are necessary for binding and helping the bread to rise, and I haven’t tried this recipe without eggs. If you are allergic to eggs though, you could try using aquafaba as an egg-replacement. Please let me know how it goes it you make it without eggs.
- Almond Milk: I used my 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you can also use other non-dairy milks such as cashew milk, rice milk, sunflower seed milk or soy milk if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you can also use normal dairy milk in equal quantities.
- Sunflower Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have it on hand. However, you can also use other neutral vegetable oils. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you can also use melted butter instead.
How to Make Corn Flour Bread (Step by Step)
1. Preheat and Grease
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8″ x 4″ metal loaf pan.
2. Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the corn flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until combined.
3. Add Wet Ingredients to Form Batter
Add the beaten eggs, almond milk, and vegetable oil, and whisk until you get a homogeneous pale yellow batter (the batter will be rather liquid and have a pourable consistency).
4. Transfer Batter to Pan
Pour the batter into the previously-greased loaf pan.
5. Bake Until Golden Brown
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool Completely
Allow loaf to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before removing it and allowing it to finish cooling on a wire rack.
7. Slice and Enjoy
Once the loaf is cool, slice and enjoy!
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Metal Loaf Pan: I highly recommend using a metal loaf pan because it allows the sides of the loaf to cook evenly and creates the golden brown crust on all sides. Using a glass pan or ceramic pan will probably not result in the evenly color all over.
- Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled loaf in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the bread thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before slicing.
Recipe FAQs:
No, I do NOT recommend that you substitute the corn flour with corn starch or corn meal as they are three completely different ingredients.
Yes, corn flour is totally gluten-free. It is made from grinding whole corn kernels into a fine flour, and corn is naturally gluten-free.
To store, place the cooled corn flour bread in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can! To freeze, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the bread thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before slicing.
Other Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Also Love:
- Low Carb Almond Flour Bread (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
- Low Carb Coconut Flour Bread (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
- Easy Honey Oat Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option)
- Honey Quinoa Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Flax Almond Bread (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
Bread Recipes to Enjoy:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
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Easy Corn Flour Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Soft, fluffy and tender, this easy corn flour bread is lightly sweetened and makes the perfect breakfast, tea-time snack or for anytime of the day! No yeast or rising time required, this quick bread requires just 8 ingredients and comes together in under an hour! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too, but it’s so good no one would care. Bake a loaf or two and freeze so you can enjoy this gluten-free quick bread anytime!
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn flour
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
Instructions
- Preheat and Grease: Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8″ x 4″ metal loaf pan.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the corn flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients to form Batter: Add the beaten eggs, almond milk, and vegetable oil, and whisk until you get a homogeneous pale yellow batter (the batter will be rather liquid and have a pourable consistency).
- Transfer Batter to Pan: Pour the batter into the previously-greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Allow loaf to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before removing it and allowing it to finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Slice and Enjoy: Once the loaf is cool, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Corn Flour: Note that corn flour is NOT the same as corn starch or corn meal (which is also known as polenta), so do NOT substitute it with either of those.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, or potato starch) to ensure a light and tender final texture. I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blends that include heavier flours and starches (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.
Sugar: I used white granulated sugar, but feel free to use light brown sugar or brown if you prefer. Just note that using light brown or brown sugar will cause the interior of the bread to be a darker color (instead of the pale yellow color that it has in the photos in this post). If you are diabetic, I highly recommend using Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar alternative with zero glycemic index).
Baking Powder: Make sure to use gluten-free baking powder if you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant. Since we are not using yeast in this bread, baking powder is what will help this corn flour bread to rise and give it its fluffy texture.
Eggs: If your eggs were originally in the refrigerator, you can bring them to room temperature by running the eggs under warm water to warm them up a little before breaking them. The eggs are necessary for binding and helping the bread to rise, and I haven’t tried this recipe without eggs. If you are allergic to eggs though, you could try using aquafaba as an egg-replacement. Please let me know how it goes it you make it without eggs.
Almond Milk: I used my 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you can also use other non-dairy milks such as cashew milk, rice milk, sunflower seed milk or soy milk if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you can also use normal dairy milk in equal quantities.
Sunflower Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have it on hand. However, you can also use other neutral vegetable oils. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, you can also use melted butter instead.
Metal Loaf Pan: I highly recommend using a metal loaf pan because it allows the sides of the loaf to cook evenly and creates the golden brown crust on all sides. Using a glass pan or ceramic pan will probably not result in the evenly color all over.
Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled loaf in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the bread thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before slicing.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: corn flour bread
The bread turned out really well! I am trying to avoid sugar, so I substituted 2/3 cup applesauce for the sugar, and used 3/4 cup milk instead of 1 cup milk to compensate for the additional liquid. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it did! This is my first time making corn flour bread, and it’s so delicious!
★★★★★
Hi Sarah, glad to hear that it worked out well even with the different substitutions! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
I made this with all purpose flour, cut the sugar in half, and I added shredded cheese and this was the moistest , fluffiest best cornbread I’ve ever had and cornbread is one of my favorite things!!
★★★★★
Hi Colleen! This makes me so happy to hear! Glad you enjoyed this cornbread! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
Have been baking cornbread for the family but was looking for a recipe with less density and coarseness. Incorporating corn flour made all the difference and the bread turned out perfect.
Used a gluten free corn flour and low fat lactose free milk. At 50 minutes, the top was still a bit moist so baked for the full 60 minutes. Perfect combination of sweet, but not too sweet.
★★★★★
Hi Leta, so happy to hear that you enjoyed this corn flour bread! 🙂 It’s one of our favorites too, because of how delicious and how simple it is to make! Thanks for sharing how it went, and the substitutions you used. Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
So nice I made it twice.
The first time I substituted blue corn flour (I’m in México), brown sugar, and lactose-free milk. I sprinkled hemp seeds over the top but they migrated towards the center during baking. It was delicious.
While I’m typing this my current loaf is cooling. This time I melted Nutella and put it on half of the batter in the pan. Added the rest, and again topped with hemp seeds. I have high hopes. I plan to follow more of your recipes soon (I’m waiting for my oven to be installed—I’ve been baking in a large toaster oven).
★★★★★
Hi M’kali! So happy to hear that you love it, and that addition of Nutella sounds delicious! Now you’re making me hungry!! Thanks for sharing how it went for you, and I hope you get your oven installed soon! See you on the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
Can I make this with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
Hi Angela! I believe that shouldn’t be a problem! 🙂 Hope you enjoy this bread as much as we do!
Would I be able to make this into like cupcake size?
Hi Xandre! You definitely can! Simply divide the batter into cupcake liners (filling them 3/4-full), and then bake 25-30 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean 🙂
Enjoy! And hope to see you around the blog again soon!
I made this bread to accompany some venison chili. It was a huge crowd favorite! For the next loaf I made, I added one 16oz can of whole kernel corn and one small, 3.5 oz can of diced jalapeños. It gave it a very nice, warm spicey bread without being overpowering. I only had to add about 5 minutes of cooking time to adjust for the extra liquid from the corn and jalapeños. It. Was. Delicious.
I’m experimenting with a honey and cinnamon version tonight!
Hi T! First of all, that venison chili sounds AMAZING! And I love the addition of whole corn kernels and diced jalapeños for an extra kick! Thanks for sharing how that went. Hope the honey and cinnamon version goes great, excited about that!
See you around the blog again sometime soon!
Cheers,
Felicia
bread turned out gelatinous in the middle. not full of bubbles and dry like bread. think it was too dense in the middle. soft and wet
Hi Eoin!
Sorry to hear that! Let’s try to troubleshoot. Which gluten-free flour blend did you use (what were the ingredients in the blend)?
it was doves farm gluten free plain flour. its a uk brand. think it has tapioca, rice and other ingredients. https://www.freee-foods.co.uk/products/gluten-free-plain-white-flour-1kg
also used a fan bake over so maybe it cooked too quickly and I should have reduced temp by 20 degrees and left in for longer. maybe the flour over here is different? also only used 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder. man, I suck at baking so far.
I also used 125g per flour. 1 cup = 125g of flour
also my corn flour was rather white and fine. wasn’t really wholemeal and didn’t quite look yellow or coarse.
how do I get better consistency like bread with bubbles? is it my baking tray? oven ? I preheated for 30 mins? I put grease proof paper around the outside of the tin. I seem to get a very gelatinous rubbery bread? like it wouldn’t break and make crumbs if you bent a slice. it would just bend like rubber. also outside seemed more like a shiny texture than break texture? can you,tell me how many grams in a cup of flour also? thanks. I’ve had the same effect,with other breads. I keep messing up. lol
Hi! I think it could be 2 reasons:
1) Check that your baking powder isn’t expired (have you used it in other quick breads and did the breads rise?). If not, you should buy a new packet of baking powder. Also make sure to use 2 teaspoons of baking powder next time 🙂
2) You mentioned that the corn flour you used was more white and fine, as opposed to yellow and coarse. Are you sure it was corn flour (and not corn starch? – corn starch will make things gummy. So just check that. If you want, you can try to use a slightly coarser yellow corn flour – yellow definitely is corn flour).
3) 1 cup of flour is approximately 125 g (for corn flour) and 135g (for GF all purpose flour).
4) Doves Farm should be fine I believe! The ingredients seem typical of a GF all purpose flour.
5) Regarding the consistency, how did your batter turn out? Was it pourable (as you can see in the photos in this post)? It should be a pourable liquid. If not, add a little bit more water.
Hope this helps!
Don’t be upset that it didn’t come out fine, GF baking is a journey that has many ups and downs (often times more ups than downs), and I took a really long time to understand how to bake GF breads. Still learning, but thankfully I’ve learnt alot in the past 6 years.
I bought nixtimalized masa harina from South America in the shop. doesn’t look very yellow but I know harina is flour in Spanish. do you think this is correct? thanks for your help.
Hi Eoin! Nixtimalized masa harina is corn flour that has been treated with alkaki, so it’s not technically the same as corn flour. But I believe it should be able to work as well. Let me know how it goes?
Fingers crossed it works.
corn starch is called cornflour in the UK so can be confused with corn flour which is quite different stuff
Hi Pat, thanks for the clarification! Yes corn starch and corn flour (at least in the US and Argentina where I live) are totally different things – they also look totally different, as corn starch is usually white, and corn flour is a pale yellow.
Hi Felicia! I made two versions of this, with a few adjustments for allergies, and they both turned out really. really well. I used oat milk (allergic to nuts), and grapeseed oil, and I used eggs in one loaf and aquafaba in the other. They both rose beautifully, and they both taste excellent. I have had such a hard time finding breads that actually rise and look fluffy when baking gluten-free and vegan, and so this was a great surprise! I also used glass loaf pans (I don’t have metal ones) and left them in about 5-7 minutes longer and they worked out just fine. Thanks for a great recipe…I will be using this one again and again.
★★★★★
Hi Jenn!
So happy to hear that it turned out well with aquafaba as well as with all the other substitutions! Thank you for taking the time to share how it went, it’ll definitely help others who are also GF and vegan too!
Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,
Felicia
Good recipe, but I would skip most of sugar. I used half a cup of sugar, and this tastes more like a cake than bread.
Hi Vilma, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Yes, it’s more of a quick bread (like banana bread, etc) that is sweetened, as opposed to yeast bread (which is more neutral in flavor).
Can I make this using all purpose flour with the corn flour? Just wanting to use ingredients I have on hand and not concerned about gluten free. Thank you!
Hi Ling!
Very nice to meet you! Yes, you can definitely make this corn flour bread using normal all-purpose flour (along with corn flour) instead of GF all-purpose. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do, and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Cheers,
Felicia
Hi Felicia,
this recipe sounds really great and I look forward to trying it out. Have you made this without sugar/sweeteners? I am trying to find an egg-free,dairy-free, wheat/gluten free bread recipe for my baby to enjoy and this looks like a good one to try out.
Thanks
Hi Cheryl!
Thanks for your note 🙂 I haven’t made this without sugar or sweeteners, but I imagine it wouldn’t be an issue (you might want to add a little more gluten-free flour to make up for the reduction in dry ingredients (in this case, sugar). This recipes does include 4 large eggs though (but I imagine it could work with aquafaba (although I personally haven’t tried it with aquafaba).
Hope you and your baby enjoy this!
xx,F.
hi Felicia, I can hardly wait to try this recipe. will Ley your know how it goes. thank you for the recipe. June
Hi June!!
So happy to hear that! I hope you’ll love this recipe as much as we do! 😉 Let me know what you think later.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon.
Felicia
Good morning Felicia,
I fully agree with Rita that this corn flour bread is so so good – both in the whiffing aroma while being baked in the oven and the great satisfaction I had when I enjoy it with a cup of hot coffee for breakfast!
Love you lots,
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy!
So happy you enjoyed the corn flour bread 🙂 Juan and I love it too!
Love you lots as well!
Made the corn flour bread today very good will make again holds together well also ! I had to bake it about 70 minutes but I live above 5000 feet looked beautiful smelled good too!!!thank you
★★★★★
Hi Rita! So so happy that you loved the bread! My husband and I practically finished one whole loaf in 2 days! It was that good 🙂 Thanks for your feedback and lovely review!! Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon dear!
xx, F.