Moist Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread (Dairy-Free)

This easy gluten-free pumpkin cornbread is deliciously moist yet toothy, and has the right amount of pumpkin flavor. Ready in just 40 minutes, it’s perfect for breakfast or a snack with a drizzle of honey, served alongside chili or even on it’s own at the Thanksgiving table. It’s totally dairy-free too, but honestly, no one would care! Bake a batch today!

Jump to:

• My Love for Cornbread
• The Perfect Fall Snack
• Why This Recipe Works:
• Ingredients You’ll Need:
• Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
• Make Your Own Homemade Cornmeal
• Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree at Home:
• How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread (Step by Step)
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Other Cornbread Recipes You’ll Love:
• Pumpkin Recipes to Make this Fall:
• Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Indulge In:
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread (Dairy-Free)

My Love for Cornbread

I have an unabashed love for cornbread – and through the years, cornbread is one of those foods that I keep returning to over and over again.

I’ve made so many different versions, just because I find cornbread so comforting, like a treasured friendship that never gets old.

From easy skillet cornbread, to cornbread muffins, to jalapeño cornbread, to rosemary cornbread and cornbread stuffing, I just can’t get enough of it.

The Perfect Fall Snack

Now that it’s pumpkin season, there’s nothing better that than a fall-inspired pumpkin cornbread for this time of year – with the addition of pumpkin and warm spices that makes us think of fall.

Cut into squares, this pumpkin-flavored cornbread is great for breakfast or a fantastic snack with a drizzle of honey, served alongside a bowl of chili con carne, or even as a side or appetizer at your Thanksgiving table!

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: The ingredients for this gluten-free pumpkin cornbread recipe are simple, nothing fancy required. You probably already have them in your kitchen, and if not, you can get them at any supermarket.

• Easy and Quick to Make: In this foolproof recipe, all you need to do is the mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients to get the batter. Next, bake for half an hour and voilà! A batch of this pumpkin cornbread is ready in just 40 minutes!

• Deliciously Moist with a Toothy Bite: This healthy pumpkin cornbread is moist thanks to the liquids in the recipe, but still has the characteristically toothy bite that we associate with traditional cornbread. So amazingly good!

• Totally Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: Best of all, this recipe is totally gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten and lactose intolerances can enjoy their cornbread without any worries!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make this gluten-free pumpkin cornbread recipe.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that includes lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch) to ensure a lighter final texture. I do NOT recommend flour blends that use heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.

• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours, and helps to bind the ingredients together. For best results, make sure you add xanthan gum if your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it.

• Yellow Cornmeal: I used yellow cornmeal in this gluten-free cornbread recipe for the typical yellow cornbread color. You can use storebought cornmeal, or learn how to make your own homemade cornmeal.

• Baking Powder: Cornbread does not use yeast for rising, and baking powder is the leavening agent that we’re using, so be sure to add it in! If you have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.

• Spices: In this recipe, I’ve used ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger and ground cloves to add fall flavors to the pumpkin cornbread. Alternatively, you can also substitute the spices with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

• Sugar: I used granulated white sugar, but you can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend that you use Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and does not increase blood sugar level.)

• Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. You may also use other vegetable oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, or melted coconut oil. Alternatively, if you are not lactose intolerant, feel free to use melted butter instead.

• Pumpkin Puree: I like using fresh homemade pumpkin puree, but storebought canned pumpkin puree will work just as well.

• Water: The water helps to add more moisture. You can also use non-dairy milk (such as almond milk, cashew milk, or coconut milk) if you prefer.

• Eggs: The eggs add moisture and help to bind the ingredients better. I personally have not tried this recipe without eggs, but if you are allergic to eggs, you can replace the eggs with aquafaba, flax eggs, or an egg-replacer.

Make Your Own Homemade Cornmeal

If you want to make your own corn meal at home, it’s really very simple. All you need is dried corn kernels, a blender and a fine-mesh sieve!

Check out my easy recipe for homemade cornmeal.

Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree at Home:

I’m a big fan of anything homemade, and during pumpkin season, nothing beats having a stash of fresh pumpkin puree.

Once you start making homemade pumpkin puree, you might never go back to canned pumpkin puree again!

How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread (Step by Step)

1. Preheat and Grease

Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.

2. Beat Sugar and Oil

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and sunflower oil together.

3. Add Water, Pumpkin and Eggs

Mix in the water, pumpkin puree and eggs until combined.

4. Whisk Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Mix well to combine.

5. Prepare the Batter

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the pumpkin mixture and mix until you get a homogeneous and smooth thick batter.

6. Pour Batter into Baking Dish

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and use a wet spatula to smooth out the top.

7. Bake Until Golden

Bake the batter for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

8. Cool Before Slicing

Let the gluten-free cornbread cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares.

9. Serve and Enjoy!

Serve cornbread with a drizzle of honey, or eat it alone!

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Make Muffins: If you rather make fluffy pumpkin cornbread muffins instead of squares, simply divide the batter between the muffin cups of a muffin pan and bake for 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

• Bake a Loaf: If you prefer to bake a loaf instead, pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

• Bake it in a Cast Iron Skillet: Alternatively, if you prefer, you can also bake this cornbread in a cast iron skillet for the same amount of time instead of using a baking dish.

• No Pumpkin? No Worries! If it’s not pumpkin season or you don’t have access to pumpkin puree, you can still make this recipe by swapping out the pumpkin puree with sweet potato puree instead.

Recipe FAQs:

Other Cornbread Recipes You’ll Love:

• Easy Skillet Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Cornbread Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Jalapeño Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Cornbread Stuffing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Cornbread Madeleines (Gluten-Free)
• Blueberry Cornbread Muffins (Gluten-Free)

Pumpkin Recipes to Make this Fall:

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread (Dairy-Free, Vegan)
• Super Moist Pumpkin Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins (Dairy-Free, Vegan)
• Soft, Chewy Pumpkin Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Indulge In:

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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