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Easy Gluten-Free Cornbread (Dairy-Free)

5 from 7 reviews
ByFelicia Lim on updated
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This easy gluten-free cornbread is crusty on the outside with a toothy texture that you’ll absolutely love. Made in a cast iron skillet, it comes out perfect every time. Eat this skillet cornbread with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, as a side dish to barbecue or chili con carne, or use it to make cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner! Dairy-free too.

Pourding honey over gluten-free cornbread in a skillet.

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What is Cornbread?

Cornbread, for those of you who haven’t eaten this miracle of a dish before, is basically any quick bread that contains cornmeal and is leavened with baking powder as opposed to yeast.

While cornbread is generally eaten all over the United States, it is highly popular in the South of the United States, and is widely eaten as the perfect side at a BBQ or with fried chicken, chili con carne, cozy beef stew, or a big bowl of soup. Sometimes it’s also used to make cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner.

Skillet-baked or skillet-fried cornbread (also known simply as “skillet cornbread”) is a staple in Southern cuisine, and this essentially refers to a way of cooking cornbread in which the batter is basically poured into a previously-heated cast iron skillet and returned to the oven to bake until a crusty exterior is formed.

A skillet with cornbread on a wooden board.

My Love for Cornbread

I am a big fan of cornbread in every form, and over the years I’ve made my fair share of cornbread. Some recipes include gluten-free cornbread muffins, super easy rosemary cornbread, pretty cornbread madeleines, to jalapeño cornbread (perfect if you love some heat!). I’ve even made cornbread stuffing during the holidays!

It’s one of those super versatile foods that you can cook in practically any form possible (from muffin tins to loaf pans to a baking pan or a skillet) and it will still comes out great. Plus, you can add in toppings like sweet blueberries or spicy jalapeños as you wish.

Is Cornbread Gluten-Free?

Most cornbread recipes use wheat flour (which contains gluten) in addition to corn meal, so cornbread is not safe for Celiacs or those with gluten intolerances (unless specifically said to be gluten-free).

Does Cornbread Have Dairy?

Traditional cornbread recipes tend to use either regular milk or buttermilk as one of its liquid ingredients, so cornbread usually tends to have dairy.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cornbread

Today, we’re making a version of cornbread that is both gluten-free and dairy-free, so let’s get straight to it!

Close up shot of sliced skillet cornbread.

Why This Recipe Works:

However, my absolute favorite way to cook gluten-free cornbread is in a cast iron skillet (and it seems readers agree too!).

  • Simple Ingredients: The ingredients needed to make this gluten-free cornbread recipe are easy to find and you might even have them in your kitchen already!
  • Super Easy to Make: This skillet cornbread is fail-proof and comes out crazy good every single time (no kidding)! So you can always be sure that it’ll be a success, and you’ll never go back to storebought cornbread mix anymore!
  • Crispy on Top and Bottom: The reason why I love using a cast-iron skillet is because by preheating the skillet before pouring in the batter, it ensures that the bottom of the cornbread turns out crusty too (as opposed to soft and moist).
  • Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that this sweet cornbread recipe is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free too, which means that even those who have Celiac disease or are intolerant to gluten or lactose can also enjoy it!
Top down view of a skillet with cornbread and a small jug of honey.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

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

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

Labeled ingredients for gluten-free cornbread laid out on marble board.

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

  • Cornmeal: I prefer using yellow cornmeal to get the typical yellow color of traditional cornbread, but if you only have white cornmeal on hand, that’s fine too (note that cornbread made with white cornmeal will be paler in color, but the taste will be the same). Here’s my recipe for how to make cornmeal using dried corn kernels. Ready in minutes, you might never need to buy cornmeal again!
  • Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: To keep this recipe gluten-free, I’m replacing wheat flour with a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours and starches such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch, as opposed to a blend that uses heavier or denser flours such as garbanzo bean flours.
  • Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and is necessary to bind the ingredients together. Make sure you add xanthan gum if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already include it.
  • Sugar: I used light brown sugar for sweetness, but you can also use cane sugar, dark brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar used, the darker the color of the cornbread). 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). Alternatively, if you want a cornbread that’s not sweet at all, feel free to leave out the sugar completely.
  • Baking Powder: Baking powder is necessary to help the batter rise, so make sure you add it. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.
  • Almond Milk: Instead of buttermilk, I like to use an unsweetened version of my 5-minute homemade almond milk for this recipe, but you can also use another unsweetened dairy-free milk (such as rice milk, cashew milk, soy milk, coconut milk or other nut milks). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal dairy milk if you prefer.
  • Eggs: Eggs are necessary for binding the ingredients together. I personally haven’t tried making this recipe with an egg substitute, but if you do try making it egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below!
  • Coconut Oil: I prefer to use refined coconut oil when cooking or baking because it has a more neutral taste (compared to extra virgin coconut oil that has a strong coconut taste). You may also use another vegetable oil, olive oil or melted vegan butter. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use equal amounts of melted butter instead.

How to Cook Gluten-Free Cornbread in a Skillet (Step by Step):

1. Preheat Oven

Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C) and adjust the rack to the middle position.

2. Heat Up Skillet

Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up (yes, I actually mean the empty skillet without anything in it).

3. Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, gluten-free flour blend, sugar, salt and baking powder.

Hand whisking dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

4. Add Wet Ingredients

Whisk in the almond milk, eggs and melted coconut oil and stir until well combined, leaving 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for the skillet.

Hand whisking wet ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

5. Brush Skillet with Oil

Remove cast iron skillet from the oven (be careful, it’s hot!) and reduce oven temperature to 375F (180C).

Using a silicon brush, brush the remaining tablespoon of melted coconut oil all around the top surface of the skillet.

Greasing a cast iron skillet with oil.

6. Transfer Batter to Skillet

Pour gluten-free cornbread batter into the skillet, smooth out the top with a wet spatula.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown on top, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Using a spatula to smooth out the batter in a cast iron skillet.

7. Cool and Enjoy

Allow this gluten free dairy free cornbread to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Gluten-free cornbread in a skillet on a wooden board.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

  • No Skillet? No Problem: If you don’t own a cast iron skillet or cast iron pan, simply use an 8″x 8″ baking pan or baking dish in place of the skillet. With the baking pan, you don’t have to heat it up in the oven. Simply pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Eat it Alone or With Maple Syrup: You can literally eat this gluten free dairy free cornbread on its own (so good!!), but if you add a drizzle of maple syrup, agave nectar or honey, that makes it even better.
  • Make Muffins: If you prefer individual cornbread muffins, you can also bake them in a muffin tin for 20 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Make a Loaf: If you prefer to bake it into a gluten-free cornbread loaf, simply use a standard loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Top down view of a skillet with cornbread on a wooden board.

Recipe FAQs:

How do I Store the Skillet Cornbread?

If not eating immediately, store cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for up to one week.

Can I Freeze this Cornbread?

Yes of course you can freeze this gluten-free cornbread! To freeze, place cornbread in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

Hand reaching for a skillet with gluten-free cornbread.

Other Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipes You’ll Love:

Other Cast Iron Skillet Recipes:

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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Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cornbread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

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Description

This easy gluten-free cornbread is crusty on the outside with a toothy texture that you’ll absolutely love. Made in a cast iron skillet, it comes out perfect every time. Eat this skillet cornbread with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, as a side dish to barbecue or chili con carne, or use it to make cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner! Dairy-free too.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Pre-heat oven to 425F (220C) and adjust the rack to the middle position.
  2. Heat Up Skillet: Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, gluten-free flour blend, sugar, salt and baking powder.
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the milk, eggs and melted coconut oil until well combined, leaving 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for the skillet
  5. Brush Skillet with Oil: Remove cast iron skillet from the oven (carefully! It’s hot!) and reduce oven temperature to 375F (180C). Brush the remaining tablespoon of melted coconut oil all around the top surface of the skillet
  6. Transfer Batter to Skillet: Pour cornbread batter into the skillet, smooth out the top of the batter with a wet spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
  7. Cool and Enjoy: Allow cornbread to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Cornmeal: I prefer using yellow cornmeal to get the typical yellow color of traditional cornbread, but if you only have white cornmeal on hand, that’s fine too (note that cornbread made with white cornmeal will be paler in color, but the taste will be the same). Here’s my recipe for how to make cornmeal using dried corn kernels. Ready in minutes, you might never need to buy cornmeal again!

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I like to use a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of lighter flours and starches such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch, or potato starch, as opposed to a blend that uses heavier or denser flours such as garbanzo bean flours.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and is necessary to bind the ingredients together. Make sure you add xanthan gum if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already include it.

Sugar: I used light brown sugar, but you can also use cane sugar, dark brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar used, the darker the color of the cornbread). 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). Alternatively, if you want a cornbread that’s not sweet at all, feel free to leave out the sugar completely.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is necessary to help the batter rise, so make sure you add it. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.

Almond Milk: I like to use an unsweetened version of my 5-minute homemade almond milk for this recipe, but you can also use another unsweetened dairy-free milk (such as rice milk, cashew milk, soy milk, coconut milk or other nut milks). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal dairy milk if you prefer.

Eggs: Eggs are necessary for binding the ingredients together. I personally haven’t tried making this recipe with an egg substitute, but if you do try making it egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Coconut Oil: I prefer to use refined coconut oil when cooking or baking because it has a more neutral taste (compared to extra virgin coconut oil that has a strong coconut taste). You may also use another vegetable oil, olive oil or melted vegan butter. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use equal amounts of melted butter instead.

Storing/Freezing: If not eating immediately, store cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for up to one week. To freeze, place cornbread in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

No Skillet? No Problem: If you don’t own a cast iron skillet or cast iron pan, simply use an 8″x 8″ baking pan in place of the skillet. With the baking pan, you don’t have to heat it up in the oven. Simply pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*This recipe was originally posted in 2014 but has since been updated with new photos, process shots and clearer instructions.

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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26 Comments

  1. Hi have recently started a gluten/dairy free diet. Have always loved my bread and have been trying to find my substitute. Came across your recipe, easy and adaptable (no creamed corn 🤮).
    I made to your measurements just thought it was a little runny when wet ingredients added, so added a little more corneal and flour and omg, so good, could have kept eating all night. Went well with my roast lamb,gravy and veg 😊 looking forward to using with fried eggs, chilli, and everything. Thank you xx

    Reply

    1. Hi Lisa! So happy to hear that you loved the cornbread! 🙂 YAY!! Now you’ll have cornbread for everything!

      Reply

  2. We’ve used this recipe for years now. The only minor adjustment I’ve made was regarding the butter, but that’s a health reason, not to put my own spin on the recipe.
    I’ve made it with regular flour as well — turns out perfect every time, no matter what. The compliments are endless.

    Reply

    1. YAY! So happy to hear that Val. Thanks for your lovely note, glad you and your family love this cornbread. So do we 🙂 Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
      xx,
      Felicia

      Reply

  3. Has anyone tried this in a mini muffin tin, and if so, how did it turn out and how much time did it take in the oven?

    Reply

    1. Hi Vivian! If you prefer individual cornbread muffins, you can also bake them in a muffin tin for 20 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Hope you enjoy them!

      Reply

  4. Again Felicia,

    I cannot say enough how this cornbread is so loved by us whenever we do one and I also love the simplicity of your recipe in preparing it – everything done within an hour!

    I believe this recipe will stay evergreen over time ever since you first shared it with us in 2014.

    Have a blessed weekend!

    Love you,
    Mum

    Reply

  5. Loved this recipe, it turned out so good! I skipped the sugar and we had it with good Spanish olive oil and a bit of sea salt. As I don’t have a large one, I used 2 small le creuset skillets. Would love to send you a picture of the result but don’t know how. We also had the shaved brussels speouts. They were very good too! Thanks for the recipes! And greetings from the Netherlands!

    Reply

    1. Hi Tineke!! Makes me so happy that you loved it! 🙂 I like the idea of serving this cornbread in small skillets – would definitely love to see it – you can email me at [email protected] or tag me on instagram @felicialimhz! YAY!!! Also, aren’t the shaved Brussels sprouts just delish?? So good!! Thanks for dropping by, and you’re MOST WELCOME!! Makes me happy to know the recipes are making tummies happy all over the globe! Greetings from Buenos Aires! 🙂

      Reply

  7. Good morning Felicia,
    It has been more than 6 years since 2014 when you first introduced this recipe to us for which I had been most grateful.
    Since then, every time I enjoy this shortbread, I am thankful.

    Once again, I am thankful for your effort to update this recipe for our benefits especially for those of us who enjoy cornbread a lot 🙂

    I love you,
    Mum

    Reply

    1. Hi mummy! yes this was one of my first (probably the first) cornbread recipe I’d ever made, only this time I adjusted it to make it dairy-free too, so even those with lactose intolerances and dairy allergies can eat it!

      Reply

  8. Have made this at least a dozen times and LOVE it! My husband who doesn’t like corn bread loves it. My go to recipe on soup night!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Karen!! Makes me so happy to hear that (and if your husband loves it too despite not liking cornbread, then it’s double yay!!) I love how easy this recipe is to make as well, now you make me want to bake cornbread this weekend too! Happy weekend 🙂

      Reply

  9. Just pulled this out of the oven, let it rest for a bit, and tried it: it’s delicious! Great easy recipe, love that it’s buttermilk free because I literally never have buttermilk!

    Reply

    1. Hi K! Glad you love the cornbread!! 🙂 Buttermilk is easy to make though, if you don’t have it, just combine 1 glass of normal milk with 1 or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice! Let the the mixture sit for 15 mins until it curdles, and you have homemade buttermilk! In case you need it and you don’t have it at home! 🙂

      Reply

  10. Thanks so much. This is the ONE I’m going to try. 🙂 Went GF over a month ago…so looking for replacement recipes. This one sounds pretty close to what my mom used to make. In a cast iron skillet of course. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hi Nancy, I hope you’ll like this cornbread recipe as much as I do! My bf went gluten-free about a few months ago too, and I can understand how difficult it is to have to get used to completely different flours/textures/tastes!

      Reply

  11. This recipe sounds like just what I am looking for. Please let me know what size cast iron pan you are using for this cornbread. Thank you very much.

    Reply

  12. What a beautiful post! Not at all what I expected when I clicked on your beautiful pinterest picture. Very inspirational, espcially the photographer part. As a new food blogger I have been trying to improve my photos but still have a long way to go.

    Reply

    1. Mona, so nice to meet you! Always glad to meet other food bloggers 🙂 And so happy to hear you were inspired by the post – i hopped over to your blog and you have lovely pictures! 🙂 I’ll say the most important thing that I’ve learnt as a blogger is to keep on keeping on, day after day, practicing over and over again, and trying to make sure that each time to you do something is an improvement over the last (even if its 1% improvement). Hope to see you around again soon! <3

      Reply

  13. How I marvel at the way you have bluntly hit “procrastination” in the butt ! How did I know? Because it hits me so hard that I was awakened rudely to the realisation that this post spoke directly at me!

    At this present moment, I have a number of unfinished/yet to start tasks that should have finished like yesterday!!

    I am so inspired by your writing to start working on the items on my to-do list (one at a time) NOW – no more leaving it till later.

    Thanks for your post 🙂

    As I finish each one of these items, I will celebrate my victory over procrastination with the cornbread sweetened with honey 🙂

    Always love your writing which has the power to move me into inspired actions.

    With much love and blessings!
    Mum

    Reply