A simple recipe for gluten free cornbread that’s as good on the Thanksgiving table as it is with a bowl of soup on a chilly fall evening. Save leftovers and make gluten-free stuffing!

A white bowl of gluten free cornbread muffins on a wooden coating board.

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread is one of those homey bakes that’s always welcome! You can make it with fresh corn tucked into the batter for a juicy crunch. Or, add a little more sweetener and throw in a handful of blueberries for a sweeter take. Here’s why you’ll love this gluten-free cornbread recipe:

Versatile. Bake this recipe as a loaf, muffins, or in a square pan – you’ve got options! You can also save any leftovers and make gluten-free cornbread dressing.
Simple ingredients. Just a few ingredients are all you’ll need to make this lovely, simple recipe that relies on oat flour and cornmeal for structure.
Quick. You’ll need a couple of minutes and a whisk to put the batter for this gluten free cornbread together.

The ingredients needed to gluten free cornbread are shown portioned out: an egg, butter, cornmeal, oat flour, milk.

What You’ll Need for Gluten-Free Cornbread

Here’s an overview of the ingredients needed to make this recipe, The full ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card lower down.

Oat flour – Oat flour is a wonderful gluten-free flour
Cornmeal – Use fine or medium grind cornmeal rather than coarse cornmeal or polenta
Baking powder – To help the cornbread rise
Salt – I use fine grain sea salt in all of my recipes
Milk – Whole milk or 2% milk will work fine
Maple syrup – Or sweetener of choice (like honey or granulated sugar)
Egg
Butter – I use unsalted butter

Squares of gluten free cornbread on a white plate.

How to Make Gluten Free Cornbread:

Prepare: Preheat the oven and grease an 8-inch square pan or a muffin tin
Combine: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt then stir in the wet ingredients.
Bake: Pour into the prepared pan, place in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes.
Serve: Cool for a few minutes, then either cut into squares or serve the muffins warm.

A white bowl of gluten free cornbread muffins.

A Little Tip

Cornbread by its nature is a dryer bread, and this recipe is no exception. Don’t worry if your bread or muffins are slightly dry! If you prefer a moister version of cornbread, though, you can swap buttermilk for the milk.

A colorful bowl of butter, slices of cheese, and a cut cornbread muffin on a wooden cutting board.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve gluten free cornbread with soup or stew, or simply as a mid-morning snack with butter and jam. You can also make little sandwiches with cornbread muffins: add a thick layer of salted butter and a piece of sharp cheddar cheese and eat a few for a satisfying light lunch. Or if you’re a meat eater, tuck thin slices of ham or turkey with a swipe of mayo between two halves of a gluten-free cornbread muffin.

You can also make a pan of gluten-free cornbread to use in gluten-free dressing or stuffing. Make the cornbread a day or two in advance and leave it out on the counter so that it dries out a bit before you use it in your favorite stuffing preparation.

A cornbread muffin on a white background with a piece of cheese in the middle.

How to Store

Here’s how to store leftover gluten free cornbread:

Counter – Keep cornbread in an airtight container or zip-loc bag on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Fridge – You can keep leftover cornbread in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer – To freeze cornbread, place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw thoroughly in the fridge before eating.

A cut gluten free cornbread muffin on a wooden cutting board.

Substitutions and Tips

As mentioned, this is a wonderfully simple recipe that comes together in one bowl! Here are a few substitution suggestions and tips to guide you through it:

Oat flour substitute – You can use almond flour (not almond meal) instead of the oat flour or try your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour substitute
Make it dairy-free – Use olive oil or non-dairy butter for the butter and substitute your preferred non-dairy milk for the milk
Try a different sweetener – Honey is also wonderful in this gluten-free cornbread recipe. You can also swap granulated sugar for the maple syrup.
Make it sweeter – You can make this into a dessert muffin or bread by adding a bit more sweetener.
Make it into muffins – Add 3/4 cup sweetener of choice and 1 cup blueberries or raspberries to make this into a breakfast muffin recipe.

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