Easy Vegan Cornbread

You may not have thought cornbread was life changing…until now. This tender, moist vegan cornbread tastes the Jiffy box, but 100 times tastier.

Did you know cornbread can be life changing? This vegan cornbread is the moistest, fluffiest, thickest recipe we’ve made, with the best sweet-savory tang. How Alex and I have lived this long without a go-to cornbread recipe, I’m not sure. But here’s our new standard, brought to you by the magic of cornmeal and coconut oil. It’s all the nostalgia of sneaking licks of the Jiffy corn muffin mix spoon, without the processed part. It’s a short list of ingredients—and 100% plant-based too. So what are you waiting for? Here are all the secrets to never needing the Jiffy box…again.

Want a variation? Try it in a cast iron skillet with Skillet Cornbread!

What makes this the best vegan cornbread?

Back 100 years or so, my sister and I would take turns sneaking bites from the Jiffy corn mix bowl. I’m pretty certain she once made herself a bowl of the batter to eat as a snack, with no intention of baking. There’s something about that batter: savory sweet, oddly tangy from the baking soda, and a little salty. As Alex and I were testing out this vegan cornbread recipe, I snuck some batter, for old times sake. It was JUST like the nostalgic taste, but even better. When I saw my son Larson going to town with a spatula, I knew we were on to something!

This recipe is very easy to make and pretty impossible to screw up. It’s a perfect vegan baked good for making with kids, or making an easy side dish for your chili. Here’s what makes this vegan cornbread recipe the best around:

• It’s got the optimal thickness (2 inches). Lots of cornbread recipes turn out too thin. Or they call for an 8″ square pan when most people we know use a 9″ pan. In a 9″ pan this vegan cornbread comes out at about 2 inches thick: which after all our recipe testing, is optimal.
• The texture? Perfectly tender and moist. This recipe relies on coconut oil for structure and moistness, as well as almond milk. Sugar also plays a role in the texture too, making it just the right tenderness but not gummy like many liquid sweeteners.
• It’s tangy, with the right sweetness. Apple cider vinegar brings a little tang: whisking it into the almond milk simulates buttermilk. Then there’s just the right sweetness from the sugar: it’s a little less than most recipes, but enough to be just the right amount. (You can reduce to ½ cup without affecting the recipe.)

What people are saying

We wanted to make sure this was the BEST vegan cornbread out there, so we sent it to a few recipe testers. Here’s what they had to say:

• “The cornbread was easy and delicious! It was sweet and tender and was the perfect balance with the salty, spicy chili I made. I would definitely make it again!” -Lisa
• “We thought it was really good and ate it with your sweet potato chili. I will definitely make it again. I liked how moist it was!” -Camille

Tips on how to make vegan cornbread

Because this recipe is a such an easy baking recipe, there aren’t too many tips to keep in mind. But here are a few things of note:

• You can use any type of cornmeal. We used yellow medium grind cornmeal, which we’d recommend. Fine grind can also work, though we prefer the chunky texture of medium grind. We also like using yellow cornmeal over white, just for color.
• Liberally spread coconut oil on the pan. One recipe tester had an issue getting the cornbread out of the pan, so we recommend liberally spreading the pan with coconut oil so that it easily slides out.

Storing leftovers

Another great thing about this vegan cornbread is that it saves well! It stays perfectly moist on a cutting board at room temperature with a towel on top for 3 days. It’s also stays well in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

You can refrigerate it, but this makes it dry and it loses a lot of moisture. So storage at room temperature is recommended! You also can freeze the cornbread for several months: make sure to thaw to room temperature before serving.

How to serve vegan cornbread

One of the reasons we love this vegan cornbread is because it goes with just about everything! Soups, stews, cookouts, and chili (naturally!) are all better with cornbread. And you can always slather it with maple syrup or strawberry jam. Here are a few of our recipes that would go well with this cornbread:

• Best Vegetarian Chili
• Quinoa Vegan Chili
• Mango Black Bean Chili
• Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil or Classic Shrimp Boil
• Famous Cajun Shrimp and Grits
• 10-Minute Baked Salmon or Broiled Salmon with Bourbon Glaze
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Creamy Wild Rice Soup
• Golden Cauliflower Soup Recipe
• Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
• Creamy Corn Chowder
• Potato Soup
• BBQ Soy Curls
• Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich

This vegan cornbread recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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