Buttermilk Cornbread – Vegan, Gluten-free & Nut-free
I definitely did not grow up eating cornbread (let alone experiencing a glutenfree healthy vegan buttermilk cornbread recipe…sheesh that was a mouthful) and still very fondly recall the first time it blessed my plate. I was about 14 years old and we had spent a week visiting relatives in the US and stopped by an all-you-can-eat buffet (oh, so American!) on our way home. Being a vegetarian in the 90’s was seriously challenging. I basically lived on carbs and starchy vegetables, as I was also wildly picky and convinced I hated anything green. Buffets were typically a win for me. Plenty of pasta, rice and breads to choose from.
This particular buffet offered many of the standard options, but had a sort of flare for southern themed dishes. Most of these items were completely foreign to me. Southern fried chicken, collard greens (which looked like an absolute food nightmare to teenage me), Jambalaya and cornbread. Not one of these appealed to my fault-finding senses, outside of the buttermilk cornbread. It wasn’t vegan cornbread but it was super tasty!
Even with a plate stuffed full of magically delicious carbs, the cornbread was without a doubt the winner of that buffet experience. It was perfectly buttery, subtly sweet, soft but not too cakey, and crumbly without making a mess. Just so damn delicious (it actually inspired this vegan cornbread). I knew it was far beyond my mom’s culinary abilities (bless her) to attempt to concoct something so far out of her 5 recipe rotation. I left that buffet knowing it would be a long time before I would have a tummy full of buttermilk cornbread again. Who knew it would be glutenfree vegan cornbread!
My first attempt at creating a healthy vegan cornbread recipe, came from the help of a Betty Crocker cookbook my dad gifted me at Christmas, once I had entered adulthood. It was a buttermilk (earth balance butter is the only butter I use) version and took me a good few tries to get it right. Choosing to eat vegan and (not choosing, insert sad face!) gluten-free, meant altering all of the recipes that I had really gotten into the swing of making. Some have come much easier than others. This glutenfree healthy vegan cornbread recipe was tough, considering like 50% of the ingredients are either animal-based or not digestible for a body that rejects all the wonderfulness gluten has to offer. After many tweaks and flat out fails, I am super happy with this new (dare I say improved?) version of my healthy vegan cornbread recipe! I hope you make it, eat it, love it and should generosity strike, even share it with the people you love.
Looks like you like to bake things. Try out this banana bread!
Buttermilk Cornbread - Vegan, Gluten-free & Nut-free
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine cornmeal
- 1 cup 1 for 1 Gluten-Free Flour - I used Bulk Barn brand
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter - I used Earth Balance
Vegan Buttermilk
- 1 cup non-dairy milk - I used soy
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Vegan "Egg"
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pan or cast iron skillet and set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together the Vegan Buttermilk ingredients and set aside for 3-5 minutes.
- In another small bowl, whisk together ingredients for Vegan "Egg" and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Mix well.
- Add melted butter, buttermilk and Vegan "Egg" to the dry ingredients and stir just until the mixture comes together.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to sit in pan for at least 5-10 minutes before removing. This will help prevent any crumbling.
Notes
Vegan gluten free recipes, meal plans, wellness, home | Mostly Domestic
Vegan and Gluten free food and cooking | Mostly Domestic
Vegan and Gluten free meal plans, prep and food shopping lists | Mostly Domestic
