This vegan cornbread is so soft, fluffy, and moist! It’s the perfect companion to your favorite chilis, soups, and more!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & we'll send it to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week.
If you’ve ever wondered how to make vegan cornbread just like they do in the south, then this recipe is going to make you so happy!
Cornbread is a soft, fluffy, crumbly alternative to bread and rolls and is a classic comfort food.
Whether you want something delicious to pair with your chili or soup recipes, this classic southern cornbread will hit the spot every single time.
It’s super easy to make! All you need is a bowl, a skillet (or baking dish), and 10 pantry staple ingredients.
I wouldn’t even judge you for eating it straight out of the pan.
Jump to:
Why This Cornbread
Texture
We have worked a long time on truly perfecting this recipe. It’s soft, fluffy, yet the perfect cornbread crumbliness (spell check says that’s really a word). This recipe is simply a delight to take a bite into.
Easy
We live for easy recipes around here. No one has the time to spend all day making one recipe. You need one bowl, one skillet (or baking dish) and just 10 ingredients.
Pantry Staples
Speaking of ingredients, for the most part, people keep all these ingredients on hand in their pantries. The only exception really is cornmeal, but once you make this recipe even that will be a pantry staple!
That means you can make this recipe at any time or just because you want!
Notes on ingredients
Flour
We use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Substitute: If you’d like to make this recipe gluten free, try our gluten free vegan cornbread recipe.
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is a coarse flour made from grinding up dried corn. It is not as fine as wheat flour. In some parts of the world, this may also be called corn flour.
Non-Dairy Butter
We’re using this in the recipe for the fat. It helps the softness of the cornbread when finished and adds moisture to the recipe for the perfect texture.
Maple Syrup
This is adding some sweetness right into the recipe, and also helping us crispy up our edges when mixed with the non-dairy butter.
What should I serve with my cornbread?
Honestly chili is the best with cornbread. Or thicker stews. Some of our favorites are:
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Easy Vegan Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk (360g)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (15g)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (110g)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (40g)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (125g)
- 1 ¾ cups cornmeal (260g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 ½ tablespoons vegan butter, melted but not hot (+2 tablespoons for greasing skillet)
Optional "Honey Butter" Glaze
- 2 tablespoons agave
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy butter, melted
Instructions
- Position oven rack to the middle. Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Place a 10 inch (25cm) cast iron skillet in oven to preheat. *If you don't have a cast iron skillet, grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cup non-dairy milk and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (this makes a vegan buttermilk). Let sit for 10 minutes.
- To the same bowl, add ½ cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoon maple syrup and whisk together until combined. Add in 1 cup flour, then the remaining dry ingredients: 1 ¾ cups cornmeal, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Use a spatula to combine until almost no dry ingredients remain, careful not to overmix. Add 3 tablespoon oil and 2 ½ tablespoon vegan butter and fold just until there's no dry ingredients remaining. It should be the consistency of pancake batter.
- Carefully take preheated skillet out of the oven and use a pastry brush to spread the remaining 2 tablespoon melted butter across the bottom and up the sides of the skillet. Pour batter into greased pan (it will start to sizzle, that's ok) and use a spatula to spread into an even layer.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick come out clean. Best served warmed.
Optional "Honey Butter" Glaze
- While cornbread is baking, mix together 2 tablespoon agave and 2 tablespoon melted non-dairy butter. As soon as the cornbread comes pour or brush overtop.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Did you make and love this recipe?
Click the 5 stars in the recipe card above or below in the comment section! This is a great way to support us so we can continue to bring great recipes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This cornbread will last for 3-5 days stored in an air tight container. Best heated before serving.
Yes!
Make sure that the dairy free butter you are using is also soy free. Also you can use any dairy free milk that is safe for your family/yourself.
Finally, you can make them with gluten free measure for measure flour and follow our vegan gluten free corn bread recipe.
This post was originally published September 2019 and updated November 2024 and again in November 2025.
Awesome finally I got dairy free cornbread! It tastes great thank you for making the life of vegetarians easy!!
You’re so welcome
Can you substitute the applesauce, if so what would you recommend?
It’s been updated to not include that 🙂
This cornbread was SO good! Like others, I’m gonna make it again and again. Thanks for a truly delicious complement to my pinto beans. You guys rock!
So glad to hear!
Bonjour, je suis française, je vous ai découvert sur tiktok. Ce pain a l’air trop bon mais 16 g de sucre c’est énorme !
Bonjour, vous pouvez réduire un peu la quantité, mais cela changera le goût général, car le pain de maïs américain est sucré. J’utilise Google Translate.
First of all even if I wasn’t vegan I would smash this cornbread! I have never made homemade cornbread but this recipe is not only easy but straight forward and delicious. All of the ingredients I had on hand so that was great. A nice sweet touch but not overpowering and so moist. I did everything to the T so I had no issues. Thank y’all! I’m so grateful to have found y’all on my journey.
haha, i love it! So glad you enjoyed
Oh. My. God. I didn’t know cornbread could be bouncy and pillowy. This was phenomenal. Seriously the best cornbread I’ve ever had, it’s absolutely my go to recipe now. You guys are amazing at what you do!
So happy to hear that you loved the recipe so much!
Followed the recipe to the T and my bread didn’t cook all the way through. Almost an hour later and still uncooked all over. Flavor is great. Yet I couldn’t serve it.
So sorry to hear. Here are a few reasons this might of happened:
• The batter was too wet.
• The oven temperature was lower than expected.
• The pan was too small/deep
• The pan was not preheat or allowed to reach the full oven temp before adding the batter and baking
Try:
• Testing your oven temp with a thermometer.
• Baking in a more shallow pan.
• Adding 5–10 minutes and covering the top loosely with foil if browning too fast.
• Use a cast iron or the temp may need to be adjusted for other materials
Made as muffins. Came out perfectly and as described. Delicious on their own. Just the right amount of sweetness. Pillow soft and oh so yummy right out the oven! Will definitely be making this recipe again 😋
So happy to hear that you loved them!
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving as the only bread option. It was moist and sweet like I like it. My husband and son are not plant based and they also enjoyed it. Will definitely make it again!
So happy to hear that everyone enjoyed it