Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Recipe

Skip the store-bought mix. Making cornbread from scratch is super easy, especially with this gluten-free honey cornbread recipe! Make fluffy, moist, buttery cornbread with perfect golden crispy edges, filled with sweet honey and bits of corn! (Gluten-Free with Dairy-Free Option)

Making cornbread from scratch is the best! Try our Sweet Potato Cornbread or Pumpkin Cornbread next! Make sure to drizzle Hot Honey Sauce on your cornbread for a sweet, spicy kick!

This content contains affiliate links, which help goodfoodbaddie.com to provide free recipes and resources. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support of the blog!

Homemade Cornbread

Making cornbread from scratch is easy as pie! However, most people tend to avoid doing so because it can easily become dry, dense, or completely flavorless. The key to avoiding that from happening is using the proper ratio of ingredients.

This cornbread recipe gives you incredibly fluffy, flavorful cornbread that is not only completely gluten-free but can easily be made dairy-free by using vegan butter instead of regular butter! The cornbread is perfectly sweetened with natural sweeteners: honey and coconut sugar, which means it’s refined sugar-free and just a bit healthier without compromising on the flavor!

Keys To Making The Best Gluten-Free Cornbread:

• Butter: The richness of the butter gives the cornbread its signature flavor! It also helps to make the bread insanely tender and fluffy! You can use vegan butter if you would like to make this cornbread both gluten-free and dairy-free.
• Applesauce: This isn’t typical in most cornbread recipes, but it should be! The applesauce helps bind the ingredients while adding a bit of sweetness to the bread. More importantly, it helps so that the bread does not dry out when baking. If you want perfectly moist cornbread, do not skip adding the applesauce!
• Cornmeal and Gluten-Free Flour: Cornmeal is, of course, the main flavor and key ingredient. To make the best cornbread you want to add the flour and cornmeal in equal parts. One cup of cornmeal and one cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour will give you stunning results! This is the gluten-free flour I use: King Arthur Flour, Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix | Amazon NOTE: If you are not sensitive to gluten, you can use regular all-purpose flour.
• Coconut Sugar: Coconut Sugar is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. Just a bit of coconut sugar, plus the honey (and applesauce), gives this cornbread the perfect amount of sweetness. If you do not have coconut sugar you can use brown sugar. Here is the coconut sugar I use: MADHAVA Organic Coconut Sugar | Amazon.
• Corn: Yes, this is a cornbread recipe with corn, which means bits of sweet corn are folded into the cornbread batter before it is baked. Each bite of this buttery sweet cornbread is filled with tasty pieces of corn. I LOVE the added texture and flavor it gives the cornbread!
• Baking Powder: The baking powder helps the cornbread rise while helping to create the perfect fluffy texture. One tablespoon is necessary for this recipe and gives you the best results.

How to Make Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread

1. Sift together the gluten-free flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
2. Combine the honey, non-dairy milk, melted butter, egg, applesauce, and sugar.
3. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX
4. Fold in the sweet corn.
5. Lightly coat a 9×9 (or 8×8) baking sheet with butter
6. Pour the batter into the baking dish.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread pan comes out clean.
8. Let the cornbread cool for 5-10 minutes. Then cut into squares. Serve with butter and more honey.

Common Questions:

Does Cornbread Contain Gluten?

Gluten is in most cornbread, typically in the flour used to make cornbread. There can be other gluten-containing ingredients as well. If you are using a cornbread mix, unless it is labeled gluten-free, it is safe to assume it contains gluten.

Luckily, this recipe is completely gluten-free and super easy to make with 10 simple ingredients!

Is Cornmeal Gluten-Free?

Cornmeal is made from ground corn, making it naturally gluten-free. However, cross-contamination during the manufacturing process can occur. Be sure to purchase cornmeal that is labeled gluten-free, if necessary.

What Type Of Cornmeal To Use To Make Cornbread?

The type of cornmeal you use will impact the texture of your cornbread. If you use finely ground cornmeal, your cornbread will be smooth and cake-like. Medium grind will make the cornbread cake-like with a bit more crunch, especially along the edges and crust. Coarsely-ground cornmeal will give you dense crunchy cornbread.

NOTE: I use medium-grind cornmeal. Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal | Amazon

How To Store This Cornbread?

You can store the baked cornbread covered at room temperature for up to two days or the fridge for 5 days. You can also place the cornbread slices in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the cornbread overnight in the fridge first.

What to Serve with Cornbread:

• Instant Pot Barbeque Ribs | GF + DF
• White Bean Chicken Chili | GF + DF
• Air Fryer Crispy Fish | GF + DF
• White Bean Quinoa Chili | Vegan + GF
• Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup | GF + DF
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken Wings | GF + DF
• Wild Rice Mushroom Soup | GF + Vegan

I hope you enjoy this Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Recipe! 

If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.