Gluten-free cornbread muffins made with wholesome ingredients. Sweet corn kernels add a nice texture, while honey enhances the flavor of these delicious golden cakes.
Recipe Science
- For a gluten-free texture that mimics wheat, I use a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum.
- Coconut sugar’s earthy, molasses flavor complements savory corn, while honey’s humectant properties keep the muffins soft.
- Coconut oil adds a subtle, nutty flavor while reducing gluten formation, keeping your muffins tender.
Jump To a Section
Featured Comment 43
“We love these!!! They are truly beautiful, and that’s rare for gluten-free. We’ve been cooking gluten-free for about 15 years.”—Linda E.
Why It Works
If I could choose one side dish at any holiday feast, it would be cornbread. These tender golden cakes instantly bring smiles to my guests. This year, I’ve taken my favorite classic cornbread muffins and given them a healthier, gluten-free twist.
With a few smart baking techniques, like selecting the right leavening agents, you’ll get perfectly rounded tops and a soft, tender texture every time. Choosing more nutritious ingredients doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor or quality! These quick-to-make muffins come together in 30 minutes or less, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the meal with everyone.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cornmeal: Use yellow cornmeal to add a golden color to the cornbread.
- Corn: I love adding whole corn kernels because they add natural sweetness and texture to the muffins. They can be fresh and cooked, canned, or frozen and defrosted.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour is my top pick. It has the most similar texture and taste to wheat flour. The texture differences are not as noticeable with the cornmeal base due to the dry-milled corn granules characteristic of the bread.
- Leavening Agent: Use baking powder to help the muffins rise and create a domed top. Eggs add richness to the batter and help bind the cake together.
- Sweetener: Coconut sugar has an earthy molasses flavor that is an excellent complement to savory corn. The sweetener also contains more nutrients, like minerals, for added benefits. The honey and moisture in the corn keep the muffins moist and tender after baking.
- Coconut Oil: The fat reduces gluten formation for tender muffins. Melted butter is a good option for not making the cornbread dairy-free.
- Milk: Use dairy-free milk, such as cashew, soy, unsweetened almond milk, or coconut, to dilute the batter and make it pourable. If you don’t have dietary restrictions, you can use dairy milk.
- Salt: Enhances the sweet and savory flavor of the cornbread muffins.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This easy gluten free cornbread recipe is simple to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Add Herbs: Add chopped rosemary, thyme, or sage.
- Fruit: Stir in fresh or dried cranberries, blueberries, or strawberries for a fruity taste.
- Cheese: Add shredded cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack, Monterey, or Mozzarella. Add ½ to 1 cup.
- Meat: Cooked bacon is also a delicious savory option to mix in.
- Make it Spicy: Make jalapeno cornbread, cayenne, chipotle powder, or use hot sauce for some heat!
- Compound Butter: Soften butter to room temperature, then whip in pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon, or make honey butter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins
Step 1: Heat the Oven
Position the oven rack in the center to ensure even heat circulation. Heat the oven to 400°F (204ºC).
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients
I developed this gluten-free cornbread muffin recipe using simple ingredients. It’s also dairy-free and uses unrefined sugars! The dry blend includes gluten-free flour, coconut sugar, yellow cornmeal, and baking powder.
Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
The wet ingredients added to the flour base are a blend of honey, eggs, unsweetened cashew milk, coconut oil, and whole yellow corn kernels.
Step 4: Make the Batter
Add the wet ingredients to the cornmeal mixture, then gently mix the batter until the gluten-free flour is hydrated.
Step 5: Prepare Muffin Tin
Light coat the insides of the muffin tin with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Alternatively, add muffin liners to make them easy to remove. Fill each cup about two-thirds full.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Cool After Baking
It’s hard not to want to eat these gluten-free cornbread muffins straight from the oven. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Enjoy them hot or at room temperature.
This recipe is an excellent alternative for your guests with a more restrictive diet or if you just want to try something a little different that still tastes delicious! Make sure to bake a batch to pair with roast turkey or turkey chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gluten provides a protein network that creates structure in baked goods. For gluten-free baking, utilizing ingredients that mimic gluten is essential. Rice flour helps provide a protein source for structure, while gelling and thickening from starches like tapioca and potato helps keep the product together. You often see xanthan gum added to stabilize and thicken the batter or dough. A combination of these ingredients can give a successful baked good in the absence of wheat.
For those sensitive to wheat, the formulas for these gluten-free flour alternatives often combine ingredients that mimic gluten’s protein and binding properties. I use a combination of sweet rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sweet rice sorghum flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum. Make sure to check the label for gluten-free cornmeal to ensure there is no gluten cross-contamination.
Add the batter to a greased 8-inch square baking pan or cast iron skillet. Bake at 350°F (177ºC) for 25 to 30 minutes. If browning too quickly on the surface, loosely tent it with foil.
More Gluten Free Recipes
If you tried these Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cashew milk, or almond
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup honey
- ¾ cup yellow corn kernels, cooked
Instructions
- Heat the Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 400°F (204ºC).
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Combine Wet Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, coconut oil, and honey.
- Make the Batter – Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until just mixed. Gently stir in the corn.
- Prepare Muffin Tin – Lightly spray the muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Skip this step if using paper liners. Fill the muffin tins ⅔ full with the batter, about ⅓ cup per tin.
- Bake – Place the muffin tin on a sheet pan and bake it on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool After Baking – Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a cooling rack. Do not leave the muffins in the tin longer than 5 minutes otherwise, they'll become soggy as they cool.
Notes
- Coconut Oil Substitute: Used melted butter.
- Sweetener Substitute: Use granulated sugar instead of coconut sugar. Use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Milk Substitute: Use plant-based milk like almond, coconut, soy, or cashew, or dairy milk.
- To Make Cornbread: Bake at 350°F (177ºC) in an 8-inch square baking pan for 25 to 30 minutes. If browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil.
- Make Mini Muffins: This recipe makes 48 mini cornbread muffins. Grease the inside of the muffin tins and fill them 2/3 full, about 1 tablespoon of batter. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, 24 muffins at a time. Cool the muffins in the pan for 2 minutes and then remove them.
- Reduce the Sweetness: To make the cornbread muffins less sweet and more savory, reduce the honey to ¼ cup and sugar to ¼ cup.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Individually wrap in plastic, transfer to a large resealable bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Linda Ellmer says
First time baking regarding gluten Free for a friend and the Cornbread muffins were delicious and received many compliments!!
Jessica Gavin says
You are so sweet to make muffins for your friend! Thrilled to hear that everyone enjoyed them.
Marian says
Hi Jessica,
I have some ideas from others’ comments, but I would like to know how you would adjust for less sweet and no corn kernels.
Thanks,
Marian
Jessica Gavin says
You can omit the corn completely and reduce the honey and sugar to 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup total.
Marcella says
We love these!!! They are truly beautiful and that’s rare for GF. (We’ve been cooking gluten free for about 15 years)
We used King Arthur flour this time and it was perfect although we agree Bob’s is usually the best replacement.
And we do love our cornbread sweet. But we could easily decrease the dry sugar a little and still love these.
Thank you!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Marcella! I will have to try the king Arthur flour next time.
Kathryn E Murakami says
I made these with half the sugar and half the honey based on comments made about the sweetness. Everything else I followed exactly ! They were just perfect for me ! They raised perfectly and were very moist .
Cbj says
I made this when I realized I had no lunch items for my son’s school lunch . They were quick and easy. Changes I made based on what I had on hand ; I used 4tablespoon melted butter instead of coconut oil ,1 cup of oat milk, 1/2 of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of honey granules and no corn . They were yummy . We do like our cornbread sweet so next time I’ll increase my sugar to 1 cup and eliminate the honey granules bc it did nothing for the corn bread . It was light and fluffy . I also used bob mills one for one .
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing your modifications to the recipe! I will have to try the oat milk next time.
Iris says
I made this recipe today. Well, … I made some changes to the recipe. I used my own gluten free blend (1/4 cup each of brown & white rice, tapioca & almond flour). I use 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 cup dates (minced in the nutribullet) & 1 TBS honey. I also omitted the corn kernels.
The muffins rose, they were fluffy, & the right amount of sweetness.
Thank you Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, I will have to try your easy homemade gluten-free blend and natural sugars, Iris! Happy to hear that you had yummy results.
Lisa says
I used this recipe as a baseline and they turned out great! Instead of a sweet cornbread muffin I didn’t add any of the sweeteners, instead added a few tablespoons of green onions, a 1/3 cup of nut-based cheese, and a dash of cayenne and black pepper. I did add a bit extra flour as my batter was very runny – but they turned out deliciously!
Stephen Bellinger says
OMG these muffins are the best! As it turned out I got 18 muffins but it was for the best as me, my wife and two lads (university dudes) devoured these with my homemade chilli Yes they are sweet muffins but we will take them any day! I was using a JO recipe for GF cornbread but never again. I messed up with first batch as I misread the oven temp to be 350 but the muffins just needed a few more minutes, no biggy. Oh yes I just had a very generic GF flour and it worked great. Thanks
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Stephen! How much time did you end up baking the muffin for? Good to hear that the generic GF flour worked as well.
DL says
I made this cornbread recipe and was wondering should xanthum gum be added so it doesn’t crumble so much or more moisture so it’s not so dry? Other than that I thought it tasted pretty good. In your blog you talk about a gluten-free flour blend of sweet rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sweet rice sorghum flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. What are the measurements for each ingredient?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi DL- I don’t quite yet have a formula for a GF flour blend. Maybe soon! What brand of gluten-free flour did you use? I formulated this one with Bobs Red Mill 1:1 baking flour and didn’t get any dryness issues.
Tizi says
Just tried these- recipe seemed to be more on the sweet side so I experimented….I had no corn kernels so I subbed in dried sour cherries – yum. Nice sweet treat without a lot of guilt. Love a recipe that works out first time!
Thanks so much
Jessica Gavin says
Will have to try the cherries next time!
Angela says
I really liked this recipe, but as others stated, It’s waaaay too sweet. I love sweet cornbread, but I will probably half the sugar next time. These are more like corn “cakes”. lol
Sherry Kain says
Hi, I’m also allergic to honey and agave, besides the gluten and dairy. Do you have a replacement for the honey that I could use. I really miss having cornbread and would love to try this recipe.
Amelia says
I often replace honey with maple syrup ?? dunno if it’s legit, but seems to usually work out. I interalized some advice about baked honey in herb school, so I always sub.
Nancy says
I thought these were quite good. I would only use 1/2 sweetener though. Too sweet for me. I could taste the coconut which was nice.
Hallie says
I don’t normally comment but I had to….these muffins are spectacular! I followed the recipe exactly, although I was hesitant to add that much sweeter, and they are perfect! They rose amazingly which is usual for a gluten free muffins. Didn’t find them too sweet as I guess these two sweetners are more mild than conventional sugars and it was bang on! Good job, I will be making these again and again!!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! So thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe Haillie 🙂
Mollie says
My mother in law LOVED cornbread before she was diagnosed with a severe gluten intolerance. I made these tonight and she is able to enjoy cornbread again. I didn’t think they would turn out; the batter looked too runny. I was pleasantly surprised when they rose and cooked through. I’ve never baked gluten free before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’m so glad I found this recipe, and so is my mother in law!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! So happy to hear that your mother-in-law could enjoy the cornbread muffins too 🙂
Sheri says
For some reason these do not rise when I make them…I’ve tried 5 times. They sink in the middle though taste good. I’ve tried mixing less, mixing more, adding more baking powder, using new baking powder. I do use olive oil and rice milk do to allergies. And I don’t add corn kernals. I’m not sure if this is why. Thanks for the advice!
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sheri- Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. What brand of gluten-free flour are you using? The main thing is the gluten-free flour selection, I use bob’s redmill 1:1 baking flour. Adding more baking powder make cause too many bubbles very rapidly, and that may cause it to fall. The corn kernels give it some texture, but shouldn’t be the main reason it’s falling.
Sheri Chamberland says
I use Arrowhead Mills brown rice flour. ..Since its not processed in a facility with trees and nuts.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for the info Sheri! How does it taste with brown rice flour?
KRISTEN says
How would you change up the recipe to use coconut flour? How much coconut flour?
Angela says
Hi Sheri, I think you would get better results if you used a gluten-free flour blend, not just brown rice flour. The blends are meant to closely replicate wheat flour and usually contain xanthan gum.
B. Kime says
I made these tonight using the Bob’s gf flour, subbing butter for coconut oil and used 1/2 the amount of sugar (used white sugar instead of coconut sugar). They turned out great! A tiny bit on the sweet side still for my liking, I will probably reduce the honey and sugar a little more next time. Was great with butter and a fat bowl of chili!
Thanks for a great recipe
misty whitehead whitehead says
I loved the texture but the 1 cup of sweetener was too sweet for me. I prefer about 1/4 cup sweetener – more cornbread vs cupcake. Would eat these with a savory/salty dish to offset it.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback!
Linda A Deming says
Can these muffins be frozen?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Linda- Yes, they can be frozen and then reheated in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds.
Noni says
Do you mean 1 TEASPOON baking powder or do you actually use a tablespoon?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Noni- Thanks for checking, yes 1 tablespoon is correct.
Jerilyn says
Before I go and make your recipe, I was just wondering if using 1/2 cup coconut sugar AND 1/2 cup honey are the correct measurements for this 12 muffin recipe. I’ve made lots of cornbread muffins over the years and I’ve never seen a recipe that calls for a total of 1 cup of sweetener for this amount of dry ingredients. Thanks for your help.
Jessica Gavin says
Great question Jerilyn! Yes, those are the correct amounts of the sweeteners. Thanks!
Judy says
Those look very good and will be wonderful with a pot of pinto beans that have been cooking all day long.
Jessica Gavin says
I agree Judy!