*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
This vegan cornbread recipe gets its tender, buttery crumb from a blend of cornmeal and masa harina, and its crackly golden edges from a screaming-hot cast iron skillet. No eggs, no dairy, no weird stuff, just a recipe I've been tweaking for over 20 years and that 1,000+ testers have hammered on. It's the one you want next to chili, BBQ, or crumbled into Thanksgiving stuffing.
Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
This exact recipe works pretty amazingly with a gluten-free flour blend standing in for the all-purpose. Nothing else in it needs to change.
It bakes for 50-55 minutes, so use that window to knock out the rest of dinner. It keeps a week in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.
Skip the masa harina and use extra cornmeal instead. Plain cornstarch or tapioca starch does the job of the egg replacer powder just fine.
Unsweetened vegan yogurt is my first choice in place of the olive oil if you want to leave it out, and a cup of corn kernels folds right in.
Masa harina and egg replacer powder are the only oddballs here. Extra cornmeal covers the masa, and tapioca or potato starch stands in for the egg replacer.
Preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven. This is crucial for a crispy, golden crust with a moist, tender inside. It should sizzle as it hits the skillet.
Stir the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can make the cornbread tough and dense, so stop as soon as the flour is mixed in.
Extra mix-ins will extend the cooking time, so be patient if you've added corn, peppers, or other goodies.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the room first: you can totally make this in a cake pan without following the skillet method, and I have included notes in the recipe card for doing just that. Heck, you can even use this batter for corn muffins. It's quite the versatile batter.
Serve it alongside a bowl (or hat) full of vegan chili. Or grab some roasted chestnuts and get ready to turn this bad boy into the best vegan cornbread stuffing you've ever put out on your Thanksgiving table. Or use it as the glorious golden topping to a vegan tamale pie.
So preheat your oven and let's get that skillet sizzling!
This cornbread recipe is absolutely epic and would be great for a crowd! The masa harina adds something magical to the texture, so this is like no other cornbread recipe I have ever tried. You will not be disappointed!
Jump to:
- Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
- Why you'll adore this masa harina cornbread
- Vegan cornbread ingredients
- Variations
- How to make vegan cornbread
- What to serve with vegan cornbread
- Top tips
- Recipe FAQs
- A few soups that are super-yummy to serve with vegan cornbread:
- The Best Vegan Cornbread Recipe
Why you'll adore this masa harina cornbread
🌽 Cornmeal & Masa Harina Magic: Using a blend of yellow cornmeal and masa harina gives this cornbread its authentic flavor and tender texture. Don't freak out though. If you can't get masa harina, I also provide instructions for making it without that stuff.
✌️ Easy-Peasy Ingredients: Some vegan cornbread recipes require some sorta obscure nonsense to pull off. But you won't have to hunt down any hard-to-find ingredients for this one! Most of what you need is probably already in your pantry. It's all stuff you should be able to grab from your local supermarket, but I have included links to have everything delivered right to your door, because I love ya.😘
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this cornbread got baked by recipe testers around the globe with every kind of plant-based milk you can think of, and it came out golden for all of them.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
Vegan cornbread ingredients
Masa Harina
Yellow masa harina is a staple in vegan Mexican cuisine for making tortillas and vegan tamales alike. It is made from finely milled dried corn treated with lime (nixtamalization), which gives this cornbread a better texture than most recipes. If you don't have masa harina, you can substitute it with additional cornmeal, or use masa arepa instead.
If you are looking for a recommendation, I am a major fan of the masa harina products from Masienda. They use wonderful heirloom corn varieties in their masa and treat the earth with dignity and care.
Cornmeal
Medium grind cornmeal isn't nearly as fine as masa harina. It provides the structure that gives a great cornbread recipe its irresistible cakey crumb. If you want to make a blue cornbread, you can, of course, use blue cornmeal instead of the typical yellow stuff, as I do to make my popular blue corn pancakes.
Egg Replacer Powder
This ingredient is basically a mix of plant-based starches which mimic the binding and air bubble-forming properties of eggs. Both Bob's Red Mill and the OG egg-replacer powder from Ener-G work great in this recipe. If you can't find either, you can substitute tapioca starch or potato starch and the recipe will still work reliably.
Plant-Based Milk
Unsweetened plant-based milk, such as almond milk, soy, or oat milk, provides moisture and helps blend the ingredients smoothly. Out of all the options, soy milk curdles best when mixed with the acid from the apple cider vinegar, which gives it a buttermilk-like texture. This is the secret to getting a proper moist cornbread.
Don't Make Boring Ol' Vegan Cornbread!
I mean, unless you are making these as muffins (and even then I'd suggest adding the corn kernels), you are gonna want to jazz up the cornbread with some of these fun goobers!
90% of the time I rock scallions, chives, or minced shallots in the cornbread batter. They offer up their lovely savoriness that balances the sweetness of the bread.
If serving the cornbread with vegan BBQ, or Tex-Mex dishes like this absurdly tasty vegan Frito pie, stirring some jalapeños or Fresno chilies to the batter adds heat and crunch.
✌️Either way, garnishing the finished cornbread with some extra vegan butter, paprika, chives, or parsley makes it look even more inviting. I beg you, m'dear love, please make your food look pretty!
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
Variations
Pumpkin Cornbread:
My vegan pumpkin cornbread recipe is moist AF and comes packing a topping of cinnamon pecan butter.
Vegan Corn Casserole:
With MORE corn than bread, and a bunch scallions and vegan cheese, my vegan corn casserole makes for a hearty Southern Thanksgiving side.
Jalapeño Chorizo Cheddar Cornbread:
Mix in 1 cup of vegan cheddar shreds, 1 cup of vegan chorizo crumbles, and finely diced jalapeños into the batter. Top with an additional sprinkle of each of those before baking. The combination of spicy and cheesy flavors creates a satisfying, comforting cornbread that's perfect with a hearty bowl of Mexican lentil soup or vegan corn chowder.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
How to make vegan cornbread
The only real trick here is a skillet so hot the batter sizzles when it hits. Follow the photos below, or scroll down to the recipe card for the printable version.
Step One
Cast Iron-Man:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up while you make the batter.
Step Two
Corn to be Wild:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, masa harina, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Step Three
Ray Brad-Slurry:
In a small bowl, beat the egg replacer powder and maple syrup together with a fork or small whisk for about 60 seconds, until smooth and a little foamy.
Step Four
Whisky Tango Foxtrot:
Using a rubber spatula, add the maple slurry to the dry ingredients, along with the plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Mix until smooth.
Step Five
Scallion Dion:
If you are using mix-ins, stir in the corn and scallions last. Serving it with BBQ or chili? Stir in the minced jalapeño or Fresno chili too.
Step Six
Grease Is the Word:
Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven and spread the vegan butter around the bottom and sides of the pan.
Step Seven
Batter Up:
Add the batter to the skillet and quickly spread it into an even layer. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center without wet batter on it and the sides are lightly browned and pulling away from the pan.
Step Eight
Butter Me Up, Scotty:
Just before serving, set a pat of vegan butter in the center and garnish with fresh chives or parsley.
What to serve with vegan cornbread
A few of my fave soups that I think go particularly well with this golden, sweet cornbread are roasted carrot lentil soup, vegan chicken noodle soup, and red lentil dal.
Cornbread is non-negotiable on my Thanksgiving table. Set it next to Turkish green beans, a roasted vegan turkey and a pile of vegan fried chicken, then finish with my $25k vegan apple pie or a batch of vegan apple cider donuts.
Top tips
- 🔥 Sizzle for Success: Preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven. This is crucial for a crispy, golden crust with a moist, tender inside. Spread vegan butter quickly around the hot pan, then pour in the batter immediately. It should sizzle as it hits the skillet.
- 🙅♀️ Batter Up, Not Over: Stir the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can make the cornbread tough and dense, so stop as soon as the flour is mixed in.
- ⏳ Bulk Means Bide Your Time: Extra mix-ins will extend the cooking time, so be patient if you've added corn, peppers, or other goodies like crumbled applewood smoked vegan breakfast sausage.
- ⏱️ Cool Your Cornbread Jets: Let the cornbread rest in the skillet for at least ten minutes before slicing. This allows it to firm up, making it easier to cut without crumbling.
Recipe FAQs
Yep. A metal baking dish or a 13x9-inch (33x23 cm) Pyrex pan works great, and the batter makes good corn muffins too. Preheat the pan in the oven for a few minutes first. You won't get quite the same crispy crust as cast iron, but it'll still be delicious.
Sure. Swap the masa harina for the same amount of extra cornmeal, or use masa arepa. The masa gives it that extra-tender, nutty corn flavor, so it's worth grabbing a bag if you can.
Use this exact recipe and swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. King Arthur's Measure for Measure works amazingly here.
You can, but whole wheat pastry flour is the better swap for all-purpose flour. Regular whole wheat makes it a little less soft and tender, which is still great if you're grilling slices to serve with BBQ.
🧊 In the Fridge: Let it cool completely, then keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Separate stacked pieces with parchment paper.
❄️ In the Freezer: Wrap the cooled cornbread tightly in foil, then put it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it at room temperature.
🔥 Reheating: Pan-fry slices in a little olive oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden, or wrap it in foil and warm it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8-10 minutes.
A few soups that are super-yummy to serve with vegan cornbread:
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
The Best Vegan Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- large skillet (10 inches)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup masa harina or substitute with additional cornmeal
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons egg replacer powder
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 3 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Optional but recommended mix-ins:
- ⅔ cup sliced scallions
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
If serving your cornbread with chili or vegan barbecue:
- 1 minced jalapeño or Fresno chili
For Baking:
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
For Serving:
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon minced chives or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a cast iron pan into the oven to heat while you put the batter together.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, masa harina, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, using the tines of a fork or a small whisk, beat together the egg replacer powder and maple syrup for about 60 seconds until smooth and a little foamy.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the maple/egg replacer slurry into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the milk, cider vinegar, and olive oil, and mix together until smooth.
- If using any mix-ins, stir in the corn and scallions last. If you are going to be serving the cornbread with BBQ dishes, you can also stir in some minced chilies.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven, and spread the margarine around the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the cornbread batter, and spread it quickly around into an even layer. Place the cornbread back into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick can be removed from the center without having wet batter adhere to it, and the sides of the cornbread should appear lightly browned and pulling away from the edges of the pan.
- Remove the cornbread from the oven, and just before serving, place a pat of vegan butter in the center and garnish with fresh herbs.
Video
Notes
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
Emma says
Is the smoked paprika supposed to coat the pan with the butter before you add the batter? Not 100% clear from the recipe.
Adam Sobel says
Nope. it goes on top