This is seriously the BEST Vegan Cornbread recipe and so easy to make. It’s perfectly sweet, moist, tender, and comforting. The perfect side for chili, soups, and stews.
It doesn’t get much better than a slice of warm cornbread with a big bowl of chili on a crisp fall day. So, get ready for the best vegan cornbread recipe…EVER!
I wanted to create a healthy, no oil, vegan version of a classic favorite. And, mission accomplished. All you need is 1 bowl, less than 10 ingredients, and less than 30 minutes. It’s completely plant-based, oil-free, and the perfect side for chili and soup. Also, try having it as a snack with some of this Instant Pot Apple Butter. Heaven.
Are you ready? Let’s make the best vegan cornbread!
How To Make Easy Vegan Cornbread
This recipe could not be any easier. You simply combine the ingredients, mix, dump into a pan, and bake. Let me show you.
- Combine the cornmeal, organic unbleached all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk. You could also use white whole wheat or whole wheat flour as well.
- Add the maple syrup, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and aquafaba (chickpea juice) to the dry ingredients and mix everything together until the batter is pretty smooth. But, DON’T overmix.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cornbread is done once you insert a toothpick into the middle and it comes out clean. Remove from the oven and give it a little time to cool down before you serve it. That’s it!
Vegan Cornbread Q & A
Can I Make This Into Muffins?
- Absolutely! Simply add the batter to a nonstick muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The muffins are ready when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
Can I Make Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread?
- Yes! I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour in place of regular flour.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
You can store any leftovers in the fridge, freezer, or even on the counter. Here’s how you do it.
- Counter Top: You can keep on the counter for about 4-5 days, covered.
- Fridge: Store in the refrigerator for a week.
- Freezer: You can freeze this cornbread for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy simply let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then warm it up in the oven or microwave.
What Do I Serve With Vegan Cornbread
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot Vegan Chili
- Easy Vegan BBQ Baked Beans
- Easy Instant Pot Cabbage
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- Smear it with this Instant Pot Apple Butter
You will love this Easy Vegan Cornbread recipe. It’s…
- Easy to make
- Sweet, but not too sweet
- Moist
- Oil-Free
- Satisfying
- Crisp around the edges
- Delicious!
Need a few more “sweet” treats? Try my Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, Healthy Vegan Banana Bread, and Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole.
If you would like to know more about oil-free baking check out this article, Healthy Oil Replacements In Baking.
If you make this recipe let me know. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. Be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work.
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The Best Vegan Cornbread Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 25 mins.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is seriously the BEST Vegan Cornbread recipe and so easy to make. It’s perfectly sweet, moist, tender, and comforting. The perfect side for chili, soups, and stews.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 ¼ cup of whole wheat flour or organic unbleached flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup or agave
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup aquafaba
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F˚ and line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper. You could also use a nonstick or silicone baking pan.
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk everything together.
- Add the maple syrup, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and aqufaba to the dry mix. Whisk until everything is combined but do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cornbread is done once you insert a toothpick into the middle and it comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, let the cornbread cool for a few minutes, then serve.
Notes
Aqufaba is the juice from a can of chickpeas. It takes the place of oil in this recipe. If you don’t have aquafaba you can use unsweetened apple sauce.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: Fall, holidays, winter, side dish, cornbread, vegan cornbread, no oil, oil-free
Yes!
★★★★★
Shane, your cornbread looks so good. Can aquafaba be frozen?
Shawna, thank you! Yes, absolutely. The best is to freeze aquafaba in 1-tablespoon portions in ice cube trays. Once the bean liquid cubes are frozen solid, they can be transferred to a freezer bag for future use. Just makes it easier:) Hope this helps.
This is so good! Ive been looking for a recipe that doesn’t crumble when it’s served. This came out sweet, soft and slices beautifully!
★★★★★
Thank you, Shawna! I’m so glad you liked it. I LOVE cornbread. Happy holidays!!!
Could I still make this in my iron skillet? I’m like your Grandma lol
Haha, me too, Debbie:) It should work just fine. I would keep an eye on it as it may not need as much time. But, you should have no worries. Let me know how it turns out.
This was the first time that I have tried your cornbread recipe. I made it to go with your sweet potato and black bean Chili recipe (also a first try), and my husband said it was the best Chili he’d ever tasted and that both the cornbread and Chili recipes were keepers. Congratulations on “testing well done”!
★★★★★
Elizabeth, that is so great! Tell him, “thank you!” 🙂 Thanks for reaching out and letting me know. Blessings.
What can I use in place of Aquafina? Also, do you think gluten free flour will result in the same texture? I’m celiac and can’t use regular 🙁
Hi, Kristine! I’m sorry about the celiac. We have friends who have dealt with that and we know it’s not pleasant. All the best to you. You can use unsweetened applesauce in place of the aquafaba. And, I would use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I haven’t tested this recipe with it, but it has always worked well in my other recipes. I hope this helps and good luck!
Shane, all I can say is this corn bread is better than any corn bread I’ve ever tasted! Thank you.
★★★★★
Thank you so much!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Blessings.
I am not a fan of sweet cornbread, any thoughts on what to replace the maple syrup?
To make it less sweet, leave out the maple syrup and replace with 1/2 the amount of veggie stock or leave out altogether. Hope this helps:) Peace.
What can be substituted for unbleached white flour? My daughter is allergic to white flour. Thanks.
If it’s just white flour, you can use whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. If it’s the wheat that causes her allergy, oat flour is a good replacement. So sorry about the allergies. I hope one of these helps and she is able to enjoy the cornbread. Blessings.
Thanks Shane.
You’re welcome. Good luck!
I’m making chili and want something to accompany it. Can I make the cornbread the day before? Will it be just as yummy???
Hi, Trish! I think it is absolutely yummy the day, or two, after:) We keep it in a big bag specifically for chili:)
I just made this and it is SO delicious!! Very moist. I didn’t know how to make aquafaba, so left it out. I just noticed you can substitute applesauce, but frankly, it was great without it. It is so moist and not too sweet. I cannot believe how good it is. Truly the best I have ever made. And it’s healthy too. I saw a comment saying it’s not healthy, but just use Whole Wheat Flour instead and I am a vegan so maple syrup is a great sweetener to use. I am now going to check out all your recipes. Thank you!!!!
★★★★★
Thank you Colleen. FYI, aquafaba is chickpea juice from a can of chickpeas. It acts as an oil replacement. But, great to hear this works well without it:) Blessings.
Hi Shane! I haven’t tried this recipe yet but it looks really delicious. Did you use fine grain or medium grain cornmeal to make these? Thanks for taking the time to post your recipes.
Pat, you are so welcome! I prefer a more “fine” cornmeal. Hope this helps.
Hi Shane! Tried this recipe today and loved it. Best cornbread I have ever made! My husband says it’s the best cornbread he’s ever had! And he’s not wfpb! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Wow! Thanks so much, Karen. I get it. I’m from Mississippi and we take our cornbread pretty serious. LOL! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi, Shane! I just made this cornbread, and it’s delicious! I will definitely make it again. However, I don’t think mine came out the way it was supposed to. I used the whole wheat flour and the apple sauce, and my finished product looked much darker and less grainy than yours looked. In fact, your cornbread is much more yellow whereas mine is more on the browner side. It’s moist and tasty, but it doesn’t really have a corn taste to it. Any suggestions on how to get mine more like yours? Thanks!
Hi, Marie! So glad you liked it. Try coarser cornmeal…I used Bob’s Red Mill. That will help with “grainy”. Honestly, concerning the color, mine changes at times:) And, photography lighting plays a big part and can look much different on a screen. Here’s how I look at things when I cook: If I like it and it tastes good, I go with it. LOL! Happy Thanksgiving and I hope this helps. Blessings.
This is the only vegan cornbread I’ve ever made that was still edible the second day! THANK YOU!!!
★★★★★
Good to hear. It usually disappears the 2nd hour around my house. LOL! Thank you:)
This corn bread is legit. I’ve had to keep myself from eating all of it… but I’m slowly failing – one delicious bite at a time. This will now be my go-to cornbread recipe! It makes me excited to try your cornbread casserole recipe!
★★★★★
Once again, thank you:) You have literally made my day. Merry Christmas!
Made this tonight as a compliment to the Dr. McDougall’s corn chowder recipe (family favorite). I specifically went to your site for something without oil. What does my hubby do? Load it up with margarine “to make it taste better”. Doh! He prefers my tons of sugar + oil vegan recipe. I thought they were yummy, thanks for the healthy recipe. I subbed apple sauce.
Thank, Kayll!
hey Shane, me again from Canada. I made the corn bread today and it’s the first cornbread that was moist and fluffy. I used oat flour as I’m GF. It was awesome. We are going to enjoy it with the potato soup we have in the instant pot. Keep those great recipes coming. Have you ever tried making pretzels? I’ve tried the different GF recipes and the raccoons out back wouldn’t eat them. Thanks again!!
★★★★★
Thank you, Tami! I’ve not pretzels…yet, but it’s in the hopper:) Hopefully soon. Blessings.
I made this last night (with your chili) and it was so so good ! I have missed cornbread sooooo much — and all the other vegan recipes I tried weren’t worth having LOL This was FANTASTIC !! Thank you, Shane !
★★★★★
Thank you!
This is delicious cornbread, but mine turned out dense and flat. Do you think vital wheat gluten would help or maybe I just need to buy a new jar of baking powder.
★★★★
Hi, Barb! I’m glad you like and sorry to hear it didn’t rise. It could be the baking powder. What size pan did you use? This can also happen if it’s cooked in a bigger pan.
I made this for my vegan husband and my nonvegan, just because it’s vegan means it tastes bad, kids;) It is now my official cornbread recipe taking the place of my stand by that has been used 20+ years! Very moist and tastes delicious. The kiddos were pleasantly surprised and our church group did not even know it was vegan. Thank you for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Wow, Sherry! That is so great!!! Thanks for sharing.
love how this is both simple and oil-free!! thanks 🙂
My pleasure. Hope you enjoy it.
Shane,
I make my old recipe corn bread with creamed corn. What would you recommend I reduce to compensate using 3/4 cup of creamed corn?
Yes, I would start there. I would love to hear how it turns out. Thanks and good luck!
Creamed corn worked out well! I think I’ll try adding more nest time.
★★★★★
Thank you!
Best plant based cornbread we’ve had!
★★★★★
Thank you!
Excellent. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you!
I’m absolutely thrilled with this recipe. I have cooked it twice and it is so tasty. Thanks so much.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, George! And, thanks for reaching out.
I didn’t have aquafaba, so I used the unsweetened applesauce. Very nice! Light. Not too sweet. It works well both savory and sweet.
I made it tonight to accompany black beans, sweet potato, and greens. It was so delicious that I’m planning a late dessert of cornbread with some warmed up stewed apples I have in the fridge.
This recipe is well worth your four years mastering a delicious cornbread! Thank you, and stay well.
★★★★★
Thank you, Carol!
Amazing! So thankful that you posted this recipe, it’s definitely kept me stuffed during quarantine! Do you think honey can be substituted for maple syrup, and if so, would it be a 1:1 ratio substitution?
Also side note, this tastes absolutely amazing with sunflower seed butter spread on top! Thanks again 🙂
If you’re ok with honey yes you can use it as a 1:1 sub. Hope you enjoy it.
This recipe is amazing! Much like many of your recipes this will become a regular in our house. We crumble it in our vegetable soup. It also refrigerates well.
★★★★★
Absolutely moist and delicious! Thanks for all your great recipes!
★★★★★
Shane, how would this work in the Air Fryer? Any suggestions for temperature and time?
Honestly, no clue! I’ve never made cornbread in air fryer. If you have a convection setting I would just google “convection time” vs. regular baking time.
I made this last night. It was really tasty. And I loved that I could use the aquafaba! I actually used the aquafaba from a can of pinto beans (instead of chickpeas), but it seemed to work as it turned out perfectly. Another winner from Shaneandsimple.com.
★★★★★
Awesome!
Best cornbread recipe to date! I’m fussy about my cornbread but I love this recipe, I made it last night, quick & easy like all of your recipes! I love to smother mine with honey 😁
★★★★★
Hi Shane! Can I cook this in my instant pot? I have the spring form pan insert. Your cornbread is the BEST! But it’s summer in south Florida and I don’t want to turn on my oven. (You can laugh at me, it’s ok.) Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Honestly, I’ve never tried it. But, as I say with my recipes…”anything’s worth trying at least – once.”
This turned out very moist and raised really nicely. I only had white cornmeal so the color was more brown than yellow, but flavor didn’t seem to e affected.
★★★★★
This came out perfect! The texture and the amount of sweetness was spot on! I’ve made this twice now and it’s going to be my go to recipe for cornbread as everyone in the house loved it!
★★★★★
Awesome, Launie! So glad you enjoyed it. Be sure and check out my Vegan Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Muffins too:)
This recipe is the BEST vegan cornbread I’ve ever made, and I’ve made quite a few trying to find the perfect one.
★★★★★
We liked the flavor of this and when warm, it was quite good. About a 1/2 hour after it came out of the oven, it set up quite hard. Maybe I over-stirred it? Any thoughts? I made it as directed. Thanks!
★★★★
Hey, what can I use instead of aqufaba(plant based options?)
Applesauce would be a viable option.
YUM! My first ever cornbread made this morning before church and Hubby and I had a little bit afterwards. Letting it cool down then it’s going to be wrapped and frozen for our Thanksgiving meal! On to the next recipe to prep – The Cream of Mushroom soup for the Green Bean casserole!
★★★★★
We were really wanting cornbread to go with African red bean stew, but I had no regular cornmeal so I used polenta instead. I added some frozen corn and because I didn’t want to open a can of garbanzos, I used a 1/2 cup of applesauce. It turned out great! Nice and moist!
★★★★★
Awesome! Great subs and thanks for sharing.
I tried your chili recipe and it came our awesome.
I will try the corn bread recipe this weekend.🙏🤩
★★★★★
Thank you!!!
Hi, I’m going to make this tonight and I thought about adding a flax egg. Should I not do that? I think that I’ll throw in some frozen corn kernels because I want to use them up! I’m sure these will be great in any case. Thanks.
★★★★★
The frozen corn kernels should turn out great. You could add a flax egg, but not really sure you need it.
So great and quick! Have made it 3 times since Thanksgiving since Hubby has raved about it. I made both the aquafaba and the applesauce versions. I bought some sweet corn to go into my next one for this weekend!
★★★★★
Oh, this is so good!!! I used the liquid from some great northern beans that I had to open for a seitan sausage recipe I was making, so figured I’d give it a try. Worked very well as the aquafaba. I baked in a cast-iron skillet for 25minutes and it was perfect. Thank you!
★★★★★
Awesome!