This easy homemade cornbread without eggs is super moist, perfectly sweet, incredibly buttery, and slices beautifully. It makes the best side for chili, soups, or summer BBQs! This eggless cornbread recipe is vegan, dairy-free, one bowl, and ready in a quick 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Eggless Cornbread
This cornbread without eggs is SO good that I had to stop myself from finishing off the entire skillet. Here are a few reasons why we love this recipe and you will too:
- Incredible Texture – Despite being eggless, this cornbread achieves a moist and soft crumb, thanks to the perfect blend of ingredients. You won’t miss the eggs at all!
- Rich & Buttery – With an increased amount of fat to replace the egg yolks, this cornbread has a rich, buttery flavor while still being dairy free.
- Unbelievably Easy – This is a one bowl cornbread recipe, ready in just 30 minutes. It’s a simple, no-fuss method that yields fantastic results.
- Versatile – This vegan cornbread is the perfect side dish for so many meals from classic chili, soup, or a summer BBQ.
Why This Recipe Works
This vegan cornbread recipe uses apple cider vinegar and plant milk to create homemade buttermilk. When combined with baking soda (a great leavening agent), this helps create the binding action that replaces eggs. I’ve also increased the amount of fat in the recipe to replace the fat from the egg yolk found in traditional cornbread.
Vegan buttermilk and extra plant-based butter create an unbeatable moist and fluffy texture.
These two subs mean we don’t need other traditional egg replacers like unsweetened applesauce, ground flax seeds, or a flax egg. If you’d like to learn more, I have an entire article on the BEST substitutes for eggs for baking. This vinegar and baking soda method is one I use in lots of quick bread recipes here on the blog.
Ingredients
This eggless cornbread comes together in no time with just a handful of pantry staples and simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Unsweetened Oat Milk or Soy Milk – The base for our homemade vegan buttermilk, providing a touch of creaminess to our cornbread.
- White or Apple Cider Vinegar – Combined with the milk, this creates our vegan buttermilk replacement, adding a tangy note. This also helps the bread rise.
- Yellow Cornmeal – The star of the show, cornmeal gives our bread its classic hearty texture.
- All-Purpose Flour – Works alongside cornmeal to achieve a balanced, tender crumb.
- Granulated Cane Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness to our cornbread.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – The leavening agents that give our bread a beautiful rise.
- Salt – Enhances all the other flavors!
- Melted Salted Vegan Butter or Canola Oil – Adds rich, delicious moisture to make this dairy free cornbread truly irresistible.
Substitutions
While this easy recipe has been tested with the specific ingredients above, you can definitely substitute in what you have on hand:
- Milk Substitute – Any milk, such as almond milk, can be used based on your preference.
- Vegan Butter Substitute – Canola, coconut, olive oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of vegan butter. Please note, each brings a unique flavor profile, so choose the one that best suits your palate. If using oil, be sure to add an extra 1/4 tsp of salt.
- Cane Sugar Substitute – Brown sugar or coconut sugar can serve as an alternative to cane sugar. Note that these may slightly alter the flavor of your cornbread. You can also use a granulated sugar free alternative.
Helpful Equipment
To bake this eggless cornbread, you’ll need:
- 9-inch cast-iron skillet, a 9” round cake pan, or an 8×8” baking dish
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
Note: You can make skillet cornbread by using a cast-iron skillet. The skillet helps create a beautiful golden brown bottom on the bread.
Step By Step Instructions
🎥 For exact ingredient quantities and a step-by-step video, skip to the recipe card below!
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare your baking dish or skillet by greasing the bottom and sides with some melted vegan butter or vegetable oil.
STEP 2: In a glass measuring cup, combine your chosen milk with the vinegar to create a dairy-free buttermilk. Set this aside for 5 minutes.
STEP 3: In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
STEP 4: Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in the melted vegan butter and buttermilk mixture. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until a batter forms. Whisk for 1-2 minutes to remove any lumps and to help thicken the cornbread batter.
STEP 5: Pour this cornbread batter into your prepared pan or dish and bake for 20-22 minutes if using a skillet or 22-25 minutes for a square baking dish.
Serving
Once the eggless cornbread has baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes. Of course, you can slice it right away, but it will be a bit crumbly while still hot.
Once it’s completely cooled, the slices hold together beautifully with very little crumbs.
I personally love this vegan cornbread when served warm, smeared with some maple butter, or drizzled with agave nectar. It adds a touch of sweetness that complements the rich, buttery flavor of the cornbread.
This recipe makes a perfect side for some of the following dishes:
- Hearty Vegetable Soup
- Vegan Chili
- BBQ Sandwiches
- Vegan Sloppy Joes
- Vegan Jambalaya
- Vegetarian Gumbo
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Black Bean Enchiladas
- Vegan Mac & Cheese
Storage
If you have any leftover cornbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. You can also cover the pan or skillet with plastic wrap.
For longer storage, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to one week.
You can also freeze this cornbread for up to three months; just ensure it’s wrapped well with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.
Pro Tips
Follow these tips for the best vegan cornbread!
- Whisk the batter well: this helps make sure there are no lumps.
- Let the cornbread batter sit for a minute or two: this allows it to thicken and results in a better texture.
- Perfect Golden Crust: cooking in a preheated cast-iron skillet gives your cornbread the perfect golden crust. It’s worth a try if you’re after that extra crunch. I use this method with my biscuit recipes too!
- To make sweet cornbread: increase the sugar to ⅔ cup.
- For a fun variation, try making cornbread muffins: just pour the batter into a greased muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden.
- If you’re feeding a crowd: double the recipe and bake in a 9×13” pan for 35-40 minutes.
FAQ
Yes! This recipe serves as the perfect testament that you can make delicious, moist cornbread without using any eggs. Vegan buttermilk and baking soda serve as the binding agent to help hold this eggless cornbread together.
The classic toothpick test is the best way to check. Insert a toothpick into the center of your cornbread; if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, your cornbread is ready. The top of the cornbread should be slightly domed and look smooth to the touch, not wet. The edges should be pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan and they should be a light golden brown color.
While I haven’t personally tested this exact substitution, you should be able to replace the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar with two boxes of Vegetarian Jiffy Mix. Since the mix already contains shortening, you might not need to add extra butter.
Instead, start by combining the mix with about 1 1/4 cup of vegan buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a small amount of melted vegan butter or oil. Please note, as this modification hasn’t been tested, I can’t guarantee the results. Be sure to let me know how it turns out if you decide to give it a try!
More Tasty Eggless Sides:
Did you make this Eggless cornbread Recipe?
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Easy Homemade Cornbread without Eggs!
This easy homemade cornbread without eggs is super moist, perfectly sweet, incredibly buttery, and slices beautifully. It makes the best side for chili, soups, or summer BBQs! This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, one bowl, and it's ready in a quick 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup (300g) unsweetened oat milk or soy milk, or use your milk of choice
- 1 tbsp (14g) white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup (140g) yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated cane sugar
- 2 tsp (7g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (3g) salt
- ½ cup (115g) melted salted vegan butter, or canola oil (add ¼ tsp salt if using oil)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, a 9” round cake pan, or 8x8” baking dish by greasing the bottoms and sides with cooking spray or melted vegan butter. Set aside.
- Make the dairy free buttermilk by combining the oat or soy milk with the vinegar in a measuring cup. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes to curdle.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk to combine well.
- Make a well in the center and add the melted vegan butter and the buttermilk mixture. Whisk well, for 1-2 minutes, to form a batter.
- TIP: the batter may look thin at first but after whisking it should thicken up and look like the batter in the photos in the post above.
- Pour into the prepared cast iron pan or baking dish.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes for the cast iron pan or 22-25 minutes for the square baking dish. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean with a few crumbs.
- TIP: let the cornbread cool before slicing. It will be a bit crumbly when hot, but once cooled the slices should hold together beautifully.
Notes
To make sweet cornbread: increase the sugar to ⅔ cup.
For cornbread muffins: Make the recipe as is, but grease a muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden.
For a 9x13” pan: Double the recipe and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 219Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1.1gSugar: 7gProtein: 3.2g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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This is a lovely recipe! I made muffins, and recipe makes 12. I used soy milk and apple cider vinegar with Bob’s Red Mill corn flour. So good! Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Would It be the same if I didn’t make butter milk and just used coconut milk?
Hi Ana, the vinegar in the ‘buttermilk’ reacts with the leavening agents and helps the cornbread rise. You can use coconut milk, but I don’t recommend leaving out the vinegar!
Desperate to find a recipe for cornbread that didn’t need eggs, milk or yogurt, I tried this one out. I used the extra sugar and added a small can of sweet corn plus the liquid from the can. Baked in a hot cast iron skillet with a few TBSP of melted butter for 22 minutes and it turned out perfectly! A little crumbly, but delicious!