Gluten-Free Maple Cornbread

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5 from 4 votes

This cozy maple cornbread recipe is good enough to eat on its own, but it’s the perfect side dish for soup, chili, salad, and more. It’s thick, fluffy, and just sweet enough.

A pan of gluten-free maple cornbread brushed with maple butter

The Cornbread That Works For Weeknight Chili or Thanksgiving Dinner

This gluten-free maple cornbread is exactly the kind easy, relaxing recipe that fills the whole house with a cozy smell. Between the moist texture, and subtle maple flavor, there’s so much to love!

  • It’s EASY. Simple ingredients & simple techniques are the name of the game! If you can measure & whisk, you can make this easy maple cornbread recipe. Pinky promise.  
  • It’s DELICIOUS. Ultra thick, delightfully fluffy, and perfectly sweetened, brushed with maple butter when it’s hot out of the oven. It’s the kind of cornbread that keeps you coming back for seconds and thirds!
  • It’s GOOD NO MATTER WHEN YOU SERVE IT. This easy gluten-free cornbread recipe is just as at home with a bowl of chili or a big fall chopped salad as it is for an elegant Thanksgiving meal. (It’s a great alternative to rolls!)

Happy cooking! xo, Emily

Gather Your Ingredients

I make my maple cornbread recipe using traditional cornbread ingredients–flour, cornmeal, baking powder, milk, eggs, etc., but with the addition of pure maple syrup in place of the typical sugar or honey. The effect is subtle but just different enough to be special (it’s that little bit of a maple kick!). Here’s what you’ll need for this easy recipe:

Ingredients for maple cornbread
  • GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour for this gluten-free cornbread. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill!), make sure it contains xanthan gum, or the texture won’t turn out properly.
  • GLUTEN FREE CORNMEAL. Cornmeal is naturally gluten free, but it’s not always processed in ways that are safe if you have an allergy or intolerance. Look for the “certified gluten free” label for best results. Yellow cornmeal only, please!
  • BAKING POWDER, BAKING SODA & SALT. My maple cornbread gets a great puffy rise thanks to this combination, and the salt does a great job rounding out the flavors.
  • MILK + BUTTER (OR A DAIRY-FREE SUB!). We make this with unsweetened almond milk and butter, but you can use whatever you drink or works for your diet–regular milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, etc. Then, you’ll use melted butter or dairy-free butter, which adds substance and keeps this nice and tender.
  • PURE MAPLE SYRUP. The deeper, richer flavor notes of pure maple syrup add something special to this gently sweet maple syrup cornbread recipe. I love it! (And love it in the glaze on top!) Don’t be tempted to use pancake syrup for this, as the flavor will be SUPER strong and overwhelming. Real maple syrup only!
  • EGGS. Using a few large eggs is another key to keeping this light, fluffy, and tender. I haven’t made this egg-free yet, but see the FAQ for my suggestion.
  • A MAPLE GLAZE FOR THE TOP. Lastly, you’ll brush a little “glaze” of melted butter/ghee + maple syrup on top, which gives a pretty sheen and another subtle layer of flavor. We love it!

How To Make Gluten-Free Maple Cornbread, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

Making maple cornbread, step by step
  1. PREHEAT & PREP. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a ceramic or glass 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, gluten-free cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Whisk until evenly blended.
  3. ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and eggs. Stir or whisk until just combined. (A few lumps are fine!)
  4. BAKE. Pour cornbread batter into your prepared pan and gently smooth the surface or shake the pan a bit to settle the batter into an even layer. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Brush with glaze while the cornbread is still hot.
  5. WHILE THE CORNBREAD BAKES, MAKE THE GLAZE. In a small bowl, whisk melted butter with maple syrup. Brush glaze over the top of the cornbread when it’s hot from the oven. (It’ll feel like a LOT of glaze, but it will absorb into the bread without making it soggy!)
  6. SERVE & STORE. Allow the cornbread to cool at least 15-20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing, for best results. Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature 1-2 days, or in the fridge 2-3 days.
Fluffy maple cornbread cut into squares

What To Serve With Maple Cornbread

Cornbread is one of my kids’ favorite side dishes whenever we have soup or salad. A slice of warm cornbread goes perfectly with a nice big bowl of chili, southern favorites like fried chicken, or a big salad. We recommend…

Squares of gluten-free maple cornbread with maple butter glaze

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Maple Cornbread

YOUR PAN MATTERS. The material of your baking dish will impact how long the cornbread takes and how much it browns. I usually use a ceramic or glass pan for a gentle, even bake here. If you use a metal pan, it’ll brown more and cook through faster. (This is especially true for dark metal pans!) We haven’t baked this in a cast iron skillet yet.

CAN I MAKE THIS VEGAN (WITHOUT EGGS)? I haven’t made this sweet maple cornbread egg-free or vegan yet, but I’d start with a powdered egg substitute (like Ener-G or Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer) for a job like this, rather than a chia or flax egg, which can add a bit of grit to a cornbread recipe. Then, use dairy-free milk and vegan butter!

TIPS FOR STORING LEFTOVER GLUTEN-FREE CORNBREAD. For best results, I recommend covering the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil (or transferring to an airtight container/bag) and storing the cornbread in the fridge, where it’ll last 2-3 days. Or, you can freeze it whole or cut into slices in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 1 month. 

CAN I DOUBLE THIS MAPLE CORNBREAD TO MAKE A 9×13 PAN? Yes, though I don’t have a baking time for you. You’ll want to start checking it every few minutes once you hit the 20-minute mark. Or, you can get 10-12 gluten-free cornbread muffins from this recipe!

Fluffy maple cornbread cut into squares

More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes To Try

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Maple Cornbread recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

A pan of gluten-free maple cornbread brushed with maple butter

Gluten-Free Maple Cornbread

4.75 from 4 votes
Emily from One Lovely Life
This cozy maple cornbread recipe is the perfect side dish for soup, chili, salad, and more. It's thick, fluffy, and just sweet enough!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 9 -16 servings
Calories: 184kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE CORNBREAD:

  • 1 cup Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour*
  • 1 cup Gluten-Free Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup Milk (I use unsweetened almond milk!)
  • 4 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
  • 5 Tablespoons Butter (Or Vegan Butter)
  • 3 Large Eggs

FOR THE MAPLE GLAZE:

  • 1 Tablespoon Butter, Melted (or Vegan Butter)
  • 3 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

Instructions

  • PREHEAT & PREP. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a ceramic or glass 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
  • COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, gluten-free cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Whisk until evenly blended.
  • ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS. Make a small well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and eggs. Stir or whisk until just combined. (A few lumps are fine!)
  • BAKE. Pour cornbread batter into your prepared pan and gently smooth the surface or shake the pan a bit to settle the batter into an even layer. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Brush with glaze while the cornbread is still hot.
  • WHILE THE CORNBREAD BAKES, MAKE THE GLAZE. In a small bowl, whisk melted butter with maple syrup. Brush glaze over the top of the cornbread when it’s hot from the oven. (It’ll feel like a LOT of glaze, but it will absorb into the bread without making it soggy!)
  • SERVE & STORE. Allow the cornbread to cool at least 15-20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing, for best results. Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container at room temperature 1-2 days, or in the fridge 2-3 days.

Notes

  • GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour for this gluten-free cornbread. If you use another 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill!), make sure it contains xanthan gum, or the texture won’t turn out properly.
  • GLUTEN FREE CORNMEAL. Cornmeal is naturally gluten free, but it’s not always processed in ways that are safe if you have an allergy or intolerance. Look for the “certified gluten free” label for best results. Yellow cornmeal only, please!
  • YOUR PAN MATTERS. The material of your baking dish will impact how long the cornbread takes and how much it browns. I usually use a ceramic or glass pan for a gentle, even bake here. If you use a metal pan, it’ll brown more and cook through faster. (This is especially true for dark metal pans!) We haven’t baked this in a cast iron skillet yet.
  • TIPS FOR STORING LEFTOVER GLUTEN-FREE CORNBREAD. For best results, I recommend covering the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil (or transferring to an airtight container/bag) and storing the cornbread in the fridge, where it’ll last 2-3 days. Or, you can freeze it whole or cut into slices in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 1 month. 

Video

Course: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: dairy free cornbread, fall cornbread, gluten free cornbread recipe, gluten free dairy free cornbread, maple cornbread, sweet cornbread recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice (1/12 recipe) | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 61.8g | Protein: 3.3g | Fat: 7.6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 61.8mg | Sodium: 193.2mg | Potassium: 255.8mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 7.2g | Calcium: 136.5mg

Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.

Recipe originally shared Sept 2019. Updated with improved recipe notes, step by step photos and video and republished Oct 2026.

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25 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a hit ! I didn’t actually make the glaze and it was still super moist and delicious 🙂 … Also used almond flour as someone else did below and it was fabulous! Thanks!

  2. This is still my go to GF corn bread recipe! It’s incredible & a major hit at any event I take it to. Many people are shocked to learn it’s gluten & dairy free!
    My favorites to use are Namaste Flour, Bob’s Red Mill Corn Flour (I just prefer the texture or corn meal), Calafia Oat Milk & Natural Grocers brand Plant Based Butter. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this tonight with spicy chili, but substituted almond flour for the all-purpose gluten-free flour. All other ingredients & instructions remained the same. The bread turned out amazing! I can’t get enough. Great job on this recipe and now it’s been verified almond flour works beautifully. Thanks!

    1. Sonya – Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment! It’s so nice to know that it works with almond flour, too. I’ll have to try it sometime!