Description
I love cornbread for many reasons but its versatility is at the top of the list. It can be paired with a warm chili on a cold winter’s night, be a star at your Thanksgiving table, or a perfect side at a picnic or bbq. I’ve also enjoyed it as a snack, as breakfast paired with fresh berries, or even as dessert with a good drizzle of maple syrup. The possibilities are truly endless! This cornbread is entirely plant-based, has a moist and tender crumb, is subtly sweet, and perfectly corny (just like me!). You can play around with the mix-ins until you find your favorite combination, but no matter what you choose, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/4 cup plant milk, such as oat milk (full-fat)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup cornmeal (preferably the stone-ground varieties like this one)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegan butter + 2 tbsp for greasing the pan, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh is best, but frozen or canned works in a pinch)
- Optional add-ins:
- 1/4 cup scallion greens, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno, finely diced
- 1/3 cup freshly grated cheese (such as cheddar)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine plant milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. This will allow the plant milk to curdle slightly to achieve a buttermilk-like taste.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup melted butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Stir in the milk/vinegar mixture.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently, until no dry lumps remain. Only stir until no dry lumps remain. Over-stirring can lead to a tough cornbread crumb.
- Gently fold in the corn kernels and any add-ins you’ve chosen to include, being careful not to overmix the batter. Rest the batter for 10 minutes, while you preheat the oven. This will allow the cornmeal to absorb moisture and will result in a more tender crumb.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with 2 tbsp plant-based butter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean (some crumbs will likely still appear on the toothpick, but you should see no wet batter).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool and set for 15 minutes before you dig in! Serve with butter and honey or maple syrup!
