Oh my gosh, there is nothing cozier than a slice of warm cornbread, is there? That slightly crumbly texture, the sweetness that hits just right… it just screams comfort food. Now, for years, getting that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture without butter or eggs felt like a massive challenge. Seriously, I wrecked batches trying to substitute things!
But I finally nailed it. This **Vegan Sweet Cornbread** recipe I’m sharing today is honestly the easiest, quickest perfect quick bread you will ever make. I’ve been tweaking the measurements on the plant milk and applesauce combo for ages, and trust me, this 40-minute total time recipe sets the gold standard for dairy-free baking in my kitchen now. You won’t even miss the traditional ingredients, I promise!
Why This Vegan Sweet Cornbread Recipe Works So Well
When folks hear “vegan cornbread,” they sometimes picture something dry or weirdly dense. Not this one! You can trust this recipe because it’s fast, straightforward, and truly delicious. I’ve worked out all the kinks for you so you don’t have to waste your ingredients.
- It only takes about 10 minutes to get everything mixed up! That’s lightning fast for a side dish.
- The whole thing is baked and ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for weeknights.
- We achieve that fantastic texture without a single drop of dairy or egg—it comes straight from simple pantry swaps. If you need some other speedy baked goods, check out my ideas for quick oat bread!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Vegan Sweet Cornbread
Okay, let’s talk about what you need to grab from the pantry. The beauty of this recipe is that it relies on pantry staples—no weird egg replacers or fancy flours here! You want to make sure you grab exactly what I list because balance is everything in quick breads.
For the wet stuff, make sure you use an unsweetened plant milk—I find soy or almond works really well for that neutral taste. And yes, you absolutely need that 1 cup of yellow cornmeal; get the standard kind, not the corn flour! Later on, I’ll share a tip about swapping veggie oil for melted vegan butter if you want an even richer crumb, but the oil keeps this batch super light.
Essential Components for Vegan Sweet Cornbread
You’ll want to measure these carefully so everything comes together perfectly in the bowl. Here is the list you need to source:
We start with 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, followed by 1 cup of yellow cornmeal. Then grab your 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and finally, 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
For the liquids and flavors, make sure you have 1 cup of unsweetened plant milk—soy or almond are my recommendations! Then we mix in 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, and just 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to round out the sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Vegan Sweet Cornbread
This is the fun part, and honestly, it moves faster than you think! Set yourself up for success by getting your oven up to temperature first. You want that heat ready to go when the batter hits the pan.
So, step one: Preheat everything to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 190 degrees Celsius if you use Celsius often. While it’s warming up, give your 8×8 inch baking pan a good light greasing so nothing sticks later. I always use a little oil and then a quick wipe with a paper towel.
Next, grab your largest bowl. Whisk together all the dry stuff—that’s the flour, the cornmeal, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisking is important because it helps wake them up and distribute the baking powder evenly. You don’t want a weird hump in the middle, right?
In a separate, medium bowl, just gently mix the wet ingredients: your plant milk, the applesauce, the oil, and the vanilla extract. Don’t go crazy mixing it; just make sure they look acquainted!
Now for the most crucial bit! Pour all those combined wet ingredients right into your dry mixture. Mix it gently. I mean it—mix only until you see no more streaks of dry flour. If you overmix this, your lovely cornbread will turn tough, so stop when you think you should stop, and then stop again! Pour that beautiful batter right into your greased pan. Pop it into that hot oven and let it bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and test with a toothpick around the 25-minute mark. If it comes out clean, you’re golden!
Don’t transfer it straight to a cooling rack! Let it sit snug in that hot pan for a solid 10 minutes. This cooling time is vital for a stable structure. After that little rest, you can cut it, serve it warm, maybe with a side of quick party dips if you’re feeling extra, and dive in!
Tips for the Best Vegan Sweet Cornbread Texture and Flavor
I love sharing the little secrets I’ve picked up—it’s what makes baking better, right? Since this is a sweet bread, the flavor balance has to be spot-on. If you want to kick the richness up a notch from just the vegetable oil, try swapping it out for melted vegan butter. Wow, that makes such a difference in the overall mouthfeel and flavor!
Also, sweetness is totally personal. If you’re someone who likes your cornbread savory-leaning or if you plan on drowning it in spicy chili later, don’t hesitate to cut back on the sugar. We call for 1/2 cup, but reducing it to just 1/3 cup works beautifully and keeps the corn flavor shining through. This is just like my tip for when I make honey butter cornbread—always taste and adjust!
Finally, let’s talk about taking the bread out of the oven. The toothpick test is fine, but I always rely on one extra step for perfect results. Once the toothpick comes out clean, I gently press the top center of the cornbread with my finger. If it springs right back without leaving an indentation, it’s ready to come out. If it sinks even a little, give it two more minutes!
Serving Suggestions for Your Homemade Vegan Sweet Cornbread
So you pulled this golden beauty out of the oven—now what? The way you serve this sweet, tender bread can change the entire meal vibe! Because it has that lovely hint of sugar, it walks the line perfectly between being a hearty side dish and a slightly sweet treat.
If you’re serving it alongside something savory, like a big pot of spicy chili or a hearty stew, you need a topping that complements the heat. Nothing beats a thick pat of soft, salted vegan butter melting right into the warm crumb. Trust me, the contrast between the savory main dish and the slightly sweet, melty butter is pure magic.
For a lighter meal, especially breakfast or brunch, this cornbread is fantastic repurposed as a base. Try spreading a thin layer of your favorite fruit jam or even a dollop of homemade vegan honey substitute on top. It’s almost like a scone!
If you’re looking for a main dish pairing that’s just as comforting, this bread is amazing dipped into a giant bowl of hearty vegetable soup. It’s a perfect textural contrast. You get that soft, slightly grainy interior soaking up all the delicious broth. Honestly, I’ve used leftover squares just to scoop up my dinner—it works every single time!
Storing Leftovers of Your Delicious Vegan Sweet Cornbread
I know this batch goes fast, but if you miraculously have any left over—which is impressive, by the way—storage is super simple. You don’t have to worry about complicated refrigeration here!
Just place the cooled cornbread into an airtight container. Keep it right there on your countertop at room temperature, and it stays perfectly fresh for up to three days. It’s one of the perks of how sturdy this dairy-free recipe cooks up!
When you are ready to enjoy it again, just give it a quick warm-up treat. I usually pop a square in the microwave for about ten seconds, or if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll warm it slightly in the oven. That little bit of heat brings back that fresh-out-of-the-oven softness beautifully. Enjoy those second-day slices!
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Sweet Cornbread
I know when I first switch to vegan recipes, I always have a million questions swirling around in my head, so I pulled together some of the ones I get asked most often about this exact recipe. Hopefully, this clears everything up so you can bake with total confidence!
What is the best plant milk to use when I make this dairy-free cornbread?
Honestly, you have so many great options now! I usually recommend using unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened almond milk, mostly because their flavor profiles are fairly neutral. This lets the lovely corn and sugar flavors actually shine through instead of tasting like coconut or oat, which can sometimes happen. But if soy or almond aren’t in your cupboard, any neutral, unsweetened plant milk will work just fine!
Is it possible to make this egg-free side dish gluten-free?
That’s a great idea, especially if you have allergies! You can absolutely adapt this recipe to be gluten-free, but you have to be careful with the flour swap. Since this is a quick bread that relies on the structure of both the flour and the texture of the cornmeal, I suggest using a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose blend that already contains xanthan gum. That way you keep the structure we worked so hard to achieve!
My cornbread turned out crumbly. Why did that happen?
Crumbly usually means one of two things when you’re baking something without eggs. First, check if you happened to use fine cornmeal instead of standard cornmeal—that can throw off the binding process. Second, and this is more common: you might have over-baked it slightly, or maybe you accidentally mixed the batter too much before it hit the pan! Remember, just mix until those dry streaks disappear. For more topping ideas, check out my suggestions for easy summer dips—sometimes a little topping can mask a slightly crumbly texture!
How can I make this cornbread less sweet without ruining the texture?
If you want to cut back on the sugar, go right ahead! We use 1/2 cup in the recipe, but you can safely reduce that down to 1/3 cup. Because the applesauce is already lending moisture, reducing the sugar slightly won’t hurt the rising or the texture much at all, and it really lets that hearty corn flavor come forward.
Estimated Nutrition Facts for Vegan Sweet Cornbread
I know some of you look at the nutrition label even before taking the first bite, so I wanted to lay out the estimated facts for this tasty side dish. Since we aren’t using eggs or traditional butter, some of the numbers look pretty good compared to conventional baking, which is a nice bonus!
Keep in mind these are just educated guesses based on the standard ingredients I use, especially the plant milk and oil. If you swap the oil for vegan butter, those fat and calorie numbers are going to shift around a bit, so use this as a general guide more than a strict lab report.
Here is the breakdown based on one serving square:
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12g
- Total Fat: 8g (with 1g being saturated.)
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg (See? No cholesterol, thanks to us skipping the eggs and butter!)
A final note, and this is important folks! I always have to say this disclaimer: These numbers are calculated based on my standard measurements listed in the recipe. If you change the sugar amount, use a different oil, or use a different brand of cornmeal, your final totals will differ slightly. Just bake on, knowing you’re eating something wholesome and delicious!
Share Your Experience Making This Vegan Sweet Cornbread
Now that you’ve had a chance to bake up this easy, fluffy batch, I absolutely want to hear what you thought! Cooking is always better when we share the results, isn’t it? Did it turn out perfectly golden on the first try? Were you surprised by how moist it was, even without the dairy?
Please take a second to scroll down and leave a star rating right below this section. It helps other bakers know this recipe is worth trying, and those ratings keep me motivated to keep testing new ideas for you!
If you snapped a photo of your beautiful, slightly sweet squares cooling on the rack or piled high next to your dinner plate, please tag me on social media! Seeing your creations—whether you served it with chili or just slathered them with vegan butter—is honestly my favorite part of this whole process. It proves that simple, compassionate baking can result in the most fantastic food.
Have any questions that weren’t covered in the FAQ section, or did you discover a new favorite topping? Don’t hesitate to drop a comment below! I read every single one, and I always try to reply back to my kitchen family. If you have detailed questions or just want to share a lengthy note, you can always hit me up through the contact page too!
Print
Simple Vegan Sweet Cornbread
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A straightforward recipe for sweet cornbread made without any animal products.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (soy or almond recommended)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix the plant milk, applesauce, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, substitute the vegetable oil with melted vegan butter.
- If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup.
- This cornbread stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: vegan, sweet cornbread, dairy-free, egg-free, cornmeal, quick bread