If you love cornbread, this Vegan Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread is a recipe you don't want to miss! It has crispy golden edges, a moist center, and is 100% dairy-free made without eggs, butter, or even faux vegan "butter"!
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe!
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- Crispy Golden Edges: using a cast-iron skillet lightly brushed with coconut oil gives the cornbread irresistible crispy edges!
- It's Moist and Not Crumbly: even without eggs, it holds together well and has a nice moist center!
- Made with Real Food Ingredients: it's 100% vegan and is even made without any faux vegan "butter"!
Karielyn
Jump to RecipeThis recipe is an extension of my Vegan Cornbread recipe that I posted back in 2012 from the original recipe creator, Isa Chandra.
The recipe is exactly the same but the way the cornbread is baked is different.
For example, the difference between the two is:
- Original 2012 Vegan Cornbread Recipe: made using a standard 8 x 8 baking dish and the cornbread could be cut into 9 large, thick squares.
- New 2026 Vegan Cast Iron Skillet Recipe: made using a cast iron skillet which results in a thinner cornbread cut into 8 large, thinner pizza-type slices with crispy golden edges.
So now you have two versions to use depending on what type of cornbread you feel like making!
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I used to make this recipe. Try to buy organic, if possible, especially the cornmeal.
- Cornmeal
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Non-Dairy Milk
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Maple Syrup
- Himalayan Pink Salt
That's it! This easy Vegan Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread recipe is super easy to make!
How To Make This Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Step 1: Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to a cast iron skillet and melt it on the stovetop on low heat.
Step 2: Brush the melted coconut oil on the bottom and sides of the cast iron skillet then set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the "buttermilk" by adding the milk and vinegar to a small bowl, whisk it together, then set aside.
Step 4: Melt the coconut oil. I use the double boiler method by adding the coconut oil to a glass bowl then putting it on top of a small saucepan filled with a little water. Put the saucepan on the stove top on low heat until the coconut oil melts and is liquid.
Step 5: Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Step 6: Re-whisk the "buttermilk" and add it, the melted coconut oil and maple syrup to the dry ingredient mixture.
Step 7: Stir all ingredients together until well combined and there are no lumps remaining.
Step 8: Transfer the mixture to the cast iron skillet that was brushed with melted coconut oil and spread it evenly. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
Traditional cornbread recipes are made with eggs.
However, in this Vegan Cornbread recipe, no eggs are used, making it a 100% vegan recipe!
In addition, instead of using cow milk, non-dairy milk is used making it a dairy-free recipe as well.
Yes, in my opinion it is healthier than store-bought versions.
For example, here's the ingredient list for the classic S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Jiffy Corn Muffins Mix that you can buy at Dollar General:
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Degermed Yellow Corn Meal, Sugar, Lard (Hydrogenated Lard, BHT and Citric Acid Preservatives), Contains Less Than 2% of: Baking Soda, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Salt, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Wheat Starch.
Not only does it contain BHT and GMO corn, but it is not vegan because it contains lard and you need to add an egg to make it.
This healthier version is made with one-ingredient items such as: organic cornmeal, organic unbleached flour, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, baking powder, and Himalayan pink salt.
Luckily you don't have to worry about toxic non-stick coatings with a cast iron skillet so any type of true cast iron skillet would work.
The brand I use is Staub which is made in France and is toxic-free.
You can, but.....
While you could make this recipe with vegan butter instead of 100% coconut oil, it is a highly processed faux vegan product made with seed oils that I do not recommend.
It is produced by "ConAgra", which manufactures the following S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) brands: Duncan Hines, Reddi Whip, Banquet Microwave Meals, Pam Cooking Spray, Snack Pack Pudding Cups and Swiss Miss.
Here is the ingredient list for a popular faux vegan "butter" product:
Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick Spreads Ingredients: Vegetable Oil Blend (Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Flaxseed Oil), Water, Less Than 2% of: Natural Flavor, Soy Protein Isolate, Olive Oil, Organic Soy Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Annatto Extract (Color).
Not only is it made with unhealthy, inflammatory seed oil, but it is made with GMO ingredients (soy protein isolate and soybean oil).
While you may miss the traditional "buttery" flavor in traditional cornbread, if your goal is to eat healthy and avoid highly processed, GMO and inflammatory foods, you may want to avoid faux vegan "butter".
Not to worry! There are two type of coconut oil you can use.
If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil, you can use "refined" coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell but behaves the same way as unrefined coconut oil.
The brand that I use is organic refined coconut oil because I personally do not like the taste of coconut.
This recipe, as is, is not gluten-free and I make it for my family members that are not gluten-free.
Over the years I have tested over and over a gluten-free version of this recipe but haven't perfected it yet.
Once I do, I will make sure to post it!
Here are some of my favorite recipes to make with this cornbread:
1. Smoked Paprika Black Bean Chili
2. Chipotle Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili
3. Vegan Slow Cooker Black-Eye Peas
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can make my Vegan Cornbread recipe that only needs either an 8 x 8 glass or metal baking dish.
It's the same exact recipe; it's just baked differently and has instructions on how to bake the cornbread in an 8 x 8 baking dish instead of a cast iron skillet.
Karielyn's Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions
Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:
Cornmeal. Use organic "medium grind" cornmeal, if possible, for the best results. I like to use this brand when making this recipe. Since corn is a high GMO ingredient, try to buy organic if possible.
Flour. Try to use unbleached organic white flour, if possible.
Non-Dairy Milk. My preference is to use homemade almond milk. However, any type of non-dairy milk such as oat milk will work in this recipe. In addition, it's very important that the milk be room temperature before adding. If the milk is cold when added, it will not mix well with the coconut oil. For example, coconut oil will become solid and clumpy when exposed to cold temperatures.
Coconut Oil. If you don't like the taste or flavor of coconut oil, use organic refined coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or flavor.
Maple Syrup. This is not a "sweet" cornbread. I used the amount in the original recipe, which results in a less sweet cornbread. However, if you prefer sweet cornbread, add an extra tablespoon at a time until you like it.
Baking Powder. Make sure your baking powder is fresh for the best results.
Himalayan Pink Salt. This is my salt of preference; however, you can always substitute with sea salt.
Optional Add-Ins. Keep in mind that this is a basic cornbread recipe. Feel free to add other ingredients to customize it to your preference. For example, extra sweetener, sliced jalapenos, whole corn kernels, etc.
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Vegan Skillet Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
Cast Iron Skillet Prep
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
For the "Buttermilk":
- 2 cups organic non-dairy milk (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons organic apple cider vinegar
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid)
- 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups organic cornmeal (medium grind)
- 1 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the skillet:
- Prepare a cast iron skillet by adding (1) tablespoon of coconut oil and melting on the stovetop on low heat. Set aside.
Prepare the dry ingredients:
- Combine the dry ingredients together in a large-size mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare the "buttermilk":
- Add the room temperature non-dairy milk + apple cider vinegar to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
Prepare the wet ingredients:
- Melt the ⅓ cup of coconut oil from the "wet ingredients" list. I use the double boiler method by adding the coconut oil to a glass bowl then putting it on top of a small saucepan with a little water. Put the saucepan on the stove top on low heat until the coconut oil melts and is liquid.
- Transfer all the wet ingredients ("buttermilk" mixture + melted coconut oil + maple syrup) to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until well combined and the mixture has no lumps.
- Taste and adjust the sweetener to your preference.
Assembly:
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared cast iron skillet and spread evenly.
- Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes (ovens vary), or until the sides are golden and the center is firm.
- Store in an air-tight- BPA-free container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
More Healthy Plant-Based Corn Recipes
- Raw Corn Chips
- Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Spice Caramel Popcorn
- Southwest Quinoa Bake
- or my Real Food Vegan™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
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