Easy Rosemary Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
Directions:
Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 425°F (220 °C). Grease and line a standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and chopped rosemary, and whisk well.
Beat Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, almond milk, and melted coconut oil until combined.
Prepare the Batter: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well until a homogeneous batter is achieved.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool: Allow the rosemary cornbread loaf to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and then letting it cool some more on a wire rack before slicing into pieces.
Serve: Serve with a drizzle of honey or eat alone.
Notes:
Cornmeal: I used a medium-grind yellow cornmeal, but a finer texture will work just as well.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (that is made up of lighter flours/starches such as rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cornstarch) as it tends to give baked goods a lighter texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour), as it results in
Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent that will help the batter rise, so make sure you add it in. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free baking powder.
Rosemary: Rosemary is the star ingredient here, and I used fresh rosemary, but you may also use a third of the amount of dried rosemary instead.
Eggs: Eggs help to bind the ingredients together and give the batter lift. I personally have not tried making this recipe without eggs, so I don’t know how it would turn out. However, if you are allergic to eggs, you may try using acquafaba or an egg replacer (if you do make this egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to know!).
Sugar: I used white sugar, but you can also use cane sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that the darker the sugar used, the darker the color of the cornbread). If you are diabetic of insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
Almond Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my 5-minute homemade almond milk, but you can also use any unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as cashew milk, rice milk, oat milk, or coconut milk). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use regular milk too if you prefer.
Coconut Oil: I like using refined coconut oil for baking and cooking because it has a more neutral taste compared to extra virgin coconut oil. If you are allergic to coconut, you can also use another neutral vegetable oil or even dairy-free butter. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use butter or ghee in equal amounts.
Storing/Freezing: To store, place the rosemary cornbread in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the cornbread in various layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. Let the gluten-free rosemary cornbread thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before slicing into pieces and serving.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
Fresh versus Dried Herbs: If you don’t have fresh rosemary on hand, you can also use dried rosemary. However, bear in mind that dried herbs are a lot stronger in taste, so if using dried rosemary, use 1/3 of the amount of fresh herbs that’s called for in the recipe.
Alternative Herbs: Feel free to swap out the rosemary for your favorite herbs such as thyme or oregano if you prefer!
Make Muffins Instead: You can definitely make this delicious cornbread into individual rosemary cornbread muffins. Simply divide the batter into the greased cavities of a muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes at 425F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cook in a Skillet: If you want to make skillet rosemary cornbread, simply pour the batter into a hot skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top and a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean, and the cornbread has crispy edges.
Recipe courtesy of Gluten-free Dish by Dish.com