This paleo cornbread has a golden top, a tender, moist crumb, and just enough sweetness from honey and maple sugar. Made with almond flour and no cornmeal, it’s a grain-free, gluten-free alternative to classic cornbread that’s perfect alongside chili, soup, or your Thanksgiving dinner. Use the dairy-free option below to make it without ghee.
*Originally published in November 2020. Updated with additional baking tips, refreshed photos, ingredient guidance, and storage instructions. The original recipe is unchanged.
After making grain-free corn muffins for my cookbook, Paleo Baking at Home, I knew I wanted a version that baked in a simple square pan. This cornbread is the result, and it’s become a favorite with my family!
It has everything I love about sweet cornbread: golden edges, a soft center, and a crumb that’s delicious with a little butter and honey. You can serve it as a dinner side, but I’m just as happy eating a square with breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
The batter comes together in two bowls, and there’s no mixer required. Let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love This Paleo Cornbread
- Tender and moist: A blend of almond flour, arrowroot, and a little coconut flour creates a soft crumb that holds together once cooled.
- No cornmeal or wheat flour: A cornbread-style side for anyone avoiding grains.
- Easy to make: Whisk, stir, spread in the pan, and bake.
- Dairy-free option: Use vegan butter or refined coconut oil in place of the ghee.
- Great for everyday meals and holidays: Serve it with a bowl of chili or add it to your Thanksgiving bread basket.
Can You Make Cornbread Without Cornmeal?
Yes—with a different flour blend! Traditional cornbread contains cornmeal, so this is a grain-free alternative rather than traditional corn-based cornbread.
Finely ground almond flour makes the bread rich and tender, arrowroot helps give it structure, and a small amount of coconut flour absorbs moisture. Honey and maple sugar add the sweetness you’d expect from a sweet-style cornbread.
It doesn’t contain corn, but the golden color and tender crumb make it a delicious stand-in when you want something to serve with chili or soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the complete measurements in the recipe card below. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start.
Blanched almond flour: Use finely ground, blanched almond flour for a lighter crumb. Coarse almond meal will give the bread a different texture and appearance.
Arrowroot flour: Also labeled arrowroot starch, this works with the almond flour to help the bread hold together.
Coconut flour: You only need 2 tablespoons, but it plays an important role in absorbing moisture. Measure carefully rather than adding extra.
Eggs: Three large eggs provide structure. Bring them to room temperature so they mix more easily with the melted fat.
Full-fat canned coconut milk: Stir or blend the contents of the can until smooth before measuring. You want a mixture of the cream and liquid, not just one or the other.
Fresh lemon juice: Adds acidity to the batter and works with the baking soda.
Honey and maple sugar: This combination gives the bread its sweet cornbread flavor. Coconut sugar can replace the maple sugar, although it will make the bread darker.
Ghee or vegan butter: Ghee adds buttery flavor. For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter or refined coconut oil.
Baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt: These help the bread rise and balance the sweetness. If you need to avoid corn entirely, check your baking powder and choose one made without cornstarch.
How to Make Paleo Cornbread
1. Prepare your pan
Preheat your oven to 325°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Leave some overhang so you can lift the bread out after it has cooled slightly.
2. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, maple sugar, and melted ghee or vegan butter until well combined.
The melted fat should be warm or cooled slightly, not hot.
3. Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Break up any lumps in the almond flour.
4. Stir and bake
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Use those doneness cues along with the time, since ovens can vary.
5. Cool before slicing
Set the pan on a wire rack and let the bread cool until just slightly warm. Use the parchment to lift it out, then let it continue cooling until nearly room temperature.
Cut into 16 squares and serve plain or with your favorite topping.
Tips for the Best Texture
Use the full flour blend. Almond flour, arrowroot, and coconut flour absorb moisture differently. Replacing one with an equal amount of another can change the texture considerably.
Measure the flours carefully. Spoon them into your measuring cups and level the tops rather than packing them down.
Bring the cold ingredients to room temperature. Cold eggs or coconut milk can cause melted ghee or coconut oil to firm up as you mix.
Use an 8-inch square pan. A larger pan will spread the batter more thinly and change the baking time.
Don’t slice it straight from the oven. Grain-free bread is more delicate while hot. Cooling gives the crumb time to firm up so the squares hold together.
How to Make It Dairy Free
To make this cornbread dairy free, replace the ghee with the same amount of melted vegan butter or refined coconut oil.
Vegan butter gives you a more buttery flavor. Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor, making it a better choice here than unrefined coconut oil if you don’t want a noticeable coconut taste.
Ghee is made from butter, so use one of the dairy-free alternatives if you’re avoiding dairy. If you also follow a strict paleo diet, choose an alternative with ingredients that fit your needs.
What to Serve with Paleo Cornbread
This bread is a natural match for hearty soups and chilis. Serve a square alongside a bowl from my paleo soups, stews, and chilis roundup, or add it to a dinner of roasted chicken and vegetables.
It’s also a delicious addition to a Thanksgiving bread basket.
For toppings, try:
- A little ghee or dairy-free butter
- A drizzle of honey
- Your favorite fruit preserves
The bread is sweet enough to enjoy plain, too!
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Allow the cornbread to cool completely before storing so condensation doesn’t collect in the container.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days. Bring individual squares to room temperature or gently warm them before serving.
Freezer: Wrap individual squares and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Warm individual squares briefly in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in a 300°F oven until heated through. Avoid overheating, which can dry out the edges.
For a holiday meal, bake the bread the day before, cool completely, and refrigerate. Warm gently before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cornbread paleo?
Traditional cornbread contains cornmeal, which is made from a grain and isn’t included in a paleo diet. This version uses almond flour, arrowroot, and coconut flour instead.
Is this cornbread gluten free?
Yes. The recipe uses naturally gluten-free flours instead of wheat flour. Choose ingredients labeled gluten free when needed.
Does this recipe contain corn?
There is no cornmeal or corn in the batter. However, some baking powders contain cornstarch, so choose a corn-free baking powder if you need the finished bread to be completely corn free.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of maple sugar?
Yes, use the same amount. Coconut sugar will give the bread a darker color and a slightly deeper caramel flavor. Use maple sugar if you want a lighter, golden appearance like the photos.
Can I replace the almond flour with coconut flour?
No, not as a direct substitution. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid, so replacing the almond flour with it would require a different recipe.
Can I make this without eggs?
This recipe relies on three eggs for structure, and an egg-free version hasn’t been tested. I wouldn’t assume that flax eggs or another egg replacement will give the same result.
Why is my cornbread crumbly?
Slicing while it’s still hot can cause the bread to fall apart. Let it cool until nearly room temperature first. Overbaking, packing too much flour into the measuring cups, or changing the flour blend can also make it more crumbly.
More Grain-Free Baking Recipes
- Paleo Sandwich Bread
- Banana Bread with No Added Sugar
- Garlic Herb Paleo Dinner Rolls
- Paleo Pumpkin Bread
- Simple Paleo Pumpkin Muffins
- Grain Free and Paleo Hamburger Buns
- Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls
- Keto and Paleo Biscuits
If you make this paleo cornbread, leave a comment and a star rating below. I’d love to hear what you served it with!
Want more paleo baking recipes that taste just like the real deal? Purchase my book, Paleo Baking at Home here!
Paleo Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk stirred smooth, and at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup raw honey
- ¼ cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup ghee melted and cooled slightly, or vegan butter for a dairy-free option
- 1¾ cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour or tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder corn-free if needed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, maple sugar, and melted ghee or vegan butter until well combined.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, breaking up any lumps.
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Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
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Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the center is set, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
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Place the pan on a wire rack and cool until just slightly warm. Carefully lift out the bread using the parchment paper and continue cooling until nearly room temperature.
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Cut into 16 squares. Serve plain or with ghee, dairy-free butter, or a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Dairy-free option: Replace the ghee with an equal amount of melted vegan butter or refined coconut oil. Choose refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor.
Coconut milk: Mix the cream and liquid in the can together before measuring.
Sweetener: Coconut sugar works in place of maple sugar but makes the bread darker. Don’t replace the maple sugar with additional liquid sweetener without adjusting and testing the recipe.
Flours: For the intended texture, use all three flours in the amounts listed. Coconut flour is not a direct substitute for almond flour.
Corn-free option: Check that your baking powder contains no cornstarch.
Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days or freeze individual squares for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
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I haven’t made this yet because I can’t handle coconut flour, and I wonder if I could substitute tapioca flour for the coconut and arrowroot? Are there other adjustments I would have to make? This recipe looks like an awesome replacement for actual cornbread. Thank you.
It’s so good still without the coconut flour or any substitutions for it at all! I know because I accidentally forgot to put it in the first time I made it 😆
looks like this recipe is very much healthy for us that’s why i tried this recipe at home and all my family member liked it. i made this recipe with the help of all instruction mentioned in this article that’s why i think my recipe was good.
I left out both the honey and the sugar and it was still really tasty. Next time I would add more salt, maybe 1/4 tsp more. I recently made a similar paleo cornbread that called for more ghee (1/2 cup) and it was too buttery and heavy even though I LOVE butter. This one had a fluffier texture and was really moist. Leaving out the sweeteners didn’t seem to effect the texture. I wonder what it would be like made with a flavored ghee, like a sage/garlic ghee? Though at that point I might be trying to make it into a focaccia 😉
Thanks for sharing that you made it without the sugar and it was still good! I’ll try it that way – can’t have any sugar, and that would make it true paleo. Glad you experimented successfully!
I had to make a LOT of changes for my own dietary needs but these still taste pretty good. Not a ton like corn bread but still yummy enough to substitute for it.
I used flax eggs – not bad but definitely extra crumbly.
I used 1/4 cup maple only – this was probably the trickiest since it’s liquid and I didn’t get any browning on the top like I might have with coconut sugar.
I also had to swap out the lemon and use ACV instead – not too shabby.
Like I said, I couldn’t get it to brown on the top even after 45 minutes, and it’s not very “corny” flavor like other comments implied, but it still tastes yummy. I’ll definitely make again! Thanks for the recipe!
Made this for my husband and his coworkers and got rave reviews! I read the reviews before making and decided to leave out the maple sugar because people were saying it was sweet like cake, and I agree this would have been too sweet as written. It’s perfect without the maple sugar, and paired excellently with the white chicken chili on this website. 🙂
First time making these and they were perfect! Just the right amount of sweet and fluffy. These will be on repeat in our house!
Delicious! This is better than cornbread! I reduced the sugar a bit like others suggested. Also, since I had no ghee and a little bit of canned pumpkin leftover in the fridge I used 1/3 of a cup of that. It even helped give it more of that yellow corn color!
We found this very sweet. Next time I would use 1/2 the sugar and honey.
After few days ago I was read your content, and last night I was trying recipe in my home. It was so delicious . My all family love it so much. Thank you for your content. I hope you will continue this journey.
Trader Joe’s baking powder contains corn starch. King Arthur has a recipe for cornstarch-free baking powder: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/paleo-baking-powder-recipe