These easy vegan cornbread muffins are sweet, and moist, and compliments an abundance of recipes.
I really do love cornbread. I have since I was a kid. My mom never made cornbread from scratch. Mom made Jiffy Mix but I didn’t know any difference and those days bring back fond memories.
Back to these cornbread muffins, I make this no-fail recipe all the time. Actually, I got this recipe from a vegan cooking class I took at a local Wholefoods in Chicago in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. It was a wonderful class and I learned so much about plant-based cooking that I use every day. So that money is well spent. This recipe works perfectly with my one-pot easy vegan chili, black eyed-peas, lentil bolognese, or my hearty mushroom & vegetable stew.
Why you’ll love these cornbread muffins
- Easy to prepare
- Healthy-ish
- Refined sugar-free
Ingredients for these cornbread muffins
- Corn Meal is a coarsely ground flour made from dried corn. It’s commonly used in Southern-style cooking, particularly for cornbread and muffins. Cornmeal adds a nutty flavor and texture to the muffins.
- All-Purpose Flour is a versatile type of flour that’s commonly used in baking. It’s made from a blend of hard and soft wheat and has a moderate protein content. The flour helps to give structure to the muffins.
- Vegan Buttermilk is made by mixing plant-based milk (such as almond milk) with an acid (such as apple cider vinegar). The acid reacts with the baking soda in the recipe, causing the muffins to rise. The vegan buttermilk also adds moisture to the muffins.
- Vegan Butter is a dairy-free alternative to traditional butter. It adds richness and flavor to the muffins.
- Maple Syrup is a natural sweetener that adds a hint of sweetness to the muffins. It also helps to balance out the flavors of the cornmeal and flour.
- Light Brown Sugar is a mixture of granulated sugar and molasses. It adds sweetness and moisture to the muffins.
- Baking Soda is a leavening agent that helps the muffins to rise.
- Baking Powder is another leavening agent that helps the muffins to rise.
- Salt is added to the muffins to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients and to balance out the sweetness.
How to make vegan cornbread muffins
- Firstly, in a large cup, combine the almond milk and lemon juice to create vegan buttermilk. Set aside for 5 or 6 minutes to curdle.
- Secondly, sift all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the yellow cornmeal, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together.
- Thirdly, add the vegan butter to a bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals bringing it out to stir every 30 seconds until the vegan butter is melted.
- Fourthly, add the vegan buttermilk mixture and maple syrup to the melted vegan butter and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until combined well. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Fifthly, pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Finally, let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to make cornbread oil-free
To make this cornbread oil-free simply swap out the oil/butter for applesauce.
Vegan Cornbread Muffin Q&A
Vegan cornbread muffins are made without any animal products such as eggs, milk, or butter. They use vegan substitutes like plant-based milk, vegan butter, and flax eggs.
Yes! You can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the regular all-purpose flour.
You can make vegan buttermilk by mixing plant-based milk (such as almond milk) with an acid (such as apple cider vinegar). You can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar.
Honey is not vegan. To keep this recipe vegan use agave nectar or another vegan liquid sweetener in place of maple syrup. If you are not vegan then feel free to use honey.
Yes, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe or substitute it with a natural sweetener such as mashed bananas or unsweetened applesauce.
You can store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 2 months.
You can substitute an egg for a flax egg. A flax egg is ground flax meal combined with water. However, for this recipe, I do not use any egg substitutions.
Choose any non-dairy milk your choice. Some non-dairy milk options include almond, oat, cashew, walnut, & pistachio.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- Add mix-ins: You can add mix-ins like chopped jalapenos, vegan cheese, or corn kernels to add extra flavor to the muffins.
- Don’t overmix: Overmixing can make the muffins tough and dense. Mix the batter until everything is just combined.
- Preheat the oven: Make sure to preheat the oven before baking the muffins. This ensures even baking and helps the muffins to rise.
- Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pan: If you remove the muffins too soon, they may fall apart. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing them.
More cornbread recipes to try
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Best Vegan Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
Vegan Buttermilk Ingredients
- 1.5 cup almond milk or your choice of non-dairy milk
- 2 tsp lemon juice sub for apple cider vinegar
Vegan Cornbread Muffin Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour can sub for gluten-free flour
- 2/3 cup vegan butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup can sub for applesauce
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar can sub for sweetener of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray the muffin tin with a non-stick spray.
- In a large cup, combine the almond milk and lemon juice to create vegan buttermilk. Set aside for 5 or 6 minutes to curdle.
- Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the yellow cornmeal, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together.
- Add the vegan butter to a bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals bringing it out to stir every 30 seconds until the vegan butter is melted.
- Add the vegan buttermilk mixture and maple syrup to the melted vegan butter and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until combined well. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve these vegan cornbread muffins warm with a dollop of vegan butter or alongside your favorite chili or soup.
Notes
Snap a photo, post it, and tag #ImWorthyRecipes and @IMWORTHYKITCHEN on Instagram
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These vegan cornbread muffins came out amazing. So good!
These cornbread muffins are delicious. Thank you!
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing.
I love these cornbread muffins. Comes out perfect everytime.
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
This cornbread muffin recipe is so good. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks!
I love this cornbread muffin recipe. Taste delicious.
Thank you, Jayla!