This Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread is classic comfort food and the perfect pairing with our Vegan White Bean Chili and Veggie Chili. Its golden crust and soft, slightly sweet interior will have you coming back for more.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- 🕗 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Bake Time: 30 minutes
- ⏰ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 12
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy – combine dry ingredients, add to wet ingredients, stir, and bake.
- 🌽 Diet: 100% whole food, plant-based vegan, oil-free
Summarize and save this recipe with AI
This recipe delivers all the deliciousness of traditional cornbread while being plant-based, oil-free, and health-conscious, making it one of our favorite Starch Solution recipes.
This vegan jalapeño cornbread recipe is easy to prepare, moist, and full of flavor. You can control the amount of heat depending on whether you remove the jalapeno seeds or keep them in. Made without oil, it relies on applesauce to keep the texture light and satisfying. Whether you’re cooking for a family dinner, potluck, or holiday feast, this cornbread is a winner.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Oil-Free and Healthy: This recipe uses unsweetened applesauce for moisture, making it a heart-healthier alternative to traditional cornbread.
- Perfectly Spicy: Jalapenos add just the right amount of heat without overpowering the flavor.
- Vegan and Dairy-Free: No butter, milk, or eggs are needed.
- Quick and Easy: With minimal prep and bake time, this dish is ready to serve in 40 minutes.
- Great for Meal Prep: This cornbread freezes well for later. Portion them out and place them in a sealed freezer bag. Put them on the counter to thaw, and then pop them in the toaster oven for 5 minutes, and you're good to go.
What's in This Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread
- Cornmeal: Provides the signature gritty texture and corn flavor.
- Whole wheat flour: Adds structure and binds ingredients.
- Jalapeno (minced): Brings spicy flavor; seeds optional for less heat.
- Corn kernels: Adds bursts of sweet corn flavor and texture contrast
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Flour: Use gluten-free baking flour if gluten-sensitive.
- Corn: I used frozen corn, but unsalted canned corn works too. Be sure to drain the corn well and pat it with a clean paper towel to absorb excess liquid.
- Spice level: Use jalapeño with seeds for extra heat or remove seeds entirely for a milder loaf.
- Milk alternatives: Oat milk or cashew milk also work, as long as unsweetened.
How to Prepare
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Put all dry ingredients (cornmeal, gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) into a bowl and use a whisk to combine.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: plain unsweetened almond milk (or soy milk), maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and apple sauce. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Step 4: Stir to combine. If you see bubbles, that's a good thing. The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda, which helps your cornbread rise and achieve that perfectly fluffy texture.
- Step 5: Carefully fold in the minced jalapeno and corn.
- Step 6: Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking pan. Bake the cornbread for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 400°F (205°C) oven.
Remove from oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
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Tips for Perfect Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread
- Pick Your Cornmeal: Use coarse cornmeal if you like more grit. For a finer textured oil-free cornbread, use medium cornmeal.
- Don't Skip the Vinegar: It may seem unusual, but apple cider vinegar is key for a fluffy texture. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, use white vinegar.
- Fresh Baking Powder: The cornbread won't rise properly if your baking powder is old.
- Get That Even Bake: Be sure to evenly spread the cornbread batter in the parchment-lined baking pan for an even bake. I find jiggling the pan to be effective.
Serving Suggestions
- With Chili and Soup: The slightly sweet and spicy cornbread balances the bold flavors of chili. This healthy jalapeno cornbread goes well with our traditional veggie chili, white bean chili, and vegan tortilla soup made with black beans.
- Beans: Cornbread and beans are the perfect pairing. Try this vegan jalapeno cornbread with Chipotle pinto beans, Cuban black beans, Oil-Free Refried Beans, or our 7-minute black bean soup.
- Salads: This oil-free cornbread makes a nice addition to our Southwestern Salad in a Jar and our Taco Salad.
- Snack: Enjoy a slice of vegan jalapeno cornbread as a snack in between meals. More healthy and satisfying than a bag of potato chips.
Recipe FAQs
Leftover jalapeno cornbread keeps well in a sealed bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze the cornbread, we recommend portioning the cornbread into pieces first and then placing them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Swap oil with unsweetened applesauce (or mashed banana or pumpkin puree). Here, applesauce adds moisture without fat.
Don’t overbake, include moist ingredients (like applesauce, nondairy milk), and cover loosely or wrap leftovers to retain moisture.
This vegan jalapeno cornbread recipe proves that healthy eating doesn’t have to compromise flavor. It’s spicy, slightly sweet, and irresistibly moist, all while being entirely plant-based and oil-free. Vegan comfort food at its best.
Related Recipes to Check Out
If you tried this Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread or any other recipe on our website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below! We love to get your feedback for improvement.
Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup cornmeal, medium or coarse
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free baking flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¼ cup plain unsweetened almond milk (or soy milk)
- 1 jalapeno, with seeds removed and minced
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Put all dry ingredients—cornmeal, gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt—into a bowl and use a whisk to combine. Make sure there are no clumps of flour.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: plain unsweetened almond milk (or soy milk), maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and apple sauce. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. If you see bubbles, that's a good thing. The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda, which will help your cornbread rise and have that perfectly fluffy texture.
- After combining the mixture, carefully fold in the minced jalapeño and corn.
- Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking pan. If necessary, carefully jiggle or use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly across the pan.
- Bake the jalapeño cornbread for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 400°F (205°C) oven.
- Remove from oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Leftover cornbread keeps well in a sealed bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze the cornbread, we recommend portioning the cornbread into pieces first and then placing them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months to freeze.
Notes
- Don't Skip the Vinegar: It may seem unusual, but apple cider vinegar is key for a fluffy texture. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, use white vinegar.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in a sealed bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze the cornbread, we recommend portioning the cornbread into pieces first and then placing them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Gigi & Sersie says
Delicious variation of cornbread with a spicy kick. The maple syrup provides just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the heat from the jalapeno.
Marie says
We need 10 stars for this recipe. My husband made a fabulous plant based dinner yesterday while I was at work. I wanted to add something special for the left overs and boy did I find it. This cornbread was so good, very moist and so very easy to throw together. You have to try this one for sure.
Gigi & Sersie says
Yay! We're so glad it was such a hit, Marie. 🙂