Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free)

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This cast iron cornbread has it all and has been a staple in our home for several years. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey and versatile with what you have on hand. This cast iron and gluten free cornbread is foolproof and perfect for bringing to your next potluck or a simple side dish with a pot of chili.

What is Cornmeal?

Back in 2018, we decided to expand our gardening efforts to a garden spanning just about the entire front yard of our suburban lot. Hey, that was the sunniest spot we had. Alongside the tomatoes, peas, and lettuce, we decided to grow corn. But not just any corn. 

We grew Oaxacan Green Dent Corn. When flipping through the seed catalog the winter before, we were enticed by this beautiful green, heirloom corn variety. The description let us know that it was not sweet corn but was best suited to be dried out and ground into cornmeal. We had recently purchased a hand grinder to grind wheat berries into flour so we thought, why not?

Cornmeal is just as it sounds – dried corn that is ground into a meal. It is generally coarse in nature. Dent corn or field corn as opposed to sweet corn are the best for grinding into cornmeal. 

That summer, our corn grew well over six feet tall and was the talk of the neighborhood. We meticulously hung it around our living room to let it dry, which also made for perfect fall décor. Several weeks later, we shelled the corn off the cobs and began having all the cornmeal at our disposal. Thus, a necessity for a really good cornbread recipe. 

How to Source Cornmeal

Since that initial summer, we have grown dent corn every summer since. It’s easy to save seeds from previous years and grows robustly. This past year was our first full year on our new homestead and we went all out. We planted a large three sisters garden (corn, beans, and squash) and should have our cornmeal needs set for at least the next 10 years. It was also the first year we ventured beyond Oaxacan green dent corn and tried a few other varieties, including a popping corn. 

Like every other food, since the advent of conventional row crop farming and now with the introduction of genetically modified seeds, it is important to know the source of your cornmeal and ideally the farmer who grew it. Unfortunately, most heirloom seed varieties have been replaced by only a few varieties that are selected for traits that make them better suited for growing and shipping in our industrial food system. 

That being said, it is always our preference to find a local farm and farmer growing these heirloom corn varieties. You’ll find that they have way more flavor and even unique texture and colors compared to the standard, uniform, grocery store shelf cornmeal.

Some Notes on Ingredients

In addition to enjoying the taste and texture of this cast iron gluten free cornbread, I love that it uses ingredients that we always have on hand. And many that we can produce here on our homestead or source locally. That being said, this cast iron cornbread is also very adaptable to whatever you have on hand.

Cornmeal – This recipe uses only cornmeal with no other flours. Since cornmeal is made of only corn, it is naturally gluten-free. If you are not concerned about gluten and would rather use a one-to-one combination of cornmeal with regular or whole wheat flour, that works as well.

Yogurt – The plain yogurt in the recipe could alternatively be substituted for kefir, buttermilk, or a combination of sour cream and milk.

Butter – While the butter is so tasty in this cornbread, it can also be substituted with melted coconut oil, lard, or even olive oil.

Maple Syrup or Honey – We always prefer to use natural sweeteners and ideally ones that we can either produce on our homestead or buy locally. Maple syrup is my favorite in this cast iron cornbread but either one is a great option!

Cooking in Cast Iron

We love cooking in cast iron whenever possible and this cornbread is no different. Depending on how thick you would like it, a 10” or 12” cast iron pan will both work, just adjust your cooking time accordingly. It is important to grease and heat your cast iron pan before pouring in the cornbread batter. A preheated cast iron pan will keep the cornbread from sticking to the pan. Alternatively, an 8×8, 9×9, pie pan, or even muffin cups will also work for this recipe if cooking times are adjusted accordingly.

Cast Iron Cornbread (Gluten Free) Recipe

Ingredients:

– 2 cups cornmeal
– 1.5 cups plain yogurt or buttermilk
– ¼ cup butter or coconut oil, melted
– 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
– 1 egg
– 2 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1 tsp salt

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place your greased cast iron pan into the preheating oven.
2. Stir cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together
3. Add yogurt, melted butter, honey, and egg.
4. Stir everything together ensuring that all cornmeal is incorporated.
5. Pour into a greased pan.
6. Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes** depending on the cooking vessel.

** A larger 12” cast iron pan will cook more quickly, closer to 20 min. The smaller pans will require a few more minutes of baking time, 25-30 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

How to Serve and Store

We highly encourage eating this cast iron cornbread fresh out of the oven, but it can be stored as well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. We prefer reheating until warmed if serving as leftovers.

This gluten free cast iron cornbread is delicious as is but we prefer a smear of butter on top. If looking for an extra decadent side, a drizzle of honey would be lovely. This cornbread makes a perfect side for any dish. Some of our favorite ways to serve it are alongside barbeque or a cozy bowl of soup, stew, or chili.

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Check out more of our favorite side dish recipes:

The Best Gluten Free Apple Bread without Dairy
How to Roast Butternut Squash Two Ways
Easy Dutch Oven Spanish Rice (Instant Pot Option)
Easy Carrot Mash in the Instant Pot (Favorite Side!)

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