Vegan Life > Recipes > Side Dishes > Easy Vegan Cornbread Muffins

Easy Vegan Cornbread Muffins

October 23, 2024

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please read my full disclosure.

These vegan cornbread muffins are sweet and tender, and they're so delicious, no one will miss the eggs or dairy! Pair them with some vegan butter or a bowl of chili for a simple snack or side dish. They're super easy to make with just 8 simple ingredients, one bowl, and 30 minutes!

A basket of vegan cornbread muffins, with one cut in half and spread with melting vegan butter.

I know my southern friends prefer a savory cornbread, but I'll have to disappoint them with this recipe, because I love my cornbread on the sweet side. A remake of my vegan cornbread recipe, this recipe uses a different flour-to-cornmeal ratio to achieve a lighter, fluffier texture than the cornbread.

These muffins are a great side dish for the Thanksgiving dinner table or just an everyday treat. They're so easy to make, you could have them as often as you want!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients for vegan cornbread muffins in bowls on a table, labeled.

plain, unsweetened almond milk: While I like almond milk, almost any non-dairy milk will work, including soy milk and oat milk.

apple cider vinegar: This mixes with the non-dairy milk to create vegan buttermilk. White vinegar would work here, too.

cornmeal: I like stone-ground cornmeal for the best texture and flavor, but some people prefer fine cornmeal. You can use whichever one you prefer! I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Medium Grind Cornmeal, which you should be able to find in natural grocery stores like Whole Foods or online.

all-purpose flour: Makes the cornbread lighter and fluffier.

vegan brown sugar: If you're in the US, you'll want to purchase organic brown sugar to ensure it's vegan. (Some conventional brown sugar brands are not vegan because they use animal bone char during processing). I prefer brown sugar for depth of flavor, but you could also use coconut sugar.

baking powder: This helps the muffins rise and creates tall peaks. Make sure your baking powder is fresh and active, otherwise your muffins may not rise properly.

salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the muffins. I used sea salt, but pink salt or table salt would also work.

vegan butter: This adds a rich, buttery flavor to the cornbread. To make these muffins, I used my easy vegan butter recipe, but any store-bought vegan butter is okay. Oil would work as well, but the flavor won't be as rich.

Vegan cornbread muffins cooling on a wire rack.

Baking Tips & FAQ

Can I make this recipe in a pan instead of a muffin tin? You can! This recipe was actually adapted from my cornbread recipe, which is specifically made for an 8x8 pan or 9-inch cast-iron skillet.

Can I use cupcake liners with this recipe? Yes! With cornbread muffins, I usually choose not to use liners because contact with the pan causes the edges to turn golden, but you can use liners as well. Keep in mind that cupcake liners will slightly reduce the size of the well, so you may end up with more than 12 muffins. Since they're a little smaller, you may also want to check on them a minute or two earlier.

How do I create the best texture? The most important part of any muffin recipe is to avoid over mixing the batter. Once there's no dry flour or cornmeal remaining, stop mixing. The more you mix, the more gluten has a chance to develop and create a denser texture.

Can I make these vegan cornbread muffins oil-free? I haven't found a way to make cornbread without oil. Oil adds fat that's critical for the texture.

Vegan cornbread muffins on a wood charger with a bowl of vegan butter and a jar of maple syrup.

Storage & Reheating

Store your vegan corn muffins in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also put them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months.

If you'd like to reheat them, defrost them first (if they're frozen). Reheat at 350°F (180°C) in the air fryer or oven until warm. In the air fryer, this will be about 2–3 minutes from room temperature or 5 minutes from the refrigerator.

Vegan cornbread muffins in a basket lined with a light blue linen.

Serving Suggestions

The sweetness of these muffins pairs perfectly with vegan butter for a treat that can be eaten on its own. You could also add some maple syrup, but since they're already sweet, I don't find it necessary.

Eat these as a vegan Thanksgiving side dish, or pair them with vegan chili, stew, or pumpkin soup. You might also like them with more side dishes, like vegan mashed potatoes, apple walnut salad, or butternut squash casserole.

A stack of 2 vegan corn muffins, with a jar of maple syrup and more muffins on a wire rack in the background.

More Incredible Vegan Muffin Recipes

Easy Vegan Cornbread Muffins

Yield11-12 muffins

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup vegan light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

  2. Grease a standard-sized muffin tin with oil or vegan butter.

  3. In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine your non-dairy milk and vinegar, then set it aside to curdle.

    Curdled vegan "buttermilk" in a measuring cup.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, mix your dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. You may wish to sift these ingredients if they’re a bit lumpy.

    Dry ingredients for vegan cornbread muffins, mixed in a bowl.
  5. Add your curdled non-dairy milk and melted vegan butter to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix; you want some lumps remaining, as shown in the photo.

    Vegan cornbread muffin batter, mixed in a bowl.
  6. Add the batter to the muffin tin so it’s almost reaching the tops of the wells (about 100 grams of batter per muffin). Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the cornbread is golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

    Vegan cornbread muffin batter in a muffin tin.
  7. Let the muffins cool in the tray on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the muffins from the tray and place them directly on the wire rack to cool. You can enjoy them while they’re still warm with vegan butter.

Notes & Hints

If you prefer to use cupcake liners, the muffins will be slightly smaller, so you may need more than 12 liners. You may also want to check on them a minute or two earlier.

Nutrition Data

Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe; Calories: 270; Fat: 8 g.; Saturated Fat: 5 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 327 mg.; Carbohydrates: 46 g.; Fiber: 2 g.; Sugar: 17 g.; Protein: 4 g.; Vitamin A: 11 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 0 mg.; Vitamin D: 1 mcg.; Calcium: 96 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 73 mg.; Zinc: 0 mg.

Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.

Four vegan dishes: Creme Brulee, Detroit-style pizza, General Tso's Tofu, and Lemon Tart

Vegan recipes in your inbox

Join the community and get my newest and best yummy vegan recipes sent right to your email!

A closeup view of vegan cornbread muffins in a basket lined with a light blue linen.
StephSunshine

Share this:

Leave a Comment

I love reading comments! I'll do my best to answer questions, too. If you made the recipe, please leave a star rating, it helps support the blog so I can make more recipes and articles. Thank you!

Your rating:

says

Sunday Brunch

Sweets & Treats