These Paleo Cornbread Muffins taste amazingly like traditional cornbread and are sweet and almost cake-like! They're great as a side or served as a dessert with coconut oil or butter and maple syrup.
Paleo Cornbread Muffins
Last week my sister-in-law Amanda made our family what I would consider the best cornbread I had ever eaten! She said it was her mom's sweet cornbread recipe.
She made it gluten-free by replacing the cup of all-purpose flour with almond flour and it turned out fantastic!
It tasted like cornbread, but it was sweet and almost cake-like. I think that's why we loved it so much 🙂
And while her recipe could in no way be improved to taste better, I did adjust it so it would be Paleo-friendly while keeping the cornbread taste.
To do this I replaced the cup of cornmeal with ¼ C of coconut flour because coconut flour can taste surprisingly like cornmeal.
Then, I added an egg, reduced the non-dairy milk by half, and replaced the ½ C of sugar with honey. ...other than that I didn't change anything, lol 🤣
Easy steps
In a large bowl, whisk together some almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 eggs, honey, and non-dairy milk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Then, stir in some melted coconut oil.
We don't add the coconut oil with the cold eggs and milk to keep it from solidifying 😀
Evenly divide the batter between 9 baking cups.
Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 19 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to properly set up. They will very slightly sink in the middle but that's totally normal!
Storage
- Store: Place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow to cool completely. Then wrap each muffin in plastic wrap then place it in a freezer-safe baggie. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Top tips for the perfect cornbread
- A tip when using coconut flour: When using coconut flour a basic rule of thumb is to replace 1 C of flour with ¼ C of coconut flour, add an egg, and slightly increase the wet ingredients. Then, I refine the recipe from there.
- All coconut flours are not made the same! Some are much more absorbent than others. I recommend using Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills because they are nice and absorbent. If you need to buy a different brand make sure the texture is soft and fluffy, not grainy. Otherwise, your muffins will turn out too wet.
- These are fairly sweet. If you like your cornbread more savory, you can reduce the honey to 2 Tbsp, but please don't omit it.
- I've tried replacing the honey with erythritol to make these keto-friendly, but unfortunately, it didn't work. If you're looking for a low-carb cornbread, please check out my Keto Cornbread Recipe!
- These are great to eat as a dessert with some butter (can use non-dairy) and pure maple syrup - YUM!
Looking for more paleo bread recipes?
I love these Grain-Free Tortillas and Paleo Hamburger Buns. I make these recipes regularly and they are staples at my house!
And these Gluten-Free Stuffing Cups look delicious too! I'm unsure if this cornbread would work in the recipe in place of the bread. But if you give it a shot please come back and let me know how it went!
Or if low-carb is more your thang, check out my Keto Cornbread Recipe!!
If you’ve tried these Paleo Cornbread Muffins or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Paleo Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 C Blanched Almond Flour - very finely ground
- ⅓ C Coconut Flour
- 2 Tsp. Grain Free Baking Powder* - {updated amount, see notes below}
- 1 Tsp. Sea Salt
- ¼ C Honey
- 3 Eggs - room temperature
- ½ Cup Dairy Free Milk
- 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil - melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 9 baking cups.
- Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs, honey, and milk to another bowl and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well, then stir in the coconut oil (so it doesn't solidify)
- Evenly divide the batter between the baking cups.
- Bake 17 -19 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cool completely to properly set up.
Add Your Own Notes
Notes
- All coconut flours are not made the same! Some are much more absorbent than others. I recommend using Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills because they are nice and absorbent. If you need to buy a different brand make sure the texture is soft and fluffy, not grainy - otherwise your muffins will turn out too wet.
- These are fairly sweet. If you like your cornbread more savory, you can reduce the honey to 2 Tbsp, but please don't omit it.
- I've tried replacing the honey with erythritol to make these keto-friendly, but unfortunately, it didn't work. If you're looking for keto, please check out my Keto Cornbread Recipe!
- These are great to eat as a dessert with some butter (can use non-dairy) and pure maple syrup - YUM!
- For grain-free baking powder combine 1 part baking soda with 2 parts cream of tartar and 2 parts starch (potato, arrowroot, or tapioca)
- After some helpful reader feedback, this recipe was updated in July 2021 reducing the baking powder from 4 teaspoon to 2 tsp.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Ivette says
I baked the muffins for 19 minutes and they are moist. I baked 3 minutes longer and they are still mushy and gooey. Is this normal for this recipe? I'm not sure if I missed something. I went with every ingredient and followed directions. They seem too moist and wet.
Cassidy says
Hi Ivette, I'm sorry they were too moist 🙁 This is probably due to the brand of coconut flour you are using. I recently switched brands and had the same issue with all my coconut flour recipes - it's SO frustrating!!! I prefer Arrowhead Mills or Bob's Red Mill, but if you can't find those brands make sure the flour is soft and fluffy and not gritty. Next time, if you add an additional 1 Tbsp (maybe 2 depending on how wet they were), it should do the trick and they should be the correct texture. So sorry about that!!!
-Cassidy
Ivette says
Can I sub the honey for maple syrup?
Cassidy says
I'm sure you could, but maple syrup is a lot runnier than honey so you *may* need to add an additional Tbsp. of coconut flour - but I just can't say for sure without trying it for myself. Sorry I can't give you a definite answer. If you give it a shot let me know how they turn out!
-Cassidy
Liz says
Can i use MCT oil in replace of the coconut oil?
Cassidy says
HI liz!
I've never tried replacing coconut oil with MCT oil in baked goods so I can't say for sure, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it won't bake the same. MCT oil is quite a bit runnier than coconut oil, and they have different fat profiles which may effect how the muffins bake. Again though, I haven't tried it so I can't say for sure! If you give it a shot let me know how they turn out!!!
-Cassidy
Lee says
These were amazing! My whole family loves them 🙂
Cassidy says
YAY Lee, I'm so excited you and your family liked them so much!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
-Cassidy
Sarah says
Hi. These sound really tasty however I am following a keto diet. Can I use erythritol or another granualted swetener in place of the honey??
Cassidy says
Hi Sarah! Unfortunately, I've tried replacing the honey with erythritol and it didn't turn out - sorry. I do have a keto cornbread recipe based on this one in my new Keto Breads Cookbook though if you want to check it out! Here's the link: Keto Breads Cookbook
Thanks so much!
-Cassidy
Cassidy says
Hi again! I wanted to let you know that I went ahead and posted my Keto Cornbread from my cookbook! If you want to take a look, here's the recipe: Keto Cornbread
Have a great day!
-Cassidy
Sue says
Do you know the Nutritional Content?
Cassidy says
Hi Sue, I don't have the nutritional content at this time but many people have been requesting that I post it so after I finish my cookbook I'm planning on adding that feature to my site 🙂 Sorry I couldn't be of more help!!
-Cassidy
Melissa says
I never comment on these sites but after having these “cornbread” muffins I had to post that they are the best I’ve ever had!! My family loved them and though I was lying about them being Paleo. I’ve tried to make cornbread quite a bit and have found the ones I’ve made before we’re dry and tasteless, this recipe however is NOT and it’s a definite keeper. Thanks so much!!
Andrea says
What a great recipe! These turned out very tasty and moist! I did add a couple of tablespoons of mild, shredded cheddar and jalapeno pieces (so not quite so Paleo) and turned out great! This will definitely be my go-to muffin recipe. I can see a lot of variety to this recipe too - - more savory or sweeter. YUM! Thanks!
Brielle says
I'm doing whole30 and I love these! They taste so amazing and I'm wildly impressed!
Wondering about how many calories these are each?
Erin says
Used Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour and divided amongst 8 cups instead of 9. Cooked an extra 5 minutes and these turned out beautifully! Moist, sweet and perfect compliment to the Paleo Taco Soup I made for dinner tonight!
Deborah Spina says
THANK YOU!! These are absolutely delicious and the closest to healthy, gluten-free cornbread I have ever eaten!!! I did make a couple of substitutions. Here's why and how they worked: First, b/c I didn't have Bob's Redmill Coconut flour I cut the milk in half so that it wasn't too wet (this worked great!!). Next, I used goat butter (no cow's milk!) to minimize the coconut flavor. Finally, I did use the recommendation of only 2 tsp baking powder. They rose just fine... They came out absolutely perfect!!! My cooking time turned out to be 16 minutes. Thank you again...PERFECT!!
Cassidy Stauffer says
Oh awesome Deborah, I'm so happy you liked them!!!! And thanks for letting me know about your substitutions 🙂
-Cassidy
Samantha says
These muffins sound and look amazing! I'd love to give the recipe a try, and I know this isn't how it's written but I'm wondering if it would work in a cast iron skillet instead of a muffin pan? Any thoughts? That's the kind of cornbread I'm craving!
Cassidy says
Hi Samantha! I've never tried this recipe in a cast iron skillet so I can't say how they would turn out. I would think they would turn out but I can't say for sure because gluten free baking can be tricky and simple changes i'm sure will work sometimes don't, sorry! If you give it a try come back and let me know how it turned out!!!
-Cassidy
Samantha says
Ok, so I tried it in a cast iron skillet and it came out really tasty! I wish I'd have used a smaller one though, it makes kind of thin slices in a 12 inch, still delicious! I'd probably use a 10 inch skillet next time. Just melt a tablespoon or so of coconut oil/butter in the skillet, swirl it around, and then pour in the batter. Even it out and put it in the preheated oven. Baking time was still about the same. One thing I had to change, though, was adding probably close to an additional 1/2 cup of coconut milk, the batter as is was too thick to pour. That's probably fine for muffins but for the skillet it just didn't seem right, and after sampling the bread, I'm glad I added the additional coconut milk. It's delicious, not dry, and slightly sweet. After letting it cool, it held together very well. I think using a 10 inch skillet would make this bread perfect! Thanks for the recipe, it's great!
Cassidy says
OH YAY!!! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out!!! I think I will try them in a cast-iron skillet next time with your recommendations 🙂
Thanks again and I'm so happy you liked it and it worked for you!!!
XO,
Cassidy
Samantha says
I'm so sorry, I forgot to come back and see if you replied again, it's been a crazy week! I keep thinking about this recipe and how good it's going to be in the fall with chili and other comfort foods! Also, I'm thinking of adding some diced peppers and maybe some diced mango or something with it. Lol... Anyway, thanks again!
Cristi Perkins says
I made these last night and they were great. We are grain free in my house, but had a guest for dinner so I wanted to try to make something like a cornbread. Everyone like this. I did find that I will need to cook a little longer next time.
Thank for sharing!
Cristi
DoryB says
Hi Cassidy, Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. They look wonderful! I am thinking of trying these as a bread, maybe in an 11x7 pan to leave out overnight and use in a paleo dressing for Thanksgiving...any advice on anything you might do differently for making it that way?
Cassidy says
Hi DoryB! I've never tried it that way so I'm so I'm not sure, but you might want to double the recipe unless you only want a very small amount of dressing 🙂 And of coarse the baking time will be different if you bake it in a pan instead of a muffin tin but I'm not sure how long it will take. Let me know how it goes!!!!
-Cassidy
Bethany says
Yum! They look delicious!
Stephanie says
This recipe is one of my husband and my favorites! I found Blue Diamond brand blanched/fine ground almond flour at costco, and it does work with that flour too.
For fellow bakers: once I forgot to put in the coconut oil. Still turned out perfect. Hardly could tell the difference.
PRO TIP: for a delightful breakfast muffin, or a perfect "cornbread" substitute at thanksgiving, add the zest from 2 oranges. Oh my, it is heaven with a little cranberry sauce!
Thanks for the wonderful recipes Cassidy!
Glynna says
Hello Cassidy,
I happened across your recipe and decided to try it. I am also allergic to eggs, so I substituted one well mashed banana and 2 T. of ground flax seed meal for the eggs. The muffins took a bit longer to cook and were a little bit crumbly. I decided to leave them in the muffin pan to cool which helped. They tasted great and now I can have "cornbread" again. Thank you for a great recipe.
Kristina says
Yum, yum, yum! Thank you!
Cassidy says
Thanks Kristina, I'm happy you liked them 🙂
Ms z baby says
I think this might be the only paleo recipe I have ever tried that came out like the ones in the pic. I have an electric oven so had to cook them 22 mins and I added a teaspoon of lemon flavor and honestly they taste like Jiffy Mix which my family loves
Cassidy says
Thank you so much Ms z baby!! I tried to develop them to taste sweet like Jiffy so I'm excited that you liked them and thought that that's what they tasted like 🙂
XO,
Cassidy
Kiera says
I don't normally write reviews, but these are so phenomenal I had to. They are delicious with the perfect consistency. So good you don't miss all the sugar of the original. I did add one packet of Truvia the second time I made them just for a tad bit more sweetness and just because sometimes when using coconut flour I taste it too much. Just a personal preference. But these are a winner. Thank you!
Cassidy says
Awesome Kiera, thanks so much for the review - I'm happy you liked them so much!!!!
Emma says
These look great, my husband loves cornbread. Do come and add your recipe to #freefromfridays http://www.freefromfarmhouse.co.uk/recipes/free-from-fridays/time-tea-freefromfridays/
Kim M. says
Made these tonight to go with chili. They are SO good, and turned out great! Thank you.
Colleen says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. They turned out excellent despite using Bob's Almond Flour, coconut/almond milk and cold eggs. Boyfriend loved them. Will def make again
Erica says
Made these tonight using the BRM finely ground almond flour. They sank a bit, but the texture was fine. However, they were very salty, so I would reduce the salt by at least 1/2 if I try the recipe again.
Cassidy says
Thanks so much for your feedback Erica!!!
-Cassidy
Homeschool Momma says
I will be making this recipe for sure but would also like a recipe that is not Paleo but is Corn Free that i can make gluten free. So could you send me the original recipe or post it?
Cassidy says
Hi Homeschool Momma! I couldn't find the original recipe, but as far as I can remember, here is the original recie:
1 C all purpose flour
1 C cornmeal
2 eggs
1 C milk
1/2 C sugar
4 tsp baking soda
1/4 C canola oil
Whisk together the wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Stir the wet into the dry. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.
Hope this helps!!!!!
MommyB says
I just made these to go with our chili and followed the recipe to a "T" except...I used Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Meal. They came out perfect! I'm not sure why other folks are having trouble with using the BRM except that he has two different types of Almond meal, one coarser and one finer (the blanched version). Anyway, thank you as these were just the right taste for us and help use up the ginormous (50lb) bag of coconut flour I bought!
Cassidy says
Thanks MommyB! I'm glad that the Bob's Red Mill worked for you, thanks for letting us know!!!!