These vegan cornbread muffins are so simple to make with wholesome pantry ingredients. They are moist and delicate and pair SO well with your favorite chili.
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I love to bake muffins because they are a simple-to-make treat that is no-full. These vegan cornbread muffins are no different. These delightful treats are a true Southern classic, known for their moist, slightly sweet interior and that irresistible, crispy crust. With just a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, you’ll savor the warm aroma of freshly baked muffins in no time. If you love cornbread and you want to make it in an easy-to-grab muffin, this is the recipe for you. They will be ready to warm from the oven in under 30 minutes!
💗Why You’ll Love These Vegan Cornbread Muffins
- Simple Ingredients
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Moist interior
- Crispy Crust
- Ready in under 30 minutes
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Cornmeal: Be sure to use cornmeal, not corn grits. Cornmeal has a finer texture that is necessary for tender muffins.
All-Purpose Flour: Traditional all-purpose flour gives these muffins a tender crumb. You could also use white whole wheat flour for more fiber or choose a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour to make these gluten-free.
Cane Sugar: Organic cane sugar is vegan-friendly. You could also use coconut sugar.
Baking Powder and Salt: Baking powder leavens the muffins, while salt helps to balance all of the flavors.
Vegan Buttermilk: You’ll need one cup of non-dairy milk and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar you could use lemon juice instead.
Maple Syrup: Adds sweetness and moisture.
Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is anti-inflammatory. It’s a better option than canola oil or vegetable oil. It is also a neutral oil that works well in baked goods because the flavor doesn’t overwhelm the recipe.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
Vegan Butter: Use melted vegan butter instead of oil for a richer flavor.
Add-ins: Consider adding ingredients like fresh corn kernels, chopped jalapeños, or grated vegan cheese for extra flavor and moisture.
🛠 Tools and Equipment
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Vegan Cornbread Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare your muffin tin. Add liners to each muffin cup.
- Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of dairy-free milk. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fold in the vegan buttermilk, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Stir until just combined.
- Fill the muffin cups ⅔ of the way full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops of the muffins are golden brown.
- Allow the muffin tin to cool for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
📝 Expert Tips
- Be sure to make the vegan buttermilk and not simply use dairy-free milk. The buttermilk adds richness and moisture to cornbread.
- Mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can make the muffins denser.
- Let the batter rest for about 10-15 minutes before baking. This lets the liquid fully hydrate the cornmeal, resulting in a softer texture.
❓ FAQS
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix contains wheat flour, yellow cornmeal, sugar, vegetable shortening, baking soda, tricalcium phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salt, monocalcium phosphate, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, wheat starch, natural flavor, dextrose, and corn starch. These ingredients are vegan. The part of the mix that isn’t vegan is the add-ins that require eggs and milk. However, you can substitute a flax-egg, and dairy-free milk to make the mix vegan.
No, Bob’s Red Mill cornbread mix is not vegan. Here is a list of the ingredients: whole grain cornmeal, whole wheat flour, sugar, buttermilk powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. The ingredient that is not vegan is the buttermilk powder.
Overmixing the batter can result in dry muffins. Mix the ingredients until they are just combined. It’s okay if there are a few lumps in the batter. Overbaking is another of the most common causes of dry muffins. Follow the recommended baking time in the recipe, but start checking for doneness a few minutes before the minimum recommended time as all ovens vary slightly.
🍽 How to Serve
Serve with Butter: Warm muffins with a pat of vegan butter on top adds extra moisture and flavor. Add some jam for a hint of sweetness.
Pairings: Cornbread muffins pair well with soups and chilis. They also make a simple snack or breakfast!
Thanksgiving Stuffing: I’ve also made these muffins to make my vegan cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving.
🫙 How to Store and Keep
Room Temperature: Once baked, store vegan cornbread muffins in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. They will keep for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Transfer the muffins to an airtight freezer-safe container. Label with the date. They will keep for 2-3 months. Defrost at room temperature overnight.
Reheat: If reheating, wrap the muffins in a damp paper towel and microwave briefly to restore moisture.
😋More Vegan Muffin Recipes!
⚖️ Serving Size
This recipe makes 12 muffins.
Recipe
Vegan Cornbread Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup dairy-free milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Optional Mix-Ins
- 1 jalapeño pepper finely diced
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare your muffin tin. Add liners to each muffin cup.
- Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of dairy-free milk. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fold in the vegan buttermilk, avocado oil, and maple syrup. Stir until just combined.
- Fill the muffin cups ⅔ of the way full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops are slightly golden brown.
- Allow the muffin tin to cool for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Be sure to make the vegan buttermilk and not simply use dairy-free milk. The buttermilk adds richness and moisture to cornbread.
- Mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can make the muffins denser.
- Let the batter rest for about 10-15 minutes before baking. This lets the liquid fully hydrate the cornmeal, resulting in a softer texture.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
- Defrost overnight at room temperature.
- To reheat wrap each muffin in a moist paper towel and microwave for a few seconds.
Tavo
Your Vegan Cornbread Muffins are a hit in my house! The texture was spot-on, and the flavor had that perfect balance of sweet and savory. I also appreciated the tips on storage—made my life a lot easier. You’ve nailed it again; these muffins are keepers.
gunjan
These are the best cornbread muffins I have tasted so far. So easy to make and so delicious.
Toni
These muffins were so good! Huge plus that these are vegan! Can’t wait to make it again!
Dina and Bruce
Wow! So moist. Can not believe there is no egg in these. Thank you!
Charla
This will be a must have muffin recipe for my vegan family that are coming over for Thanksgiving this year.
Kate
Such a flavorful, fluffy cornbread!
Victoria
So easy and delicious! Even my husband could make them!
Amy Desrosiers
This sounds really good. I always have Jiffy in the cabinet. I had no idea it was this easy to replicate eggs with flax seeds.
Dannii
I love that these are just 3 ingredients – so easy. I can’t wait to try them.
Michelle
I’ve never heard of flax eggs before, but this worked perfectly and turned out great! Thanks for this easy hack!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend!
Erika
What a great recipe! I love making cornbread and love how simple your recipe is!