Vegan Jalapeño Cornbread with Maple Butter

This vegan jalapeño cornbread is super simple, made with pantry staples and ready in just about 30 minutes! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to pair alongside your favorite soup or stew. Top each slice with maple butter for the final touch!

I am a huge cornbread lover and this one does not disappoint! Minimal dishes to clean, no fancy kitchen appliances required, and ready in 30 minutes. Even the most novice cook could make this recipe with no issues!

I’m actually surprised it’s taken me this long to get a cornbread recipe up. Last year I shared a recipe for vegan cornbread waffles in my 13 Bean Chili with Cornbread Waffles recipe, but never a real cornbread! It’s the perfect companion for any warm dish in winter! So cozy and of course, even better with maple butter.

If you want to make this recipe without the jalapeño for a more traditional cornbread, you absolutely can!

The jalapeño just adds a nice texture, crunch and of course a bit of spice, but it is not necessary! If you are spice averse, skip it.

Is vegan cornbread healthy?

Honestly, not really.

Vegan cornbread is naturally cholesterol free and this cornbread is made without refined sugar which makes it a tiny bit healthier than the classic, but I would not consider cornbread a health food.

It still contains flour, sugar and most cornbreads contain fat as it’s what keeps it moist and light.

If you want a healthier vegan cornbread, I’ve made the cornbread from this Barbecue Bean and Cornbread Bake and it’s a great low-fat, low sugar option! It is denser than a traditional cornbread because it lacks fat, but it’s more in line with the guidelines for a whole foods, plant based diet.

How to Prepare

This cornbread is unbelievably easy. Essentially we are mixing together the dry ingredients, then adding in the wet ingredients, folding it together and pouring it into our baking pan!

That’s really it! Not a lot to it!

I do, as usual, have a couple tips for you to help make this cornbread the best it can be.

1. Use a high quality cornmeal! Make sure that the cornmeal you are buying is in fact cornmeal and NOT corn flour. Also make sure your cornmeal is just whole ground corn. We don’t want added fillers diluting the quality of our cornmeal. I also prefer cornmeal that is more coarse as it’s less processed and creates a better crumb. Coarse ground cornmeal gives a better corn flavor as well!
2. Use both the vegan yogurt and the plant-based milk. Vegan yogurt helps make this cornbread fluffy, moist and light. It’s much thicker and more acidic than regular plant-based milk and is playing it’s own role here. I don’t recommend substituting the vegan yogurt with more milk. Sorry!
3. Fold the ingredients together GENTLY. Tough, flat cornbread is sad cornbread. Avoid mixing this together quickly and definitely do not mix it in the stand mixer. Slow and steady wins the race here.

Preparing the Maple Butter

I know maple butter sounds super fancy, but it’s not, I promise! Most vegan butters on the market already contain salt so all we’re doing is mixing together the softened butter with maple syrup. That’s it!

So simple, but adds so much flavor and decadence to this cornbread. And since both ingredients are in the cornbread already, you’ll have them on hand and it’s so, so delicious! Trust me!

If on the off chance your vegan butter doesn’t contain salt, i’d finish it with a sprinkle of salt.

If you want a really whipped maple butter, pulse it a few times with the immersion blender. It makes a really nice, light butter! Heaven!

I hope you guys love this recipe as much as we do.

I love seeing your recreations and knowing my recipes are working well for you and your family! Truly makes my day.

Recipe ideas to enjoy this cornbread with!

• 13 Bean Chili with Cornbread Waffles
• Vegan Lentil and Carrot Meatloaf
• 1 Pot Vegan Pumpkin Soup
• Vegan Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup