This Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cornbread is an easy twist on a favorite. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup for a healthy addition to any table.
Over the last couple of years, this sweet potato cornbread has accompanied many cold-weather soups, stews, and chilis in our house.
It is a recipe I posted in the early days of this blog, and today I am bringing you a fresh and updated version of the same great recipe.
While revamping this post, I was struck with the realization of the community of readers and bloggers I have come to know and call friends since this recipe first went live.
It's a humbling thing to look back and see where you were at a certain moment in time.
In that same span of time, I have also learned the healing power of good, wholesome food.
This skillet cornbread, easily made gluten-free by using corn flour and almond flour is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and amplified in flavor and sweetness with the modest-yet-mighty sweet potato.
Sweet potato is a magic ingredient in baking. It elevates this cornbread, can create a hearty salad, and makes the fudgiest brownies!
If you need this completely dairy-free, swap in vegan buttery sticks. And while pepitas on top aren't necessary, they do give some festive flair.
Serve this gluten-free cornbread with chili or your favorite homemade soup or stew!
So, need a vegan option as well? Check out this gluten-free vegan cornbread!
Make a Salted Plains recipe? I’d love to see! Tag your creations on Instagram with #saltedplains!
Note: This recipe was originally posted in October 2014 and has been completely updated.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cornbread
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (or vegan butter) 1 stick
- 1 ½ cups corn flour or medium grind cornmeal
- 1 ½ cups almond flour/meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups cooked sweet potato about 2 medium, skins discarded
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup non-dairy buttermilk I used almond, room temperature *see note
- pepitas for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put stick of butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and place on middle rack in oven until butter is melted.
- In a medium bowl, combine corn flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat maple syrup and sweet potatoes until combined. Beat in eggs, followed by vanilla extract. In batches, alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk until well combined.
- When butter has melted in skillet, carefully remove from oven with mitts. Making sure skillet is evenly coated, pour excess butter into batter. Mix until evenly incorporated in batter.
- Pour batter into skillet, sprinkle top with pepitas if using, and place skillet on middle oven rack. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cornbread to cool in skillet for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
CGL
I made this a few months back when I went gluten free for 30 days. It was an amazing cornbread! I did make just a couple slight changes. Instead of 1.5 cups almond flour I used 1 cup almond and 1/2 cup tapioca flour (its what I had) and instead of buttermilk I substituted 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt mixed into enough water to make one cup. And I didn't use the pepitas. This will be made again!
Rima
Hi,
Can I use fine cornmeal?
Tessa
Hi Rima! Fine cornmeal should work just fine. You might find that you need a couple extra tablespoons of non-dairy milk, but it should work well.
Sue
Made this last night to go with my turkey chili. By far, the best corn bread I've ever had. Thanks for the great recipe!
Tessa
Thank you, Sue!! I am so happy to hear that. It is a staple for us during stew and soup season!
traci | VanillaAndBean
Oh My! Tessa. I love cornbread, but throw a sweet potato in there and you've just amped up this recipe! Love so much about it.. I can imagine a big ole' bowl of chili with this. Delicious... so glad you brought this out of the archives! xo
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen
I am very sentimental with the things I keep, but lately it's been antique bowls passed on from my great grandma that have been the things I've been cherishing.
Skillet cornbread is the way to go and I love that you added sweet potatoes to this version - it sounds heavenly.
Tessa
Thanks, Sarah! I love that - antique bowls!! What a very special thing to keep!
Abbie @ Needs Salt
I've never paired sweet potato and cornbread before - it seems like perfect. I'd say that they're definitely made for each other. This looks so amazing. Pinning!
Tessa
Thanks, Abbie! It was my first time pairing the two and I am now sold on the combo!
Lee S.
This looks delicious. I wish I could try it, but no grains at all, so cornmeal is out. Thank you for sharing your recipes. I appreciate it, especially being new to gluten, sugar (and more) free.
jaime : the briny
hi lee, i wanted to poke my head in and tell you that i recall seeing a recipe for grain-free cornbread-style bread made from coconut flour, possibly among other flours like almond. that might be worth trying! (and i bet this sweet potato deal with coconut flour would be so tasty!)
Tessa
Thank you, Lee! I wish this was one you could try!
Karishma
Mm, this looks like such a perfect Thanksgiving/fall cornbread!! Interesting that you're using almond meal, I've never tried that but it sounds good!
Tessa
Thanks, Karishma! I really like the texture and flavor almond meal adds to the cornbread. Hope you enjoy!
Laura
This looks so good - I'll have to try it!
Tessa
Thanks so much, Laura!
jaime : the briny
yum! i've had almond meal cornbread on the mind lately and this one sounds awesome. i've never thought to put sweet potato in cornbread but i love the idea.
Tessa
Thanks, Jaime! The sweet potato adds an extra subtle sweetness that is really nice.
jaime : the briny
i'm going to veganize this tonight. wish me luck ;)
Tessa
Ohh nice!! Let me know how it goes!
jaime : the briny
LAWD. this recipe's a keeper, for sure. thanks so much for sharing it!
i debated doing flax eggs to replace the hen's eggs in the recipe, but ended up just omitting the eggs and it came out fine! it's super moist. my corn meal was a finer grind that i wanted it, so i beefed it up with a little bit of coarse ground polenta. i skipped cinnamon + vanilla because we're serving it with smoky campfire tempeh. next time i'll cut down on the maple and maybe add some pepper or garlic for fun savory vibes.
thanks again. i don't know if i can wait till breakfast saturday morning to dig in!
jaime : the briny
oh, and in place of butter i used refined coconut oil. chuh-check.
Tessa
Yay! That is awesome. I really like the savory idea, too. Have fun this weekend!