Healthy One-Bowl Cornbread
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Yields: 1 pan, 16 squares
 
This is one of my favorite cornbread recipes, whether for pairing with chili or stew, serving alongside a summer BBQ, or just eating plain for a snack. It’s really moist and tender and fluffy, not one bit dry! I actually prefer eating mine cold and straight from the refrigerator (I think it tastes sweeter this way!), but the rest of my family loves theirs warm with a little bit of melted butter and honey. Leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (see Notes!)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp (30mL) honey (see Notes!)
  • 1 ½ tsp distilled white vinegar
  • ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) cornmeal (measured like this — see Notes before beginning!)
  • ½ cup (60g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour (measured like this)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and salt. Add in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the honey and vinegar. Stir in the milk. Pour in the cornmeal and flour. Gently sprinkle the baking powder and baking soda on top of the cornmeal and flour; then gently stir all four ingredients in together until just incorporated.
  3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden and the center feels firm to the touch. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. (For the best texture, let it cool completely to room temperature.)
Notes: Not all cornmeal is the same! You want 150g of finely ground or medium grind cornmeal (like this!) for this recipe. Also, not all cornmeal brands weigh the same. Look at the side of your box or bag of cornmeal, and find where it displays the serving size in both cups and grams. If you’re measuring by CUPS (not grams) and ¼ cup of your cornmeal doesn’t weigh 30g, then see the Nerd Alert in my blog post above to determine how much of your cornmeal to use! (It’s really important to use the correct amount; too much will dry out your cornbread!)

It’s very important to measure both the cornmeal and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I have!) Too much of either will dry out your cornbread, instead of yielding the moist and tender texture it should have

Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

By sprinkling the baking powder and baking soda over the cornmeal and flour, instead of pouring or dumping them in the middle, it helps prevent clumps and ensures your cornbread rises properly.

Do not omit the vinegar! It reacts with the baking soda to make your cornbread rise and give it a really light and fluffy texture.

Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

VANILLA EXTRACT NOTE: I know vanilla sounds like a strange ingredient for cornbread, but trust me! Vanilla enhances butter’s flavor, so it makes this cornbread taste just as indulgent as traditional recipes. (I highly recommend using butter instead of coconut oil, for that reason!)

HONEY NOTES: Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey. We prefer our cornbread on the not-so-sweet side since we usually serve it with a drizzle of honey (and a small pat of melted butter, if you’re feeling indulgent!). If you like sweeter cornbread, substitute additional honey, pure maple syrup, or agave in place of an equal amount of the milk.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend as follows: ¼ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if measured like this.

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low sugar}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/11/13/healthy-one-bowl-cornbread/