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You Won’t Believe This Cornbread Is Keto
When someone told me they had turned my keto blueberry muffins into keto cornbread with a few tweaks, I had to give it a try myself. With my secret ingredient, I made it even more buttery, more corn-flavored, and baked it up in a big pan. And here we are! I loved it so much that I even put it in my second keto cookbook. Here’s why I think you’ll love this low carb cornbread recipe:
- It looks like cornbread, it tastes like cornbread – But it doesn’t actually contain any corn or cornmeal. Just one secret ingredient makes all the difference. I’ll just say it, your keto chili needs my almond flour cornbread on the side!
- Keto friendly with clean ingredients – My low carb version has just 4 grams net carbs per serving, it’s gluten free, and I only use real food ingredients.
- Moist and buttery – Dry cornbread is just disappointing. This version comes out soft, rich, and golden with that melt-in-your-mouth buttery flavor.
- Easy to prep – With only 7 ingredients and a pinch of salt, this keto cornbread comes together in one bowl. I can have it in the oven in 5 minutes, which gives me time to finish the rest of my keto dinner while it bakes.
So, grab a bowl and a skillet, and make some low carb cornbread with me!
Reader Review
“My mother is a Southern Mississippi woman… cornbread is life to her. No meal is complete without it. But she is diabetic, and I had to yank the cornbread. I made her this keto cornbread and omitted the sugar to keep it tasting like her traditional buttermilk cornbread. She loves it! I make a pan, freeze the individual slices, and she always has her beloved cornbread on hand.” –MSKRAD
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cornbread recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – I always use my almond flour because it’s extra fine and blanched, which makes the cornbread texture soft and tender, instead of gritty. Many brands are too coarse and you might notice a grainy texture in the result.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This replaces sugar 1:1, has zero net carbs, and most importantly, keeps this low carb cornbread super moist. Other sweeteners like erythritol tend to make it dry and crumbly. You can technically omit it, but I love that light sweetness — and keep in mind that regular cornmeal is a tiny bit sweet whereas almond flour is not, so I do recommend including at least a little bit of Besti even if you choose to reduce the amount.
- Unsalted Butter – Adds that rich, classic flavor. For dairy-sensitive options, try ghee or butter flavored coconut oil.
- Keto Milk Of Your Choice – I usually use almond milk, but any unsweetened keto-friendly milk works. Dairy milk will increase the carbs.
- Eggs – These bind the cornbread together and give it structure. Flax eggs should work as an alternative.
- Sweet Corn Extract – This is my secret ingredient, and I’m obsessed with it! It gives you that real corn flavor without the carbs. Note that brands vary in strength and some bake away completely, so I highly recommend this one I use.
- Baking Powder (for lift) and Sea Salt (for flavor balance).
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How To Make Keto Cornbread
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, Besti, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients. Stir in the melted butter, almond milk, and eggs, until the batter is smooth. Mix in the sweet corn extract.
- Bake the keto cornbread. Transfer the batter into your prepared skillet, smooth out the top, and bake until golden. I insert a toothpick in the center to confirm it comes out clean.
My Recipe Tips
- Grease the skillet well. This cast iron skillet gives you the best golden crust, but it can stick if it’s not greased generously with butter.
- This low carb cornbread is lightly sweet with 1/3 cup of Besti. If you want it sweeter, use 1/2 cup, or 2/3 cup for extra sweet. If you want no sweetness at all, I still recommend 2 tablespoons of Besti to mimic the natural sweetness that regular cornmeal normally has.
- Yes, it’s normal for this batter to be very thick. Resist the urge to add more liquid.
- Keep an eye on it and cover if needed. The timing can vary depending on the size and color of your skillet, and even your oven. If the top browns before the inside is done, cover with foil and continue baking. You can reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F, too.
- Be careful not to overbake. Besti helps keep this bread moist, but it can still dry out if you bake it too long. It’s done once an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- How can you get that tangy buttermilk flavor in keto cornbread? Stir a teaspoon of lemon juice into the almond milk and let it sit a few minutes to curdle. Then add it to the batter along with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
- Sometimes I mix in shredded cheddar cheese for cheesy keto cornbread. A small handful (1/4 to 1/2 cup) is all you need. Stir it into the batter right before baking.
- Want keto cornbread muffins? Bake the batter in a lined muffin tin (I use this one) instead of a skillet. They’ll be ready faster, in about 25–30 minutes.
Keto Cornbread (Low Carb & Easy)
By
Your soups and chili need my easy, buttery, low carb keto cornbread! It has a secret ingredient that makes it taste like the real thing.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter.
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sweetener, and sea salt.
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Stir in the melted butter, almond milk and eggs, until smooth. Stir in the sweet corn extract.
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Transfer the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/16 entire recipe (it’s very filling, so I cut it into 16 slices)
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect texture, and fun variations like cheesy or muffin-style.
- Storage: I usually keep this keto cornbread in the cast iron skillet covered with foil or plastic wrap. You can also slice and store in an airtight container. It lasts 2-3 days on the counter or up to a week in the fridge.
- Reheat: This bread is tasty at room temperature, but I like it warmed in the oven or microwave with a little butter on top.
- Freeze: It freezes well for up to 3-4 months. When ready, thaw at room temperature and enjoy.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook here!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Cornbread
Serving Ideas
I love just a slice of this low carb cornbread drizzled with my sugar free honey. It’s also perfect for rounding out these savory meals:
- Chili – I can’t make a pot of keto chili (and more recently, pumpkin chili) without the sweet-savory combo of this keto cornbread. If you’re in the mood for creamy, it’s just as good with my keto white chicken chili.
- Soup – I love it with keto beef stew, because the combo is such a hearty meal. But honestly, it works with just about any of my keto soup recipes, from chicken pot pie soup to lighter cabbage soup.
- Southern Classics – Try it with my keto gumbo, cauliflower grits, Cajun chicken, or keto jambalaya.
334 Comments
Judy Mondero
1This was decadent! Not a normal Corn Bread adjective, but true. The smell of the sweet corn was mouth watering. Of course, I no longer have my trusty old skillet, so I managed to burn it. But there was still plenty to enjoy.
A little rich Keto butter and a swirl of your no-sugar honey and..Heaven!
My husband fell on it as soon as he got home and was like a starved urchin. He is very patient with me and my devotion to losing weight, but, I know that he eats out and has a stash of goodies to carry him through in his man-cave. Yet, even he is losing weight and actually likes quite a few of your recipes. Especially the Chicken Broccolli Ranch casserole.
Thank you for all of your experimenting and seeking to produce such tasty and clever dishes. I have both your cookbooks and a new air fryer oven. So the past monthes have been a journey.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Judy! With butter and keto honey sounds perfect. I’m glad to hear your husband is liking my recipes, too! Enjoy the journey. 🙂
Karen
1I have been doing keto for 2 years. I am 80 lbs down 30 to go. I have tried a lot of keto recipes for everything. Because sometimes I just want something that doesn’t taste like I’m giving something up. And this recipe did the trick!! I am so happy about it and I can’t wait to try your other recipes! Thank you!!
Brandy
0I used country crock instead of butter, I didn’t have corn extract but it still came out great. I think I may like this better than regular corn bread. I’ve been cutting back on bread for several different reasons, so this recipe is just what I was looking for. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m happy it turned out so well, Brandy! I hope you enjoy it many more times!
Kristine VARGAS
0I’ve been eating keto for a while now but just found out that I am allergic to eggs and milk. Do you think this recipe will be good made with flax egg and margarine or crisco?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Kristine! Allergies can be tough. Flax eggs should work, yes. I would recommend this natural butter flavored coconut oil over margarine or Crisco. Let me know how it goes!
Denise
0Hi, I would love to make this recipe for my husband but I do not have a cast iron skillet. Can I use something else?
Thank you
Denise
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, You can use another oven-safe skillet or even a baking dish. You’d just have to check on it because the timing will vary depending on the size, shape, and material of your pan.
TJ
0Thank you Maya for the recipe. I just wanted to confirm before I make the recipe, that there are 4 carbs and 300 calories for each slice.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi TJ, Yes, that’s correct. The cornbread is very rich. Oftentimes, even 1/2 a slice is enough for me, but it depends on what you serve it with.
Michelle Crull
0This recipe is a keeper. I made a half recipe with regular milk because I didn’t have any unflavored almond milk. I also added a cup of shredded cheddar. I baked this on top taco meat to make a taco pie. Took it to a pot luck and everyone liked it and one person asked for the recipe. I’ll be making it again. Either the cheese or the larger area of the casserole dish made the top really brown. Next time I’ll watch it more closely and put foil on top when it is the color I want.
Wholesome Yum A
0That’s so great to hear, Michelle! I love how you turned it into a taco pie with the taco meat and cheddar. That sounds amazing. I’m glad it was a hit at your potluck and that someone even asked for the recipe! Good call on keeping an eye on the top next time and using foil if needed. Thanks so much for sharing how you made it!
Barbara Janssen
0How can I make a smaller amount of the keto corn bread, like 1 or 2 servings?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara, That would be challenging to do. I would recommend making the whole batch and freezing any extras.
Sam
0I have made several of your recipes and they are all fantastic! I made this one and it didn’t work out well for me. The edges got done, but the middle was still doughy. After ten more minutes in the oven it was almost the same. Then I realized the recipe calls for a 10 inch cast iron skillet, but mine is only an 8 inch skillet. Do you have tips on how to make this work properly with an 8 inch skillet? The part that got done was great and everyone loved it, but I would like to be able to serve and eat an entire cornbread. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Sam! Yes, this happened because of the smaller skillet, making the cornbread thicker. I would reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees next time and bake for longer. If it still browns too much, cover with foil and continue baking until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Hope this helps.
Sam
0I did as you suggested. I lowered the temperature to 375°. At 40 minutes I covered with aluminum foil and baked for another 15 minutes. Came out fully cooked and still moist. Perfection! Thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad to hear that, Sam! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Sam
0Thanks! I will try this. I am hoping to take some to my aunt’s house for lunch on Sunday. I will let you know how it turns out.
Jennifer
0Just finished making these. Delicious! I halved the recipe. I used a 6 1/2 inch cast iron skillet, but for some reason, I had a lot of batter left over, so I poured the rest into a 5 x 5 glass dish. I baked them together for 20 minutes and they got beautifully browned on top. I didn’t taste the corn flavor very much, so I will increase that next time and cut back on the sweetener. Even so, this was seriously tasty, and I found myself mentally adding blueberries or nuts to the batter and making muffins. What a great recipe! Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Jennifer! I’m so glad you liked the recipe, even with a few tweaks. Love the idea of turning it into muffins with blueberries or nuts, let me know how that turns out if you try it!
Penny L Lennon
0All I have is a 9-inch cast iron skillet. How would you suggest I can adjust the recipe to use this skillet.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Penny, I recommend setting the number of servings on the recipe card to 12 instead of 16 and it will scale the recipe down to fit in a 9-inch skillet. For the values that say 3/4 tablespoon, you can use 2 and 1/4 teaspoons instead. Hope this helps!
Kelpy
0I don’t have any almond milk on hand, but do have coconut milk…..can this be used as a substitute? I didn’t read thru all the comments to find out.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, unsweetened coconut milk (the liquid kind in a carton, not the thick kind in a can) would work fine.
Mary Simpson
0Baked as cornbread twice, was delicious. Tried in loaf pans without corn extract. Made a wonderful bread. Need to lower oven to about 350 and line loaf pans. Am still experimenting for loaf bread. I love the taste and texture.
Wholesome Yum D
0Mary, I’m so happy to hear you’ve been enjoying it both ways! Love that you’re experimenting with it, hope the next loaf comes out just the way you want!
Teresa Reynolds
0I’m so so happy. This is good. Now, you have greatly improved our life. Have you tried to take the next step and make cornbread dressing with this?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Awww, thank you, Teresa! That means a lot. I haven’t used this for cornbread dressing yet, but I’m pretty confident that you can. Please let me know how it turns out if you do!
Estee
0Nice tasting, comes out of cast iron pan easily, but doesn’t taste like cornbread even using the same extract as on recipe. It’s sweet, but not overly so. Shared some with friends who agree, tastes good but not like cornbread. They said more like sweet bread. Husband loves it but also agrees, no cornbread taste.
Sandy
0I omit the sweetener completely because I grew up with traditional Southern cornbread. For me, adding a couple of drops of the cornbread flavoring is fine. This my go to recipe. I even make our traditional cornbread dressing with it and it’s fabulous!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for the feedback, Estee! Cornbread has a wide range of tastes depending on the region, so you may want to adjust the sweetness or amount of corn extract next time, if you expect it more or less sweet (I couldn’t tell from your comment?), or more corn flavor.
Debbie Cash
0I am so glad to find this cornbread recipe. I was wondering if I could just use buttermilk instead of the almond milk. I just don’t want to buy almond milk because I live alone and it would probably spoil before I would ever use it again. I’m new to all your recipes and I love them!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debbie, I haven’t tried it with buttermilk, but I think you can use it. Let me know how it goes if you try it! And welcome!
Karen Mizener
0Absolutely the best corn bread recipe…without the cornmeal…yay!!! Love this. Thank you
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Karen! That means a lot.
halgrice49
0I made your low carb keto cornbread this morning. I loved it, very delicious. I ate it with crockpot cabbage and collard greens at lunch. I love it!!!.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you loved it, thank you! That meal sounds so flavorful.
Shannon Trogdon
0I made this cornbread recipe, and it was fabulous! If you’ve been missing cornbread on the Keto eating plan, then this recipe will happily solve that problem. Yum!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Shannon! I’m so glad my recipe helped you with that craving.
Debbie
0I have made this recipe many times and it is amazing. Usually I make mini muffins. This time I made half of the recipe and made 9 full size muffins. Baked at 350 for 22 minutes. Used heavy cream instead of almond milk. Added a little extra sweet corn extract. Perfect with the Wholesome Yum Keto Chili! Family loved it. Thank you for providing these amazing recipes!
Sandy
0This was a very close sub for cornbread. I love that it’s gluten free and no gmo’s with the corn. I had to cut the recipe in half, since I only had 3 eggs. I set the timer at 35 mins. Luckily I checked it with 8 minutes left and it was already starting to burn. I will subtract 10 minutes the next time I cook.
I made this with the Butternut Squash Soup…both are great together.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m happy you liked it, Sandy! Yes, the time can vary depending on your pan and it would definitely be less time if you cut the recipe in half, unless you use a much smaller pan. I’m glad it still worked out! Pairing it with butternut squash soup sounds great.