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Get It NowYou 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).
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)
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.
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Instructions
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 Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
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.
328 Comments
Renate Blankenship
0Wonderful with Bean Soup.
Bea Peterman
0This is soooooooo good. I grew up on corn bread and chili every Friday night for supper and missed it when I moved away from home. I am doing keto and I miss my bread but a friend showed me this and I was blown away how easy it was to make and how delicious it is with my own keto chili. Thanks for sharing. I will pay it forward for sure.
Mkate
0This sounds delicious! I’m new to your website and quite like it.
Marty
0Thinking of trying this in a waffle maker. Any cautions, suggestions or don’ts???
Jean
0If you are looking for a way to keep cornbread neat & crispy, my family was tent camping once when a cornbread craving hit us. I thinned my cornbread recipe a bit & made ‘pancakes’ on our camp stove. That was 50 yrs ago & I’m still making it that way. It’s great for toddlers (& other messy eaters) as they can hold it like a cookie to eat without the mess of sliced cornbread. It comes out crispy on both sides & leftovers can be reheated in a toaster so still crispy. My kids taught their scout troops to make it on camp outs & it’s become a staple for many troops ever since. We’re on our 4th generation of making cornbread into pancakes so it’s a tried method. Hope it works for other families too.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Marty, I have never tried that; make sure to grease well because this batter will likely stick to the waffle maker.
Nicole
0Used the 2/3 c sweetener and added 1 tbsp lemon extract and a cup of blueberries. So yummy! This is definitely one of my go to baked items! Easy and delicious!
Sharla
0Made this for the first time tonight along with some low carb chili… we were all in heaven. Only needed 30 min in our oven in a 10″ cast iron and came out very golden. We didn’t find the corn extract to be overpowering at all, in fact my 4th grader asked if I’d add more next time lol. Great recipe, many thanks! ?
Auttis Johnson
0Where can you get corn extract?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Auttis, You can get the sweet corn extract on Amazon.
Gary
0Can I use Carbquick instead of almond flour?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Gary, I have never used that in this recipe.
Deborah Gray
0Hello! Love this recipe! I think I have made it about 10 times now at least! The only changes I made this last time were that I added a half a teaspoon of xanthan gum to make it a little less crumbly, and I also added an extra tablespoon of sweet corn extract to add a little more corn flavor. I also used a large cookie scoop to put it in a pampered chef cookie pan and it worked very well except that I should’ve cut down on the cooking time a little because of the dark pan. All in all they turned out great! Thanks for this great recipe.
Jodi
0Is there anything you can substitute for sweet corn extract?
Susan Gillespie
0I didn’t have the corn extract so I opened a can of corn (no sugar added of course) and used a 1/3 cup of the corn juice (which we usually drain) and 1/3 cup of almond milk= 2/3 C and it had that nice corn flavor, however I will order the extract now because I’m sure it adds to the carbs count. Also didn’t need the full amount of time…i checked it and took it out after about 20 min… Glad I did. This is actually pretty good!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jodi, You could omit it, but it won’t have the corn flavor of traditional cornbread.
Kat R.
0Love this recipe. I make it every Thanksgiving.
Lyn Gapen
0This is my first time trying this and I am wondering if you can make this with actual buttermilk instead of almond milk and lemon juice.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lyn, I have never tried that, but I would think it would work.
Carole
0Absolutely delicious, very easy recipe, I will definitely make this again.
Stacy
0Amoretti brand does not have any propylene glycol. It’s pricy but I just ordered some to be able to make cornbread. I think in this particular recipe, one tablespoon of extract might be a bit much. I found another recipe that only uses seven drops because it is extra concentrated.
Ashley
0It is listed on their website as the main ingredient of the extract. So it is not.
Tammy
0I see propylene glycol as the main ingredient as well. I don’t want that either. Have you found a substitute?
Roxann Stafford
0Hi Maya can I use heavy cream or half n half in place of the almond milk? If so do I need to alter the amount?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Roxann, You could use either of those to replace the almond milk, but it will raise the calorie count.
Suzanne Renfrow
0I always buy unsweetened *vanilla* almond milk. Would that also work?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Suzanne, I would suggest using unflavored almond milk.
Mary Ellen Rozell
0I love this recipe and I have made it several times! My husband would eat it everyday if I let him! I was curious about adding cheddar cheese to it, do you think I would have to alter the recipe at all? Thank you for all the wonderful recipes, my family loves them! The pound cake recipe is also amazing
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Mary Ellen, that sounds great! I haven’t tried that, but it should work fine. You can either mix it in the batter and bake as normal, or add it to the top in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Let me know how it goes!
Mike
0If using batter to make a dozen cornbread muffins, how long do you bake?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mike, You would only want to bake for 20-25 minutes.
Audrey chambers
0Since the Keto Corn Bread is Keto Friendly How many Carb are in this cornbread?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Audrey, There are 4g net carbs in each serving.
June
0I made a half batch in a 6 “ pan but the corn extract that I have is a little too sweet and/or strong. I’m not giving stars because I didn’t follow the recipe exactly so I don’t think it’s fair to give low stars. I used bacon grease instead of butter and omitted the sweetener. It tasted exactly like the extract smells. Texture was fine though. Thanks for the recipe but I’ll keep looking.
Beverly
0This cornbread recipe is truly delish!! My husband said it taste like Jiffy corn muffins. I was truly impressed.
Lenise
0I love sweet cornbread and was excited to find this recipe. It looks delicious. I didn’t know what Sweet Corn Flavoring was so I looked it up. Turns out it is made with Propylene Glycol, which is considered safe to consume but can have adverse side effects, especially for diabetes or those needing to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. Is there anything you can suggest to substitute for that? I’m sure it gives it a great corn flavor and I’d like to find an workable alternative.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lenise, I do not have another low-carb alternative for sweet corn flavoring.
Amanda Arshad
0Loved this! Used it to make a BBQ chicken pizza casserole!
Teresa
0Wow… just wow! I have missed cornbread! Way back in the day, I would use soy grits to make it but I can no longer find them. THIS, right here, works! I actually did a half batch cuz it’s just me and hubby. I added one thing: grated baby corn from the can (rinsed and drained) – just about 5 or 6 little ones. He loved it and did I! WOW! Thank you!
Annie
0Why do you use baking powder when baking powder isn’t keto friendly?
trsdos
0The baking powder in this recipes adds 0.24 gms of carbs per serving. That is VERY keto friendly
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Annie, Most people consider baking powder to be keto friendly in the amounts that it’s used. If you are super concerned about the cornstarch, you can make your own without it with 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda. Our recipe ratings are for those who actually made the recipe. Hope you’ll give it a try!
Vicki
0Is it really a tablespoon of sweet corn extract? It made it really strong and extract tasting. Did you possibly mean a teaspoon?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Vicki, You can reduce the amount of extract if you find it to be too much.
Aurora Artman
0I thought I had almond flour but only had coconut so I gave it a whirl. I also didn’t think to have the sweet corn extract so I used 1 tablespoin of it. Well, the coconut flavor was forward. But it’s gonna make a great topping for a crumble or yogurt. I’m going to try again with the correct flour.
Kay Davis
0Can this be made without sweetener? I don’t normally sweeten mine at all.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kay, Yes, you can omit the sweetener.
Timmesha
0Hello! I am about to make this recipe to pair with chili, but I am not a fan of sweet cornbread. I wanted to exclude the monk fruit allulose blend sweetener, but what can I do to keep it moist? Will adding water (also not a fan of watering down food) or unsweetened applesauce ruin it or can I just add more milk? Whatever can help, but not make it sweet…I’ll appreciate the tips. Thanks in advance!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Timmesha, You can just omit the sweetener.
Jules
0Sweet corn “bread” is Johnny Cake, not cornbread. Has anyone tried it without sweetener? I was reared in the south and our cornbread is always savory, ie buttermilk cornbread with no sugar ever and bacon grease for the oil and to grease the pan. Our tradition calls for heating the oil and pouring in the really hot greased pan which fries the bottom of a great crispy texture. Will this work with this?
Ms Marty
0You’re my kinda southerner. My mom never put sugar in the corn bread… or flour. Corn bread was corn meal, buttermilk, baking powder & baking soda. Heat the cast iron pan with bacon grease until it is HOT and pour the batter in.
Mom always said if you want cake then you can add sugar, eggs and flour.
I’m going to try this in a waffle maker to see if I can get that crunch I miss.
Amanda Coen
0For clarity, just because your southern traditions don’t reflect “sweet cornbread” doesn’t mean that it isn’t southern. I was a southern raised babe, and have cooked cornbread very similar to this way since I was tall enough to stand on a stool. It was just called sweet cornbread. Maya did amazing with this! (This is what I have missed most since going keto truthfully).
I have made this cornbread each way though, about 3 -4 times and I had no problems with the oil reserves of bacon fat and it turned out amazing! I did notice I cooked for a bit shorter than the recipe calls for so I just keep a close eye.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jules, That should work for this recipe as well.
Gina Pottenger
0I think this might be the best keto baking recipe I’ve ever made, and I’ve made quite a few. It’s unbelievably moist and holds together well. I wonder if I could swap out the sweet corn for a banana essence to pretend it’s banana bread? Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0So glad you liked it, Gina! I have a keto banana bread recipe here.
Rob
0What could I use instead of sweet corn extract? Thanks
Mary Ford
0I used a dollop of corn oil and loved it!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rob, Sweet corn extract is the only thing that will give you the corn taste in the cornbread.
Lucy Bell
0The best low carb cornbread recipe I ever made! Me and my family enjoyed it! I used Swerve sweetener instead and didn’t use any extract and it still came out moist and delicious.
M. Ford
0This recipe is wonderful! As others have said, it makes a lot (2 cakes for us). I couldn’t find corn flavoring and didn’t have time to order any so I took a page from my grandmother’s cornbread recipe and added a touch of corn oil instead and it worked great! Light corn flavor without the cost of flavoring. Low carb’ers and non low carb’ers alike enjoyed it! Thank you for this recipe!
Melissa
0I have eaten cornbread before and liked it but for some reason could only eat a small amount. I absolutely love this recipe. I am 3 for 3 on wholesome yum recipes! So glad I found this website.
Jae
0It was good! Easy to modify for other variations.
Amy
0Wanting to make these but they need to be dairy-free. Suggestions for butter replacement? Obviously for someone else, as I LIVE for butter, lol
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Amy, Coconut oil can be used in place of butter.
Amy
0Thank you.
Annie
0Hi Maya – first time we tried the keto cornbread, it came out delicious. So for tonight’s dinner, I wanted to fix the cornbread with cabbage. Unfortunately, I was out of almond flour so I tried using coconut flour. What a mess!!! Can’t eat it. Soi found out the hard way not to substitute coconut flour for almond flour for this recipe.
I’m not all that keen on almond flour.
Karen
0This was absolutely amazing. Better even than lots of “real” cornbreads I have had. Paired it with our NOLA family recipe for BBQ shrimp – and will do so forevermore. We used Kerry Gold salted butter and pure allulose sweetener – it did cook faster – about 28 minutes. Thank you ?
Beth
0Hi, this sounds great! But I was hoping to find a way to make corn fritters? Would this work if I tried to fry drops of this is oil? Thank you for any help you can give me.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Beth, I have never attempted that but if you do please let me know if it works for you!
Kathy Coffey
0Do you have to add sweetener ? Don’t like sweet cornbread.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kathy, You can skip the sweetener.
Vivian Beckner
0Just wow!…I add extra Keto sugar…everyone loves this “cornbread “… 🙂
Terry Andrews
0This is absolutely delicious. You know its good when you bite it and then look at it!! I’ve sent pictures to family and they want it for Christmas. Thanks so much. I use so many of your recipes and have been very pleased with all of them.
Cathy Thornton
0I am so happy I found this, and LOVED it when I prepared it recently. Being from the deep south may there consider cornbread “sacred” (insert smiley face here) but I had some of those family and friends go back for 2nds as well! The addition of the sweet corn extract gives it the smell of traditional cornbread and being Keto friendly, it fits my lifestyle without any guilt! I have used it with traditional chili, Kabocha Squash Chili, so it is balanced enough to be used with different flavor profiles. I will absolutely make it again!
Earline
0I can’t find the recipe card you referred to at the beginning…?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0It’s right above where you left this comment. 🙂 Or just click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post.
Cheryl
0I’ve never liked corn bread, but we substitute the corn extract for vanilla extract and this is one of my all time favorite snacks ever! I eat it by itself, my husband puts nut butter on top. We literally have a slice of cornbread in our fridge at all times now! FANTASTIC!
Ruth Gumataotao
0Moist delicious buttery cornbread tasting deliciousness. Butter flavor develops more the longer it sits. I love cornbread that has enough flavor that it can be eaten as is, no topping with butter or honey. This is perfect.
Donna
0This cornbread came out wonderful. Going to use it to make cornbread stuffing tomorrow!
Barbara
0Don’t like sweet cornbread for my dressing, can I omit sweetener?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara, Yes, you can, but I’d recommend leaving in at least a little bit (like a couple tablespoons). Actual cornmeal has a bit of natural sweetness that almond flour doesn’t have, so keeping just a bit of sweetener will achieve a closer result to a cornbread that isn’t sweet. Let me know how it goes!
Veronica
0Hi, can I make this cornbread and use it to make dressing?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Veronica, Yes, that would be tasty I’m sure!
Waunita
0Excellent!