Name: Low FODMAP Cornbread (Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups stone-ground cornmeal / polenta (not instant or quick cook)*; ¾ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (that includes xanthan gum); 1 tablespoon maple sugar**; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup milk, lactose-free if needed, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon lemon juice, at room temperature; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup ghee or butter (if not needing 100% lactose-free), melted and cooled to just above room temperature; Ghee or butter, for greasing the skillet

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a slice of low fodmap cornbread on a pie spatula on top of a cast iron skillet of cornbread

Compliment a variety of dishes with this quick and easy, gluten-free Low FODMAP Cornbread! Flavorful, moist, and not too crumbly, this low FODMAP cornbread recipe baked in a cast iron skillet turns out a savory cornbread with a perfectly caramelized crust. Serve it alongside low FODMAP chili, meatloaf, pot roast, beef stew, BBQ ribs, pulled pork, and more, for a deliciously well-rounded, robust meal. In addition to being low FODMAP, this cornbread recipe is also gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can be lactose-free by using lactose-free milk.

Low FODMAP Cornbread: Where have you been all my life?!?

Had I realized how quickly cornbread can be thrown together and baked, I would have been making it regularly all these years as a side dish. Made with a few simple ingredients, this low FODMAP cornbread made from scratch in a cast iron skillet can come together in just 40 minutes!

My family's favorite thing to eat this low FODMAP cornbread with is my Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chili con Canada; however, this low FODMAP cornbread would go well with a lot of recipes which I'll list and link at the bottom of this post.

overhead shot of gluten-free cornbread in a cast iron skillet on a wooden background

What is cornbread?

Cornbread is a side dish popular in primarily the Southern United States with its roots in Native American cuisine. It's made in a variety of ways throughout North America today, with southern corn bread using less sweetener and more cornmeal versus flour (or just cornmeal with no additional flour).

This low FODMAP cornbread is baked in a cast iron skillet and uses a combination of cornmeal and flour but very little sweetener. While not reflecting an authentic southern cornbread, it's so good and goes great with chili and other dishes.

Is cornmeal low FODMAP?

As I discuss in my post on low FODMAP polenta, which also contains cornmeal, cornmeal is low in FODMAPs due to the type of corn that's used being lower in FODMAPs and higher in starch than sweet corn. Sweet corn is higher in FODMAPs but is still consumable in smaller quantities according to Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App.

Necessary Equipment

The equipment I use to make this low FODMAP cornbread includes:

Gas or electric oven (I use convection)
10.25-inch cast iron skillet
Microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup
Measuring cups and spoons
2 large bowls
Whisk
Oven mitt
Spatula
Toothpick
Knife
Pie spatula

a triangular slice of low fodmap cornbread on white plate in front of a skillet of cornbread

Low FODMAP Cornbread: Ingredients & Success Tips

Prepare Ingredients for Room Temperature

This low FODMAP cornbread recipe bakes the best and most evenly when all of the ingredients are at room temperature. What I typically do is set out all of the things that need to warm up - the milk, lemon juice, and milk - before I start cooking the main course (typically Low FODMAP Instant Pot Chili con Canada).

Then, while I'm getting the chili in the pot, the low FODMAP cornbread ingredients are warming up and are ready by the time I'm done with the chili. While chili is cooking in the Instant Pot, I'm mixing together and baking the cornbread. Both are done at pretty much the same time, just like they were meant to be made together.

The ghee or butter should be melted in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and cooled to just above room temperature. At room temperature, it will resolidify.

Make Low FODMAP, Lactose-Free "Buttermilk"

I love the flavor of buttermilk in recipes, but I hate buying a half gallon just for one recipe. Thus, I always make my own buttermilk by whisking together my milk of choice with lemon juice or vinegar. If you require lactose-free, use a lactose-free milk, and you then have lactose-free "buttermilk."

For this low FODMAP cornbread recipe, I combine milk with lemon juice in a measuring cup and let it sit for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle during that time, and that's normal. Don't freak out when you see a few chunks when you pour it into the batter. 😉

Preheat Oven + Grease Skillet

While my "buttermilk" is sitting, I lightly grease my 10.25-inch cast iron skillet with ghee or butter. Then, I preheat my oven (I use convection) to 400°F and place the greased skillet on the center oven rack to heat up while the oven preheats. This contributes to the cornbread crust getting a beautiful caramelization.

Mix Dry Ingredients

low fodmap cornbread dry ingredients in a large metal bowl including cornmeal, gluten-free flour, maple sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt next to a whisk and a bowl of cornmeal

In a large bowl, I whisk together the following dry ingredients:

Stone-ground cornmeal / polenta (not instant / quick cook) - I use Bob's Red Mill Organic Corn Grits / Polenta, but this particular one is not made in a gluten-free facility. If you require 100% gluten-free, be sure to get the gluten-free version.
Gluten-free all-purpose flour (that includes xanthan gum) - I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, which includes xanthan gum. Xanthan gum helps hold the cornbread together in the absence of gluten.
Maple sugar - or, if you don't require refined sugar-free, feel free to use refined brown or white sugar.
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt

low fodmap cornbread dry ingredients mixed together in a large bowl with a whisk next to a bowl of cornmeal

Mix Wet Ingredients

low fodmap cornbread wet ingredients including melted ghee, milk and lemon juice in separate measuring cups and three brown eggs in a bowl

Then, in a separate large bowl, I whisk together the following wet ingredients:

The "buttermilk" mixture
Eggs, at room temperature
Ghee or butter, melted and cooled to just above room temperature

Make sure to add the ghee or butter last and whisk quickly after it is added. The ghee will want to resolidify, so the wet ingredients need to be mixed together and then mixed with the dry ingredients quickly before it has a chance to.

Mix Wet + Dry Ingredients, Pour in Skillet

I promptly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Then, using an oven mitt and great care from this point forward not to touch the handle of the skillet barehanded, I remove the skillet from the oven. I pour the cornbread batter into the skillet, relishing in that satisfying sizzle as it pours in.

overhead shot of a triangular slice of gluten-free cornbread on a white plate with a fork in front of a skillet of cornbread

Bake

I bake the low FODMAP cornbread at 400°F for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool & Serve

I allow the cornbread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into 8 slices and serving. Top with additional ghee or butter or maple syrup, or just eat it plain. I find it delicious without any additional topping. The cornbread can also be topped with up to 1 teaspoon of honey per serving; however, be mindful of what you're eating with this cornbread containing the FODMAP fructose to avoid FODMAP stacking.

close up shot of a piece of low fodmap cornbread on a white plate with a bite taken out of it next to a fork

Store

This low FODMAP cornbread can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cornbread leftovers make a great low FODMAP breakfast option.

What do I eat this Low FODMAP Cornbread with?

The sky is the limit when it comes to what cornbread goes well with; however, these low FODMAP recipes currently on the blog I consider most ideal to eat with this low FODMAP cornbread: