Healthy Cornbread (Low-Calorie, Refined Sugar-Free!)

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You’re going to love my easy healthy cornbread! Just like Jiffy, but way better, it’s a southern cornbread recipe with the best crumbly texture and subtly sweet flavor without any added refined sugar! My recipe is perfect for anyone looking for a great side dish to complement dinner or a snack for the whole family.

Soft and versatile, sweet cornbread is one of my absolute favorite side dishes. But let’s be honest, is cornbread healthy? Not so much. Traditional cornbread recipes call for a ton of butter, sugar, and white flour, making it more like a cake than a healthy side! 

But with a couple of simple swaps, I was able to turn a classic quick bread recipe into a healthy cornbread recipe that is just as delicious as the original!

I just switched out the type of flour used, and reduced the oil and sugar in the recipe. My version has just a hint of sweetness, tons of natural corn flavor, and a crumbly texture!

You can pair my low sugar corn bread with all types of foods such as soups, casseroles, main courses, easy lunches, veggies, and so much more! It is the perfect addition to any meal! I sometimes even make a double batch of this healthy honey cornbread recipe when I need to feed a crowd!

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🥘 Ingredients

You can easily find all the healthy ingredients on this list at grocery stores. There is a good chance you already have most of them in your pantry. 

For the full recipe and nutrition facts, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Flour: I use regular whole wheat flour, which is a healthier alternative to all-purpose flour thanks to the fiber and whole grains. You can also use other whole grain flours like white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.

Cornmeal: Ground cornmeal is the main ingredient in my recipe! It’s sold in the baking section of grocery stores.

Baking Powder: Baking powder helps my low calorie cornbread rise and create the signature crumbly texture. 

Salt: Just a little bit of salt brings out more of the sweetness of the corn.

Milk: You can use any kind of milk in this recipe! Dairy or dairy-free milks such as oat or almond work.

Lemon Juice: I like to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice will work too.

Honey: Adds just a hint of sweetness. For a vegan option, granulated sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup will work. You can also leave out the honey altogether if you want to make a healthy cornbread recipe with no sugar at all.

Eggs: Use organic eggs if you can. If I’m making a vegan version of the recipe, I use applesauce or flax eggs.

Oil: Any type of vegetable oil will work. My favorites are melted coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil for both taste and texture. 

🔪 How To Make Healthy Cornbread

Making my healthy low calorie cornbread is easy! The simple foolproof recipe turns out perfectly every time. Check out my video below to see how it’s made step-by-step.

Preheat Oven, Prepare Pan: Before starting the recipe, I preheat my oven to 338 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees Celsius). Then I line a square pan with parchment paper and set it aside.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, I add the flour, whole-grain cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, and whisk until combined.

Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, I whisk together the milk, lemon juice, honey, eggs, and oil. Don’t forget to omit the honey if you want to make healthy cornbread without sugar.

Mix Ingredients: I add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until the batter is smooth. 

Transfer To Pan, Bake: First, I pour the cornbread batter into my prepared pan. Then I transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes, checking to see if it’s done at the 15 minute mark.

Remove And Cool: When done, I remove the cornbread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for five minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.

Cut And Serve: Once cool enough, I cut it into 16 equal pieces. You can serve your healthy homemade cornbread warm or at room temperature. It’s delicious with an extra drizzle of honey on top!

📖 Variations

Healthy Vegan Cornbread Recipe: Substitute the milk for non-dairy milk such as almond milk, or soy milk, remove the eggs and substitute with ½ cup of applesauce, an additional teaspoon of baking powder (3 tsp total), and ¼ cup of sugar instead of honey. You can also use flax eggs instead of applesauce by mixing flax meal and water together and letting it sit for five minutes.

Gluten-Free Option: Make this recipe gluten-free by substituting 1:1 gluten-free flour for whole wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour should work, as will any gluten free flour that includes xanthan gum. I haven’t tried almond flour as a gluten-free option, but I think that might make this recipe a little too dense and not as fluffy.

Sugar Free Cornbread Recipe: Omit the honey, or use 1-2 tablespoons of liquid monk fruit sweetener instead to make healthy sugar free cornbread.

Healthy Cornbread Muffins: If you want to make healthy corn muffins, simply transfer the batter to a muffin tin and bake at 340 degrees Fahrenheit (171 degrees Celsius). You will have to adjust the baking time, checking every 5 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of each muffin comes out clean.

Mix In Whole Corn Kernels: For some additional texture, sometimes I’ll add ½ cup of fresh corn kernels directly into the batter!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Cornbread is incredibly versatile and is one of my favorite sides, because it pairs well with a variety of dishes! Its soft, crumbly texture and sweetness make it a fantastic addition to any meal. Here are some delicious ways I’ll typically serve my homemade cornbread:

With Soups and Stews: Serve a warm slice of cornbread alongside this vegetarian stew, Instant Pot vegetarian chili, or comforting vegan tomato soup.

As A Snack: I’ll often serve cornbread as a quick and satisfying snack. Spread a bit of butter or vegan butter on top, drizzle with honey, or spread it with fruit preserves to complement the corn flavor.

With Breakfast: Skip toast and add cornbread to your breakfast plate. It goes well with this silken tofu scramble or egg white omelet. You could also serve it with this breakfast fruit salad. 

With Salads: Pair it with a fresh salad for a balanced lunch or light dinner. Some of my favorites are spinach and arugula salad and tomato avocado cucumber salad.

With Main Courses: My cornbread easily complements main dishes like this vegan turkey, taco stuffed peppers, or vegan meatloaf. It’s a great way to round out any meal.

🧊 Storage Directions

Storage: My low fat cornbread recipe stores really well. Before storing, you need to let the cornbread cool completely. Then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature or 7-8 days in the fridge.

Freezer: You can also freeze the cornbread. I wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. Frozen cornbread will keep well for up to 2 months. 

Reheating: To reheat, I either warm the cornbread in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds per piece, or in a toaster oven until heated through. If reheating from frozen, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the oven time.

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