A lot of recipes are hard to recreate in a keto version, but Low Carb Cornbread is by far the hardest! We made countless attempts before we got the perfect recipe down. Give it a try and see what your family and friends think, we’re sure they’ll love it too!
Cornbread is one of our favorites foods. Although I’ll say Boston Market makes it best, and Matt will always says his grandma makes it best; we can both agree on this being the tastiest low carb, keto friendly cornbread we’ve made! This holiday season you’ll finally have the perfect easy to make, traditional cornbread!
The Difficulties Of Keto Cornbread
I can’t even recall how many times we attempted this cornbread recipe. There are so many recipes out there, on pinterest and food blogs, but honestly, none really live up to actual cornbread. We were determined to get as close as humanely possible to the original, and we think we did just that!
It’s a shame that so many people put out recipes claiming to have created a low carb cornbread when in fact they have just created a low carb, flavorless bread. Matt hit a stroke of genius when he suggested using baby corn. I tried using it and ended up creating this incredible, must have Thanksgiving recipe, perfect for those on a keto diet!
The Perfect Pairings
Cornbread is a hearty dish great for warming you up during the cold months of the year. We love enjoying it on Thanksgiving, but also any day of the week because it’s so easy to whip up! If you’re looking for a side to go with tonight’s dinner, try this keto cornbread recipe. And if you aren’t sure what to make for dinner, we’ve got you covered on that too! Our low carb cornbread pairs great with some hot soups! Try our:
- Low Carb Chili with Bacon– Warming chili filled with ground beef and bacon to make a hearty meal in under an hour!
- Keto Chili with Chicken AND Bacon– Incase just bacon wasn’t enough we made a second chili packed with ALL the goods!
- Keto Broccoli and Cheddar Soup– Another classic creamy and rich soup perfect to make ahead and enjoy all week
Making The Best Cornbread Recipe
To make the best easy keto cornbread not only does the consistency have to be on point, but additions are a must. In this recipe we made sure that it came out slightly crumbly and slightly sweet, all while jamming it full of cheddar cheese and chunks of baby corn for a delicious savory bite! An entire can of baby corn has only 6 net carbs, which worked out well for this keto cornbread recipe!
I’m Corn-fused Why Baby Corns?
In order to bring down the carbs low enough to make this keto cornbread recipe truly low carb, we had to get creative. Matt pointed out that baby corns, an ingredient commonly used in Asian stir-fry’s is actually only 6 net carbs per can. Don’t fear the word corn! While a corn, this vegetable is very different from its sweet corn counterpart. Thanks to the baby corn, this recipe tastes like cornbread you grew up with while still being keto friendly.
We wanted to avoid sweet corn extract as it can be very expensive. You are welcome to use extract like this Corn Extract to add a little extra flavor, but it is not necessary. Personally I think corn extract is a little artificial tasing and prefer the recipe without.
Benefits of Baby Corn
Baby corn is low in carbs and helps to add that corny flavor in this keto cornbread recipe. Thanks to baby corns, it tastes like cornbread you remembered growing up. This breed of corn is actually picked before the maturing stage. This makes it low in starch content which means lower sugar and carbs. Plus, “100 grams of baby corn has only 26 calories”(1). That is about 40 calories less than standard sweet corn meaning you can eat more keto cornbread without the guilt!
Baby corn is also easier to handle because you can just remove it from the can and chop, unlike sweet corn which you have to cook and then remove from the cob. Taking away those extra time consuming steps is what helps to make this easy keto cornbread quick.
Coconut Flour AND Almond Flour?
Almond flour is one of our favorite ingredients to use when doing holiday baking and making this keto cornbread recipe for thanksgiving. It has a slight nutty flavor and is rich in fiber. Plus, it adds volume and a nice bread-y texture to make a dense keto cornbread. However, to make the most traditional cornbread we recommend two different kinds of flour.
Can I use Just Almond Flour?
Often times we are asked if it is okay to sub full almond flour for the coconut flour in keto recipes, using just one flour instead of two. Unfortunately, coconut flour is very different from almond flour. Unlike coconut and almond milk, these two flours are not interchangeable.
Almond flour is less absorbent requiring more flour to make the same keto recipe. We tested this recipe many times and found the best outcome to have both coconut AND almond flour. The almond flour adds overall bulk while the coconut flour helps to absorb excess moisture.
If you are looking for a good coconut flour we get ours from Amazon. As for almond flour we’ve found Costco to have one of the best deals for a 1lb bag. If you are not a Costco shopper Amazon does still carry a variety of almond flours as well.
How to Make Keto Cornbread
If maintaining a keto diet during the holidays sounds difficult, look no further than this keto recipe that tastes like cornbread your mom used to make. All it takes to make easy keto cornbread is a few simple ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time!
Getting Started:
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch casserole dish- I also love using a large cast iron skillet because it can be cooled and then served in as a beautiful rustic center piece on the table
- In a medium bowl combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. Make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed so that there is no uneven rising.
- In a large bowl combine the eggs, melted butter, sour cream and liquid stevia. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches as you combine – Sour cream really is a must because it adds an extra zing and provides moisture so the cornbread doesn’t get dry while baking.
- Next fold in the cheddar cheese and chopped up baby corn- I like big chunks of both ingredients because it makes gooey pockets of goodness in this keto cornbread.
- After well combined transfer to a casserole dish or large round cast iron skillet and bake for 37-40 minutes- The best way to know if it’s done is by using a toothpick and checking it comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes and slice into 12 pieces.
Cooking Tips
- If you want to make keto cornbread extra delicious, heat 1 tbsp of bacon grease in a cast iron pan. Place this pan into the oven for 3 minutes after it has preheated. Once hot remove skillet from the oven and pour the mixed batter in. The hot bacon grease will add a savory salty flavor, while creating a nice golden brown crust on the bottom just like the real thing.
- We use liquid stevia to make a slightly sweet cornbread. If you want it sweeter feel free to add more than 25 drops, and for no sweetness just omit the stevia.
Prefer Cornbread a Bit Drier?
Some people do like drier cornbread so they can pack it with butter, that’s perfectly okay too! I recommend chopping the corn a bit smaller and rubbing them between a couple paper towels to soak up any excess water.
Serving Options
Once you get the cornbread ready to bake you can put it in any size baking dish you have on hand. However, if you are interested in the Serving Dish we used, you can find it on Amazon. It looks very elegant and the red color will pop in the center of your dinner table. Another great option is a cast iron skillet or pan. Depending on the cast iron skillet you use, you can make one big keto cornbread recipe or a few mini cast iron skillet sides.
If you prefer a cornbread muffin, you can use a non stick silicone cupcake mold. It will make perfectly golden pre portioned keto cornbread muffins.
Whether or not you are celebrating the holidays this year, cornbread is a must have in all of our diets. So, make this low carb/ keto cornbread today and try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting!
Storing Keto Cornbread
Looking to make a big batch of keto cornbread this holiday season? Maybe you just want to prep some in advance for dinner this week. However you want to do it, we’ve got storage instructions covered.
The Best Method
We’ve found that the best way to store this keto cornbread is to place it in an airtight Tupperware container and leave it in the fridge. It will last in your fridge for about 1 week. When going to re-serve try heating this low carb cornbread in the oven with a pat of butter for the most authentic flavor.
Freezing
It is not recommended to freeze any type of homemade bread product due to expansion of ice particles which can cause the product to turn dry. If you do want to freeze this low carb cornbread we recommend putting it in a completely airtight ziplock freezer bag. It will last frozen for up to 3 weeks before losing it’s nice texture.
What can I do With Leftover Cornbread?
Maybe you got a little too excited this holiday season and made three batches of cornbread… If you have too many leftovers to just eat plain cornbread were here to help. Here are a few ideas to spice up your leftover cornbread:
- Make homemade chorizo patties topped with cheddar cheese all sandwiched between, or on top of some cornbread- This makes the perfect keto breakfast sandwich by pairing smokey chorizo, sharp cheddar, and slightly sweet and savory cornbread for the perfect bite!
- Corn-bread pudding- Mix an egg with a little stevia, vanilla, and cream. Dip your piece of cornbread in like french toast and then cook it over medium heat with butter for 3-4 minutes per side. Top with keto vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of sugar free maple syrup. Or try a drizzle of our homemade Pecan Cinnamon Sauce that we used in our Sweet Potato Casserole. Trust me it’s delicious!
Making the Perfect Keto Thanksgiving
This is by far best keto cornbread, but everyone knows the real thing is always even better when served alongside other amazing dishes. We have tons of thanksgiving and holiday recipes to make this season a little more special. Some of our favorite low carb/ keto recipes:
- Low Carb Sweet Potato Casserole – Creamy sweet “potatoes” with a cinnamon pecan sauce!
- Green Bean Casserole – Just like the classic with a fresher peppery taste perfect for a high fat keto diet
- Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins – Looking for your creamy keto dessert this Thanksgiving? Try this gluten free pumpkin cheesecake recipe that’s packed with pumpkin flavor and super easy to make
- Easy Low Carb/ Keto Cauliflower Sausage stuffing – A completely GLUTEN FREE stuffing without any expensive keto bread. Finally a stuffing that isn’t bland, dry, or high in refined gluten free carbs like rice or potato flour. Plus by using whole ingredients instead of store bough keto bread you’ll feel better than ever this holiday season.
Make this year even more special and healthy for your family and friends.
Recipe can be quickly added to MyFitnessPal – Search “KetoConnect – Low Carb Cornbread”
Authentic Keto Cornbread
What You Need:
- Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Almond Flour
- 1/4 cup Coconut flour
- 3 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 25 drops Liquid Stevia
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 2/3 can baby corn, roughly chopped
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the eggs, melted butter, sour cream and liquid stevia. Whisk until full incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches as you combine.
- Fold in the cheddar cheese and chopped up baby corn. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake for 37-40 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes and slice into 12 pieces.
Notes
Written by
Megha Barot
Megha has always been a passionate cook, but she took this to a new level after starting her keo journey in 2015. She loves creating new recipes and producing educational content for KetoConnect, which she co-founded in 2016 with Matt. Her passion for healthy eating and personal development continues to thrive. She's the proud mom of two awesome kids.
Stacey says
New to Keto, but Paleo/W30 experienced, so used to finding recipes that work with eating plan. Love your site and vids! This cornbread was SO good! Based on what I’ve read about Stevia (I’ve never used it before), the Better Stevia by Now brands doesn’t have the bitterness. I bought it and tried a drop straight. Not bitter, so this stevia noob approves.
missy says
corn isnt keto……
Cass (KetoConnect) says
1 cup is 3 net carbs in baby corn, and it adds the tiny taste of corn the bread needs!
Jodie says
let’s say a person wanted to dip a hot dog in this batter and fry it. would this be possible? asking for a friend.
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Haven’t tried that! Let us know if you do though!
Kelly Beavers says
I don’t like stevia. Love sweet cornbread. Can I use swerve. You said no substitutions, would it work?
Cass (KetoConnect) says
You could try it!
Kelly says
I loved it too but not the stevia taste. I might try it with Swerve or monkfruit
Debbi says
Couild you use this to make taco casserole..like tamales pie?
Johnny says
Tried this recipe for cornbread and absolutely loved it, really delicious. After mixing all the ingredients the batter seemed too dry to spread out in the baking pan easily, so I added a half cup of water. It made the bread more moist, but still a fantastic recipe, it was so tasty.
Jason says
Any options for making a Keto cornbread for someone who in allergic to tree nuts? ( almonds etc )
Cass (KetoConnect) says
Not sure, Matt says no substitutions in the video!
Vickie says
Made mine into muffins. They are absolutely wonderful. So delicious. Thank you two for all you do bringing us such delightful recipes to enjoy. Keeping an eye on Twitter for the “Dessert Every Night” series to start showing up on your website. You guys are awesome! 🙂
Sonia says
Can I make your cornbread without cheese
Megha Barot says
Absolutely!
Tracy says
My family and I absolutely LOVE good old moist and delicious southern corn bread but we don’t like it crumbly. So we tried this recipe but I modified it a little. Instead of chopping up all of the baby corn, we puree’d it with a little of the water from the can and added it to the wet ingredients. It bumps up the corn flavor only a little bit, but what it does for the texture of the cornbread is magical. The cornbread wasn’t crumbly at all. We topped ours with probably a little more grass fed butter than some might want but we all liked it. I don’t know that WE will call it cornbread because it really doesn’t have a strong corn flavor, but it made an absolutely delicious bread to go with our Keto Chili.
Zaida Jimenez says
Well I screwed up and used a 9 by 13 baking dish but it still came out delicious! Looking forward to making again with the right pan LOL
Marc says
– Instead of 2 cups almond flour, used 1 cup almond flour + 1 cup carbquik
– Left out the cheddar cheese (I typically don’t eat corn bread with cheese on/in it, cuts down on the calories as well)
– Poured in some of the corn water from the the canned baby corn for more corn flavor
– Made 12 muffins using paper muffin cups, filling each cup almost fully
Came out pretty well! A little salty – maybe leave out the salt next time.
Also, like another commenter said, baby corn has almost no carbs because I think it’s almost all cob, and very little carby kernel – the can says 2.5G net carbs for the entire can = essentially no carbs per cornbread muffin from the corn.
Keto Connect (Shannon) says
Fabulous tips! We will be trying these for sure!
Rita R Myers says
I’m a y8 year old Southern Grandma…..I havent been able to have one of my all time favorites in years…Cornbread!! Bless your hearts you have unlocked the no cornbread door!!!
This is an A+ in excellence!!!
Thank you!!!
Keto Connect (Shannon) says
YES!!! SO HAPPY YOU LOVED IT, southern grandma! We love that you loved it!
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Chrystal says
Wanting to attempt muffins instead. How long would you recommend for cook time? Here’s hoping they’re great after freezing as well!
Keto Connect (Shannon) says
hmm, we’d say do it for 5 minutes less than this cooking time requests, and check for toothpick doneness after every 5 minutes.
Amy Yalian says
Hello I just found your YouTube channel and then your other social media sites. I just love the blessing of coming across this recipe because we do A Lot of Southern type cooking in my house. My MIL is from Mississippi/Alabama. I’m trying to get into the Keto diet for health reasons so finding this is amazing!! Thank you!
Matt Gaedke says
That’s great to hear Amy! We all need some southern cooking in our lives.
Mike says
Thank you so much for producing a well thought out and managed channel. I love this recipe. Wesley from Highflautin used a corn extract from Amazon that costs $30.00 for maybe an ounce. Im glad I viewed your video and see that it is not needed. Anytime you make it to Fort Lauderdale, look me up. Thank you again for your effort in helping ordinary people make extraordinary food.
melissa says
Combing through Pinterest looking for keto cornbread so that I can have some cornbread and chili and I came across your recipe. I am super excited to try it. I can’t wait
Kathie says
Here in Texas we celebrate the new year with ham, blackeyed peas, and cornbread. I am sure we would have had terrible luck this year if I hadn’t found your cornbread recipe. Only ate a few bites of peas but had some great cornbread. THANK you for all of your recipes.
Cindy says
This is absolutely fabulous cornbread! Made a double batch so I could use a whole can of baby corn (results in less per batch than recipe calls for). Even my fussy husband loved it. I did add the Amoretti corn extract and butter emulsion (a butter flavoring for baked goods). Used a big cast iron skillet which I heated to 400 degrees with lots of butter before adding the batter to bake. Best of all the keto cornbread recipes I’ve tried. Thanks!