Native Americans were using ground corn as a staple in their cooking long before European settlers arrived in the New World. Taking a cue from the native peoples, settlers used corn to make their own bread, yielding one of the tastiest, easiest to make foods in history—cornbread!

I have always taken for granted that, because corn is gluten-free, cornbread would thus be a cinch to make gluten-free. But—surprise!—since working at Triumph, I have discovered that this assumption is erroneous. In reality, nearly all cornbread recipes call for wheat flour. In fact, they often call for even more wheat flour than cornmeal. What a cruel joke for those living gluten-free! It’s back to the drawing board on that one.

Thankfully, there are some gluten-free cornbread mixes on the market that contain mixtures of a variety ingredients such as tapioca starch, sorghum flour, and potato starch as substitutes for wheat flour. You can find a vast majority of these mixes—in addition to ready-made gluten-free cornbreads available in your local grocery store—in Triumph’s Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide. We love Pamela’s gluten-free cornbread mix, as well as Gluten-free Naturals’ cornbread and muffin mix.

You can also make your own gluten-free cornbread from scratch! There are tons of great recipes out there for those looking to find the perfect combination of moist texture and sweet corn flavor.

• Over at Karina’s Kitchen, this Yeasted Quinoa-Cornbread Recipe offers a different twist on cornbread – if you include the add-ins like caraway seeds, rosemary or dill.
• The Whole Foods Market Gluten-free Cornbread Recipe calls for soy flour, which I find mimics wheat flour extremely well.
• At the Gluten Free Cooking School, they have a Gluten-free, Casein-free Southern Cornbread Recipe that works great for cornbread dressing.
• Gluten Free Mommy offers a simple Gluten-free Cornbread Recipe. She calls it a “plain jane version” but it’s easy and looks delicious!
• Last but not least, this Blueberry Lemon Cornbread Recipe from Hold the Gluten’s blog is more of a quick bread - but it sure looks yummy!

Be sure to consult Triumph’s Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide for the best brands of gluten-free cornmeal to use in baking your own cornbread. While corn is gluten-free, cross-contamination can sometimes be a risk when it comes to the many cornmeal products on the market. Nevertheless, cornbread is a delicious treat to enjoy as a side with any meal, or by itself. Try putting some cheddar cheese and jalapenos in it to spice it up, or follow the Blueberry Lemon Cornbread recipe above for a sweeter rendition. Happy baking!

Do you have a favorite gluten-free cornbread mix or recipe? Post to our comments section and tell us about it!