This EASY Keto Cornbread is sure to knock your socks off, it’s a wonderful low carb alternative to the southern classic. You’re going to love this cornbread with optional fillings!
Growing up cornbread was a staple around our house, so much so that we had a cast-iron skillet devoted to cornbread (now ours is for Keto Cornbread!). Nothing else was allowed to be cooked in that skillet, and the bottom of it was slicker than owl snot (I love southern colloquialisms). We ate cornbread on the side of so many dishes, but it was most commonly served with soup beans and collard greens, which is about as stereotypical a southern meal as they come.
If you’ve been following Cast Iron Keto on social media, you may have seen the news that my grandmother passed away in the middle of August. She made the best cornbread, and she also had the best adages and colloquialisms.
She worked as a nurse for over 50 years and at the funeral home, one of the doctors she worked with had a list of these “Roxie-isms” he had typed up and printed out. Some off these are a little…colorful, so as my Nana would say “Pardon my French”, but I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few of my favorites:
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I believe in cussing when you’re mad and scratching when you’re itching
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I’m as cold as a well diggers butt crack in January
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I was as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs
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He was shaking like a dog shittin’ a peach seed
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What do you know? I know 100lbs of flour will make a damn big biscuit.
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Never kick a fresh turd on a warm day
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I’ve eaten so much cheese, I’ll have to board my butt up to keep the rats out.
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If a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his ass every time he jumped
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I’m as hungry as a woodpecker in a steel mill
I’d love to hear your favorite southern (or not so southern) saying in the comment section below.
Anyway, about this Keto Cornbread…I took the liberty to add some jalapeños to mine, but it is just as good without them if you’re in the mood for something a little milder. If you want a killer comfort meal it pairs great with these pork belly collard greens, keto fried chicken, or this keto version of mashed potatoes and gravy.
This isn’t a sweet cornbread as it’s sugar-free but you could add in some sugar substitute like Swerve if you’d like it to be sweet!
We’re using a combo of flours here, a 1/2 cup of almond flour and a 1/4 cup of coconut flour. I feel like that gives us the best texture!
Now, we have nothing against corn other than that it doesn’t fit in well with a keto diet. Corn has 41g of carbs per cup, that’s more than 2 days worth of carbs for most folks on a keto diet. SO, that’s why we created this recipe!
Let’s get to some common questions:
How to make gluten-free keto cornbread:
To start preheat the oven to 325°.
Then begin by mixing up the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl like the melted butter, heavy cream, corn extract (if using)and eggs. Then add in the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt.
Once it’s mixed up you’ll add in any fillings you want (see below for suggestions!) you’ll pour it into a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet then pop it into the oven for 30 minutes.
PRO TIP: want a super crunchy bottom? Heat a tablespoon or so of butter in the bottom of the skillet over high heat. Pour the batter into the hot skillet just before transferring it to the oven.
Do I have to use a cast-iron skillet for this Low Carb Cornbread?
Nope, obviously a cast iron skillet is the classic way to cook cornbread and it yields a crusty bottom but you can use any baking dish you have. Just make sure it’s roughly the same size.
Can I use a corn extract/flavoring in this Keto Cornbread?
Yes! This one is our favorite.
Why do you call it cornbread if there’s no corn in it?
Well, because no one searches for keto bread that tastes like cornbread. We have to name things that people are likely to search for so that the recipe can actually be found and made by all of you.
Can I make these into cornbread muffins?
Yes! Just use your favorite muffin tin and reduce the cooking time to about 20 minutes.
Can I add in fillings to this low carb Keto Cornbread?
YES! This may be the best part of making this “cornbread” recipe. Here are a few ideas:
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bacon + cheese + jalapeños
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blackberry + sage
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breakfast sausage + cheese
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green chile + cheese
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roasted garlic + fresh herbs
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maple extract + bacon
What is the nutritional information for this Keto Cornbread recipe?
As always, you can find the full nutritional breakdown including the carb count (total carbs and net carbs) at the bottom of the recipe card. You can find the serving size/yield at the top of the recipe card. You should always double-check your specific ingredients as different brand’s ingredients may have different values.
To get a specific serving size you’ll want to weigh the final dish then divide by the number of servings. We can’t provide this information as your cooking style will vary from ours as well as the brand ingredients you choose to use.
Can I use this Keto cornbread for sandwiches?
Yes! This keto cornbread makes an awesome sandwich or slider bun. Just cut it into the shape you want and you’re good to go! Wouldn’t a leftover turkey sandwich with keto stuffing, keto cranberry sauce, and other goodies be delicious?!
Can I make stuffing with this recipe?
Yes! We even have a recipe handy for you! This Keto Cornbread Stuffing is to DIE for, seriously it’s so good!
It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other time you’re craving stuffing! The cornbread crisps up nicely in an oven, that’s the key to drying it out to create the perfect stuffing.
All of the other classic ingredients are included too like fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage), celery, onions, plenty of butter, broth, and eggs.
Keto Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Optional Fillings: see post above for more ideas
- 2 jalapeños thinly sliced
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- In a medium bowl mix together all of the ingredients except the jalapeños (if not using toppings/fillings simply omit them).
- Pour the batter into a 10.5″ well seasoned cast iron skillet and top with jalapeños, bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
The only thing I would do differently, is to get some butter screamin hot in the skillet first, then pour the batter in. That way you get nice crispy edges. I love your recipes! Keep them coming!
That’s a great idea!
Who needs butter when y’all got bacon fat?? Put the butter in the batter, fatback (or bacon grease) is for the pan!
There is no mention as to what size cast iron skillet?
Thank you,
Roye
Sorry about that, 10.5"
It is so hot I was sweating like a French whore in Sunday school!
(After eating your cornbread with jalapeño’s!)?
Ha! I’ve definitely heard that one before.
My parents were from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Mama used to say, "If ya’ll are comin’ to visit my house, ya’ll need to make an appointment. If you’re comin’ to visit me, then just come on in and sit yourself down." And another one on housekeeping: "My house is clean enough to be healthy, and messy enough to be happy." Both of these are how I have approached my home too.. 😀
Those are great, I’ve definitely heard the housekeeping one before. Thanks for sharing!
These gave my husband and me a good laugh this morning. Reading them brings to mind my favorite saying from my dad…"I’ve got a good memory, but it’s short." I use that one now myself.
Did you use blanched or unblanched almond flour? I’ve seen a few recipes that call for unblanched, but I’m having a really difficult time finding it anywhere.
Blanched, this is the one we use -> https://www.bobsredmill.com/almond-meal-flour.html
Southern saying my grandmother would say while she was picking lint off her clothes.
“I swear, this sweater catches everything but men and money”
HA! Lauren just got a kick out of that one when I showed her your comment. That one’s pretty great. Thanks for sharing Lorrie!
My mom had some great comments but they escape me at the moment. I was looking for a "legal" corn bread recipe today and found this. So glad I did. Easy and delicious! Another hit recipe from you!
Great to hear that Judy!
Hi Alex,
I’m sorry for the loss of your grandmother.
I have been struggling as to what to cook for dinner tonight. For sure whatever it is will have your cornbread on the side.
Thanks for sharing your heart and your recipes.
Thank you Venus, I hope you enjoy the "Cornbread"
How is this without the peppers? I am thinking of using this recipe to make cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving.
It’s great! This recipe is a great starting point for any add-ins but can be made plain too. We’re actually getting ready to create a stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving based off this recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve made it several times – plain and with peppers and cheese. I’m going to try making it with some broccoli and cheese, a family favotire. An old saying from my mother-in-law, " Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then. " One of my Mom’s sayings, "He’s as crooked as a dog’s hind leg." ?
Can you use homemade almond meal and can this be frozen for future use? Daddy always said to freeze the cornbread so it don’t taste fresh. I never knew why.
I haven’t tried to freeze it and Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour is the only flour we’ve tested it with. Let me know if you try it with anything else or decide to freeze it and how that works out!
Just looking at the recipe doesn’t seem like enough batter for a 10.5" skillet. Just wondering: do you measure the bottom of the pan for the size? Thanks
It’s enough! 10.5" is correct.
It rises alot.
I made it per the recipe exactly, but it is waaaaay too salty. Going to leave the salt out completely next time.
Everyone’s salt preferences are different, did you make sure that your butter was unsalted?
Same here! I even used unsalted butter. I’m so disappointed- and I’m usually heavy- handed with salt.
I have just finished eating a bowl of Beanless Low Carb Chili Con Carne WITH your fantastic faux cornbread! It is delicious and very pretty to serve as well….However, mine seems quite crumbly…Is there something I should do to solve this? I put mixture into a Hot buttered skillet so it would sizzle and have a nice crust and got so excited that I FOGOT the very pricy Corn Extract I had ordered to use the first time I got a good recipe!!! Can you believe it? I was so perturbed with myself….absolutely going to make again and again….Thank you for sharing and let me know how to keep it less crumbly. The mixture looked great going into skillet.
Corn extract would be fantastic, I need to get my hands on some of that! I would allow the cornbread to sit for about 20 minutes or so before cutting and serving.
I love this recipe, very easy and always turns out. But I would say, I’m with a few others. I use a 1/4 tsp. of salt, if that. And unsalted butter of course. But we are all different! This Mississippi girl thanks you! You know we have bread at every meal! Lol.
Hi Charly, we’re glad you love this recipe! I’m going to make a note on the recipe about reducing the amount of salt if folks are sensitive to it. We think it’s perfect but we tend to like things a bit more on the salty side.
First time visitor to your site and tried the recipe within a couple of hours of finding it (and will try others as well). I did eliminate the salt based on other comments. This is a keeper for "cornbread" but I’ll also use it as "focaccia" for sandwiches.
Thanks! This was pretty good. I heated my cast iron on low heat, dropped the butter in and let it melt. After melting I turned the heat off, whisked in the heavy cream, then whisked in the eggs (since its heated on low and the heat is removed, eggs shouldn’t really cook – I make regular cornbread the same way). I whisked in the dry ingredients which were premixed and smoothed it out. I did use salted butter and so I omitted the salt. It smelled like cornbread for sure! I don’t think it would be super great on it’s own (kind of bland?) but it was fabulous on keto chili!! I wouldn’t have known the difference if I hadn’t made it myself. Next time I might add a bit of swerve or other keto friendly sweetener. Not a big fan of sweet cornbread, but since corn is naturally sweet, I think a subtle sweetness might be good.
Going to try this “cornbread” by the recipe.
As far as a southern saying here is one from my Grnadfather who lived to be 101!
He used to tell
Me this all of the time.
“I don’t know why the good LORD made more horse’s butts then he made horses!”
Ha, good one!
Cant wait to try this with my keto soup recipe! My granddaddy would say "you a few ants short of a picnic aintcha baby" to folks with no common sense! LOL!
Southern saying. "That’s higher than a cat’s back"
Never heard that one!
I loved this recipe – it really tastes like cornbread – but I like this better than cornbread!
From my father-in-law: Fine as frog’s hair.
Shut that pneumonia hole
I remember fine as frog’s hair.. love it.. how about, "any better and I’d be twins".
Tried this recipe over this weekend and my first batch in a cast iron skillet was so salty and so buttery it is inedible. Gave it another try in a spring form pan, 1/2 of the salt and no butter on the bottom of the pan, used parchment paper and vegetable oil spray. Again way too salty but good on the butter. Discovered that my Organic Coconut flour had 10mg of salt, so much of organic. Substituted more Almond flour for the Coconut flour and it came out awesome. I will try to get the corn extract flavoring for the next attempt but even my strict Keto guests raved about this recipe, albeit the third time was the charm. Reno
I cant stomach lactose. What can I substitute the heavy cream with?
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing. Taste like regular corn bread..
Great with Chili!
You know what Thought did? Thought he farted, but he shitted.
Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk’s still good.
If Mom didn’t remember someone’s name she referred to them as What’s his nuts.
They had very colorful sayings. Sometimes one just pops out of my mouth without me thinking about it. Thank you for the recipe and for the great trip down memory lane..
Hi Deb, thanks so much for sharing these. I’ve definitely heard the milk one!
This is an awesome recipe. And it is so easy to make. I usually make with the jalapeno and cheese version. The taste and texture is just like cornbread. You can’t tell it is not made with any corn. Hey, you think I could dry it out or toast it to make a cornbread dressing? I am going to try it. I wonder if any else has.
This turned out perfect the first time I made it. Thanks very much!
I love this recipe! My go-to topping is pickled jalapeños and shredded Jack cheese, YUM.
Over like a fat rat in a cheese factory.
That’s a good one!
One of my all-time favorite Keto recipes! I stirred in some pickled, cubed jalapeños and cheddar cheese. Best cornbread ever!
delicious!
How much corn extract should you add? (If adding) Thanks!
We do a teaspoon or two.
Cornbread is something I have missed since starting kept. So great to find a keto cornbread recipe that doesn’t have some kind of sweetener in it. So many recipes for cornbread seem more like corncake to me. Being a good Mississippi girl, I never sweeten my cornbread. My mama’s cornbread was fried first in her cast iron skillet to make a crust and then baked. I’m going to try that with this recipe. I’ll also substitute green chiles for the jalapeños. I’ll let you know how it comes out.
It’s time to come up to the licking log (said to someone who hasn’t quite been as responsible they should).
Delish, thank you for a great recipe and I’m not from the South, but hubby lived there for 8 years, so here are some of his; What do ya think? I think it takes a big dog to weigh a ton and a hell of a cat to whup him, and my favorite is; the truth will stand when the worlds on fire.
One of my favourite country sayings: That dog won’t hunt.
I just made this today and I loved everything about it. Great taste, texure, doesn’t crumble too easily and bakes beautifully.
My favorite saying which I came up with outta the blue is “Happy as a pig in slop”. It makes my mom laugh, too.
Can you use corn flavoring extract?
You can! See the post above for more info.
Delish! It’s actually the most delicious and moist ‘cornbread’ I’ve ever eaten. I overlooked a couple of leftover squares so I made croutons. Cut them into tiny squares, toss in olive oil, salt, pepper mixture – add some basil and rosemary too. Bake at 275 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning at halftime. Yum!