This vegan jalapeño cornbread is a delicious addition to any meal. This cheesy, spicy, southwest-style cornbread turns soups, stews, and salads into a hearty meal.

A vegan jalapeno cornbread baked in a red iron skillet with a piece being taken out.

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❤️ Why make this recipe

This vegan jalapeno cornbread is dairy-free, egg-free, and easily made gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it. This is a variation of my popular easy vegan cornbread recipe.

It pairs perfectly with soups like green chile stew, vegan pozole, and 15-bean soup.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Corn Meal – make sure that you use cornmeal and not cornflour. This will give your cornbread the right texture. Use medium ground cornmeal for the perfect cornbread with the best texture.
  • Flour – any all-purpose flour will work. You can also use any grain-based gluten-free flour mix. Don’t use almond flour or other nut-based flour.
  • Sugar – for a little sweetness. Feel free to omit or adjust to your taste. You can use maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or any sweetener that you wish.
  • Baking Powder – to make the cornbread rise. (Do not use baking soda.)
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Water – for the right amount of moisture.
  • Plant-Based Milk – for moisture or flavor. I usually use soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, but you can use any non-dairy milk that you want. If you don’t have plant-based milk, you can swap it out with additional water and it will still work great.
  • Oil – for a moist cornbread. I usually use light olive oil, but you can use any neutral flavored oil that you want like canola oil or refined coconut oil. Extra virgin olive oil has too strong of a flavor for this bread. See the directions below for an oil-free cornbread.
  • Jalapeno Peppers – you will need about 3-4 jalapenos depending on how spicy you want the cornbread. Take out the seed for a less spicy cornbread.
  • Green Onion – optional for flavor and color. You can also swap them out for chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
  • Vegan Cheese – optional but recommended for cheesy cornbread. You can use any shredded vegan cheese that you want, but I like vegan cheddar cheese. You can also swap this for 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast for an umami flavor.

🔪 Helpful tools

Iron Skillet – if you want to make skillet cornbread. (This is my preferred method since it gives delicious golden brown crispy edges.)

A Baking Dish – you can use an 8 X 8-inch or 9 X 13-inch baking pan, a cast-iron skillet, or even a muffin tin if you want to make vegan corn muffins.

Parchment Paper – (optional) to line the baking dish and make clean-up easier.

🥄 How to make vegan jalapeño cornbread

Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 400° F (204° C).

Step 2 – Slice 1/3 cup of green onions and dice 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers into small pieces and set aside. (I like to leave the seeds on the peppers for a spicier cornbread, but you can cut the jalapeño into slices and scrape off the seeds if you don’t want it as spicy.)

Step 3 – Add the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) to a large mixing bowl and give them a stir.

Step 4 – Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined.

Step 5 – Sprinkle in the jalapeño slices and green onions (saving about 1 tablespoon of each to sprinkle on top). Toss in 1 cup of vegan cheddar cheese and mix again until combined.

A mixing bowl with vegan cornbread batter, jalapenos, green onions, and vegan cheese.

Step 6 – Pour the batter into the bottom of a parchment-lined casserole dish or an oiled 10 or 12” iron skillet or baking pan.  (Use an 8 X 8-inch pan for thick slices or a 9 X13 inch for thinner pieces.) Then sprinkle the top with the reserved jalapeno pieces and sliced green onions.

Vegan jalapeno cornbread before baking.

Step 7 – Bake at 400° F for about 30-35 minutes.  The top will turn golden and start to crack a little when it’s done.  (Turn to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the top if desired).

Step 8 – Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

A baked vegan skillet cornbread with jalapenos.

Serve with a pat of vegan butter on top and eat it with a bowl of chili or your favorite vegan soup like vegan cream of celery, cream of broccoli, vegan minestrone soup, or vegan beef stew.

🌶️ How to adjust the spiciness?

If you want the cornbread to be less spicy, be sure to remove all of the seeds from the jalapenos. You can also reduce the number of jalapenos that you add. Tip – if you add a little more sugar to the cornbread it will also balance out the spice and make it less spicy.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Measure carefully – Be sure to spoon-measure your flour so your cornbread doesn’t bake up too dense.  (This simply means to spoon the flour into your measuring cups so it doesn’t get packed down.)
  • Stir just enough to mix the ingredients together, but don’t over-mix.
  • If you want crispy edges on your cornbread, place the oiled iron skillet into the oven while you are making the batter, then pour the batter into the hot skillet.  (This is my family’s favorite!)
  • Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. The cheese needs to cool down before slicing or it will be gooey.

❓ Frequently asked questions?

How can I make gluten-free cornbread?

Cornbread is super easy to make gluten-free. I’ve tested this cornbread recipe with most commercial gluten-free flour blends and my homemade gluten-free oat flour mix over the years and they all work well. However, I have found that the blends that contain sorghum flour give it a slightly chewier texture, so I try to avoid those. 

I have also noticed that it holds together better if there is xanthan gum in the mix or you can add a teaspoon to the cornbread batter. You must use grain-based flour for this to bake correctly. Don’t use almond flour or other nut-based flour, it must be grain-based flour.

Can I use Jiffy cornbread mix to make vegan cornbread?

The original Jiffy brand cornbread mix is not vegan because it contains lard, but they have a vegetarian version that is vegan. You can read more about it in a post about vegan Jiffy Cornbread. You are not saving many steps, by using the mix, plus it’s more expensive, so I always make mine from scratch.

Note – The boxed mix is also small and will not make much cornbread, however, it is the perfect amount to make vegan corn casserole.

How to make vegan jalapeño cornbread muffins

To make muffins instead of bread, pour the batter into greased muffin tins and bake at 400° F for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

How to make oil-free vegan cornbread?

Swap out the oil in the recipe for equal amounts of unsweetened apple sauce and bake your cornbread on a parchment-lined baking pan to avoid sticking.

Someone cutting dairy free jalapeno cornbread  with a knife after it has cooled.

If you love cornbread, you have to try my vegan corn casserole! It’s perfect for a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish! If you want a great appetizer, you can turn this jalapeno cornbread into spicy vegan corndog bites too!

🥡 Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: This vegan jalapeño cornbread will keep well on the countertop for about 48 hours or in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.

Freeze: You can freeze leftover cornbread wrapped in plastic in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap it well so no air is touching it.

Reheating: If you want warm cornbread reheat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds to warm the bread before serving.

A close up of vegan jalapeno cornbread with a slice taken out of it.

🌟 More vegan bread recipes

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan Jalapeno cornbread recipe

Vegan jalapeno cornbread baked in an iron skillet with a piece being taken out.
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Jalapeno Cornbread

Spicy vegan cornbread with jalapeno peppers and vegan cheese.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (or whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour mix)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon vegan sugar, or any natural sweetener (optional)
  • 1 teaspoons salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup plant-based milk, (soy, almond, oat, or cashew milk all work well)
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1/3 cup light olive oil, or any neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 tbsp light olive oil (additional), for greasing the pan or skillet (or line with parchment paper).

Add ins

  • 1/2 cup jalapeno peppers, diced small
  • 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400° F (204° C).
  • Slice 1/3 cup of green onions and dice 1/2 cup jalapeño peppers into small pieces and set aside. (I like to leave the seeds on the peppers for a spicier cornbread, but you can cut the jalapeño into slices and scrape off the seeds if you don’t want it as spicy.)
  • Add the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) to a large mixing bowl and give them a stir.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined.
  • Sprinkle in the jalapeño slices and green onions (saving about 1 tablespoon of each to sprinkle on top). Toss in 1 cup of vegan cheddar cheese and mix again until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the bottom of a parchment-lined casserole dish or an oiled 10 or 12” iron skillet or baking pan.  (Use an 8 X 8-inch pan for thick slices or a 9 X13 inch for thinner pieces.) Then sprinkle the top with the reserved jalapeno pieces and sliced green onions.
  • Bake at 400° F for about 30-35 minutes.  The top will turn golden and start to crack a little when it’s done.  (Turn to broil for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the top if desired).
  • Let it cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.
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Serving: 1wedge, Calories: 291kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 366mg, Potassium: 270mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 174IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 124mg, Iron: 2mg
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