Spicy Chipotle Cornbread

Learn how to make cornbread with this easy cornbread recipe! Sweet, spicy & absolutely delicious, it's meant to be served with a hot bowl of soup.

Spicy Chipotle Cornbread Recipe

It’s fall and yes, I’m still crazy about the corn BUT hear me out – this cozy cornbread recipe is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite bowl of chili (two of my favorites are here and here). Chili and cornbread are, in my humble opinion, what fall dreams are made of. It’s the perfect dinner to cuddle up with on the couch.

I have a few cornbread recipes here on the blog, but this spicy chipotle version is my new favorite. To the (vegan) cornbread base, I add chopped chipotle peppers, scallions, and kernels of fresh corn (although frozen is fine too, see below). This cornbread is lightly sweet, savory, and a tad spicy. It freezes well, so I like to keep a stockpile in my freezer for whenever the cornbread craving hits 🙂

Cornbread recipe ingredients How to make cornbread

How to Make Cornbread

You’ll be excited to learn that making this delicious cornbread recipe is easy. Just follow these easy steps:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray. (You could also use parchment paper.)
  2. Combine 1 tablespoon flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and set the mixture aside to thicken while you stir together the dry ingredients.
  3. To the flaxseed, add the remaining wet ingredients, and then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
  4. Fold in the flavor enhancers: chipotle peppers for smokiness and corn and scallions for a fresh crunch. Careful not to overmix!
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Slice and enjoy on its own hot from the oven, or serve it with your favorite cozy soup. See some of my ideas below!

How to make cornbread

Homemade Cornbread Serving Suggestions

As I mentioned above, I love eating cornbread with chili, but it would be delicious with any cozy soup. Black bean soup or pumpkin tortilla soup would be especially good choices, as would this wild rice soup or this roasted red pepper soup.

For more ideas, check out the soup section of our recipe index!

Homemade Cornbread sliced in a pan

If you love this cornbread recipe…

Head over to this post to make a poblano cornbread stuffing, or if you just love corn like me, top it onto pizza, use it in a salad, make it into chowder, or grill it straight on the cob.


4.7 from 3 reviews

Spicy Chipotle Cornbread

 
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Our favorite cornbread recipe! It's easy to make, lightly sweet, and spicy/smoky - perfect with a hot bowl of soup. Vegan!
Author:
Recipe type: Side dish
Serves: 16 slices
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup cornmeal (I like Arrowhead Mills)
  • 1 cup flour (all-purpose or white/wheat mix)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels*
  • 1 chipotle from canned chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped scallions
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 3 inches of overhang on two sides, or lightly spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flaxseed and water. Set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Stir the flaxseed mixture, then add the almond milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the corn kernels, chipotle, and scallions. Don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*if using frozen corn, let thaw at room temperature on kitchen towels to remove excess moisture.

 

21 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Jen
    11.24.2021

    Ugggh I didn’t mix the wet ingredients together just dumped them in with the dry. Will this affect it??

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.24.2021

      Hi Jen, I’m not sure, it depends how evenly the ingredients got incoroprated.

  2. Jen
    11.24.2021

    So excited to try this for Thanksgiving! Can I make it today? And if so how should I store it?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.24.2021

      Hi Jen, yep, store it at room temp wrapped with foil or plastic. I hope you enjoy!

  3. Katie
    06.26.2020

    This looks amazing! Do you have any suggestions for making this gluten free? What would the best flour substitute be for the all purpose flour?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.12.2020

      Hi Katie, I think a GF blend like Bob’s or Pamela’s would work best… but I haven’t tried either so I can’t say for sure.

  4. Maria from almostproperly.com
    09.28.2017

    I don’t have any sort of cornbread nostalgia like so many people seem to, but I LOVE it. Maybe thats why I love it so much? Who knows but spicy savory cornbreads are my favorite kind! Is it weird that I still like to drizzle a tiny bit of honey on top??

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.01.2017

      ha, no not weird at all – I put a bit of maple syrup in the recipe because I love the sweet/savory combo!

  5. barbara f
    09.28.2017

    This is a wonderful recipe. So easy and it comes out great every time.

  6. John Lee from philippinepayroll.mseedsystems.com
    09.27.2017

    I really love spicy food. I try will try this Spicy Chipotle Cornbread. Thank you for the Ingredients and idea.

  7. Aria
    09.27.2017

    Wow!! Such a wonderful recipe, this one sounds ah-mazing!!! ….Thanks for the recipe.

  8. OMG You are so right – cornbread + chili = heaven! I’m so excited for it to finally be chilly (lol) outside so that I can make my three bean chili. I’ll have to try this recipe!!

  9. Cornbread with a kick to it? SIGN. ME. UP!

  10. Hi Jeanine, this would fit perfectly in Food on Friday: September under the corn theme. Hope you bring it on over to share with everybody. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter

  11. Cathy
    09.24.2017

    Could the maple syrup be reduced or left out? We don’t like our cornbread sweet. It does look amazing!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.01.2017

      Hi Cathy, it can be reduced by 2 tablespoons without affecting the recipe. Hope that helps!

  12. I’m seriously SUCH a cornbread fanatic! I especially love the cakey kind. I would straight up eat that for dessert. This spicy twist looks like a fun flare on the classic that packs a little kick 🙂 .

    xxMeah

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.01.2017

      I feel the same way, I love sweet cornbread for dessert (or even breakfast!)

  13. Love this cornbread inspiration! I’m a midwesterner transplanted in Kentucky, and I’ve learned to love cornbread since moving here. I’ve even invested in a vintage cast iron skillet that I only use for cornbread. Look forward to giving your version a try. Happy fall!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.01.2017

      ooh, I love cooking cornbread in a cast iron skillet 🙂

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.