Vegan Cornbread with Cranberries and Lemon

Crisp on the bottom, crumbly in the middle, and perfectly sweet. This easy vegan cornbread with cranberries and lemon is the perfect sweet treat to end your evening, a beautiful side dish on your holiday table, and delicious dipped in your favorite chili.

When my sister Ruthy moved to the US many years ago, I was ecstatic, and we quickly developed our own evening ritual. After I got married, I moved to the US not knowing anyone, besides my husband, his parents, and sisters. It was a huge adjustment: moving from a big city to the suburbs, from mild Mediterranean weather to cold East Coast winters, and none of my friends or family close by. 

Every night, after making dinner, cleaning up, and putting my daughter to sleep, we would sit down in front of the TV and watch our favorite shows with a cup of tea and a piece of cornbread. Yep, that simple. But we loved it. To this day, we still talk about that. Such great memories.

Why you'll love this recipe

• This is the best vegan cornbread.
• The batter comes together quickly using just 10 simple ingredients.
• The texture is perfectly crumbly in the middle with a bit of crisp on the bottom after baking.
• The lemon and cranberries add extra sweet-tart flavor. 
• Cornbread is a classic American food that shows up at dinner tables across the US throughout the Summer and again at holiday tables throughout the Fall and Winter. If you're like me, you have some sweet memories featuring this mild corn flavor confection and you'll be instantly transported once your kitchen fills up with the aroma of homemade cornbread. 

Ingredients 

• Flax Egg. This is made by combining 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds and 3 tablespoons of water. 
• All Purpose Flour. 
• Yellow Cornmeal. 
• Baking Powder. 
• Salt. 
• Coconut Oil or Vegan Butter. 
• Grapeseed or Avocado Oil. 
• Maple Syrup. 
• Plain Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt. 
• Dried Cranberries. 
• Lemon Zest and Juice.

How to Make Vegan Cornbread 

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the wet ingredients at medium speed until creamy.

2. Step 2: Add the yogurt, soaked flax seeds, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until well combined.

3. Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

4. Step 4: Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Step 5: Remove from the oven, cut into squares, and serve.

Substitutions 

• We developed this easy vegan cornbread recipe to be egg-free and dairy-free. 
• To make this gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with your favorite one-to-one gluten-free flour blend. 
• If you don't need a vegan cornbread, you can use a whole large egg instead of the flax egg and regular butter instead of the coconut oil or vegan butter. 
• We love the sweet-tart flavor and texture of the dried cranberries and lemon, but if you're looking for plain cornbread, simply omit those ingredients. 
• This recipe is fully customizable to suit your preferences. If you like a cheesy cornbread, you can add shredded vegan cheddar cheese and jalapeños in place of the cranberries and lemon. 
• Throw in some whole corn kernels for that southern cornbread feel. 
• You can grease a muffin pan and spoon the batter about ¾ full to make this recipe into cornbread muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serving suggestions

As I said before, my sister and I love eating a piece of cornbread with a cup of tea at the end of a long day. You can also serve this as a side dish during the holidays or family dinner. We love a good vegan chili or vegetarian stew. Here are some of our favorites: 

• Black Bean Chili 
• Sweet Potato Chili
• Lentil Chili 
• Fennel and Chickpea Stew
• Moroccan Vegetable Stew 

How to Store and Reheat Vegan Cornbread 

• Store the cornbread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can eat cornbread cold, room temperature, or warm. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave or 10 minutes in the oven at 350ºF. 
• Freeze cornbread in an airtight container or zipper freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight, and then reheat before serving. 
• If you make the cornbread ahead of time, leave it in 1 solid piece in the baking dish. Once fully cooled, invert the dish to remove the cornbread whole, then wrap it in wax paper or plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven and then slice just before serving. 

More Cornbread Recipes

• Cornbread with Jalapeños
• Cornbread Stuffing
• Chili Cornbread Casserole
• Blueberry Cornbread Muffins