With that incomparable cornmeal taste, this low carb cornbread is an actual dream. Think unbelievably tender results… at just 6g net carbs!
Low Carb Cornbread 🌽
You know, with actual cornmeal!
Last weekend, as I was answering your early Thanksgiving baking queries, Lindsay posed an interesting question, “Paola, what would happen if I sub for some actual cornmeal in your (1g net carb!) keto cornbread muffins?”.
So dear Lindsay, I hope this post more than answers your question! As these, my friends, are pure heaven. So (so!) tender, yet surprisingly sturdy (ahem, cornbread stuffing!), these cornbread muffins with cornmeal are simply just *chef’s kiss*.
But (but!), is cornmeal keto?
Cornmeal isn’t generally considered keto due to its higher carb count and the fact that it’s a grain. For reference, 1/4 cup cornmeal has 26g net carbs vs the 2g net in almond flour (!!).
Still! And this is a VIP still. As I think you’ll find that when used in small amounts (say like pumpkin… or even berries!) you’ll surely be able to fit it into your low carb diet.
For instance, these low carb cornbread come to a net carb count of just 6g. And I want to encourage a ‘keto diet’ that is less about counting carbs and more about making smart food choices to use ketosis (you know, the metabolic state) to actually improve long term health… all while removing some big ‘psychological barriers’ around feeling limited with ingredients and choices.
Because remember, it’s the GI spike (and ultra refined ingredients!) that are the actual enemy.
And, as I’ve personally found over the past two years, I think it’s important that each of us tests out what ingredients work for us… you know, rather than following a list of foods off an influencer on the internet (lol, i know!).
The Flours
OK onto the baking and first things first: make sure you use a medium grind cornmeal (I like this one!).
Otherwise these guys use a mix of a staple keto pantry ingredients: super fine almond flour, golden flaxseed meal, whey protein isolate, and a touch of xanthan gum.
Just keep in mind that for best texture and rise, you’ll always want to regrind your golden flaxseed meal in a dry blender or bullet. Oh, and golden flaxseed isn’t the same as normal flaxseed (which results in gummy and dense baked goods).
Whey protein isolate. This one is pretty much a must if you’re baking the bread in a pan (say as opposed to muffins), as it will ensure your bread doesn’t collapse post-bake. Having said that, you can sub it with more almond flour and bake it in a muffin pan (smaller baked goods have don’t require as much structure). Not exactly the same, but works well.
Keep in mind that this ingredient varies tremendously from brand to brand, and nowadays I like to use this grass-fed one (its a tad bit pricier, but undoubtedly higher quality!).
The Sweetener
You’ve got quite a few good options here! Allulose is my favorite for best texture and no aftertaste now, Lakanto Golden (baked goods with erythritol can have a slight hard texture, still not big deal here though you can just blast them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving), xylitol (use non-corn though to avoid tummy troubles!).
Pyure (an erythritol and stevia blend) is also a good one for muffins and quick breads, particularly if you’re trying to limit your sugar alcohol consumption (it’s added stevia makes it twice as sweet as sugar… i.e. you add half!).
Oh, and if not restricted by sugars, simply sub 1-to-1 with coconut or regular sugar.
And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup (or kitty!) around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys!
One Last Thing
Seriously, don’t forget to whip up a batch of my heartwarming keto chili! #soulmates
Looking for more keto cornbread recipes?! Check out my (1g net carb!) cornbread muffins or whip up a batch of my (highly rated!) ultimate cornbread.
And… The Video Story!
Low Carb Cornbread (with actual cornmeal!)
Ingredients
For the low carb cornbread
- 120 g (medium grind!) cornmeal
- 135 g heavy whipping cream at room temp (or use buttermilk, and skip the vinegar!)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 96 g almond flour
- 30 g golden flaxseed meal
- 20 g whey protein isolate
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 eggs at room temp
- 1/4-1/2 cup allulose erythritol or xylitol, to taste (I use 1/4 cup allulose)*
- 84 g butter melted & cooled
Serving suggestions
Instructions
- See recipe video for guidance (pretty please!). This is truly an easy, no-fuss cornbread recipe, with staple low carb pantry ingredients.
- Add cornmeal, heavy whipping cream and apple cider vinegar (or buttermilk!) to a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside to rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a a muffin tray with paper liners (or butter generously!). And yes, this recipe can also be baked in the traditional way- i.e. heat up a cast iron pan in the oven with butter (15 minutes will do), add the cornbread batter and pop back in the oven *right away!*. This will create a delicious crisp, golden crust ;).
- Add almond flour, flaxseed meal, whey protein, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined, set aside.
- Add eggs and sweetener to a large bowl and whisk (energetically!) for a couple minutes until airy and lighter in color. Whisk in the butter.
- Whisk in the dry flour mixture in two parts, and whisk in the cornmeal 'buttermilk' mix.
- Divide the batter into the muffin pan (using an ice cream scooper is ace here!). Smooth out the top with a wet spatula (or your fingertips), if need be.
- Bake for 24-27 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (I do 25 minutes). Watch out after minute 15, and tent with aluminum foil if they begin to brown too quickly (you know, an unfortunate tendency of allulose). I also found that these guys barely collapsed at all while cooling- hurray!
- Remove from the pan after 10 minutes and allow to cool completely before digging in for best texture. And if you can't hold your horses (i.e. you've got a big bowl of chili awaiting), at least give them 20 minutes to chill out.
- Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the freezer for a couple months. Serve warm with a big pat of salted butter (non negotiable in my book!).
- My top tip: consuming some carbs (such as this low carb cornbread) should have very little impact on your GI if consumed the right way: eat your greens first (I do a small fatty salad with evoo and acv), and be sure to pair it with a fatty main course (i.e. the chili!). Many of you have reported back over the past week that consuming moderate carbs this way barely impacts your glucose levels (needless to say, we're all different so it's important that you test what works for you!).
Where do you find what the g’s in the recipe? In some area, please put AMERICA measurements
Please just click on US cups (it’s a button on the recipe card) for an instant conversion to cups!
Really terrific recipe. I used full fat coconut milk and egg white powder as my GI daughter can’t have even trace amounts of dairy. It came out perfect in every way. Thank you so very much and know you are in our prayers.
Thank you Sarah for your heartfelt note, I’m so glad this recipe works well for you two.
Can I substitute something for the almond flour..kidney stoners can’t have almond 🙂
I love this recipe! Never made cornmeal muffins before but really like the flavour and texture. They freeze and defrost really well. Great bread substitute – I like eating them with boiled eggs.
Paola, I have to disagree with a 5 star rating…this deserves a 10. Amazing, delicious, fluffy muffins. Thank you so much. I have so many favorites you make, cinnamon rolls. But thank you, as my skinny husband is always buying corn muffins and has tempted me many times. I used socialise and bocha sweet, love the combination of those two. Anyway thank you and keep up the great recipes. Much continued success is always wished.
Hi Melva,
I’m new to the site and I just noticed your comment on the cornbread muffins. Can you tell me what socialise is? I’ve never heard of it. I live in Canada and some sweeteners (allulose especially) aren’t available here.
I apologize, autocorrect edited, Bocha Sweet is the sweetener. Made from the kabocha pumpkin. I love to use this with the Allulose than the Erythritol. A little expensive, but I’m worth it! Lol
Can I leave out the sweetener. I’m not a big fan of any sweet cornbread. I was raised on unsweetened cornbread because my Mother was a diabetic .
This is a 5-star recipe. I’ve made this twice now and it’s so delicious! I even goofed up the order of putting in the ingredients and it still turned out great. I made it for Thanksgiving and again just yesterday with some chili. Since my T1 diagnosis, I haven’t been able to eat my beloved cornbread until now. Thank you for developing this recipe!
O…M…G…
My eyes are rolling to the back of my head. Paola did it again. No surprise there. This is quality cornbread — plain and simple. Not keto. No low carb. Just quality cornbread.
I made my cornbread in a parchment lined 8″ cake pan in my Ninja Foodi. I did 30 minutes on 295° to avoid overcooking on the exterior. I covered in aluminum foil after about 12 minutes. It rose beautifully but sunk a little afterwards because it should have baked for at least another 5-10 minutes to make sure the center was done. The toothpick was clean when I checked after 30 minutes, but the batter is not like traditional grain based batters that wet the toothpick if underdone. I’ll know next time. A few seconds in the microwave for each serving finishes cooking the raw batter this time.
Thank you for this one Paola 🤗🥰 My husband and I will be enjoying your cornbread with hot bowls of chili on this cold, snowy evening.
Love, love, love this cornbread recipe. It rises. The taste and texture make me feel like I’m not losing or giving up for my Keto / Gluten Free lifestyle change. I bake mine in a heated cast iron skillet with melted butter as my Granny taught me – and it is simply perfect. I also add 1tsp of Amoretti Sweet Corn Extract #577 to increase the corn flavor without the carbs. Thank you Paola for such a great recipe.
Great recipe. I used a cookie dough scoop to fill my muffin tin. It worked great. This recipe was, fortunately, forgiving of my technique errors. Both times I’ve made it, I was trying to do two things at one time….always a mistake with a new or relatively new recipe. I forgot the sweetener the first time. No problem. I just mixed a little Keto friendly sweetener with butter to make a “sweet butter”. Somehow, the second time I added ingredients in an incorrect order and was left with some lumps when mixing in the cornbread/cream mixture. I added about a tablespoon of cream, got most of the lumps out (but not all) and they still turned out great. This time I also added a handful (between 1/4 and 1/3 cup of fully thawed frozen corn. Stirred that in to the batter last. Fabulous recipe! Thank you. 25 minutes is about the correct time to bake in my oven.
These were amazing! Followed exact recipe. Thanks for sharing😋
This cornbread could go head-to-head against any conventional cornbread recipe. I melted bacon fat in my iron skillet while the oven was heating. Color was great and was crusty around the edges, just the way I like it. Delicious with my New Years black-eyed peas!
Haven’t tried these yet, but look oh so yummy! I have looked for a keto “cornbread/corn muffins” several times, but the recipes always came up short on taste and texture when made. I have tried several of your recipes with huge success and am looking forward to trying this one! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your recipes, written dialogues (especially when describing the ingredients, possible/not suggested substitutes and/or possible problems encountered), videos and reply comments! It is folks like you that make a keto lifestyle so much better, with healthy, tasty recipes that keep us satisfied and not feeling like we are deprived of the good tasting foods we thought we had to leave behind! As always, looking forward to your next email <3
Just made these for your cornbread stuffing I’m making tomorrow (Thanksgiving🦃). Just wanted to say they’re sooo good and also say thank you. I’ve been experimenting with different keto recipes, and have been disappointed so many times. I’m thankful for a win. 😉
Thank you for taking the time to write on such a busy day, I’m so glad these turned out great for you (they’re one of my personal favorites too now!). Happy Thanksgiving 🥰
Is it two eggs or four eggs? Video shoes two, written recipe says 4. Thank you!
It’s 4! I halved the batch in the video (it’s a household of one here, and I already had all the test muffins 🤪!)
Hi,
Can I substitute wheat protein for the whey protein?
Thank you
It’s not an ingredient I’ve ever used Lisa, so I’m not sure even how it would sub 😬
Thank you for this amazing recipe, I’ve made the corn bread before and it’s amazing. Can I switch the isolate with collagen powder or best to add additional almond flour? Thank you 🙂
Okay. It’s the main ingredient in a Keto flour blend I have. I may try it as a replacement and see how it works. Thank you Paola. 🙂
If you have a minute what’s the name of the blend? If you recommend it I’ll gladly give it a try
King Arthur, Keto Wheat Flour Blend. The second ingredient is wheat protein.
I need to get the medium grind cornmeal and then I can make make the cornbread muffins.
Oh nice, I have that one in my pantry awaiting trial. I’ve heard good things from you guys about their sweetener. Thanks for sharing Lisa!
You’re welcome, Paola! ☺️
My grocery store doesn’t have any corm meal labeled med grind, I assume I could put in food processor to make finer?
Which one did you get Dale?
Actually, not sure, what I have is in a canister, probably very old, since this isn’t an ingredient I use since eating Keto. Perhaps I’ll venture to the Whole Foods, down the hill. I live in the sticks! LOL
Lol I do too, so I feel you! Did you watch the video or the story above the recipe card? Perhaps you can judge the texture from there, otherwise you can give it a pulse in the food processor.
When I went to mine they carried two types from Bob’s: medium and coarse.
These were amazing! I can still taste them 🙂
Can you use monk-fruit sweetener instead. Many of the natural sugars cause serious tummy troubles. I can tolerate monk fruit.
What’s your guess about how long to cook in a cast iron skillet and what size skillet?
Terrific recipe, will make for Thanksgiving.
Thank you for reading the room, recipes like these are what we need. I do keto for general well being, but have struggled during the pandemic feeling restricted. And then I end up eating high carbs and don’t feel well.
More normal low carb recipes like these please, can’t wait to make.
Reading the room was a good way to put it.
I’ve never in my life left a comment on a blog before, but these were delicious and I share the feeling. If you can give us low carb/keto recipes that are healthier than the original, but aren’t so restrictive it would be amazing.
I make cornbread regularly for the fam bam in the fall and made this one on a whim after your email… AND WOW!!! Giiiiiiiirl?! How do you come up with these recipes?!
I do like my cornbread less sweet even salty as I’m from the South, even less sweet than you, so I’ll be doing just 1-2 tablespoon next time and upping the seasoning by using salted butter- a trick I learnt from your cookie recipes 🙂
Thank you it’ll become a staple, and my family loved it! It’s hard to explain their faces when I said it had mommy’s yucky almond flour and flaxseed in it. With recipes like this I will surely convince them to eat healthier
Bless you truly 🙂 🙂 🙂
“As I think it’s important that each of us tests out what ingredients work for us… you know, rather than following a list of foods off an influencer on the internet (lol, i know!).
xo! Paola”
🤣 You crack me up Paola! Internet Influencer (eye roll). We’re all thinking it!
Even though I can’t do a lot of your recipes because of dairy I always love seeing you in my inbox. I love your posts and recipes are pure genius.
😆!! I joke with my friends that I’m the accidental influencer.
Ps Holly, thank you for reminding me that I really need to work on adding more subs for you dairy free folk!
It’s always a pleasure seeing your comments lovely! 🥰
I lol-ed at this too!! Paola we need more accidental influencers like you then, love gnom-gnom so much!
Yesssss Irma!
These look WONDERFUL! Do you think they will freeze and defrost successfully? I’m trying to do most of my holiday cooking early…😁
Thank you (!!) and yes they do Chris (I’m doing that to prep for the stuffing)! But needless to say, like with any baked good, they’re always best right out the oven.
Do I have to use flaxseed meal?
Is there a substitute?
Thank you!
You know, I’ve found that it really does lend the best texture… but you can sub with psyllium husk too 😉 xo!
How about coconut flour?
You know I’m not a big fan of coconut flour here… leads to ‘wet’ cornbread 😝
Looks great, I will be making this. True southern cornbread has no sugar, is the sweetener needed for any reason, other than taste?
I had a feeling this comment was coming lol (thank you Dale for keeping it OG!).
You know, I find that I prefer the texture and taste when *very* lightly sweetened… but to answer your question yes, you can get away with no sweetener (just make sure to give your eggs an extra whisk so that they really are pale and fluffy!).
Can I use these to make stuffing?
Please do in fact, it’s delicious! I’m testing out a few recipes for you, but thus far giving it a toast until crisp seems to result in the best texture. I’ll post a recipe on Sunday if all goes to plan. Xo!
Cornbread is my favorite thing during the holidays and I’m very excited to try these. Also, as a type 1 diabetic who follows a low carb/keto diet, as it helps me better manage my condition, I’m so excited that you will be tracking your BGs too. There is a huge difference in how certain carbs affect my sugars and that impacts what I eat, obviously. Can’t wait to give these a go for Thanksgiving!
Adelina I hope you love these then! And yes, I’m also very excited to begin tracking (I think it will lend for some fun experiments ;)!). Xo!
I may have drooled a little with the video, that chili! Five stars for the visual delight Paola!
🙃
You and me both Dylan 😆
I tried this with the whey protein and found it was enough to cause my daughter stomach problems due to dairy. Any opinions on using plain egg white powder as a diary replacement. Thanks so much.
Oh no! Just use more almond flour in its place Sarah. I found that the cornmeal also helped with the structure a bunch (like this legit rise up in the oven!). Xo!
Oh thank you. I am still a little chicken to experiment too much. No one want to see their little girl in hospital due to GI problems.You have been my go to for recipes for a few years now.
Thank you Paola, I was wondering the same thing will make this weekend! I’m here for your new recipes, there really isn’t much like this on the internet.
My pleasure Dana, hope you enjoy 😉