• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking On The Weekends
  • About Valentina
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • "How To"
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Valentina
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Collaborate
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Valentina
      • Contact
    • Recipe Index
    • Collaborate
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Sides » Gluten-Free Cornbread with Jalapeño and Bacon

    Gluten-Free Cornbread with Jalapeño and Bacon

    Oct 21, 2019 · by Valentina · 24 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    stack of 3 square cornbread pieces with title text at top

    Gluten-Free Cornbread with Jalapeño and Bacon is smoky, spicy and subtly sweet. It's fabulous to serve with coffee for brunch or with a bowl of chili for dinner.Stack of 3 square gluten-free cornbread pieces on green floral cloth.

    I love cornbread!

    It's comforting, savory, subtly sweet and delicious with breakfast, lunch or dinner.

    My son was diagnosed Celiac Disease when he was 5-years-old. At that time, I'd assumed cornbread would be safe for him. Not true!

    Even though cornbread is made primarily with cornmeal or cornflour, it typically also has all-purpose flour in the mix.

    So over the years, as I've done with cookies, cakes and other breads, I decided I would have to come up with some delicious gluten-free cornbread recipes.

    onion, jalapeno and bacorn mix in cast iron skillet

    * Cornbread is not always gluten free. *

    Read the labels of breads and mix boxes. As I said, while corn meal and corn flour are both gluten free, watch out for what else might be added.

    corn and bacon mixed in a cast iron skillet

    Recipe Tips

    • I love making cornbread in my cast iron skillet, and the instructions below will tell you to do the same. You can however use an approximately, 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish, if you don't have one. It will still be great. I prefer the cast iron because the edges and bottom crisp up especially well, and it's a one-pan recipe this way.
    • If you really love extra heat, do not remove the seeds from the jalapeños. I usually remove about half.
    • Two things you can do to save time:  1) Use frozen, thawed corn and 2), use canned (well drained), chopped jalapeño peppers. (Please note that the seeds are usually included in the canned, and would be difficult to remove.)
    • I use cornmeal in this recipe -- you can use corn flour for a smoother texture.
    • Don't expect a sweet cornbread. This is subtly sweet.

    two images of cast iron skillet with cornbread batter and baked

    Can you make it without the bacon?

    Yes! Of course. The bacon is delicious in this -- but, if you're serving vegetarians, this is an easy change. Simply use olive oil to sauté the onions and jalapeño (instead of the bacon fat from cooking the bacon).

    stack of 3 square cornbread pieces from the back showing golden crust

    What to Serve With it

    • Let's fire up the comfort foods of fall and winter. Serve this cornbread with Roasted Butternut Squash Chili or Chipotle Brisket Chili for a cozy gathering of friends or family over the weekend!
    • Or, you could have the gathering for brunch, and serve this Jalapeño Bacon Cornbread with Honey Broiled Grapefruit and Grilled Avocado and Eggs. What a combination that would be. Oh, and don't forget the coffee!
    • And finally, you can use it to make my Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing! 🙂

    Enjoy!

    Oh, and here's a recipe for Hot Water Cornbread -- it's really interesting, delicious and is also gluten-free.

    small stack of square cornbread slices

    Gluten-Free Cornbread with Jalapeño and Bacon

    Valentina K. Wein
    Gluten-Free Cornbread with Jalapeño and Bacon is smoky, spicy and subtly sweet. It's fabulous to serve with coffee for brunch or with a bowl of chili for dinner.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 45 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Cooling Time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
    Course Side Dish, Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 327 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 strips applewood smoked bacon
    • 1½ cups onion, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup jalapeño pepepr, washed and dried, finely chopped (seeds removed for less heat)
    • 2 cups fresh corn kernels
    • 1 cup unsalted butter
    • 3 cups cornmeal
    • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1¾ teaspoons coarse sea salt
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 2¼ teaspoons ground cumin
    • 4 large eggs
    • 3½ cups buttermilk
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • freshly ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large plate with a paper towel. Set aside.
    • Add the bacon to a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the bacon -- but not the bacon fat -- from the skillet. Set the bacon aside on the paper towel-lined plate.
    • Add the onion to the bacon fat in the skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes. Add the jalapeños and sauté until the mixture is aromatic and the onions are soft, about 2 more minutes. Crumble or finely chop the bacon and add it to this mixture, along with the corn. Now add the butter to the skillet, swirl it around the bottom and sides to melt it into the other ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and leave the skillet as it is to cool on the stove.
    • In a large mixing bowl, stir the cornmeal, baking soda, salt, sugar and cumin. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and lemon juice together. Then stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until smooth.
    • Add the contents of the pan to the batter and mix until it's fully incorporated. Pour this back into the skillet and then place it in the 425°F preheated oven. Bake until the edges are golden and it no longer jiggles, about 30 to 35 minutes.
    • Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve directly from the skillet.

    Notes

    Calorie count is only an estimate.
    Keywords great for brunch, gluten-free bread recipes, great sides for chili
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    More Side Dish Recipes

    • Glass bowl on black background, filled with pickled broccoil
      Spicy Quick Pickled Broccoli
    • Roasted red onions, quartered, on a white narrow plate with fresh herbs.
      Slow Roasted Red Onions
    • Two stacked Spinach and Ricotta Rolls on a cream-colored plate with Eucalyptus leaves behind it.
      Spinach and Ricotta Rolls with Phyllo
    • Black ceramic bowl filled with Halloumi Fries with a sprig of oregano and a lemon rind twist.
      Halloumi Fries with Greek Yogurt Dip

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. angiesrecipes

      October 21, 2019 at 2:28 am

      I am a firm believer that bacon makes everything taste better :-)) This cornbread looks yummilicious!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 21, 2019 at 7:49 am

        Ha! Me too! Thanks, Angie. Have a great week. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    2. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      October 21, 2019 at 4:56 am

      Jalapenos and bacon! That's a boost of flavor making delicious cornbread even better. I love that you've made this gluten free too!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 21, 2019 at 12:24 pm

        Thanks, Kathy. Yes, I love that spicy-smoky combination, too 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    3. David @ Spiced

      October 21, 2019 at 5:24 am

      Interesting note about the flour in cornmeal. Great recipe here, Valentina! Bacon makes everything better in my opinion, and I'm already a huge fan of cornbread! You can't have a good bowl of chili in the Fall without cornbread, too. Yum!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 21, 2019 at 7:53 am

        I'm with you on the chili, David. The two are a perfect pairing. Thanks so much. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    4. Gerlinde @Sunnycovechef

      October 21, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      Your cornbread would have been perfect with my chili a friend brought over. I will pin it for later.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 21, 2019 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks, Gerlinde. Chili is my favorite thing to have with cornbread. Such a comforting combination. 🙂 ~Valenntina

        Reply
    5. 2pots2cook

      October 22, 2019 at 1:21 am

      We have stuffed turkey for Christmas and this i something I would try this year to spice the things up a little. I am sure guys will love this version. Thank you Valentina !

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 22, 2019 at 6:39 pm

        Thank you! I hope all of you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. nancy buchanan

      October 22, 2019 at 11:22 am

      I always make cornbread with just cornmeal - I LOVE the texture! But, I've yet to add bacon to mine so clearly I have missed something major which I'm going to have to remedy ASAP with this recipe! I've got some turkey chili in the freezer for the days I teach and will be making this cornbread to go with it - can't wait!!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 22, 2019 at 6:44 pm

        Yum! Sounds like it'll be a great dinner, Nancy. I love the coarser texture of the cornbread, too. I hope you love the addition of the bacon, and thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    7. John / Kitchen Riffs

      October 23, 2019 at 8:28 am

      Good dish. LOVE cornbread, and we make it often. Don't have a good gluten-free recipe, though, and we do have friends who can't tolerate gluten. Yours looks excellent -- now I can serve those friends cornbread! Thanks.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 24, 2019 at 4:09 pm

        Many thanks, John. Hope you (and the GF friends) love it. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    8. Coco in the Kitchen

      October 23, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      My nephew can't have flour, either, and I've learned to read labels in detail now.
      LOVE this cornbread of yours, V.
      I've gotta make it for my nephew!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 24, 2019 at 4:10 pm

        I hope he likes it. I hope you all do. Thanks for checking it out. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    9. Kim Lange

      October 23, 2019 at 3:36 pm

      Sounds so fabulous! I love this jacked-up gluten-free cornbread with the jalapenos and bacon! YUM! xo

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 24, 2019 at 4:11 pm

        Thanks so much, Kim! Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    10. Jeff the Chef

      October 23, 2019 at 9:42 pm

      I love cornbread, too. Yours looks really good. I have a friend who follows a gluten-free diet, and I always love to find things that I can cook for her.

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 24, 2019 at 4:12 pm

        Thanks, Jeff. Hope it's a hit with your gluten-free friends. I'm always baking gluten-free goodies for my son. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    11. Dawn - Girl Heart Food

      October 24, 2019 at 4:26 am

      Cornbread with jalapenos and bacon? Yes please! I love cornbread too and love the idea of having for breakfast with coffee. I usually have with chili or soup or something but totally trying next time for breakfast with plenty of coffee! Pinned! Happy (almost) Friday 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 24, 2019 at 4:13 pm

        It is almost Friday, isn't it!? Yay! Thanks, Dawn, and enjoy, and hope you have a great weekend. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    12. Alene

      June 21, 2022 at 3:35 pm

      I have an unusual question. I cannot eat fresh corn kernels right now because I am on a fodmap diet for i.b.s. Not fun. I can have a cup of canned corn. If I put less corn in the recipe, anywhere from a half a cup to a cup, would that change the consistency of the cornbread? Should I add a smidge more cornmeal to make up for it? I am mystified, but I love cornbread without any gluten free flour in it. Thank you.

      Reply
      • valentina

        June 22, 2022 at 12:43 pm

        Hi Arlene, Thanks so much for writing in. Yes, the recipe will still work with a cup of the canned corn. The kernels are more like a "mix-in" than part of the batter -- sort of like chocolate chips are to a cookie. 😀 I hope you love it and thanks for checking out my recipes. ~Valentina

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Get new recipes
    you’ll love!

    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

    More about me →

    Seasonal Comfort Foods

    • ceramic bowl with Tuscan Bean Stew with green and white striped napkin
      Vegetarian Tuscan Bean Stew
    • Smoky Spanish Smashed Potato Casserole -- These potatoes are deliciously rich, super creamy, and comforting beyond belief. This is the perfect fall side dish to go with braised meats, chicken or even a salad.
      Smashed Potato Casserole
    • Creamy Parsnip Soup with Baby Parsnip French Fries in a purple bowl on a wood with a green floral cloth.
      Creamy Parsnip Soup Recipe
    • Cheesy Pancetta Brussels Sprouts Bake being spooned out of cast iron skillet with an orange spoon.
      Baked Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

    Spring!

    • One slice of upside down carrot cake with whipped cream on top.
      Olive Oil Carrot Cake with Apricot
    • Blue-rimmed plate with asparagus salad and pickled red onions
      Parmesan Asparagus Salad
    • Steamed artichoke with lemons slices between the leaves on a white plate
      Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc
    • Top view of Spring Lamb Stew with Green Garlic in a cream-colored bowl
      Spring Lamb Stew with Green Garlic

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Press

    Newsletter

    Get new recipes you’ll love!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    Review the privacy policy for Cooking on the Weekends

    Copyright © 2023 Cooking On The Weekends, All Rights Reserved