A delicious skillet keto cornbread that tastes like the real deal! Add crumbled bacon and chopped jalapeño for an amazing taste sensation. This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.
I first posted this keto cornbread recipe back in 2015. Time for an update to make it lower in carbs and just as tender and tasty as it ever was!
Of course this isn’t REAL cornbread, at least not in the sense that it has any actual corn in it. But it sure tastes like it! I know it’s hard to believe but trust me on this.
Don’t quite believe me? Okay, here’s one of the rave reviews for this keto cornbread recipe:
“This goes into my file folder called “MADE IT-LOVED IT”. In fact I just ate a warmed piece for breakfast with my coffee, although I’m sure it goes much better with soup or a salad. I will be making this again and again. The cast iron skillet works great and produces a nice brown crust.”
So if you loved real cornbread back in the day but want a healthier, low carb option, this is the recipe for you. And check out my new video to see how easy it is to make!
Fake it ’til you make it
Let’s tackle the word “real” for a moment. People bandy about this word a lot these days, particularly in the healthy food community. And you have to ask yourself, what does “real” really mean?
The reality is that it means very different things to very different people and there is no one good definition. The paleo people will give you a very different answer from, say, the whole grain believers.
In reality, “real food” has more to do with what is real to the individual than to any clearly definable entity that we can all agree on. In my world, “real food” contains ingredients that are actually naturally-occuring. That would, technically, include wheat and corn and sugar, even if I think these things are not actually good for you.
So I declare this corn-free keto cornbread very real indeed. It has REAL ingredients from Bob’s Red Mill, such as coconut flour and almond meal that give it both a similar flavour and texture to traditional cornbread. It also has real eggs and real butter for some seriously REAL flavour.
It has no grains and no sugar, nothing to set off the sugar cravings and inflammation and insulin response that the “real” thing might induce. That’s a pretty great version of real, wouldn’t you say?
How to make keto cornbread
This recipe is so easy to make and it goes perfectly with all your favourite comfort food… keto soups, keto chili, salads, eggs, you name it. It even makes fabulous keto stuffing for Thanksgiving.
Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- You don’t need a cast iron skillet, but it makes the best crusty bread. Any ovenproof skillet will do. You can even use a pie plate, but if it’s glass or ceramic, the bread will take longer to bake.
- Place your pan in the oven while it preheats, with butter in it. Let the butter melt and the pan heat up while you are whipping up the batter.
- You don’t HAVE to add the sweetener, but cornbread has a sweetish taste (and many cornbread recipes take sugar). So I truly think this makes it taste more like the real thing.
- The xanthan gum helps hold the bread together better, so I recommend that as well.
- Cornbread flavoring? Yep it’s a real thing and it does help maximize the cornbread experience. But I think this bread tastes great without it too. If you want to replace it, try ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
- How much water you need to add will depend somewhat on your coconut flour. They can differ in absorbency so just add a bit of water at a time until it’s a thick but spreadable batter.
- Remember to use an oven mitt when you remove your hot pan from the oven. Trust me, you do not want to forget this! Nothing ruins a day faster than a third degree burn on your hand.
- This is a highly adaptable recipe. You can add cheese, sausage, or whatever tasty add ins you like in your cornbread. Or you can skip them and make it plain. It’s delicious either way!
More delicious keto skillet recipes
- Keto Skillet Lasagna
- Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Keto Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Keto Cheesesteak Skillet
- Keto Cheesy Sausage Skillet
- Keto Ginger Pear Skillet Cake
Keto Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour/meal
- ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, but helps hold it together a bit more)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon cornbread flavoring (can sub vanilla, use ½ tsp)
- ¼ to ½ cup water
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
- 2 medium diced jalapeños, optional (leave in the seeds if you want more heat).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F, and add 1 tablespoon butter to a 10-inch ovenproof skillet. Place the pan in the oven as it preheats.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir in the eggs, butter, and cornbread flavoring. Stir in ¼ cup of the water. If the batter is still overly thick, stir in more water, a tablespoon at a time.
- Stir in the bacon and jalapeno, if using.
- Remove the hot skillet from an oven (don't forget to wear an oven mitt!) and brush the melted butter around the skillet.
- Spread the batter in prepared skillet and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are golden brown and center is just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool before slicing.
Jennifer del Muro says
Holy wow was this amazing! Even with all the low carb baking I do, I’m super skeptical of low carb/keto breads but this is legit!! Not only am I pleasantly surprised, I’m blown away by how delish it was! Thanks for another winning recipe!
Brian Lowder says
Pretty darned good “corn bread”, I just wish it was moister. I like to make it with Costco Beef Hotdogs cut and put on end in the batter for my corn dog fix.
Carolyn says
If it wasn’t moist enough, you over-baked it. Try a few minutes less next time.
Dee says
I’ve never put any kind of sweetener in my cornbread and was shocked to see so much. I left it out completely. I also used just almond flour and no coconut flour. It was wonderful!!! Mine has that nice slightly graining texture of real cornbread with a ‘punch’ from the jalapenos. I also used no-heat jalapenos. I’ll be making this a lot!!! Thanks so much.
Dolores Darnell says
Can you leave the sweetener out of the cornbread? I am from the south and do not like it sweet!🥰
Carolyn says
Yes, but it’s not very sweet. It makes it taste more like real conrbread since corn meal has quite a bit of natural sweetness.
Dee says
Absolutely. I’m from the South also and we never put any kind of sweetener in our cornbread. I just left it out and used all almond flour instead of coconut flour. It was wonderful!! It tasted like true Southern cornbread!
Lydia Moore says
Loved this recipe when I made it as you have it with the jalapeños. However when I made it for Thanksgiving for dressing, I omitted the jalapeños and it seemed really sweet. Could I omit some or all of the swerve sweetener and if so do I need to add more of something to keep the right consistency? I never added sweetener to my cornbread when I made it with cornmeal but I know corn is sweet on it’s own.
Carolyn says
Yes, you can leave out the sweetener.
Stephanie says
Made this for Thanksgiving. I didn’t have the corn flavoring (wouldn’t have arrived in time via Amazon) and used a bit of vanilla. I didn’t miss the corn flavoring and couldn’t tell it was needed. Added about a cup of shredded cheddar to the bacon and jalapeños. I also used some of the bacon grease with the butter in the cast iron pan. The batter is very thick, even with the water. It was my favorite part of the meal and plan to make again.
Tammie says
I tried this but with only a ¼ tsp of the cornbread extract (used the brand you recommended) I didn’t taste any corn flavor. It was moist and to me just tasted like cake. I’m going to make it again but will up to ½ tsp of extract next time. You still are the best keto recipe guru out there. You are my go-to!