These easy vegan corn muffins are the perfect side to serve at a barbecue or Sunday dinner. These tasty muffins are light, delicious, and always disappear quickly.

Sometimes, you just need a good corn muffin. Whether you’ve made a big pot of vegan chili, or if you’re hosting a family dinner, these vegan corn muffins are just the thing to serve on the side.
If you’re used to making cornbread with eggs and buttermilk, you might be surprised to learn that you can make tender and delicious corn muffins without those ingredients. Applesauce is used in place of the eggs, and a generous portion of baking powder is used to help these muffins rise.
The texture of these is just right, and kids and adults love them. Top them with vegan buttery spread or even a bit of your favorite jam.
We like to make these for Thanksgiving dinner – they go really well with mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and roasted carrots.
Ingredient Notes
- Sugar – These muffins are slightly sweet, due to the addition of organic cane sugar. You can try maple syrup if you wish, but the texture of the muffin may be slightly different. You could also use coconut sugar, but the color of the muffins will be darker.
- Cornmeal – There are many different brands and types of cornmeal available. For this recipe, I recommend using a brand that is not too coarsely ground. A medium grind, like Bob’s Red Mill or Quaker brand will work the best for these muffins.
- Non-Dairy Milk – You can use any non-dairy milk that works for your dietary needs. I recommend a neutral tasting non-dairy milk for the best flavor in these muffins.
- Baking Powder – This is a key ingredient! Once you add the baking powder and stir the batter, you’ll see how the batter puffs up (check out the photo below). Gently spoon the batter into the muffin pan, and put them in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cornmeal muffins with:
Storage
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 4 days.
You can freeze these if you like – store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Easy Vegan Corn Muffins.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup white spelt flour or all-purpose flour, or a gluten free flour blend*
- 3 Tablespoons organic cane sugar
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 6 Tablespoons vegan buttery spread melted
- 1 ⅛ cup non-dairy milk I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup corn kernels optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, organic cane sugar, sea salt, and baking powder.
- Add the applesauce, melted vegan buttery spread, and non-dairy milk. Add the corn kernels if desired.
- Stir ingredients until combined. Let the batter sit for a few minutes – you will see the baking powder react, and the batter will puff up.
- Gently spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 16-19 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing.
Ingrid Malone
I finally get to have fluffy, moist cornbread again without getting sick. Sooo good!
Janet Calderon
Thank you for this recipe. My daughter has several allergies. Do you have suggestions for replacing the milk? I cannot use the non dairy milks. Could I add more applesauce?
Kelly Roenicke
Water will work fine!
Janelle Kessler
Very interesting. They look great ,but the baking powder is very prevalent and the cornmeal (organic) just sticks in your teeth. I will try again with more corn and some green chilis.
Gpapi
Great recipe! I replaced the sugar with a hand full of dates.
Mom of 2 boys
Can I use regular all-purpose flour to this recipe?
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, you can!
Nancy
Is a gum needed for the gluten free version?
Kelly Roenicke
No, you can use my gluten free blend, which is gum-free: https://theprettybee.com/make-your-own-all-purpose-gluten-free-flour-mix/
Kortney
Oh I do love a good corn muffin! This would actually be a great thing to have at a BBQ!
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, perfect for a BBQ! :)
Roger
Good comfort food!
Katie
Delicious recipe!
Terra
I just want to say how appreciative I am of your nutrition facts you provide for each of your recipe. I have a type 1 diabetic child along with food allergies in my family and have to make everything from scratch and counting carbs is definitely a daily hassle we go through so having that easily available is so helpful! Thank you!
Kelly Roenicke
You’re welcome, I’m so happy to help!
Julia Mueller
GIRL! You nailed these! I have all my pantry essentials to bake a batch of these..my family would devour them instantly!