Mexican Gluten-free Cornbread that is Sweet and Spicy

Gluten-free cornbread was, and will always remain, one of my ultimate food cravings. This cheesy cornbread with red chili and cheddar is sweet, spicy and redolent with the heat and scents of authentic Mexican cuisine.

How I fell in love with cheesy cornbread

Gluten-free cornbread is today a true love. But I first discovered cornbread, and particularly jalapeno cheddar cornbread, at a potluck.

Those strange Canadian beasts that involve many people, some of whom barely know each other, bring mounds of uncoordinated foods to a gathering is a flimsy idea at best that often results at strange pairings like a giant mound of fruit salad alongside a cold broccoli casserole.

But they can also lead to discovering new beloved dishes, like cheesy cornbread.

The sweet and spicy cornbread I tried the first time had hits of jalapeno chilis spread throughout, and a cheesy cheddar topping on top. It was fluffy, beautifully risen and perfectly balanced in its mix of sweet and spicy flavors - in short, the ultimate jalapeno cheddar cornbread.

And I chased that high for years, attempting to replicate that chili cornbread recipe into one of my own. Making it fully gluten-free proved to be particularly difficult. Until I finally discovered a recipe in a gifted cookbook last year for gluten-free cheesy chili cornbread - and my life finally made sense!

Is all cornbread gluten-free cornbread?

While cornmeal is gluten-free, not all cornbread is gluten-free cornbread.

Cornmeal-only cornbread, as I've tried to make countless time, often comes out a bit flat and falling apart; it lacks the rise and bite of traditional jalapeno cheese cornbread. It works much better in arepas, for example.

Typical Chili cornbread that is served in restaurants usually has a mix of regular flour alongside cornmeal flour. Gluten-free cornmeal is thus buffed up by regular, gluten-full flour, thus making most cornbread you get in restaurants NOT gluten-free.

I discovered this the hard way one day at Red Rooster in Harlem, where I happily devoured half an order of incredible cornbread before being hit by one of the worst gluten attacks of my life. Note to self: always ask if the bread contains any additional flour.

Adapting chili cornbread into gluten-free cornbread

The trick to making the perfect gluten-free cornbread was finding the right mix of gluten-free flours to go alongside the cornmeal into our gluten-free cheesy cornbread.

The resulting chili cornbread bake is thus gluten-free, but also cheesy, sweet and spicy cornbread.

The key to that turned out to be Gluten-free on a Shoestring's Gluten Free Bread Flour. The key to her elastic, resilient gluten-free bread flour is the addition of Whey protein isolate and Expandex or Ultratex 3.

What is Expandex or Ultratex 3?

Expandex is a proprietary chemically modified tapioca starch that gives gluten-free baked goods the stretch and chew typical to regular breads. Since Expandex is chemically modified, it unfortunately can't be replaced with regular tapioca starch/flour. It can be purchased through Amazon or in Canada, through Qualifirst foods.

Ultratex 3 is another Tapioca-based odorless, tasteless and colorless thickening agent. It is used in molecular gastronomy and can be purchased through Amazon or the Modernist Pantry.

What is Whey Protein Isolate?

Whey Protein Isolate is an unflavored protein powder that is nearly 100% protein - and is thus devoid of fillers. It also helps add "body" to your gluten-free bread.

Whey protein isolate is much easier to find and I was able to get it in my local Bulk Barn, or an Amazon.

What to use in gluten-free cornbread if you can't find Expandex or Whey Protein Isolate?

I have also used Gluten-free on a Shoestring's mock Better Batter gluten free flour mix. It worked well enough, and I will provide both versions in the recipe below.

I adapted the ratio to get the perfect chili cheesy gluten-free cornbread topping from the Savory Gluten-free Baker Cookbook.

Ingredients for the perfect Gluten-free Cornbread:

For jalapeno cheese cornbread topping:

2 jalapenos or red chilis, finely sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons sugar

100 grams / 1 cup cheddar cheese

For the gluten-free flour bread blend:

22.5 grams superfine brown rice flour

22.5 grams superfine white rice flour

11.25 grams tapioca starch

11.25 grams potato starch

3.75 grams potato flour

2.25 grams xanthan gum

1.5 grams pure powdered pectin

18.75 grams Whey Protein Isolate (optional, but recommended for best results)

11.25 grams Expandex or Ultratex 3 (optional, but recommended for best results)

For the rest of the bread ingredients:

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

300 grams (2 cups) cornmeal gluten-free

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 lime, zest of

3 scallions, finely chopped

500ml / 2 cups buttermilk

50 grams / 3.5 tablespoons butter, melted

3 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

How to make gluten-free cornbread:

Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9x9 square pan by laying it with parchment paper or by greasing with butter.

Begin by whisking all the gluten-free bread flour ingredients together in one large bowl. Make sure they are well combined. Set aside.

Prepare the jalapeno cheese cornbread topping: Preheat a pan to medium heat. Add olive oil and chilis. Fry the chilis briefly, about 2 minutes, just until soft. Season with salt and pepper, add cilantro and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the sugar, mix well to combine, and let the chili topping cook for a 1 minute longer. Take off heat and set aside.

To the bowl with gluten-free bread flour blend, add cornmeal, baking soda, cilantro, lime zest and scallions. Mix to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, salt and pepper.

Gradually add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until everything is mixed together.

Pour gluten-free cornbread mixture into prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Finally, spread chili cheddar cornbread topping on the top of the cheesy bread.

Bake gluten-free sweet and spicy cornbread at 375F pvem fpr 35 minutes, until the bread is golden-brown on top.

Storage

Gluten-free cornbread is best the day it is best, preferably fresh out of the oven slathered with some butter.

If needed, this chili cornbread bake can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, or sliced and frozen for 3 months.

When to serve this jalapeno cheese cornbread?

This Mexican gluten-free cornbread would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo alongside air fryer tostones! It would also be right at home during brunch, or alongside a nice chili.

Adaptations

Dairy-free or vegan cornbread

To turn this into vegan gluten free cornbread, you must replace the eggs with flax or chia eggs, use vegan cheese and make "vegan" buttermilk - add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of non-dairy milk and wait 10 minutes. You'll end up with a sweet and spicy cornbread you'll want to eat for days!

Gluten-free corn muffins

You can also bake this gluten-free cornbread in muffins tins, thus turning it into Gluten-free corn muffins. This works particularly well if you don't have Expandex or Whey Protein Isolate to turn this into a stretchy gluten-free bread.

For another cheesy quick bread variation, I turn to this savory quick bread recipe.

Accompanying dishes

Here are some ideas on what you can serve alongside this Chili cornbread bake:

• You can serve it with rice and Instant Pot black beans
• With Mexican corn
• With salmon skewers with jalapeño crema

Recipe

Gluten-free Cornbread with Sweet and Spicy Chili Cheddar Topping

Ksenia Prints

Adapted from the Savory Gluten Free Baker by Hannah Miles and Nicole Hunn's Gluten-free Bread Flour blend.

5 from 26 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 9 slices

Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

• Oven
• 9x9 square baking pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For jalapeno cheese cornbread topping:

• 2 jalapenos or red chilis finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 100 grams / 1 cup cheddar cheese

For the gluten-free flour bread blend:

• 22.5 grams superfine brown rice flour
• 22.5 grams superfine white rice flour
• 11.25 grams tapioca starch
• 11.25 grams potato starch
• 3.75 grams potato flour
• 2.25 grams xanthan gum
• 1.5 grams pure powdered pectin
• 18.75 grams Whey Protein Isolate optional, but recommended for best results
• 11.25 grams Expandex or Ultratex 3 optional, but recommended for best results

For the rest of the bread ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 300 grams 2 cups cornmeal gluten-free
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 lime zest of
• 3 scallions finely chopped
• 500 ml / 2 cups buttermilk
• 50 grams / 3.5 tablespoons butter melted
• 3 eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9x9 square pan by laying it with parchment paper or by greasing with butter.
• Begin by whisking all the gluten-free bread flour ingredients together in one large bowl. Make sure they are well combined. Set aside.
• Prepare the jalapeno cheese cornbread topping: Preheat a pan to medium heat. Add olive oil and chilis. Fry the chilis briefly, about 2 minutes, just until soft. Season with salt and pepper, add cilantro and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the sugar, mix well to combine, and let the chili topping cook for a 1 minute longer. Take off heat and set aside.
• To the bowl with gluten-free bread flour blend, add cornmeal, baking soda, cilantro, lime zest and scallions. Mix to combine.
• In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, salt and pepper.
• Gradually add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until everything is mixed together.
• Pour gluten-free cornbread mixture into prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Finally, spread chili cheddar cornbread topping on the top of the cheesy bread.
• Bake gluten-free sweet and spicy cornbread at 375F oven for 35 minutes, until the bread is golden-brown on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 10gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 795mgPotassium: 270mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 513IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 216mgIron: 2mg

Keyword baking, cheddar, cheese, chili, cilantro, corn, cornmeal, dairy, gluten-free, jalapeno, peppers, scallions, spicy

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