Gluten-Free Corn Cakes (Sweet or Savory!)
These gluten-free corn cakes are everything I love about cornbread in pancake form. They're ultra tender, lightly sweetened, and packed with juicy corn kernels that burst in every bite. Whether you serve them alongside grilled meats, top them with fresh vegetables for an appetizer, or stack them up for breakfast, they're one of those recipes that always disappear fast.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Corn Cakes Recipe
What I love most about these gluten-free corn cakes is how versatile they are - even more so than traditional cornbread. Serve them warm with softened butter as a side dish, dress them up as a first course with savory toppings, or take them in a sweet direction for breakfast. They're just as suitable for a casual barbecue as they are for a brunch gathering.
Try them alongside this corn and arugula salad for a summer meal, pair them with avocado chicken salad for lunch, or add them to a spread with salsa verde chicken or this healthy taco salad for dinner. For breakfast, drizzle them with honey or maple syrup and pile them with fresh berries.
The corn cakes can be made ahead, frozen, and reheated. They're even delicious at room temperature, which makes them ideal for entertaining.
Nicki's Tip: The recipe started as an adaptation of my skillet cornbread. After testing different versions, I discovered that folding plenty of fresh corn kernels into the batter transformed the texture. The result is a corn cake that's soft and fluffy inside, golden around the edges, and full of sweet corn flavor.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Cornmeal: A medium-grind cornmeal gives these cakes their tender texture and classic corn flavor, just like I use in these blueberry cornmeal muffins. Avoid coarse cornmeal, which can make the cakes feel gritty.
- Gluten-Free Flour: I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, Cup4Cup, and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure. All produce great results.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These ingredients help create a light, fluffy texture.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure and richness.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness of the corn. See recipe tips for a way to make your own if you don't have this on hand.
- Butter: Melted butter adds richness and helps create golden edges.
- Fresh Corn Kernels: The star ingredient. Fresh corn creates little pockets of sweetness throughout the cakes.
Using Fresh Corn vs. Frozen Corn
- During corn season, use fresh corn cut straight from the cob. The kernels stay plump and juicy, creating little bursts of sweetness throughout the cakes.
- Frozen corn is an excellent substitute when fresh corn isn't available. The frozen kernels can be added directly to the batter.
- This is also one of my favorite ways to use leftover cooked or grilled corn. Grilled corn adds a subtle smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweet cornmeal batter.
How to Make Gluten-Free Corn Cakes
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Whisk together the cornmeal, gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
Step 3: Make a well in the center and crack in the eggs. Stir gently to break them up. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until mostly combined.
Step 4: Add the melted butter and whisk until smooth. Fold in the corn kernels.
Step 6: Heat a lightly buttered griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Scoop about ¼ cup batter per cake onto the skillet.
Step 6: Cook until bubbles appear on top and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook until browned on the second side. Transfer the cooked cakes to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batter.
Three Ways to Serve These Corn Cakes
- As a Side Dish: For a fun departure from traditional cornbread, serve these cakes alongside grilled steak, ribs, pulled pork, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or salads. Set out softened butter and honey so guests can customize their own.
- As an Appetizer: Arrange the cakes on serving plates and top them with chopped tomatoes, avocado, corn, herbs, and crumbled Cotija or feta cheese. For extra flavor, stir sliced scallions or diced jalapeños into the batter before cooking.
- For Breakfast: If you love gluten-free sweet corn pancakes, this version deserves a place on your weekend breakfast table. Top the warm cakes with blueberries, yogurt, honey, or maple syrup for a breakfast that feels special without requiring much effort.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh corn straight from the cob or leftover cooked corn.
- Frozen corn works beautifully when fresh corn isn't in season. Just be sure to thaw it and pat it dry to remove excess moisture.
- Medium-grind cornmeal produces the most tender texture.
- If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a hacked version by creating an acidic milk solution. Mix 1 ½ cups of whole milk with 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it starts to curdle, before using.
- Stir in scallions or jalapeños for a savory variation.
- Keep finished cakes warm in the oven while cooking additional batches.
Recipe FAQs
They're lightly sweetened with a soft, tender texture and plenty of sweet corn flavor. The edges become golden and slightly crisp while the centers stay moist and fluffy. Unlike some corn cakes that can be dense or crumbly, these stay remarkably tender thanks to the combination of buttermilk, butter, and gluten-free flour.
Yes. These corn cakes reheat beautifully and can even be served at room temperature. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Corn cakes and corn fritters are often grouped together, but they're slightly different. Corn fritters are usually thicker and often contain additional ingredients such as cheese, peppers, or onions. They're sometimes cooked with more oil and have a heavier texture. These gluten-free corn cakes are lighter and more pancake-like. They cook on a lightly buttered skillet and have a tender interior with crisp edges.
P.S. More Gluten-Free Corn Favorites:
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Gluten-Free Corn Cakes (Sweet or Savory!)
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cornmeal (see Tips)
- 1 cup gluten-free flour or regular all-purpose flour (see Tips)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly, plus more for pan
- 1 ½ cups fresh (or frozen) corn kernels, from 2-3 cobs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200˚F (95˚C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to taste (2 tablespoons will give you a barely sweet cake-I go for 3 tablespoons if serving the cakes for breakfast). Make a well in the center of the bowl, and crack in the eggs. Stir the eggs gently to break them up. Add the buttermilk and stir until mostly incorporated. Pour in the butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the corn kernels.
- Preheat a large griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat it lightly with butter. Ladle the batter onto the pan, using about ¼ cup for each corn cake (you'll need to do this in batches, just like cooking pancakes). Cook the cakes until they start to bubble on top and are golden brown and crisp on the bottom. Flip the cakes and cook until browned on the other side. Transfer the cakes to the parchment-lined baking sheet and slide the pan into the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
- Serve the warm corn cakes on their own or with your favorite toppings.
- Do Ahead: Leftover cakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the oven or toaster oven.
Notes
- You can use fresh corn straight off the cob or leftover cooked corn.
- I prefer a medium-grind cornmeal, such as Bob's Red Mill (avoid coarse cornmeal, which will be too crunchy for these cakes).
- I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, Cup 4 Cup Flour and King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Flour. All work great! If you're not gluten-free you can use regular all-purpose flour.
- If you don't have buttermilk you can make a hacked version by creating an acidic milk solution. Mix 1 ½ cups of whole milk with 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it starts to curdle, before using.
- For a more savory cake, add sliced scallions and/or diced jalapeños to the batter.
