Cornbread in any form is an easy sell. Buttery, golden crumbs that cling to the fork and sop up the richest stews like a savory sponge, it’s the side dish that can easily seal the show. I’ve never met a cornbread that wasn’t at least passable when smothered with a generous smear of vegan butter, but the very best versions are always paired with a touch of maple sweetness. Inextricably linked to the sticky syrup in my mind, this is how I first remember eating cornbread, back in my elementary school years. It was on a field trip to a maple tree grove where we indulged in samples of freshly tapped and concentrated, still warm maple syrup, stirred into milk and drizzled over squares of tender cornbread. Ever since that fateful day, there’s been no match to that simple serving suggestion.

That’s not to say that there’s no room for improvement.

Start by adding a bold punch of heat in the form of Colman’s Mustard. A riff on classic honey mustard, this sweet and spicy sensation isn’t just blended in, but swirled in thick, undulating ribbons, marbled throughout the classic golden loaf. Straddling the line between cake and bread, it has just the right pepper bite to accentuate, not overpower, that delicate balance.

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Mustard-Maple Swirled Cornbread

Mustard-Maple Swirl:

1/4 Cup Grade B Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
2 Tablespoons Colman’s Prepared Mustard
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Flaxseeds

Cornbread:

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Coarse Ground Cornmeal
1/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 (14-Ounce) Can Corn Kernels, Thoroughly Drained
1 (14-Ounce) Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Grade B Maple Syrup
2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.

Prepare the mustard-maple swirl first by whisking the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, mustard, flour, and ground flax together in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and set aside.

To make the cornbread base, grab a medium bowl and combine both flours, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Add in the corn, tossing to coat all the kernels with the dry ingredients to prevent them from simply sinking to the bottom of the loaf while baking. Separately, briefly mix together the coconut milk, maple syrup, and vinegar before adding the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Use a wide spatula to bring the two together with as few strokes as possible. It’s perfectly fine to leave a few errant lumps in the batter!

Transfer the cornbread batter to your prepared loaf pan. Spoon dollops of the mustard-maple swirl at random on top and use a thin knife or wooden skewer to marble it throughout.

Bake for 32 – 38 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving.

Makes 8 – 10 Servings

Printable Recipe

This post was made possible thanks to the support of Colman’s Mustard. All content and opinions are unbiased and entirely my own.