This Healthy Blueberry Cornbread is a lightened-up version of this delicious classic. Made with applesauce, this Weight Watchers cornbread is only 5 WW points and makes an ideal breakfast, afternoon snack, or lunch box dessert or snack.
Cornbread is popular during the winter but is delicious all year round. It was inspired by my Blueberry Cornbread, but tastes even better than the original (and that's according to my kids!). It pairs perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee and is a great addition to a breakfast potluck.
🍒Reader Review
"I Googled “healthy cornbread “ and came upon this recipe. Of course, since it included blueberries, I just had to try it! I’ve recently had a health scare so I’m trying to eat even more healthy foods than I did before. So, I just pulled it out of the oven and couldn’t resist a warm slice. It is absolutely delicious!! Very good texture: not too heavy and nicely moist, just the way I like my cornbread. I can’t believe it’s so tasty and also so healthy for me!! I’m going to be making it quite often and will be looking at your other recipes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Oh, and, I followed the recipe precisely."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jump to:
When I went to make my beloved blueberry cornbread and calculated that there were 9 Weight Watchers points per piece, I literally started to weep 🙁 I wanted it but wasn’t willing to part with 9 WW points in order to have it. So I immediately got to work lightening it!
Hello Weight Watchers Cornbread...
🥘 Ingredient Notes
I have cut the WW points in this Healthy Blueberry bread nearly in half and brought this Light Blueberry Cornbread down to 5 Weight Watchers points, which I consider to be a pretty big success!
I have been baking, creating recipes, and lightening recipes for many years, but when I actually looked at the difference in calories and fat by just eliminating the oil and changing it to applesauce, it was mind-blowing (see applesauce in ingredient notes)!
For this recipe, you'll need:
- Blueberries. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but if you're using frozen, don't defrost them completely or the color will run too much and you'll end up with purple bread.
- Cornmeal. Cornmeal is a coarse flour ground from dried corn. You can find it in the baking aisles of most grocery stores or order it from Amazon.
- Low-fat (1% milk) and vinegar. This is a lighter version of buttermilk (adding vinegar to low-fat milk). Buttermilk helps keep baking moist, with a tender crumb, that balances the applesauce.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Make sure it's unsweetened! Applesauce can be a great substitute for fat in baking, (½ cup unsweetened applesauce - .06 g fat and 53 calories VS. ½ cup vegetable oil - 109 g fat and 964 calories) but it can also give baked goods a chewy texture, so you need to be careful with how much you use. ½ cup is generally the maximum amount I'd use to replace fat in baking.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Cornmeal: You can use white cornmeal instead of yellow. It works just as well and the flavor will remain similar, but the bread's color will be lighter.
- Dairy-free: You can substitute low-fat milk with almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk to make the recipe dairy-free. If you're following the Weight Watchers program, just be sure to recalculate the points.
- Make Blueberry Cornbread Muffins: You can also make this batter into 12 healthy blueberry cornbread muffins! Muffins generally take ½ - ⅔ the time bread takes, so be sure to check it at 15 minutes by inserting a cake tester or toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean and they are lightly browned, they are done! If not, then return to oven and check for doneness at 5-minute intervals.
- Saskatoon berries: If you're also a Saskatoon berry fan, you can replace the blueberries with Saskatoon berries. You'll also want to check out my Saskatoon Berry Muffins.
🔪How to Make Healthy Blueberry Cornbread
PREP: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C and spray an 8-inch square baking pan or a cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Step 1: Mix vinegar with milk and set aside.
- Step 2: Toss blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour and set aside.
- Step 3: Combine remaining flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk to evenly combine ingredients.
- Step 4: In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk with vinegar, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
- Step 5: Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Step 6: Gently fold in blueberries.
- Step 7: Spread batter into prepared pan.
*I used an 11x7 (brownie/biscuit pan) for this recipe, but you can use an 8X8 or 9x9 pan if you don't have this size. An 11x13 pan would be too big, and your cornbread pieces would be too thin/flat.
- Step 8: Bake for 30-35 minutes (*35 minutes was perfect for me, but I had to cover it to prevent it from browning too much - see HINT below) or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 9: Cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Then cut it into 12 slices. * I recommend refrigerating this cornbread for at least 30 minutes for optimum flavor. Chilling tends to make it taste even better!
Hint: Check it after 20 minutes, if it's browning too fast, loosely cover it with foil.
Recipe Tips
- Don't Fully Defrost Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not defrost them completely before adding them to the batter. This prevents the berries from releasing too much liquid, which can alter the texture and color of the cornbread.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can overdevelop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tougher cornbread.
- Prevent Soggy Bottoms: Toss blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. This step is especially helpful for creating even distribution.
- Use the Right Size Pan: I used an 11x7 (brownie/biscuit pan) for this recipe, but you can use an 8X8 or 9x9 if you don't have this size. An 11x13 pan would be too big, and your cornbread pieces would be too thin/flat
- Check for Browning Early: Check the cornbread at the 20-minute mark to make sure it's not browning too fast. If it is, simply loosely lay a piece of aluminum foil over the pan of cornbread for the remaining time.
- Let It Rest: Allow the cornbread to cool for at least 10–15 minutes after removing it from the oven. This helps the structure set and makes it easier to slice. I recommend refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes after it's cooled. This enhances the flavor.
When I let my kids try this, I didn't tell them it was lighter, better for them, or healthier cornbread and they actually said that they liked it better than the other (full-fat) recipe!
🥗 What to Eat with Healthy Blueberry Cornbread
If you're looking for healthy packed lunches, try my Healthy Chicken Taco Salad (shown) or this Tuna Stuffed Tomato. They are both only 2 ww points, bringing lunch to only 7 ww points!
👪 Serving Size
This recipe serves 12, but you can easily adjust the recipe to serve as many as you need. Simply click on the serving size, choose the number of servings you'd like, and the amounts will adjust accordingly. However, I'd recommend that you simply double it or triple it in order to make it work with the pan size. And you'll need to make it in additional 8-inch pans.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 5 WW points.
You can lower the points by swapping out the brown sugar for monk fruit, but you'll only need half the amount (⅛ cup).
🌡️Storage
Store this blueberry cornbread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (it tastes better when it's cold)!
This ww cornbread freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
❔Recipe FAQ's
Tossing blueberries in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the batter while baking, ensuring they stay evenly distributed throughout the cornbread.
Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center. If it comes out clean (or with only a few moist crumbs), your cornbread is ready. Avoid overbaking, as it may dry out the bread.
This could be due to overmixing the batter or measuring the flour incorrectly (too much packed flour). When measuring flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife for accuracy.
But the good news story here is that you don't have to give up taste, along with calories and fat with this Healthy Cornbread! You can have it all 🙂 And if you like healthy bread recipes, then give my Healthy Rhubarb Bread or Healthy Carrot Bread a try!
Enjoy!
🍰More Healthy Baking Recipes
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📋 Healthy Blueberry Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups blueberries- frozen or use fresh when in season, if desired
- 1 cup + 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour divided
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ⅔ cup low-fat 1% milk
- ½ cup unsweeteened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C and spray an 8-inch square baking pan or a cake pan with non- stick cooking spray.
- Mix vinegar with milk and set aside.⅔ cup low-fat 1% milk, 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Toss blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour and set aside.1 ½ cups blueberries- frozen
- Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk to evenly combine ingredients.1 cup + 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour divided, 1 cup yellow cornmeal, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, combine egg, milk with vinegar, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.1 large egg lightly beaten, ½ cup unsweeteened applesauce, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Gently fold in blueberries. .
- Pour batter into a prepared pan.*I used an 11x7 pan for this recipe, but you can use an 8X8 or 9x9 works well if you don't have this size. An 11x13 pan would be too big, and your cornbread pieces would be too thin/flat.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. *Check at 20 minutes and if it's browning too fast, loosely ay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the pan for the remaining time.
- Cool for 10 - 15 minutes prior to slicing. Then cut into 12 slices.* I recommend refrigerating this cornbread for at least 30 minutes for optimum flavor. Chilling tends to make it taste even better!
Notes
-
- Don't Fully Defrost Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not defrost them completely before adding them to the batter. This prevents the berries from releasing too much liquid, which can alter the texture and color of the cornbread.
-
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can overdevelop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tougher cornbread.
-
- Prevent Soggy Bottoms: Toss blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. This step is especially helpful for creating even distribution.
-
- Use the Right Size Pan: I used an 11x7 (brownie/biscuit pan) for this recipe, but you can use an 8X8 or 9x9 if you don't have this size. An 11x13 pan would be too big, and your cornbread pieces would be too thin/flat
-
- Check for Browning Early: Check the cornbread at the 20-minute mark to make sure it's not browning too fast. If it is, simply loosely lay a piece of aluminum foil over the pan of cornbread for the remaining time.
-
- Let It Rest: Allow the cornbread to cool for at least 10–15 minutes after removing it from the oven. This helps the structure set and makes it easier to slice. I recommend refrigerating it for at least 30 minutes after it's cooled. This enhances the flavor.
-
- Cornmeal: You can use white cornmeal instead of yellow. It works just as well and the flavor will remain similar, but the bread's color will be lighter.
-
- Dairy-free: You can substitute low-fat milk with almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk to make the recipe dairy-free. If you're following the Weight Watchers program, just be sure to recalculate the points.
-
- Make Blueberry Cornbread Muffins: You can also make this batter into 12 healthy blueberry cornbread muffins! Muffins generally take ½ - ⅔ the time bread takes, so be sure to check it at 15 minutes by inserting a cake tester or toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean and they are lightly browned, they are done! If not, then return to oven and check for doneness at 5-minute intervals.
-
- Saskatoon berries: If you're also a Saskatoon berry fan, you can replace the blueberries with Saskatoon berries. You'll also want to check out my Saskatoon Berry Muffins.
Mich
Hi! You say "Cornmeal is a coarse flour ground from dried corn." I have both coarse and fine corn meal on hand as I use it to fry my fish in. Which is more appropriate for this recipe? If I end up making it before a reply is posted, I may use half of each. I love the crunchiness of some corn breads. Thanks! Will rate once I've made it.
Terri Gilson
Hi Mich,
Fine ground is typically recommended for cornbread because coarse can be too gritty. But if you like that texture, your idea of mixing them sounds good!
I’d love to hear how it turns out😊
Terri
Mich
Thank you for your reply! Will definitely return & rate once I've made it - No milk or applesauce in the house since Mom passed, but I've got lots of frozen blueberries, and I really want to make this!
Charmaine
I Googled “healthy cornbread “ and came upon this recipe. Of course, since it included blueberries, I just had to try it! I’ve recently had a health scare so I’m trying to eat even more healthy foods than I did before. So, I just pulled it out of the oven and couldn’t resist a warm slice. It is absolutely delicious!! Very good texture: not too heavy and nicely moist, just the way I like my cornbread. I can’t believe it’s so tasty and also so healthy for me!! I’m going to be making it quite often and will be looking at your other recipes. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Oh, and, I followed the recipe precisely.
Terri Gilson
Hi Charmaine,
I'm really glad you loved this blueberry cornbread! It's one of our favorites too! Great to hear you'll be checking out some of my other healthy baking recipes as well. I think you'd really like the healthy carrot bread and the spinach and apple sauce brownies 🙂
Terri
Charmaine
Thank you, Terri! Will definitely be trying them.
Carolyn
I had forgotten how much I used to like my Blueberry cornmeal muffins! Thanks for reminding me AND for a healthier version!
Terri Gilson
Thanks Carolyn!
Anka Vidacic
Thank you for a delicious healthy recipe. I was a bit skeptical of the taste with only a quarter cup of sugar but it was PERFECT. It allows the blueberries to shine. I'll check out all your healthy recipes.
Terri Gilson
Hi Anka,
You are welcome~! Glad you hear you enjoyed it!
Happy Holidays!
Terri