This traditional southern cornbread dressing is a must-have for Thanksgiving! It features homemade cornbread with celery, onion, chicken stock, and fresh sage. It's a holiday classic and a true crowd-pleaser.
Jump to:
- Why this Recipe Works
- Dressing vs. Stuffing: What's the Difference?
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Prepare the Cornbread
- How to Dry Out the Bread for Dressing
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Can I Make Thanksgiving Dressing Ahead of Time?
- What to Serve with Cornbread Dressing
- Recipe Variations
- Recipe Tips and FAQs
- 📖 Recipe
- You May Also Like
Why this Recipe Works
It wouldn't be Thanksgiving at my house without a big casserole dish filled with traditional southern cornbread dressing. The main ingredient is homemade cornbread for a delicious flavor and crumbly texture. I also mix in white bread cubes for a lighter and softer texture contrast. The soft bread also acts as a glue to add more structure to the dish and hold everything together.
The flavors of this homemade dressing recipe hit all the classic turkey stuffing notes, with a savory blend of celery and onion cooked in butter, and seasoned with thyme and fresh sage.
The dressing is soaked (preferably overnight) in rich chicken stock and a little milk, with eggs to act as a binder. The result is a moist and flavorful dressing with a crispy, golden brown top.
Dressing vs. Stuffing: What's the Difference?
The terms "stuffing" and "dressing" are primarily regional language variations used to describe a mixture of dried bread cubes combined with chicken stock and savory vegetables and seasonings.
In practice, the main difference between stuffing and dressing is that dressing is baked in a casserole dish separate from the turkey. While stuffing is traditionally baked inside the cavity of the turkey and uses white bread.
However, many people make "stuffing" as a separate dish due to concerns about food-borne illness. Cooking the stuffing inside the turkey also tends to result in overcooked meat because the turkey is finished before the stuffing reaches a safe temperature.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Cornbread - Savory southern-style cornbread is best for this recipe. I highly recommend making your own instead of using store-bought or a boxed mix.
- White bread - I like to use a fresh baked loaf of white sandwich bread from the bakery if possible. Mass-produced sandwich bread has preservatives to keep the bread soft and it will not dry out as easily. You can substitute wheat bread, sourdough, or french bread for different tastes and textures, but avoid seeded bread or flavored bread.
- Chicken Stock - Homemade chicken or turkey stock will have the best flavor, but store-bought will work too. I use unsalted stock, so if you use a salted variety omit the added salt in the recipe.
How to Prepare the Cornbread
This recipe calls for dried cornbread. I recommend making the cornbread a day or two ahead if possible.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs to a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Be careful to let the butter cool so you don't cook the eggs.
- Combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in a bowl and stir together until it forms a thick batter.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and coat it with vegetable oil, then scrape the batter into the skillet. Smooth out the top and return the skillet to the oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before removing.
How to Dry Out the Bread for Dressing
Drying the bread removes much of the water content and allows it to soak up the flavorful liquids in this recipe. Air drying works well if you plan ahead, but oven drying will also work.
To air dry, the day before you plan to make the dressing, slice the cornbread in half horizontally, like a hamburger bun. Set out the two halves on a wire rack and let them sit uncovered for a full day to dry. Also set out 4-5 slices of white bread on a rack to dry the night before making your dressing.
Alternatively, you can dry the bread and cornbread in your oven. Cut the white bread and cornbread into ½ inch cubes and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 250°F oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping occasionally until the bread cubes are dry.
The cornbread doesn't need to be super dry and crunchy, but the white bread should be very dry like a crouton.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the vegetable oil and butter to a saucepan set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Remove from heat then stir in 1½ cups of chicken stock. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. In a separate bowl stir together the eggs and milk. Once the vegetables and stock are cool, add the milk and eggs to the stock and vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the cubed cornbread and any crumbs along with the white bread cubes to a large mixing bowl, then pour the liquid mixture on top and gently fold until well combined. Let sit for at least 10 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. The bread should be moist, but not soupy. If the mix is too dry, or if you prefer your stuffing very moist, add more stock ½ cup at a time to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and press lightly on top to compact it. Cover with foil and bake in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Can I Make Thanksgiving Dressing Ahead of Time?
You can, and should, make this old-fashioned cornbread dressing ahead of time! I always make the dressing the night before Thanksgiving to give the liquids time to distribute evenly in the bread mixture.
To make ahead, prepare the recipe as directed but do not bake. After mixing the liquids and the bread cubes, transfer the mixture to your casserole dish, then cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Remove the dressing from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking, then bake as directed.
What to Serve with Cornbread Dressing
This traditional southern cornbread dressing is a Thanksgiving and Christmas classic and it is perfect with roasted turkey of course! It's also great with other holiday classics like Green Bean Casserole and Sweet Potato Soufflé.
But cornbread dressing doesn't have to be a once-a-year dish. It's also tasty with roasted chicken, baked ham, and many other meals too!
Recipe Variations
- Sausage - Sage sausage is a traditional addition to cornbread dressing. To add, cook the sausage in your saucepan before cooking the onion and celery. When cooked through, transfer it to a plate, but do not wipe the pan. Omit the added tablespoon of oil and use the sausage fat instead when cooking the onion and celery.
- Mushrooms - Sautéed mushrooms are a tasty addition to add a savory umami flavor to the dressing.
- Dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and chopped apples are other tasty additions as well.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze the cooked dressing for up to 3 months. To freeze, let the dressing cool completely, then wrap it in plastic and place in a freezer bag.
Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.
I highly recommend making your own dried bread cubes for the best results. At Thanksgiving, my local bakery does make dried bread for stuffing. They typically have them for the week leading up to the holiday and I have used these in place of the white bread cubes with good results.
The moisture of the dressing is a personal preference. Some like it very moist and some prefer it more dry and crumbly. The dryness of the bread also affects how much stock you need, so it can be tricky to get it just right.
If your dressing is not moist enough after baking, pour ½ cup of stock over top and let it soak in for 10 minutes before serving. If it's still too dry, add another ½ cup and let it soak in before serving.
If the dressing is soggy, you can turn the dressing out onto a sheet pan and cook uncovered at 350°F until it reaches your desired texture.
📖 Recipe
Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 2 cups cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
Cornbread Dressing
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ to 2½ cups unsalted chicken stock, or turkey stock
- ½ cup milk
- 1 batch cornbread, around 6-7 cups, dried and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 3 cups white bread, 4-5 slices, dried and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
Cornbread
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and place your skillet in the oven while it preheats. Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs to a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Be careful to let the butter cool so you don't cook the eggs.
- Combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in a bowl and stir together until it forms a thick batter.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and coat it with vegetable oil, then scrape the batter into the skillet. Smooth out the top and return the skillet to the oven.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before removing.
- Leave the cornbread out to dry for a full day, then cut into ½ to 1 inch cubes. Alternatively, cube the cornbread and dry in a 250°F oven for around 20 minutes, flipping occasionally.
Dressing
- Add the vegetable oil and butter to a saucepan set over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook for another minute. Remove from heat then stir in 1½ cups of chicken stock. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. In a separate bowl stir together the eggs and milk. Once the vegetables and stock are cool, add the milk and eggs to the stock and vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the cubed cornbread and any crumbs along with the white bread cubes to a large mixing bowl, then pour the liquid mixture on top and gently fold until well combined. Let sit for at least 10 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. The bread should be moist, but not soupy. If the mix is too dry, or if you prefer very moist stuffing, add more stock ½ cup at a time to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish and press lightly on top to compact it. Cover with foil and bake in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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