If there’s one side dish that absolutely belongs on every holiday table, it’s a classic cornbread stuffing recipe made from scratch! As someone who’s been developing and perfecting homemade comfort food recipes for years, I can confidently say this version checks every box.
It's buttery, herby, flavorful, and perfectly balanced in texture. It's soft and tender in the middle with just the right amount of crisp edges. Using homemade cornbread (no Jiffy mix here!) gives it that rich, authentic flavor you can’t get from a box, and the combination of celery, onions, sage, and fresh herbs just screams holidays!
My family has been making this cornbread dressing for years! We originally saw cornbread dressing on Good Morning America when the one and only Sam Champion mentioned his mom made it. After that, my mom started making it and now we make it every Thanksgiving!
I love making cornbread stuffing with jiffy when I need a quick side dish, but sometimes you just want that delicious homemade cornbread that you can't get from a box. This recipe has a homemade cornbread recipe in it, but you can use a self rising flour cornbread recipe, sourdough cornbread recipe, or even a kefir cornbread recipe.
Jump to:
- Get Ready for the BEST Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - No Jiffy Needed!
- What You'll Need to Make Homemade Cornbread Dressing
- Homemade Dressing Recipe Variations
- How to Make Corn Bread Stuffing
- Tips for Making the Best Corn Bread Dressing
- How to Store
- Serving This Recipe for Cornbread Dressing
- FAQs for Homemade Cornbread Dressing
- More Thanksgiving Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Get Ready for the BEST Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - No Jiffy Needed!
If you’ve been searching for the best cornbread stuffing recipe that tastes just like Grandma’s, you’re in the right place! This recipe uses homemade cornbread, no Jiffy mix needed, and is loaded with fresh herbs, buttery vegetables, and rich flavor. Perfectly baked until golden brown and crisp on top, it’s the ideal side dish for your Thanksgiving turkey or any holiday meal!
What You'll Need to Make Homemade Cornbread Dressing
- Vegetables. We'll be using yellow onion (or red onion will work too, like I did in my photos) and celery.
- Herbs. This is the important part to get that fresh flavor. Use fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme.
- Broth. I love using homemade chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth, homemade turkey broth, or a mixture of broth. Use what you have but make sure it is low sodium so the stuffing isn't too salty.
- Butter. We'll be using butter to sauté the vegetables but also to make the cornbread.
- Bread. Even though this is a cornbread stuffing, you still need some white bread. You can buy white stuffing bread at the store or you can use your own homemade sourdough discard sandwich bread or sourdough bread for this recipe.
- Buttermilk. Buttermilk makes the cornbread so soft and tasty! You can make your own homemade buttermilk or you can easily find it in your local grocery store.
- Flour and Cornmeal. We are making homemade cornbread after all!
- Leavening agents. Both baking powder and baking soda. Make sure they are fresh otherwise the cornbread may not rise properly.
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Homemade Dressing Recipe Variations
- Make it a sausage cornbread stuffing! Just like in my Italian sausage stuffing, sausage adds great flavor and makes stuffing even more substantial. Brown 1 pound of sausage in a large skillet and mix it in with the remaining ingredients before baking.
- Mix in some nuts and fruit! Stir in ½ cup pecans and ½ cup dried cranberries for a sweet-savory twist.
- Make it vegetarian! Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth and use olive oil instead of butter.
- Get some help from the store! If you don't want to make your own cornbread, no worries! Use your favorite store bought cornbread. You'll want about 7 cups of cornbread.
How to Make Corn Bread Stuffing
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, sugar, buttermilk, salt, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and cornmeal.
Step 2
Pour the mixture into a greased pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Cool completely, then cut into cubes.
Step 3
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and chopped celery. Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add the chopped parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and let the flavor of the fresh herbs bloom.
Step 4
Cut the white bread into cubes. In a large bowl, add the white bread and cornbread cubes. Pour the cooked vegetables over the top.
Step 5
Pour in chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and stir gently until the bread is evenly moistened but not soggy. Add more broth if needed, this helps maintain moisture during baking.
Step 6
Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish or baking dish. 9x13 inch baking dish is a great choice. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 15–20 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Tips for Making the Best Corn Bread Dressing
- Use a mix of chicken broth and vegetable broth to balance moisture and flavor.
- Don’t skip the fresh herbs, sage, thyme, and rosemary make this recipe shine. If you only have dried herbs, you can use those in a pinch. instead of a tablespoon of fresh herbs, use a teaspoon of dried herbs.
- For a crisp top and tender inside, bake uncovered for the last 15 minutes.
- You can make this entire recipe a day or two ahead of the holidays. Put it together completely and then place it in the refrigerator, covered
How to Store
If you have leftover cornbread stuffing, let it cool completely before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container or tightly cover your baking dish with plastic wrap or foil to lock in moisture. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, it will still have that delicious herby flavor and soft, cozy texture you love.
Cornbread dressing freezes beautifully! Once cooled, portion the stuffing into freezer-safe containers or wrap it tightly in layers of plastic wrap followed by foil. Label and date it so you know when it was made. It will keep well for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
To reheat, place the stuffing in an oven-safe casserole dish and cover it with foil. Warm in a 350°F oven for about 20–25 minutes, or until hot all the way through. For the best flavor and moisture, add a few tablespoons of chicken broth or vegetable broth before reheating. This helps revive that perfect soft-inside, crisp-top texture, just like the day you made it!
Serving This Recipe for Cornbread Dressing
Serve warm alongside your favorite turkey recipe. I love making instant pot turkey breast or instant pot turkey tenderloin when I don't have time to make a whole turkey.
You can serve it alongside your favorite sides too! Serve it with instant pot mashed potatoes, Italian stuffed mushrooms, or sweet potato casserole. Don't forget the gravy and brioche dinner rolls for the perfect holiday feast!
FAQs for Homemade Cornbread Dressing
The most common mistakes are using bread that’s too soft, overmixing the mixture, or adding too much liquid. Always start with slightly dried bread cubes and taste your vegetables for seasoning before combining.
Technically, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is baked in a casserole dish or baking dish. This recipe is for cornbread dressing, but either term works!
Yes! Assemble everything the day before, cover with foil, and keep in the refrigerator. The next day, bring it to room temperature and bake as directed. This makes holiday prep a breeze!
Did you make this recipe and love it?
If you did, don't forget to leave a 5-star review and comment below! Show me your creation on Instagram or Facebook. Just mention @Lynn'sWayofLife or use this hashtag #lynnswayoflife.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
To Make the Cornbread
- 2 sticks Butter Melted, unsalted
- 2 large Eggs
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 cup Unbleached Flour
- 1 cup Cornmeal Medium grind
- ½ cup Buttermilk Homemade buttermilk or store bought
To Make the Dressing
- 1 stick Butter
- 2 cups Onion Chopped
- 2 cups Celery Chopped
- ½ cup Parsley Chopped
- ¼ cup Sage Chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme Chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- 7 cups Cornbread Cubed
- 5 cups White bread Cups
- 2 cups Chicken broth Low sodium, homemade or store bought
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and sugar. Mix well. Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and cornmeal. Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter. Add the chopped onions and chopped celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, but do not brown them. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Add the chopped herbs and cook for 1 minutes. Remove from the stove and let it cool slightly.
- Once the cornbread has cooled, cut it into 1 inch cubes. Cut the white bread as well and place them both in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the bread. Stir it gently so you don't smash the bread around too much. Add the chicken broth slowly while mixing the ingredients together.
- Pour the cornbread dressing into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes until it is heated through and golden brown.
Video
Notes
- This is a great recipe to make ahead of time! You can make the cornbread a day or two ahead of time. This dressing can be put together ahead of time too. Put it all together and then cover it with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.
- If you don't have fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs but you will want to use much less than you would use fresh herbs.
- This recipe has a cornbread recipe in it, but you can make your own favorite cornbread recipe or you can use store bought cornbread if that is easiest for you.
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