Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Laurel Perry

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This old-fashioned, Southern-style Cornbread Dressing recipe is filled with fresh herbs, garlic, celery, and cubes of buttery cornbread. This savory cornbread stuffing is easy to make with quick prep, and it comes out of the oven mouthwateringly delicious. It’s the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and beyond!

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Table of Contents

Why We Love This Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Buttery, sweet cornbread mixes with savory aromatics and a touch of sweet brown sugar to create a dressing that’s the perfect complement to savory Thanksgiving favorites!

Variations on Cornbread Stuffing

This homemade cornbread dressing is so easy to modify to your liking. For a more savory take, simply omit the brown sugar. For a bit more visual and textural interest, try adding chopped nuts or dried cranberries.

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Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover cornbread dressing tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 30 minutes.

How to Freeze

You can freeze this cornbread stuffing casserole both before and after baking. Simply wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil and store for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen in a 350°F oven for 55-60 minutes, or allow the baked dressing to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this tasty easy cornbread dressing with other Thanksgiving classics, like turkey, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, creamed corn, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and other Thanksgiving side dishes.

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing?

While they’re basically the same thing, there is a technical difference: stuffing is cooked inside the bird (stuffed), and dressing is cooked on its own. So this recipe is a dressing, though I might call it stuffing sometimes.

What is cornbread dressing made of?

This dressing is made from cornbread, onions, celery, garlic, fresh herbs, eggs, broth, milk, and a little bit of sugar.

Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing?

Yes! While this dressing can be made with fresh cornbread, letting the cubes sit out overnight will help dry them out a bit to ensure the dressing doesn’t turn out gummy.

Is it better to use broth or stock for dressing?

Both work perfectly well!

How moist should dressing be before baking?

You want your stuffing mixture to be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom, you’ve added too much liquid. You can fix this by adding a bit more cornbread.

How do you know when dressing is done?

The top of the dressing should be lightly browned. You can tell if it’s cooked through by gently shaking the casserole dish. If the center wiggles, it needs a bit more time!

Why is my cornbread dressing crumbly?

If your dressing is crumbly, it’s likely that it is too dry. Try drizzling a bit more warm broth over top before serving.

Why is my cornbread dressing gummy?

If your dressing is gummy, it is likely both undercooked and too moist. Try cooking it uncovered for 10-15 minutes more to dry it out a bit.

Why is my cornbread dressing bland?

If your dressing turned out bland, try adding more herbs, salt, and pepper. Measure with your heart!

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More Stuffing Recipes To Try

  • Homemade Turkey Stuffing
  • Vegetarian Stuffing
  • Wild Rice Sausage Stuffing
  • Butternut Squash Stuffing
  • Sausage Stuffing

Recipe

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

Author: Laurel Perry

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour

Total: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

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Serves10

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Buttery, herb-y. and garlic-y, this old-fashioned cornbread dressing is quick to prep, and comes out of the oven incredibly tasty!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
  • 2 onions finely diced
  • 3 ribs celery finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
  • 9 cups cubed cornbread
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter.

  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onion and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, sage, parsley, and thyme. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 onions, 3 ribs celery, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

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  • Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.

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  • To the vegetables, add the cornbread, egg, chicken broth, milk, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Gently stir until combined.

    9 cups cubed cornbread, 1 large egg, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup whole milk, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt

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  • Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

    Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (11)

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • You can use 2 teaspoons of dried rubbed sage in place of fresh and 1 teaspoon dried thyme in place of fresh.
  • You can use vegetable broth for a vegetarian cornbread stuffing.
  • You can freeze the whole casserole before baking, then bake directly from frozen at 350°F for 55-60 minutes.

Storage:Store cornbread dressing tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 793kcal (40%) Carbohydrates: 126g (42%) Protein: 16g (32%) Fat: 25g (38%) Saturated Fat: 11g (69%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 151mg (50%) Sodium: 1543mg (67%) Potassium: 437mg (12%) Fiber: 6g (25%) Sugar: 42g (47%) Vitamin A: 694IU (14%) Vitamin C: 5mg (6%) Calcium: 343mg (34%) Iron: 5mg (28%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (13)

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How to Make Cornbread Dressing Step by Step

Cook the Veggies: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter and set aside. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add in 2 finely diced onions and 3 finely diced ribs of celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of minced fresh sage, 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon of minced fresh thyme. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

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Add to a Bowl: Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.

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Add the Cornbread: To the vegetables, add 9 cups of cubed cornbread, 1 large egg, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth, ¾ cup of whole milk, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Gently stir until combined.

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Cover and Bake: Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

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Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (18)

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Cornbread Dressing Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›

The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.

Why is my cornbread dressing gummy? ›

Why is my Cornbread Dressing gummy? Adding too much liquid can result in a gummy-like texture. Baking it longer, using less liquid, and more stirring can help avoid a gummy texture.

Why is my cornbread dressing mushy? ›

Why is my cornbread dressing mushy? If your cornbread dressing is mushy, be sure you baked it in a wide enough pan.

Why is it called dressing in the South? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

Is stuffing the same as dressing black folks? ›

So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish. Additionally, dressing, especially in the American South, is often made with cornbread instead of pieces of a baguette or plain ol' white bread.

Is it better to use broth or stock for dressing? ›

You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results.

Can you put too much broth in dressing? ›

I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix. Give it a good stir, then let it sit for a minute. The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much.

Is it OK to make cornbread dressing ahead of time? ›

You can refrigerate the cornbread dressing in an airtight container if you want to use it within the next three to four days. Before refrigerating, make sure to let it cool to room temperature.

Should you put an egg in stuffing? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency. Seasonings: This turkey dressing recipe is seasoned with salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and garlic powder.

How wet should dressing be before baking? ›

We recommend adding stock a little at a time--1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much stuffing you're making--and waiting for the bread to absorb the liquid before adding more. Once the bread is moist but not sitting in a pool of stock, it's ready.

Why put egg in dressing? ›

Eggs add richness to the stuffing, and makes it cohere better. I'd use two eggs per pound of bread. I'm a no egg person - and I still stuff the bird (but also do a batch out of the bird). me, too, Chem - I make a boatload of dressing (we never stuff the bird) specifically so I have leftovers to eat with gravy.

What is the difference between stuffing vs dressing? ›

To understand the difference between the two, all you have to do is look at the cooking method. Stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is roasted in a separate casserole dish.

Why is it called dressing instead of stuffing? ›

The term dressing, per the History Channel, originated around the 1850s, when the Victorians deemed stuffing too crude for the dish to be named. This happened around the same time that the term “dark meat” began to refer to chicken legs and thighs.

Do Southerners say stuffing or dressing? ›

Some people insist that it should be called dressing when it hasn't actually been stuffed inside a bird. But many people insist on one term or the other regardless of how it's prepared or what's in it. The term dressing is most commonly used in the South, but it's popular in pockets throughout the US.

What's the difference between cornbread and stuffing? ›

Dressing is made from cornbread, and stuffing is traditionally made from other breads — sourdoughs, biscuits, etc. Some dressing recipes incorporate a little white bread, but that does not exclude them from the Southern persuasion if cornbread is the cornerstone.

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