Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
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Southern Cornbread Dressing makes a comforting, classic dish for the holidays! This cornbread dressing recipe is moist, delicious and so easy! An heirloom family favorite recipe that makes the perfect side dish!
Cornbread dressing could easily take center stage at my family’s table during the holidays, especially at Thanksgiving. On that special day, the cornbread dressing really rivals the turkey for attention.
There’s just one rule.
No stuffing in this house, and no funny stuff in our dressing. I think I’d no longer be allowed to make it for my family if I “messed” with this traditional family cornbread dressing recipe.
But you know, every family makes their recipes a little bit differently, and that’s what makes family recipes so special, I think! The special touches to suit your family’s taste preferences help you know that those recipes were made with tons of love and care for each person who would gather at the table to enjoy them.
This recipe makes enough for two 9×13 dishes. You can easily half the recipe to make just one or use the freezer-friendly instructions to prepare one to bake now and one to freeze and bake later.
Table of Contents
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
For our cornbread dressing, we use my Grandmother Verdie’s recipe that she got from her own mother. It is a definite heirloom family recipe that my family treasures! It is so incredibly moist and tender and so delicious! Once you taste it, you’ll understand why it is a must-have family favorite recipe.
Southern Cornbread Dressing Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make it, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- Cornbread – It starts with a skillet of southern buttermilk cornbread. While it only takes 30 minutes to make, you can also easily make it ahead if you’d like. You can prepare it up to two days ahead and keep it covered tightly on the kitchen counter until ready to make your dressing.
- Biscuits or Bread – Likewise, we use leftover biscuits from the day before, but you can also use sliced white bread, as my Grandmother showed me one day when Granddaddy had grabbed the last couple of biscuits she’d stashed away for her dressing as a “snack.” The bread works perfectly, too!
- Seasonings – Salt and pepper add so much flavor to this dressing. If you like the flavor of sage in your dressing, include it as well.
- Eggs – You’ll need three large eggs for the full recipe. If you are making a half recipe, use two eggs.
- Onion – You’ll need one medium-diced onion. The onion adds so much flavor to the recipe. If you do not care for onions, you can omit them or do as I do and have one pan with onions and one without.
- Celery – Two diced stalks of celery are perfect in this recipe.
- Butter – The butter not only adds flavor, but it adds moisture to this cornbread dressing as well. You will slice the butter so that it mixes more easily into the dressing.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – I prefer to use my homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe, but you can absolutely use store-bought if you like.
- Chicken Stock or Broth – You will need a good bit of chicken stock or broth. It adds so much moisture to the dressing! If you do not have enough in your dressing, it will make for a dry dressing. Here, again, you can use homemade or store-bought chicken stock or broth, whichever you prefer.
How to Make Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Crumble. Crumble your cornbread and biscuits or bread into small pieces in a large bowl. You’ll want to use the largest bowl you have so that you can really mix this up well. A large stockpot also works well if you do not have a large enough mixing bowl. As a child, this was the part Grandmother let me help her with in making the dressing. It is one of my fondest memories in the kitchen.
- Mix. Now add in the salt, pepper, sage (optional), onion, butter, cream of chicken soup, and chicken stock or broth. Mix well until all of the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Bake. Pour the mixture into two 9×13 baking dishes and bake until the cornbread dressing is browned and is set, about 30 – 45 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Southern Chicken and Dressing Recipe – Mix about 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken into the dressing mixture and bake as directed for a delicious cornbread dressing with chicken recipe.
Southern Turkey and Dressing Recipe – Stir about 2 cups of cooked, shredded turkey into the dressing mixture and bake as directed.
Storage Tips
To store leftovers: Wrap 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Make ahead cornbread dressing: Prepare the dressing without baking and store it in the refrigerator two days ahead or the freezer up to 3 months in advance. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator two days before you are ready to serve to ensure that it is fully thawed. Bake as directed.
To freeze unbaked cornbread dressing: Wrap 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator. Then, bake the dressing as directed.
To freeze baked cornbread dressing: Allow it to cool completely, then cover the 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and foil (or store in an airtight, freezer-safe container) and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat.
Expert Tip!
Oven space is at a premium on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas! Here are a few tips that may help with your cornbread dressing:
- Bake your dressing early in the morning. When done, wrap it well and store it in the refrigerator as your turkey roasts.
- While the turkey rests from roasting, place your dressing back into the oven to reheat thoroughly.
More Favorite Holiday Side Dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornbread dressing is cooked in a baking dish, while stuffing is traditionally “stuffed” or cooked inside the cavity of the turkey.
Making sure your cornbread dressing is done is essential. To test doneness, shake the casserole dish lightly. If the center of the dressing moves, then the dressing is not cooked through in the center. Continue baking in 5-minute intervals until the cornbread is cooked through.
Yes! Adding cooked chicken or turkey to your dressing is another family-favorite recipe! See how to make Chicken and Dressing or Turkey and Dressing in my Recipe Variations above.
Here’s the recipe for my family’s Southern Cornbread Dressing. I sure hope you love it as much as we do. We always like to finish it off with a drizzle of giblet gravy or turkey gravy!
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 full recipe Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
- 3 buttermilk biscuits, or 3 slices of sandwich bread or other soft leftover bread
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage, optional
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 cup butter, sliced
- 4 cups cream of chicken soup
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Mix. Crumble all of the cornbread and biscuits (or white bread slices) into a very large bowl. Add salt, pepper, eggs, onion, celery, butter, cream of chicken soup, and chicken stock. Stir until well-combined.
- Bake. Pour dressing into two 9×13 baking dishes and bake until lightly browned, about 30 – 45 minutes. To test doneness, shake casserole dish lightly. If the center of the dressing moves, then the dressing is not cooked through in the center. Continue to bake until the dressing is set throughout.
Notes
Recipe Variations
Southern Chicken and Dressing Recipe – Mix about 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken into the dressing mixture and bake as directed for a delicious chicken dressing recipe. Southern Turkey and Dressing Recipe – Stir about 2 cups cooked, shredded turkey into the dressing mixture and bake as directed.Storage Tips
To store leftovers. Wrap 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To make ahead cornbread dressing: Prepare the dressing without baking and store it in the refrigerator two days ahead or the freezer up to 3 months in advance. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator two days before you are ready to serve to ensure that it is fully thawed. Bake as directed. To freeze unbaked cornbread dressing: Wrap 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator. Then, bake the dressing as directed. To freeze baked cornbread dressing: Allow it to cool completely, then cover the 9×13 pan(s) with plastic wrap and foil (or store in an airtight, freezer-safe container) and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Robyn,
Is 1 full recipe 1 skillet of cornbread? Your recipe will make 2-13×9” pans of dressing with just 1 skillet of cornbread which be more than enough but If I add a skillet of cornbread, would I need to double everything?
Yes, the full recipe of skillet cornbread is the recipe that I’ve linked to for my cornbread dressing. It makes just the right amount for the dressing recipe. xo
I’m using canned cream of chicken soup, does the soup need to be cooked prior to adding it to the mixture? If so, being that it’s condensed soup, do I cook the soup as directed or just heat it up as it is?
Do not cook the soup prior to mixing it in the dressing recipe, Terri. Enjoy!
Do you boil the eggs and celery before putting them in? If not is the celery done enough?
You don’t cook the eggs or celery before adding. Yes, they are done when following these directions. Hope you enjoy it Jessica! Thanks!
when you put dressing in the oven do you cover the pan are not
You don’t cover it Ruth! Thanks
Hey I’m deciding to cook for Thanksgiving this year and I’m not a cooker at all so i wss going to use your recipe for the dressing . my mom always used sage in hers and i love it so I’m glad your recipe calls for sage but when do i use it ? Do i put it in the ingredients or since it’s rubbed is that the last thing i do when it’s cooked ? I’m sorry May be a silly question butt i rally don’t know how to cook I’m trying here tho ! Thanks !
Kristy, you would add the sage with the salt and pepper, etc. in step 2 of the Instructions. I admire you for cooking for Thanksgiving. I remember the first time I had the Thanksgiving meal at my house and cooked. Wow! Was I nervous! Just relax and enjoy.
After searching and searching, I’ve found my recipe. It was delish.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Angel! Thanks!
I reduced the chicken stock quite a bit and it was sill too moist. There is a particular texture that I am trying to achieve and was not able to. I don’t see how you get all of that in a 13X9″ pan. The flavor was great tho. Open to suggestions.
Hi Ellen,
I am glad you enjoyed the flavor! It’s been one of our family favorites and a tradition for many, many years.
The dressing is a bit moist, but if it is still not set and still “jiggles” when you check it for doneness, it may need to cook a bit longer. I’m not sure what texture you are going for as you mention.
The recipe calls for TWO 9×13 pans, not one. It would be a bit tough to fit it all into one of those pans as it makes enough for two of them like I mention in the recipe.
As far as suggestions go, I can just say that the recipe has been in my family for generations, made exactly according to this recipe. Check to make sure it’s done as I mentioned. I hope this helps. Thanks!
MAN, I’m SO grateful for this recipe! It helped me make my first Thanksgiving meal a charm! This dressing was definitely the highlight of my dinner! It tasted just like my late Grandmother’s dressing!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this, Brittani! This is the recipe my grandmother made – grandmothers are certainly special! Thanks so much! xo
My late sister-in-law always had a pan of juice she got from boiling the gibblets. She put her chopped up eggs into this juice. Have you ever heard of this?
I cant wait to make this dressing this year! I have sone questions:
The butter slices are room temperature or straight out of the refrigerator?
Is cooking the celery and onion in the cornbread a good idea or does it make the onion flavor to strong?
Lori, the butter is about room temperature by the time I get everything ready to mix together. I have never cooked the celery and onion in my cornbread so I cannot answer that one. I just add the raw celery and onion in with my other ingredients. I don’t think the onion flavor is too strong in the dressing but if you don’t like onions, you can always omit them. That’s what I do for one of the pans for my sister. Hope you enjoy the dressing.
I can say I cook my onion into the cornbread we omit the celery though because nobody likes it. It turns out fine and gives the cornbread really good flavor.
Like many others, my mother never wrote down her recipe but your ingredients and recipe is very close to what she did. I’ve tried many times to recreate hers and hopefully with a few adjustments, this will do the job. I can’t wait to make it next week!
I hope this recipe helps you recreate the dressing your mother made, Sharon. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This recipe is amazing!!! I have been looking for a cornbread stuffing recipe, that was similar to my Great Grandmother’s. I made it for Thanksgiving last week, and everyone loved it, including ME!!! Will keep this recipe forever. Thank you so much!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ebonee! Thanks!
I made your cornbread dressing for the first time … and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing…
Thanks so much Lynn! xo
Do you need to grease the pan before putting the mixture in it?
I’ve always sautéed my onion and celery before combing with the other ingredients, but I followed these directions exactly. Will the celery and onion be too crunchy? I am freezing it to bake on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you!
I have never found the onions and celery to be crunchy in this dressing, Sylvia, in all the years my Grandmother made it or since I have been making it. Hope you enjoy!