Southern Cornbread Dressing: The Ultimate Sidekick to Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Skip the boxed stuffing—this Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe is a true Thanksgiving classic that’s sure to become a staple on your holiday table. You can bake the cornbread and biscuits in advance, making it easy to pull together this savory, comforting side when the big day arrives.
This time-honored recipe has been in my family for at least three generations, probably even longer. Until now, it’s been passed down without measurements, relying on a feel for each ingredient. My mother and I carefully measured everything out so that you can share this traditional dish with your own family and friends.
Ingredients You will need
- Butter, unsalted is best
- Onion, chopped
- Celery, chopped
- Cornbread, preferably day-old
- Biscuits, preferably day-old
- eggs
- rubbed sage
- poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper
- Chicken Stock
How to Make Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Preheat the oven to 350℉
- Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat
- Add onion and celery to the skillet, and cook approximately 5 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- Crumble the cornbread and biscuits into a large mixing bowl
- Add the cooked celery, onion and remaining ingredients
- Mix well and pour into prepared 9×13 dish
- Bake at 350° for 45 minutes until dressing is set and top is a light brown color.
Tips for the perfect Cornbread Dressing
- Use cornbread and biscuits that are 1-2 days old.
- Traditionally, only homemade cornbread and biscuits were used for this recipe. However, in order to save time and effort, I use a boxed cornbread mix (Krusteaz Southern Cornbread or Jiffy are my personal favorites) and frozen Southern-style biscuits. Please do not used canned biscuits.
- This recipe makes one 9×13 pan of cornbread. If you have a smaller gathering, you may make half the recipe and use an 8×8 pan.
Tips for Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Store leftover dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat leftover cornbread dressing in the microwave for best results, or in the oven (covered to prevent drying out).
- For longer storage, freeze dressing in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- For single servings:
- Cut cornbread dressing into individual squares and store in an airtight container in the freezer.
- To enjoy, thaw one square and brush with melted butter. Heat in an air fryer at 390°F for 10 minutes.
Let Me Know What You think About this Recipe
If you give this Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Send me a message, or tag me on Instagram and Facebook@modernclassichost.
Southern Cornbread Dressing
This Southern Cornbread Dressing is a true Thanksgiving classic that’s sure to become a staple on your holiday table. Passed down through at least three generations of my family, it was originally shared with me over the phone without exact measurements. My mother and I have carefully measured everything so you can easily recreate this comforting, savory dish. For the best flavor, bake your cornbread and biscuits in advance, and use the highest quality ingredients you can find.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1¼ cup onion, chopped (approximately ½ large onion)
- 1 cup celery, chopped (approximately 4 small stalks)
- 1 8×8 pan Cornbread
- 5 biscuits
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 3 tsp sage
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 4 cups Chicken Stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray
- Melt butter in skillet over medium heat
- Add onion and celery to pan, and cook approximately 5 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- Crumble cornbread and biscuits into a large mixing bowl
- Add the cooked celery, onion, and remaining ingredients
- Mix well and pour into the prepared 9×13 dish
- Bake at 350° for 45 minutes until dressing is set and top is a light brown color.
Notes
-
- Use cornbread and biscuits that are 1-2 days old.
-
- Traditionally, only homemade cornbread and biscuits were used for this recipe. However, in order to save time and effort, I use a boxed cornbread mix (Krusteaz Southern Cornbread or Jiffy are my personal favorites) and frozen Southern-style biscuits. Please do not use canned biscuits.
-
- This recipe makes one 9×13 pan of cornbread. If you have a smaller gathering, you may make half the recipe and use an 8×8 pan.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
