This best homemade Cornbread Dressing is made from scratch with a combination of cornbread and french bread, sautéed vegetables and fresh herbs.
I don't just wait for Thanksgiving to serve Cornbread Stuffing
I don't just wait for Thanksgiving to serve Cornbread StuffingAs soon as the weather gets cool my family begs me to make cornbread stuffing (aka cornbread dressing). The mix of soft cornbread and hearty bread cubes gives it the best flavor and texture—crispy on top, perfectly moist inside. My hardest decision each Thanksgivivng is whether to make Cornbread stuffing, or our traditional stuffing. I love that both can be made a day or two ahead, which means more time relaxing with my family on the big day without sacrificing a single bit of flavor.
Don't miss my other favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, like Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cranberry Fluff Salad, or Homemade Dinner Rolls.
How to make Cornbread Dressing:
Dry the Bread: Spread cornbread and bread cubes on baking sheets and let them dry out at room temperature for 1–2 days, or bake at 250°F for 30–45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until stale.
Assemble Stuffing: Sauté onion, celery, and herbs in butter over medium heat until softened. Pour over the dried bread cubes in a large bowl, then gradually toss with broth until evenly moistened.
Bake: Transfer mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake old fashioned cornbread dressing at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
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Recipe
Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 8×8 pan cornbread (I use my buttermilk cornbread recipe), cut into small cubes (about 7 cups dried)
- 1 loaf crusty french bread cut into small cubes (about 7 cups dried)
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 4 ribs celery , chopped
- 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary , chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley , chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Dry cornbread and bread: Spread bread cubes onto large baking sheets and leave them out to dry for 1-2 days. For a fast method, dry them in the oven at 250 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until bread is dry and stale.1 loaf crusty french bread, 1 8×8 pan cornbread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Sauté Veggies: Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the onion, celery, basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley and cook for a few minutes until softened.¾ cup butter, 1 medium onion, 4 ribs celery, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- To a large mixing bowl add dried bread cubes. Pour in butter and vegetable mixture.
- Add broth: Gradually ladle the broth mixture onto the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Add more broth, just until everything is evenly moistened. Don't add too much broth or it will be more mushy and dense. Taste and add more herbs or salt, if needed.3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Bake: Pour mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe November 2013. Updated November 2018, November 2023 and November 2025.
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Want traditional dressing recipe please
This homemade Cornbread Dressing looks absolutely delicious! I love how it combines cornbread and French bread for the perfect texture—crispy on top and soft inside. The mix of fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley really makes it feel like true Southern comfort food.
Making this on Wednesday to serve on Sunday….can it be frozen unbaked? Also can I use croutons instead of french bread?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing it unbaked though. The texture can get weird and soggy when it thaws. Instead, bake it fully, let it cool, then freeze it. Reheat covered (then uncover at the end to crisp it back up). As for croutons, they’re usually a bit too hard and seasoned for this, so I’d stick with plain French bread if you can. But if croutons are all you’ve got, just make sure they’re unseasoned and give them a quick soak in broth so they don’t stay crunchy. Let me know how it goes!
This homemade Cornbread Dressing recipe sounds absolutely amazing! The mix of cornbread and French bread gives it that perfect balance of texture — soft on the inside and crisp on top. I love that it’s made completely from scratch with fresh herbs and sautéed veggies — real comfort food!
This homemade Cornbread Dressing sounds absolutely divine! The combination of buttery cornbread, crusty French bread, and fresh herbs creates that perfect balance of flavor and texture — crispy on top, moist inside, and packed with southern comfort in every bite. I love how detailed the steps are, especially the tip to dry the bread ahead of time for the best texture.
This cornbread dressing recipe is such a perfect balance of classic comfort and versatility! I love how you’ve included options to make it ahead, freeze it, or even switch it up with sausage, dried fruit, or nuts, it makes the dish so adaptable for any table. The step-by-step breakdown, especially the tip about not overloading with broth to avoid mushiness, is super helpful. Definitely bookmarking this one for the holidays!
I recommend this to anyone. I made it easy and used italian seasoning, 2 sticks of butter, croutons, jiffy cornbread and a miropoix mix. Easy to fix and easy clean up.