Best Cornbread Dressing Recipe
This Southern cornbread dressing recipe has been a pleasure to create. However, it took some time to get it just right—that is, just like my Granny Gray’s. Truthfully, I have never tasted any better dressing than hers. Try it this Thanksgiving with your turkey.
This baked cornbread dressing is flavorful, earthy, and kind of creamy in texture. Granny didn’t leave me her recipe, but I saw her make it year after year. My dad says I’ve gotten pretty close; I say it’s exactly like hers!
Watch me make this cornbread dressing on the Outdoor Channel:
I enjoy eating all kinds of dressings, but nothing can touch this recipe, in my opinion. Maybe it’s because of my love for my Granny, but I don’t think so.
Cornbread Dressing Tips from Granny Gray and Stacy Lyn
Onion-Celery Mixture
Granny Gray told me, when using onions and celery, always use them in equal amounts. That rule of thumb applies whether you are preparing chicken salad, making a mirepoix (a true French mirepoix is 2 parts onions to 1-part celery and carrots), or making cornbread stuffing or dressing. So I’ve made sure to use an equal mixture in this recipe.
Adjusting the Seasonings
You could add fresh sage, rosemary, or thyme to this cornbread dressing recipe to taste, but I recommend going easy on the seasonings. I use a pre-mixed poultry seasoning or Creole seasoning and not much of that, either. With a few less herbs, the dressing pairs more perfectly with giblet gravy and the rest of the Thanksgiving sides. It isn’t quite so heavy, yet still is full of flavor and texture.
Cornbread from Scratch or a Mix?
For easy cornbread dressing, my Granny always used the Martha White Yellow Cornmeal packets. For the cornbread in this recipe, though, I created a sweet cornbread from scratch. For as many people as I cook for, I would have to use 4 packets, so I might as well make homemade cornbread. It’s really just as simple and delicious.
Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup
She also preferred using condensed cream of mushroom or condensed cream of chicken soup. You can make your own cream of mushroom by sautéing mushrooms in butter, and when they have soaked the liquid, adding flour and then milk. The cream of mushroom has a different flavor than cream of chicken, but both work with this recipe to give it the perfect texture. That is the only thing I’d change up in this recipe. Both soups work equally as well.
Why Add White Bread to Cornbread Dressing?
The secret to getting the best texture possible is to add white bread to the cornbread. Don’t skip this step. The bread is a make-or-break ingredient: it seems to give the dressing its body.
A Make-Ahead Dressing Recipe
This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe anytime. I shred chicken and add it to the dressing and freeze it for those busy weeks when you find it impossible to get supper on the table. You have a full meal by adding mashed potatoes, a salad and sweet tea!
If you have enough left to store in the fridge, it should keep in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cornbread, crumbled
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 4 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 slices white bread, cubed
- 1 tbsp poultry or Creole seasoning
- 1 can mushroom soup
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray or grease a 9 X 11 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, crumble cornbread.
- In a skillet, melt butter and sauté onions and celery until vegetables are translucent, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk eggs.
- Add eggs, onions, celery, broth, white bread cubes, poultry or Creole seasoning, mushroom soup, salt and pepper to the cornbread. Mix thoroughly and spoon into prepared casserole pan. Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until golden brown.
– Happy Thanksgiving from Stacy Lyn!
Here are more of my top holiday recipes.
Yayyyy no sage. Only sage is in the poultry seasoning. That’s the way I make mine too.great recipe. Thanks
Great minds think alike. I do know people like sage though. I do to in some things, but not too much in my dressing. The poultry season has enough for my taste.
I think where some dressings go wrong is in preparing the cornbread. You’ve gotta have a good recipe for cornbread. Your dressing is identical to mine except I use cream of chicken soup!
Laura, I use cream of chicken soup sometimes too!! I’m so glad we make a similar cornbread dressing. Isn’t it wonderful?!
I use cream of chicken and cream of celery soup because I don’t like the texture of celery. I also use sage and chicken broth onions , butter and salt and pepper and of course the crumbled cornbread. I know this may sound really weird but I had an older lady tell me one time to put a cup of milk in my dressing after I got it all mixed up and I tried it and it was the best dressing I have ever put in my mouth I have talked to several people since then and they tell me that they put milk in their dressing so if you’re up to experimenting try and see what you think I promise you you’ll love it
That’s an interesting notion! I may give that a try! Thanks Sandy.
I am going to make this dressing for Thanksgiving. Can I use a hefty ez foil pan to bake it in or will the temperature change for cooking? I have never used one of these pans before.
Thanks!
I’ve never used one of those pans either, but I think it would work just fine! Hope you enjoy the dressing!
My mom would cook a few chicken legs or thighs on the stove with celery and onions, etc to make a broth, then cut up the chicken in small pieces to add to the dressing with the broth. Yum. In Louisiana where I live now, a lot of people add ground beef. Not for me!
I have been making dressing for 40 years and I thought mine was really good until I tried this recipe. I did it for a change and WOW is it good! I will use this recipe from now on! I should have made two pans though because it went so fast. The family loved it!
Thank you so much! I only made a large pan this year. Same thing here. I’ll always make 4 times the recipe for as many people as I feed!
love this recipe just seasonings not over powering . so moist .
I did add a cup of shredded boiled chicken to it . Everyone liked it .
I’m so happy!!! Glad you liked it. I do love this recipe with chicken!