This Cornbread Dressing Recipe is made from scratch with homemade cornbread, plenty of butter, sage, onion, and celery. It bakes up with a soft, moist center and golden edges for a classic holiday side dish that belongs on every Thanksgiving table.
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Cornbread dressing is one of those holiday recipes everyone seems to make a little differently. This is how I make mine: homemade cornbread, plenty of sage, buttery onion and celery, and enough broth to keep the center soft and moist while the edges get golden.
The biggest thing? Don't be afraid of the broth. The mixture should look very moist before it goes into the oven. That's what gives you dressing that's soft in the middle instead of dry and crumbly.
Why You'll Love This Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- Homemade cornbread: Soaks up all that flavorful broth while still giving the dressing plenty of texture.
- Plenty of sage: Gives it that classic cornbread dressing flavor.
- Moist center + golden edges: Enough broth keeps the middle soft while the top and edges brown in the oven.
- Made from scratch: No boxed stuffing mix or canned soup needed.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prep ahead and bake when you're ready, which is especially helpful for holiday meals.
What You'll Need & Why
- Cornbread: Homemade gives the dressing the best flavor and texture.
- Chicken broth: Adds savory flavor and enough moisture to keep the dressing soft.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness and helps create that tender center.
- Eggs: Bind everything together without making the dressing firm.
- Onion + celery + garlic: The classic savory base.
- Sage + thyme: Give the dressing its traditional holiday flavor.
- Butter: For cooking the vegetables and adding richness throughout.
The Recipe Rundown
- Make the cornbread: Bake the cornbread, let it cool, and break it into pieces.
- Sauté: Cook the onion, celery, and seasonings in butter until softened.
- Mix: Toss the vegetables with the cornbread, then stir in the broth and cream.
- Season: Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before adding the eggs.
- Finish the mixture: Stir in the eggs—the dressing should be very moist but not soupy.
- Bake: Spread into a baking dish and bake until set with golden-brown edges.
Swaps & Variations
This Cornbread Dressing Recipe is easy to adjust while keeping that classic savory flavor.
- Swap the broth: Turkey broth or stock works just as well as chicken broth and is perfect for Thanksgiving.
- Change the herbs: Poultry seasoning can replace the sage and thyme if that's what you keep on hand.
- Add sausage: Browned breakfast sausage makes the dressing heartier and adds plenty of savory flavor.
- Add chicken or turkey: Fold in chopped or shredded cooked chicken or turkey for a heartier dressing.
- Add hard-boiled eggs: Chopped hard-boiled eggs are a traditional addition in many Southern cornbread dressing recipes.
Tips for the best Cornbread dressing
A few simple things make the difference between dressing that’s moist and tender and dressing that’s dry or mushy.
- Make the cornbread ahead: Day-old cornbread is slightly drier and absorbs the broth beautifully.
- Don’t overmix: Gently combine everything so the dressing keeps some texture.
- Don’t be shy with the broth: The mixture should be very moist but not soupy before it goes into the oven.
- Taste before adding the eggs: Adjust the salt, pepper, and herbs while it’s still safe to taste.
- Let it rest: Give the dressing about 10 minutes after baking before serving.
Cornbread Dressing Recipe
This Cornbread Dressing Recipe is made from scratch with homemade cornbread, sage, and plenty of butter for a moist, classic holiday side dish.
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups White Corn Meal I prefer white, but yellow is fine.
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
Cornbread Dressing
- cornbread from recipe above, crumbled
- 8 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 stalks celery, plus any inside pieces with the leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 3-3½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cornbread
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Add in the milk, eggs, butter, and avocado oil. Combine everything well.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Break up cornbread with a spatula into bit sized pieces and set aside. It's best if you can do this step the day before.
Cornbread Dressing
- Raise the temperature of the oven to 400°.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions and celery in the butter along with the dried sage, dried thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Once the onions and celery are soft, add those to the crumbled cornbread and toss to combine.
- Add the broth and cream and stir to combine all of these ingredients. This is where I taste to see if I need to add any salt or pepper - before the eggs are added.
- Once you determined the seasonings for the dressing are good, add in the slightly beaten egg and mix in well. This mixture should be very, very moist, but not soupy.
- Pour the cornbread dressing into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 400° for about 45-50 minutes or until the dressing is just set and the edges are golden brown.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 904IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 2mg
Storage
- Store: Keep leftover cornbread dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave or cover and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Add a splash of broth if the dressing seems dry.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled dressing in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
REcipe Testing Notes
- Make ahead: Assemble the dressing up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
- How to tell when it’s done: The center should be set and the top and edges golden brown. Give the dish a gentle shake—if the center still jiggles, give it another 5 minutes and check again.
- If the dressing is dry: Drizzle a little warm chicken broth over the top and let it soak in before serving. Start small and add more only as needed.
- If the dressing is too wet: Return it to the oven uncovered and continue baking until the excess moisture cooks off and the center sets.
- Bake it uncovered: This allows the top and edges to brown. If the top starts getting too dark before the center is set, loosely tent it with foil.
- Cornbread: I make the cornbread from scratch with just a little sugar. It isn't enough to make the cornbread sweet—it simply balances the savory flavors in the finished dressing.
More Holiday Table Favorites
Planning the rest of the holiday meal? These easy favorites belong right alongside your cornbread dressing.
- Green Bean Casserole: Classic holiday comfort with green beans and a creamy homemade mushroom sauce.
- Loaded Baked Potato Casserole: Creamy, cheesy potatoes loaded with bacon and perfect for feeding a crowd.
- Broccoli Rice Casserole: A cozy, cheesy casserole made for holiday dinners and family gatherings.
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes: Rich, buttery mashed potatoes that belong next to just about everything.
- Three-Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese: Creamy, cheesy, baked mac and cheese with a golden top—the holiday side nobody skips.
Who's Stirring the Pot?
Hi, I’m Ruth—recipe developer, comfort-food creator, and the voice behind Rufus For Real. I specialize in cozy, doable, flavor-packed meals for real-life kitchens, and I’m a firm believer that breakfast, dinner, and everything in between should be simple, satisfying, and impossible to mess up.
You’ll find me sharing even more comfort-food goodness, kitchen tips, and behind-the-scenes chaos over on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube (@rufusforreal everywhere).
If you love approachable recipes with a whole lot of personality, pull up a chair—there’s always room at this table.
Happy Cooking!
-Ruth aka Rufus
Pat H says
Amazing dressing! Good for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any large meal occasion, I know your family will love it as much as ours did!