This old-fashioned cornbread dressing is buttery, herb-flecked, and never dry, and it comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. Store-bought cornbread works perfectly here, which makes it easy enough for a busy holiday but honestly good enough to make any night of the year. Bake it until the top is golden and crispy, and underneath you’ll find soft, moist layers that hold up all the way through dinner. Ready in about an hour with just 20 minutes of prep.
The Dressing My Mother-in-Law Made Every Single Year
Most cornbread dressing recipes follow the same basic formula, and plenty of them turn out fine. What makes this one different is the combination of crumbled cornbread and toasted bread cubes, which gives you two distinct textures in every bite instead of one uniform mush.
The biggest fear with dressing is that it comes out dry, and the answer here isn’t more broth. It’s a full stick of butter worked into the mixture before it ever hits the oven. This is the recipe my mother-in-law made every Thanksgiving without fail, never once reaching for another version, and it’s the one I keep coming back to too.
Two Breads Are Better Than One
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The toasting step is the one people are most tempted to skip, and it’s the one that matters most. Dry, toasted bread cubes absorb the broth and butter without falling apart, which is what keeps the whole thing from going soggy. You can toast them days ahead and store them in a zip-lock bag, which makes the day-of assembly much faster.
The Herbs Make It
Fresh parsley and thyme are what give this dressing its flavor, and they work because everything else is simple enough to let them through. There’s no sausage, no oysters, no canned soup competing for attention, just cornbread, butter, vegetables, and herbs doing exactly what they’re supposed to do.
Why This Version Always Comes Back to the Table
Sausage dressing has its fans. Oyster dressing has its fans. But this is the one that disappears first, simple enough to let the cornbread and herbs do the talking and nothing in it that divides the table. Around here, we serve it right alongside green bean casserole (no canned soup!) and buttery yeast rolls and of course douse it in turkey gravy. Comfort food at its finest.
Do You Call It Dressing or Stuffing?
Quick note, because the question always comes up. Stuffing goes inside the bird. Dressing gets baked on its own. Here in the South, we always say dressing, even if it never saw the inside of a turkey. I’ll take the crispy top over soggy stuffing any day.
If you want a variation with a little more punch, the Italian sausage stuffing is a good one to have in your back pocket. For the rest of the holiday table, skillet candied sweet potatoes are made entirely on the stovetop so they don’t fight for oven space. And if you’re still building out the menu, the full collection of Thanksgiving side dish recipes has everything you need.
Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor
- Cornbread: Store-bought is completely fine here, and that includes deli loaves or muffins. The slight sweetness in most store-bought cornbread actually works in your favor, balancing the savory herbs. If you have leftover homemade cornbread, use it.
- Bread cubes: You want these toasted and dry before they go into the mixture. Fresh bread will make the dressing too soft.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh parsley and thyme are worth using here. Dried herbs work in a pinch but the flavor won’t be as bright, especially the parsley.
That’s the backbone of the dish, but check the recipe card for the full ingredient list and amounts.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing
Step One: Toast the Bread Cubes
Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, flipping halfway through. You can do this days ahead and store the cubes in a zip-lock bag so they’re ready to go on a busy cooking day.
Step Two: Prep the Bread
Step Three: Sauté the Veggies
Step Four: Mix It All Together
Step Five: Bake Until Golden
Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and pop it in the oven.
This is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot on your holiday table, simple enough to make on a busy cooking day and good enough that nobody’s looking for a different version next year.
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Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing That Stays Moist Every Time
Ingredients
- 5 cups cornbread broken apart into pieces
- 4 cups bread cubes toasted
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup butter divided
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 stalks of celery chopped
- ⅓ cup parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 eggs beaten
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the bread into cubes and toast at 350º until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. (can be done ahead of time and stored in a ziplock bag)
- Preheat oven to 400º and spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Crumble the corn bread into pieces in a large bowl. Add toasted bread cubes and chicken broth. Gently stir to combine.
- In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Gently add the cornbread mixture. Melt the remaining butter in the microwave and pour over the mixture. Add parsley and thyme and gently stir to mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk the eggs and add to the mixture. Place in the prepared casserole dish and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is brown.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can use cornbread muffins or a loaf of cornbread from the deli section of the grocery, or make your own.
- Don’t overmix the dressing or it will turn mushy, just stir gently and stop as soon as everything is combined.
- Toast the bread cubes ahead of time and store in a zip-lock bag so they’re ready when you need them.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in the oven with a splash of broth to bring the moisture back.
Nutrition
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John F Grant says
Turned out fantastic!! Thanks for sharing!!
Barbara Curry says
So glad you liked it.
Mary says
I can’t believe you make southern cornbread dressing without sage!! Sage just makes it.
Barbara Curry says
I’m weird in that I don’t like sage, so I never add it. You’re right though, most people want sage in their dressing.