Ever since my late grandmother handed me the reins for Thanksgiving dinner, I've been using her old-school cornbread dressing recipe, and I'm so proud to share it with you. Even though it's easy to make, I guarantee you'll hear somebody say, "You put your foot in this dressing!" Let me show you how it's done--either from scratch or using Jiffy.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my turkey neck gravy, too!
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Featured Reader Review
★★★★★
"Your Grandmother's cornbread dressing was a smash hit! I finished my leftovers yesterday. I'm actually extremely sad I don't have any for lunch today."
-MaKeshia
❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - There are no fancy tools or techniques required for this recipe. This old-fashioned cornbread dressing recipe from scratch follows the simplicity that has stood the test of time, from our ancestors' ingenuity to the present day. You probably have the everyday ingredients in your kitchen already--especially if you're southern.
Deeply Flavorful - Our homemade cornbread dressing recipe layers Third Coast staples like the Holy Trinity (plus the Pope) and smoky and spicy seasonings with sweet, rich, buttery cornbread for unforgettable taste and texture. This ain't no boxed stuffing!
👉🏾 My grandma passed down her recipe book to me, so I have plenty of soulful southern dishes to share with you. Check out her sour cream pound cake, baked chicken supper, fried cabbage with andouille, and sweet potato pie next!
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Yellow Cornmeal, flour, and a few more things to make cornbread from scratch. I roughly follow my sweet honey cornbread recipe, and strongly believe this is the best cornbread recipe to use for dressing because it provides a beautiful balance to the smoky and spicy notes in this dish.
The Holy Trinity, which consists of bell pepper, celery, and onion, is a key ingredient in any good Southeast Texas recipe, including this one. Plus garlic, which is known as "The Pope!"
Chicken Broth adds satisfying savory flavor to the dish. You can actually use broth or stock interchangeably, and you could even use turkey bone broth.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Protein - You can add cooked shredded poultry (like chicken, duck, or turkey) to the dressing just before baking or uncooked seafood for extra indulgence. Check out my seafood cornbread dressing recipe with crab, lobster, and shrimp for the how-to.
Cornbread from Scratch or With Cornbread Mix - I've used Jiffy corn muffin mix many times for a more quick cornbread dressing process, and it works like a charm. So you can confidently make that swap, too! Just follow the tips in the recipe card notes.
Seasoning - Feel free to follow the individual spices listed in the recipe card, or an equivalent amount of Creole seasoning.
How to Make Homemade Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Step One: Mix the cornbread dry ingredients together, then stir in the wet ingredients to make the batter. (Photos 1 and 2)
- Step Two: Bake the cornbread until golden brown and done in the middle. (Photo 3)
- Step Three: Once cooled, crumble the cornbread into pieces. (Photo 4)
Pro Tip #1
Day-old cornbread works wonderfully in this recipe, so feel free to bake it ahead of time. Think of dressing as a savory bread pudding--dry bread soaks up the wet mixture better!
- Step Four: Dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper, then press or mince the garlic. (Photo 5)
- Step Five: Cook down the prepped vegetables with the spices in butter. (Photo 6)
- Step Six: Mix in the broth and hot sauce, followed by the crumbled cornbread, eggs, and milk. (Photo 7)
- Step Seven: Spread the mixture into a pan and bake until golden brown. (Photo 8)
Pro Tip #2
If you're baking the cornbread the same day, you can use the same baking pan, so you have fewer dishes to wash later!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Yes. To freeze, allow the dressing to come to room temperature, then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and transfer to the freezer. It will keep for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat dressing by the pan, let it come to room temperature from the fridge, then pour a splash of broth, stock, or milk over top, place the pan into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.
To reheat individual servings of dressing, microwave for about two minutes with a small spoonful of broth or milk over top.
Temperatures and reheating times will vary depending on your appliance, altitude, etc.
How to Serve
Temperature: This dressing is best served warm. It reheats well, and some folks think it actually tastes better the next day!
Pairings: This is a moist cornbread dressing with a nice golden crust on top, so it doesn't need anything. But, in my personal opinion, dressing topped with gravy and a lil' cranberry sauce on the side is the perfect post-Thanksgiving bite. I look forward to it all year.
And for the main meal, serve it alongside traditional dishes like juicy buttermilk turkey, crockpot candied yams, baked macaroni and cheese, and the best Southern collard greens.
Occasions: It's simply not Thanksgiving without dressing, so don't even think twice about adding it to your Soul Food Thanksgiving menu! But this isn't just a cornbread dressing recipe for Thanksgiving. We also love it for Christmas dinner and a traditional Easter meal. Can't wait for the holidays? Make it for Sunday dinner, too!
More Favorite Soul Food Side Dish Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you and your family will enjoy a pan of real southern cornbread dressing soon and very soon--it's fit for a crowd! And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this African American cornbread dressing recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Grandma's Soul Food-Style Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 stock pot or deep saucepan
Ingredients
For the Cornbread
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk see notes
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
For the Dressing
- 1 green bell pepper
- 3 stalks celery
- ½ onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock, warm or at room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce or to taste
- 7 eggs
- 2 cups evaporated milk
Instructions
- Make the Cornbread: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then stir in the remaining cornbread ingredients until a uniform batter comes together that is free of any large lumps or dry pockets.2 cups yellow cornmeal, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 4 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup honey, ¼ cup brown sugar
- Transfer batter into a baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the cornbread to come to room temperature, then use a utensil or your hands to break and crumble it into pieces no bigger than two inches. Set aside.*If you're making the cornbread ahead of time (up to three days), turn the oven off once it's done, and store the cooled and crumbled cornbread in an airtight food container at room temperature.
- Build the Flavor: Meanwhile, chop the bell pepper, celery, and onion, and crush or mince the garlic.1 green bell pepper, 3 stalks celery, ½ onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add butter to deep pot over medium heat, and allow to melt, then add parsley, cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant (about five minutes).1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dried parsley, 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 bay leaf, black pepper, sea salt
- Stir in chopped vegetables and continue cooking until tender and translucent (about eight minutes).
- Pour in the broth and hot sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and set them aside.2 cups chicken broth, 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce, 7 eggs
- Assemble and Bake: Remove pot from heat, then stir in the cornbread, evaporated milk, and beaten eggs until smooth and uniform. The cornbread should absorb all the liquid in the pot when fully incorporated.2 cups evaporated milk
- Spread the mixture into baking pan and transfer to oven to bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until the dressing is golden brown and firm to the touch. Let it set for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
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