Mom's Cornbread Stuffing
Submitted by Bethaholic
Mom’s cornbread stuffing with homemade skillet cornbread, toasted whole wheat, sauteed celery and onion, hard-boiled eggs, and plenty of sage. A Southern Thanksgiving dressing baked until crusty-golden.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsThis is Southern Thanksgiving dressing the way it’s meant to be, starting with a from-scratch skillet cornbread baked in a searing-hot oiled pan for that signature crackly bottom crust. Don’t skip heating the pan before the batter goes in; it’s what creates the deep golden edge that crumbles beautifully into the dressing.
Toasted whole wheat bread mixed with the crumbled cornbread adds texture contrast, breaking up the uniformly soft cornbread with chewier, nuttier bites. Celery and onion soften in a little chicken broth (not butter, a smart move that keeps the dressing from getting greasy), and crucially, the cooking liquid goes right into the stuffing, not down the drain.
Ground sage is the non-negotiable flavor of proper cornbread dressing: a full tablespoon, which sounds aggressive but bakes into perfect holiday-dinner comfort. Hard-boiled eggs are optional but traditional in many Southern kitchens.
Kitchen Tips
- Cornbread can be baked a day ahead, slightly stale cornbread actually crumbles better and absorbs broth more evenly.
- Add broth slowly and stop when the mixture is moist but not soggy, you can always add more.
- Bake uncovered for the full time for a crusty golden top.
- Serve straight from the pan, easier and the edges stay crispy.
Variations
- Brown ½ pound of breakfast sausage and fold in for a heartier sausage-cornbread dressing.
- Add ½ cup chopped pecans for crunch.
- Stir in dried cranberries or diced cooked apples for a sweet-savory contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
CORNBREAD:
Mix dry ingredients.
Separately mix buttermilk and egg.
Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix thoroughly but do not beat.
Preheat 1 tbl. salad oil to VERY HOT in an oven proof skillet or cake pan.
Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
DRESSING:
Cook celery and onion in a small amount of the broth until tender.
DO NOT DRAIN.
Set aside.
This can be done the day before and refrigerated.
Toast two or three slices of bread until crisp all the way through.
Crumble cornbread and toasted bread into a large bowl.
Add celery, onion and the water they were cooked in, then add the chopped hard boiled eggs if desired.
Beat raw eggs and add to mixture.
Start adding broth.
How much you add is how dry or wet finished dressing will be.
Add seasonings and mix.
Pour into greased baking pan and cook in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until nicely browned.
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