My grandmother’s Southern Cornbread Dressing is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Make this dressing recipe and you won’t be disappointed!
Is it weird that I am the food blogger of the family but I joke that when the time comes for me to take over hosting Thanksgiving dinner we are all going out to eat? I think it’s just the pressure of preparing the different dishes to be ready all at the same time that intimidates me. Some days I can’t even boil noodles and cook sauce concurrently.
Next week you will find my grandmother (named Mia), my mom, and my sister busy frying the turkey and making homemade cloverleaf rolls, pecan pie, sweet potatoes, and, of course, Mia’s cornbread dressing. Mia’s southern-style cornbread dressing is definitely one of my favorite parts of our Thanksgiving traditions.
I wish you all had a Mia to make you cornbread dressing at Thanksgiving, and to be your #1 fan every day of the year. Every time I see her she tells me how proud of me she is, or how pretty I look, or how smart I am. And she makes me believe it. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in my life at the time, I know that my Mia really means every word.
I know this southern-style dressing will be a hit at your Thanksgiving feast! It’s also delicious reheated the next day!
What’s Needed for Southern Cornbread Dressing?
To make my grandma’s cornbread dressing recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Cornbread
- Canned biscuits
- Sliced bread
- Onions
- Butter
- Chicken broth
- Chicken bouillon cube
- Cream of chicken soup
- Milk
- Spices (poultry seasoning, sage, and pepper)
- Eggs
- Baking powder
How to Make Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Bake the cornbread and the biscuits as directed on their packages. Toast the bread slices. Set everything aside.
- Saute the onions in some butter, then add the broth and bouillon cube.
- Cube the cornbread. Tear the biscuits and toasted bread into pieces.
- Add the bread, biscuits, and cornbread to a large bowl. Mix in the onion-broth mixture, followed by the remaining ingredients.
- Pour into two greased casserole dishes, then bake.
How to Reheat Cornbread Dressing
Reheat the southern-style dressing either in individual servings in the microwave or the entire dish in the oven for about 30 minutes until warmed through.
Can You Freeze Cornbread Dressing?
Yes! This southern-style cornbread dressing freezes beautifully! I cut it into squares after it had been refrigerated, then froze it between parchment paper to make it easier to reheat individual servings in the microwave. However, you could also just freeze the whole batch and reheat it in the oven.
Can I Prep Southern Dressing in Advance?
Yes! You can prep the southern cornbread dressing up to 3 days in advance, refrigerate it, then bake it off when you’re ready to eat.
Tips for Making My Grandma’s Cornbread Dressing
- We make this southern dressing recipe with chicken broth because we fry our turkey, but if you have turkey broth available, use that instead for even more flavor!
- Also, be sure to taste the dressing before adding the eggs to make sure the seasoning is right for you. Depending on how salty your broth is, you may need to also add a pinch of salt.
- I love to make leftover turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls with this dressing.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
- Sauteed Cinnamon Apples
- The BEST Creamed Corn
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Ingredients
- 4 (6) oz pkgs cornbread baked & cubed
- 2 cans biscuits baked & torn or cut into small pieces
- 12 slices of bread toasted & torn or cut into small pieces
- 6 onions chopped
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 cans chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tbsp sage
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 8 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp baking powder
Instructions
- Bake cornbread as directed on package. Bake biscuits as directed on package. Toast bread. Set aside to cool.
- Saute chopped onions with 1/2 cup butter in a large stock pot over medium-low heat.
- Add 2 cans of chicken broth and chicken bouillon cube, simmer till really soft.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cube the cornbread into small pieces. Tear the biscuits and bread into small pieces.
- Mix cubed cornbread, torn biscuits, and bread in a large bowl.
- Add onion broth mixture + remaining can of broth, soup, milk, and seasoning. Be sure to taste- add more pepper, sage, etc now if needed.
- Add beaten eggs and baking powder. If the mixture is too dry, add more chicken broth; you want it to be a moist, loose mixture.
- Pour into two large casserole dishes that have been generously sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake at 375 degrees until browned, about 30-45 minutes. Cooking time depends on the depth of casserole dishes used and how brown you like your dressing.
Susie says
I’ve been looking for a dressing recipe, I’m going to try & make this for Christmas dinner??❄️???☃️
I’ll keep you posted?
Marie Miller says
Am I to understand raw not cooked eggs go into the mixture. I want to try this recipe but a bit sqeemish about the raw egg component when I’ve always added boiled chopped eggs to my corbread dressing Thanks for your response.
Emily Grace says
Correct – add raw eggs. They will bake.
Amy West says
I’ve never put baking powder in dressing. What is the difference in the taste and texture than dressing without it?
Emily Grace says
Hi Amy- baking powder is just a leavening agent that will help “fluff” up the dressing. It should be tasteless.
Susie says
Did you make it?
Hava Weissberg says
I am lactose intolerant but this recipe looks great. Do you think I can leave out the cream of chicken soup? If not, can you recommend a substitute? Thanks!
Emily Grace says
Hi Hava- I haven’t tried that personally but it should be fine to omit it, though the final flavor may not be as strong. I did also find this recipe for dairy free cream of chicken soup: https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/dairy-free-and-gluten-free-cream-chicken-soup/ Hope that helps! 🙂
Lisa Carroll says
how far ahead could you make this? I was thinking of making it for our Sunday church dinner, but also wanted it for Thursday, Thanksgiving…is 5 days to long to refrigerate?
Emily Grace says
Hi Lisa- I would only recommend refrigerating it for up to three days. You can certainly freeze it though – it freezes very well! Hope this helps.
Desra says
Can this be frozen after making?
Emily Grace says
Yes! I froze some leftovers after Thanksgiving last month and just ate it for lunch this week. (I cut it into squares, after it had been refrigerated, and froze it between parchment paper to make it easier for individual servings in the microwave but you could also just freeze the whole batch and reheat it in the oven.)
Desra says
Thank you
Melissa says
You’re right, we were not disappointed! Thank you for the recipe, it was one of the best dressing I’ve ever had. Everyone loved it!
Emily Grace says
I’m so glad your family enjoyed it, Melissa!
Charlotte Moore says
YES, a cornbread dressing that looks like dressing and not cubes of dry bread.
Shelly Dolen says
You’re SO lucky to have your Grandmother here on earth with you! My Grandma was as wonderful as your Mia sounds. She loved cooking for the holidays, too. I’m so glad you have this recipe to enjoy for years to come! Thanks SO much for sharing and for linking up to Hit Me With Your Best Shot!
Lux says
Gosh this is a product of loveliness.
Thanks for the recipe!
Wendi Spraker says
Looks GREAT! Thanks for sharing!