This easy cornbread dressing starts with a pan of Jiffy cornbread, gets its creamy texture from cream of chicken and celery soup, and bakes up nice and golden with a soft and fluffy interior. Perfect for the holiday spread!
Why this recipe works
A golden top with a tender, moist interior that’s well seasoned and stuffed with celery, bell peppers, onion, and garlic keeps this cornbread dressing a staple around the holidays! Starting with a box of Jiffy cornbread mix makes it that much easier to get going when you’re already stretched thin on time.
I grew up eating stuffing for Thanksgiving. Some of it was cooked inside the turkey, while the rest was baked in a casserole dish. Antoine grew up eating cornbread dressing, a southern favorite his mom made every year. We both love this dressing topped with my whole berry cranberry sauce. I can tell you from experience that both versions are delicious!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX – An 8.5 ounce box plus the ingredients listed on the back (1 egg and 1/3 cup milk. If you’d rather bake it from scratch, my sweet cornbread works really well! Jiffy adds a light sweetness that balances all that sage and poultry seasoning. Day-old cornbread is even better since it’s a little drier and soaks up more of the liquid.
CROUTONS – You’ll need 4 ounces, which is about 4 cups. They give the dressing structure so it isn’t all soft crumbs. I like homemade croutons, but plain dried bread cubes from the store work just as well. I would personally skip any heavily seasoned croutons since it can overpower the other flavors.
CREAM OF CHICKEN AND CREAM OF CELERY SOUP – These two soups are what make the dressing creamy. If you wanted, you can use two cans of cream of chicken soup, or swap out one for cream of mushroom. Homemade cream of chicken soup works in place of one or both, simply weigh out 10.5 ounces for each can. My cream of mushroom soup works too, just thicken it until it’s the consistency of gravy so the dressing doesn’t turn out soggy. Canned soups add plenty of salt, which is why there’s no added salt in the recipe, so give the mixture a taste if you use homemade.
CELERY, GREEN BELL PEPPER AND ONION – Dice all three about the same size so they soften evenly in the skillet.
POULTRY SEASONING AND GROUND SAGE – Sage is a classic pairing with dressing. The poultry seasoning layers in thyme, marjoram, and rosemary as well which are all part of your typical dressing/stuffing mix. Use dried ground sage, not rubbed sage, for the amount listed in the recipe.
UNSALTED BUTTER – Let the melted butter cool before it goes in, so it doesn’t start cooking the eggs. Unsalted keeps the salt in line with the condensed soups, but you can swap it with salted if preferred.
CHICKEN BROTH – Turkey broth or stock works too if you have it.
How to Make Cornbread Dressing
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- If you haven’t already, prepare an 8×8 pan of cornbread. You can use a Jiffy mix or our homemade sweet cornbread. Allow it to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, green pepper, and onion. Saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl.
- Add croutons or bread cubes and stir to combine.
- To that same bowl, add contents of both soup cans, poultry seasoning, ground sage, and garlic powder.
- Add the reserved celery/onion mixture, 8 tablespoons melted butter, and the whisked eggs.
- Pour in the chicken broth and mix everything together well.
- Place the mixture into prepared 13×9 baking dish. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, and dressing is baked in its own pan. In the South, most families call it dressing no matter how it’s cooked, using cornbread as the traditional base.
Bake it uncovered at 350 F for 50-60 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden. If you assembled it ahead and it’s going in cold from the refrigerator, add a few extra minutes.
The center should be set, not wet or jiggly, and the edges should be golden and pulling slightly from the sides of the dish. Because the dressing has eggs in it, an instant read thermometer in the center should register 165 F.
Absolutely! Bake the cornbread up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered at room temperature. You can also assemble the whole dressing the day before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it unbaked, then bake it the next day with a few extra minutes in the oven.
You don’t have to, but cornbread that’s a day old soaks up the soup and broth better and gives you a more defined texture. If you’re baking it the same day, just make sure it has cooled completely before you crumble it.
Of course! Use my homemade cream of chicken soup and weigh out 10.5 ounces for each can it replaces. Homemade cream of mushroom works too, as long as it’s thickened to a gravy-like consistency first. Homemade soup is usually less salty than canned, so taste the mixture and add a pinch of salt if it needs it.
Not as written. Jiffy corn muffin mix contains wheat flour, and croutons and condensed cream soups usually contain wheat too.
Yes, simply brown about 1 pound of breakfast sausage, drain it well, and stir it in with the sautéed vegetables.
Storage and Freezing Information
- To store: Let the dressing cool, then cover the dish tightly or transfer it to an airtight container. It keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Cover the dish with foil and warm it in a 350 F oven for about 20 minutes, until hot in the center. Drizzle a splash of chicken broth over the top first if it looks dry. Single servings reheat in the microwave in about 1 minute.
- To freeze: Freeze the baked and cooled dressing in a freezer-safe dish wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, or in airtight containers, for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat covered in the oven as above.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this dressing hot from the oven, while the edges are still crisp and the center is soft. Set it next to the turkey with a spoonful of cranberry sauce on top. It belongs on the Thanksgiving table, but it’s just as good alongside a holiday ham or roast chicken at Christmas. Enjoy!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Planning the whole spread? Pair this dressing with my crockpot turkey breast when you’re feeding a smaller crowd, then round out the table with candied yams, green beans almondine and a pan of baked macaroni and cheese.
Got leftover turkey? Turn it into turkey tetrazzini and serve the reheated dressing right alongside it.
Here are a few more ideas!
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Cornbread Dressing
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced onion
- 8.5 ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix PREPARED
- 4 ounces homemade croutons or bread cubes about 4 cups
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup contents only – do not add water
- 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup contents only – do not add water
- 2 Tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon ground sage
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 4 large eggs whisked
- 2 cups chicken broth
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- The recipe calls for one 8.5 ounce box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, PREPARED. That means you’ll need the ingredients on the back of the box (1 egg and 1/3 cup milk) and you’ll need to bake the cornbread in an 8×8 pan first.
- Let the cornbread cool completely before crumbling it. Day-old cornbread works even better.
- Use condensed cream of chicken and cream of celery soup straight from the can. Don’t add water.
- The soups are interchangeable: swap the cream of celery for cream of mushroom, or use two cans of cream of chicken.
- To use homemade instead of canned, weigh out 10.5 ounces of my homemade cream of chicken soup per can. Homemade cream of mushroom soup should be thickened to a gravy consistency first.
- There’s no added salt because the condensed soups are already salty. Taste the mixture before the eggs go in if you want to adjust.
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, prepare an 8×8 pan of cornbread. You can use a Jiffy mix or our homemade sweet cornbread. Allow it to cool.8.5 ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, green pepper, and onion. Saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper, 1/2 cup diced onion
- Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl.
- Add croutons or bread cubes and stir to combine.4 ounces homemade croutons or bread cubes
- To that same bowl, add contents of both soup cans, poultry seasoning, ground sage, and garlic powder.10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup, 2 Tablespoons poultry seasoning, 1 Tablespoon ground sage, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- Add the reserved celery/onion mixture, 8 tablespoons melted butter, and the whisked eggs.8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 large eggs
- Pour in the chicken broth and mix everything together well.2 cups chicken broth
- Place the mixture into prepared 13×9 baking dish. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Bake uncovered at 350 F for 50-60 minutes, until the center is set and reaches 165 F on an instant read thermometer.
- Make ahead: bake the cornbread up to 2 days ahead, or assemble the whole dressing the day before, cover and refrigerate unbaked. Add a few minutes to the bake time if it goes in cold.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat covered with foil at 350 F for about 20 minutes, with a splash of broth if it looks dry, or microwave single servings for about 1 minute.
- Freeze baked, cooled dressing wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
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