Grandma’s Classic Cornbread Stuffing Recipe for Holiday Dinner

…Kind of.

I call this “Grandma’s Famous Cornbread Stuffing,” but it’s actually my take on her recipe. It isn’t exactly how my grandmother makes it, but it’s close. I add fresh sage along with powdered sage, sauté the onions and garlic in plenty of butter instead of using them raw, include a few more dry bread cubes, and always use beaten eggs. One thing is certain: this is the ultimate stuffing. Moist inside with a crisp top and edges, featuring slightly sweet cornbread infused with herbs and loaded with onions and celery. In short, it’s pretty darn good.

This version comes fully approved by my step-mom, Val, who helped me test it. Picture two very happy women with a pan of hot cornbread stuffing and a couple of forks—that’s about right.

But there’s something more about this dressing: you can’t smell it without feeling like generations of Southern grandmothers are cooking Thanksgiving dinner just for you. You can’t taste it without feeling a big warm hug from my sweet grandmother. You’ve been warned.

Grandma’s Famous Cornbread Stuffing

Scroll to the bottom for an easy-print version of this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups crumbled cornbread (avoid very sweet mixes; a buttermilk-style cornbread works best)
• 3 cups dry bread cubes (homemade is ideal; herbed breads add extra flavor)
• 3 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock (homemade preferred; low-sodium store-bought works)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon powdered sage
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to taste

Begin by melting the butter over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet. Add the chopped celery and onion with a generous pinch of salt, and stir. Cook gently without browning, until the vegetables are nearly translucent, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 8″x8″ baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread, dry bread cubes, minced fresh sage, powdered sage, and poultry seasoning. Mix in the softened celery and onion, then season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until evenly colored. Add the chicken or turkey stock and whisk to combine. Pour the liquid over the bread mixture and gently toss with a wooden spoon until all pieces are evenly moistened. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. The top should be golden and slightly crisp while the interior remains moist.

If you’d like to prepare this ahead, you can freeze the stuffing. Cool the pan on a rack until it is cool to the touch, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, chill in the refrigerator until cold through, then wrap the pan with foil and freeze. To reheat, remove the pan from the freezer 24 to 48 hours before serving. Take off the foil and plastic wrap, replace the foil, and reheat at 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. For a crisper top, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Grandma’s Famous Cornbread Stuffing

Rebecca Lindamood

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Crunchy on top and moist throughout, this is the cornbread stuffing I grew up with and the one I turn to for special occasions. A true classic.

Ingredients

• 4 cups crumbled cornbread Avoid very sweet cornbread; a buttermilk-style loaf is best.
• 3 cups dry bread cubes Homemade preferred; herbed breads add extra flavor.
• 3 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock Low-sodium store-bought is fine if needed.
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon powdered sage
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• freshly ground pepper and kosher salt to taste

Instructions

• Melt butter over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet. Add celery and onion with a pinch of salt. Cook gently without browning until nearly translucent, about 6–10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8″x8″ baking dish and set aside.
• In a large bowl, toss the crumbled cornbread, dry bread cubes, fresh sage, powdered sage, and poultry seasoning. Add the softened celery and onion, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, add the stock, and whisk to combine. Pour the liquid over the bread mixture and gently toss until evenly moistened. Transfer to the prepared dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the top is golden.

Notes

You can freeze this stuffing ahead of time. Cool the pan on a rack until cool to the touch, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, chill until cold through, then wrap with foil and freeze. To reheat, remove the pan from the freezer 24–48 hours before serving, remove the wraps, replace the foil, and reheat at 350°F until the internal temperature hits 160°F. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes if you want a crisp top.

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.

did you make this recipe?

Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your version!