This easy cornbread dressing is the perfect dressing recipe for the holidays! There is nothing more comforting than this moist and delicious side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Where I am from, we grew up eating Stove Top Stuffing. I didn't even know about cornbread dressing until we moved to the south. Now that I've had both, I definitely prefer a good southern cornbread dressing over store-brand stuffing.
This cornbread dressing recipe is so simple to make because we start with baking a box of Jiffy in an 8x8 baking dish. The box recipe calls for ⅓ cup of milk, but I use buttermilk to give it more of a rich creamy flavor. You can even do this part a day ahead before crumbling into the rest of the recipe.
Stuffing vs. Cornbread Dressing
There is much debate over the difference between stuffing and cornbread dressing. Some say there is only a difference in the name based on the region you live, but no difference in the dish. Others say if it's stuffed in the turkey, then it is called "stuffing". In my experience, the stuffing I've tasted mainly consists of white bread cubes, and cornbread dressing is more cornbread based. But, there are areas that may call a dressing made with cornbread mixture "cornbread stuffing". The debate will forever continue.
You can use this recipe as a base and add whatever mix-ins and seasonings you like. I always have to use sage seasoning, but thyme or summer savory are also great add-ins! Maybe you want to add crumbled bacon or sausage, or some vegetables. I like this basic easy recipe as it is written, but everyone has their traditional cornbread dressing they love.
Ingredients
(full printable recipe at end of post)
In addition to the Jiffy mix and the ingredients called for on the box, you will need just a few more easy additions.
Here's what you need:
- Jiffy cornbread mix (1 box)
- Eggs (3 large)
- Buttermilk (⅓ cup)
- Sliced bread (4 white slices)
- Yellow onion
- Celery (3 stalks)
- Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
- Cream of chicken (1 can)
- Chicken broth (2 cups)
- Ground sage
- Dried thyme
- Salt & pepper
Click here for full recipe ingredients and instructions.
Homemade Cornbread or Jiffy Cornbread?
We use a box of Jiffy cornbread for this cornbread dressing, because for Thanksgiving we are making all the things, and a little shortcut like this helps. But, if you are ONLY making this dish and have the extra time, I highly recommend trying my homemade skillet cornbread recipe.
How To Make the Best Cornbread Dressing
You can quickly put this together with a few simple steps:
- Prepare Jiffy cornbread according to package directions (using buttermilk instead of milk).
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Stir together crumbled cornbread, diced white bread, eggs, onions, celery, butter, cream of chicken, chicken broth and seasonings.
- Pour into a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Tips to Make Ahead
Preparations ONE day in advance:
Bake the Jiffy cornbread the day before so it's ready to crumble into your recipe.
Preparations ONE to TWO days in advance:
Combine all the ingredients up to two days before and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.
Preparations MORE THAN TWO days in advance:
Prepare all the steps before baking and then freeze. Remove from freezer and thaw in fridge two days in advance.
Preparations on Thanksgiving day:
On Thanksgiving day, bake the cornbread dressing early in the morning and refrigerate. After you remove the turkey from the oven, place your cornbread dressing in the oven to reheat. We reheated our dressing at 350°F for 15 minutes and it was perfect.
More Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Creamy Mac 'n Cheese
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Corn Casserole
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
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This article was originally published November 2018 and updated September 2020, and October 2022 with no changes to the recipe.
Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
- 3 large eggs (1 for Jiffy, 2 for cornbread dressing)
- ⅓ cup buttermilk (or milk)
- 4 slices white bread diced small
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2-3 celery stalks diced
- 2 tablespoons butter diced
- 1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon thyme optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8x8-inch pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the Jiffy dry mix, 1 egg, and buttermilk. Let rest for 3 minutes then spread into 8x8-inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
- Wipe out the bowl. Crumble the cornbread into the bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients -- do not forget the additional 2 eggs. Pour into the prepared 9x13-inch pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center is set.
Notes
Tips to Make Ahead
Preparations ONE day in advance:
Bake the Jiffy cornbread the day before so it's ready to crumble into your recipe.Preparations ONE to TWO days in advance:
Combine all the ingredients up to two days before and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.Preparations MORE THAN TWO days in advance:
Prepare all the steps before baking and then freeze. Remove from freezer and thaw in fridge two days in advance.Preparations on Thanksgiving day:
On Thanksgiving day, bake the cornbread dressing early in the morning and refrigerate. After you remove the turkey from the oven, place your cornbread dressing in the oven to reheat. We reheated our dressing at 350°F for 15 minutes and it was perfect. More Recipes Tips- Chop your onions and celery while the Jiffy cornbread is cooling.
- Try using our homemade cornbread recipe instead of Jiffy.
- Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Nutrition
