Southern Cornbread Stuffing

This Southern Cornbread Stuffing is the ultimate holiday side dish—moist, buttery, and packed with savory herbs. Made with homemade cornbread, sautéed onions, celery, and fragrant sage and thyme, it’s a comforting, flavorful addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas table. With a crisp golden top and tender center, every bite brings that nostalgic holiday warmth to your plate.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 40

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southern

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Cornbread Base

½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups yellow cornmeal
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
15 oz creamed corn
¼ cup whole milk

For the Stuffing

1 cup unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
¼ cup fresh sage, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable broth for vegetarian version)

Method

Step 1 – Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish generously with butter to prevent sticking.
Step 2 – Make the Cornbread Batter: In one bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, creamed corn, milk, and melted butter. Combine gently—do not overmix.
Step 3 – Bake the Cornbread: Pour batter into the prepared dish and bake 20–25 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before removing.
Step 4 – Cube and Dry the Cornbread: Cut cornbread into ½-inch cubes and bake at 200°F (95°C) for 30–35 minutes until dry and crisp. Cool completely.
Step 5 – Sauté the Vegetables: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large skillet, melt 1 stick of butter. Add onion, celery, and 1 tsp salt; cook 7–9 minutes until soft. Stir in sage and thyme; cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining butter to melt.
Step 6 – Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, chicken stock, and remaining salt until combined.
Step 7 – Combine and Assemble: Toss cornbread cubes with the vegetable mixture. Pour the egg-stock mixture over and fold gently until coated. Transfer to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
Step 8 – Bake the Stuffing: Bake 30–35 minutes, until golden brown and set. For extra crispiness, broil 1–2 minutes at the end. Cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Drying the cornbread is essential for the perfect texture—this prevents sogginess. For added flavor, mix in cooked sausage, roasted pecans, or cranberries. To make ahead, assemble and refrigerate up to one day before baking. Replace chicken stock with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze for 2 months.