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Grandmas Thanksgiving Dressing

Thanksgiving cornbread dressing combines homemade cornbread and day-old bread with sautéed onion, celery, sage, and chicken broth. It bakes until golden at the edges with a moist center that reaches 160°F.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 355
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cornbread
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray
  • 1.5 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp kosher salt divided (1 teaspoon for the cornbread and 1 teaspoon for the dressing)
  • 5 eggs large, divided (2 for the cornbread and 3 for the dressing)
  • 1.5 cup buttermilk
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
For the dressing
  • 4 cup white bread day-old, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
  • 3 ribs celery finely chopped
  • 2 tsp rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch square baking pan
  • 2 rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

Make the cornbread
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs, the buttermilk, and vegetable oil.
  4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cornbread completely, then crumble it into rough 1/2-inch pieces.
  7. Spread the crumbled cornbread and bread cubes across 2 rimmed baking sheets.
  8. Bake at 250°F for 35–45 minutes, rotating the sheets and stirring once, until dry throughout but not browned; cool.
Make the dressing
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add the onion and celery and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until tender.
  4. Stir in the sage, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
  5. Put the dried cornbread and bread cubes in a 6-quart bowl and add the sautéed vegetables.
  6. Whisk the remaining 3 eggs with the chicken broth.
  7. Pour the egg and broth mixture over the bread and toss gently.
  8. Let stand for 5 minutes until evenly moistened.
  9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil.
  10. Bake for 25 minutes; uncover and bake for 20–25 minutes more, until golden at the edges and the center reaches 160°F.
  11. Rest the dressing for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Dry the cornbread and bread cubes until dry throughout so the dressing absorbs the broth evenly. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezer-friendly. For a vegetarian version, swap in vegetable broth.