My husband and I have been married for over 40 years, and we spent our very first Thanksgiving as a married couple with his big, extended family.

That’s when I realized that his grandmother, who everyone called Mama Jo, made the very best Southern cornbread dressing that I had ever tasted.

Don’t tell my mom…but it was better than hers.

This is the recipe my husband and I have been making ever since that day.

It’s old-fashioned, Southern, and about as classic as cornbread dressing gets…and it is absolutely delicious.

A 9 by 13 inch baking dish with baked cornbread dressing. The top is golden brown and you can see chunks of egg and celery.

Table of Contents

What is Dressing?

Let’s start with the big question…

What exactly is dressing?

If you’re from the South, you already know this delightful side dish.

But if not, what southerners call dressing is what many people in other parts of the country would call stuffing.

And one thing I can tell you for sure – we don’t cook it inside the turkey. It is cooked in a baking dish.

Dressing is a savory, sage-forward side dish, almost like a soft, moist bread pudding. It’s typically made with a combination of cornbread and white bread, mixed with sautéed onion, celery, eggs, and broth.

And when it’s done right? It’s the kind of dish people go back for seconds (and thirds).

What Kind of Cornbread to use for Dressing

The most classic Southern cornbread dressing recipes use cornbread made from white cornmeal. That’s what I use.

You can use yellow cornmeal if that’s what you have, but it will change the flavor slightly. Yellow cornmeal tends to be a little sweeter and more corn-forward, but it will still be good!

Mama Jo always made her dressing using Martha White cornbread mix, and it turned out beautifully every time. That’s still a great option today and the one I use most often when I want to keep things simple.

These days I use the Martha White Country Cotton cornbread mix, which is very similar to the mix she used.

One thing that is really important – you do not want to use a corn muffin mix such as Jiffy. It will completely change the flavor of the dressing and make it noticeably sweet.

A scoop of cornbread dressing on a plate.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make a classic cornbread dressing!

2 packages Martha White Country Cotton cornbread mix, prepared according to package directions (preferably a day ahead), then crumbled
8 slices white bread (such as Wonder Bread), torn into small pieces
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 raw eggs
3-4 cups chicken or turkey broth
1/2–1 cup milk
1-2 teaspoons rubbed sage (depending on personal preference)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1–2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)

If you Prefer to Make Your Own Cornbread

If you prefer to make your cornbread from scratch instead of using a mix, here is a traditional Southern version.

Reminder: You will need to double this recipe to equal the amount of cornbread from the two packages of mix.

2 cups cornmeal (preferably white cornmeal)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil or melted bacon grease

Preheat your oven to 400°F, put the oil or grease into a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place in the oven as it’s preheating.

In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the oil. Stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the center.

Let cool completely, then crumble.

Instructions

1. Make the cornbread

Bake your cornbread (either from a mix or homemade) ahead of time (even a day before is ideal). Let it cool and dry out slightly, then crumble into a large bowl.

2. Build the bread base

Add in torn white bread and mix gently to combine.

3. Sauté the vegetables

In a skillet, melt butter and cook celery and onion until soft, but not browned.

Onion and celery sautéing in an iron skillet.

Pour this (including butter) into the bread mixture.

4. Add eggs and seasoning

Stir in chopped boiled eggs, raw eggs, sage, salt, and pepper.

A big silver bowl with sautéed onion and celery, chopped boiled egg, some spices, cornbread and white bread, and a raw egg. It looks like the mixture will soon be mixed up.

5. Add liquids (this is the key step)

Pour in chicken broth and milk and stir together. Start with the lesser amounts listed and add more as needed.

Mix until the dressing is very moist and almost soupy.

According to Mama Jo: “If it looks a little too wet, you’re doing it right.”

A big silver bowl with a wet cornbread dressing mixture.

6. Bake

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and bake uncovered at 350°F for 40–50 minutes

Top should be golden, and the center should be set but still moist.

Cornbread dressing in a 9x13 inch baking dish. The top is golden brown and you can see small pieces of egg and celery.

Cornbread Dressing Recipe Notes

Use turkey broth if you have it, but a good-quality chicken broth works beautifully as well.

The dressing mixture should be very moist before baking. If it looks dry, add a little more broth. This is the key to a soft, tender dressing.

Start with 1 teaspoon of sage and adjust to taste. Some people prefer a stronger sage flavor, while others like it more subtle.

Slightly dry or day-old cornbread works best because it absorbs the liquid better and gives you the right texture. However, it will be fine if you have forgotten to make the cornbread a day early.

You can make this dressing ahead of time! In fact, I always make it a day early. You will just assemble it, put in the baking dish, cover, and then refrigerate. Just remember to let it sit at room temperature for about then 30 minutes before baking. If you have to place it into the oven cold it may need to cook 10 or 15 minutes longer.

For a softer dressing, add a little extra broth. For a firmer, more sliceable dressing, use slightly less.

This is not a dry, crumbly dressing, t’s meant to be soft and moist, just like Mama Jo made it. And when you pour giblet gravy over the top…well, that just takes the yummmm factor to another level.

Cornbread dressing scooped onto a blue and white plate.

Remember, dressing isn’t just for Thanksgiving! Honestly, it’s a shame to only enjoy something this delicious once a year.

It’s also fantastic with roasted chicken, pork chops, ham, meatloaf, or even hamburger steak. I love to serve it alongside roasted root vegetables or a classic green bean casserole.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do, and that it becomes a cherished part of your family’s holiday, or everyday, table!