25 Holiday-Ready Cornbread Dressing Recipes

Updated October 23, 2019
Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

The cornbread dressing may be a more important part of the holiday meal than the turkey or the dessert.  You’re guaranteed to get it right if you use any one of these tasty dressing recipes. 

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Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Deliciously moist and perfectly seasoned, this five-star recipe really has no rivals. It does take a little extra time to prepare cornbread dressing from scratch, but it's definitely worth the effort, and freezes beautifully.

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Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo and Apples

Credit: Charles E. Walton IV

Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo and Apples Recipe

This cornbread dressing recipe starts with a package of corn muffin mix and features the additional flavor of chorizo sausage and chopped apple. You can make this dressing a day ahead, refrigerate, then reheat just before serving.

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Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Use your slow cooker to make this easy and filling side dish to serve with roasted turkey or your favorite roasted chicken recipe.

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Shortcut Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Oxmoor House

Shortcut Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Use a package of cornbread mix and a can of refrigerated biscuits to make this quick and easy cornbread dressing.

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Sage Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Sage Cornbread Dressing Recipe

The savory flavor of sage makes this cornbread dressing recipe distinctive and a perfect partner for a holiday turkey or ham.

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Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Bacon and Pecans

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Bacon and Pecans Recipe

Add extra flavor and crunch to your cornbread dressing this year with applewood-smoked bacon and toasted pecans.

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Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Howard L. Puckett

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

This cornbread dressing recipe is extra hearty because it includes hot breakfast sausage, and it contains chopped green bell pepper instead of celery.

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Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing

Credit: Lisa Romerein

Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing Recipe

Chopped chorizo sausage and fresh cilantro give this cornbread dressing its Mexican flair.

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Sweet Cornbread Dressing

Credit: J. Savage Gibson

Sweet Cornbread Dressing Recipe

The subtle sweetness of this dressing comes from the use of packaged corn muffin mix.

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Country Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Oxmoor House

Country Cornbread Dressing Recipe

To save time, purchase cornbread from your supermarket deli...just be sure that it's savory, not sweet, cornbread.

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Moist Cornbread Dressing with Spicy Crawfish

Credit: Oxmoor House

Moist Cornbread Dressing with Spicy Crawfish Recipe

Make the dressing the star of the meal when you add cooked, peeled crawfish to the cornbread stuffing mixture.

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Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

This classic dressing recipe makes one large pan and one smaller one, so you’ll be able to freeze one pan for another use.

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Cornbread-Chestnut Dressing

Credit: James Carrier

Cornbread-Chestnut Dressing Recipe

For a really special dressing for your holiday meal, use polenta cornbread and add roasted chestnuts and bacon.

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Southwest Cornbread and Chorizo Dressing

Credit: Monica Buck

Southwest Cornbread and Chorizo Dressing Recipe

Get out of your usual cornbread dressing rut and try this hearty version featuring chorizo sausage, butternut squash, mushrooms, fennel, and cilantro. This could almost be a one-dish holiday meal.

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Cornbread, Sausage, and Herb Stuffing

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Cornbread, Sausage, and Herb Stuffing Recipe

This lightened version of traditional cornbread dressing uses either chicken or turkey sausage and fat-free, reduced sodium broth, and stone-ground cornmeal.

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Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Sausage and Apples

Credit: Victor Protasio

Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Sausage and Apples Recipe

A great Southern-style dressing starts with cornbread that's baked in a skillet for a crisp, golden crust. Our simple recipe can be made up to a month ahead if stored in the freezer. For best results, prepare the cornbread up to two days in advance so it can dry out completely.

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Keto Cornbread Stuffing

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Keto Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

Who says you can’t celebrate Thanksgiving on the keto diet? This kets-friendly stuffing is loaded with the traditional flavor you love, plus hearty, salty pops from the bits of uncured bacon. Make sure to let the dressing sit at room temperature before being baked so the cornbread has some time to absorb the chicken broth mixture. If you need to get a head start on Thanksgiving prep, you can assemble this the day before and store it in the fridge—just remove it from the fridge and let it sit for at least an hour before baking. 

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Stacy and Joyce's Skillet Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Peter Frank Edwards; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Micah A. Leal

Stacy and Joyce's Skillet Cornbread Dressing Recipe

The Powell family’s annual Thanksgiving celebration at their South Carolina farm attracts nearly 100 people each year and there’s always more than enough food to go around. While it is hard to choose one dish from the ever-growing buffet table, this Southern-style cornbread dressing, by Joyce Comfort and Stacy Le, is one of the family’s favorites. Cooked in a Butter Pat cast iron skillet, this cornbread dressing gets better every year.

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Instant Pot Sausage-Cornbread Stuffing

Credit: Caitlin Bensel Food Styling: Tina Stamos and Gordon Sawyer Prop Styling: Kay Clark

Instant Pot Sausage-Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

You can't have Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing. Classic flavors, a moist-but-not-soggy texture, and a touch of sweetness will make this Instant Pot stuffing a new family favorite. 

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Granny's Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

Granny's Cornbread Dressing Recipe

No holiday table is complete without a dish of this classic cornbread dressing. 

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Pecan-Herb Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Victor Protasio

Pecan-Herb Cornbread Dressing Recipe

A great Southern-style dressing starts with cornbread that's baked in a skillet for a crisp, golden crust. Our simple recipe can be made up to a month ahead if stored in the freezer. For best results, prepare the cornbread up to two days in advance so it can dry out completely.

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Cornbread Dressing with Kale and Bacon

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Cornbread Dressing with Kale and Bacon Recipe

Bacon adds smoky richness, and oven-baked kale makes a crispy topping.

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Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Travel editor Valerie Luesse shares her Aunt Grace’s Best Cornbread Dressing recipe—which Luesse calls “silky smooth and ultra-moist.” The best way to make this dressing is in advance. Here’s how Aunt Grace does it. Two days ahead: Prepare breads and chop veggies. One day ahead: Mix all ingredients except eggs and refrigerate. Thanksgiving Day: Bring dressing mixture to room temperature, add eggs, and bake. Think there are too many bread varieties in this dressing recipe? You'll be thanking us when you take a bite. If you like a smoother texture in your dressing, Aunt Grace uses the edge of a wooden spoon to break up the breads in step one. 

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Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Victor Protasio

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

A great Southern-style dressing starts with cornbread that's baked in a skillet for a crisp, golden crust. Our simple recipe can be made up to a month ahead if stored in the freezer. For best results, prepare the cornbread up to two days in advance so it can dry out completely.

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Grandmother Carter's Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Grandmother Carter's Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Make Ahead: Freeze the unbaked dressing mixture in 2 (1-gal.) zip-top plastic freezer bags, making sure to press out all the excess air. Thaw in refrigerator five days before Thanksgiving, and continue recipe with Step 4.

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