Stuffing is never boring when there is bacon involved! This Cornbread Stuffing recipe has tons of bacon as well as sage and thyme to get those classic Thanksgiving aromas going on. The perfect side dish to go with turkey and gravy! Originally published November 2, 2018.
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Eric woke up last Sunday thinking it was already daylight savings time. He woke up, stretched, and was like, I feel great with an extra hour of sleep! I’m like um, I think that’s the placebo effect, because daylight savings is definitely next week.
I’m very ready for the time change, who’s with me? It’s 6:40am right now and blacker than black outside. I get up early to write blog posts, when there are no blessed children around, but it’s getting lonely feeling like I got up in the middle of the night! I am sad about the sun setting so early though. It’s always such a shock, isn’t it?
We had our family photos taken a few weeks ago! It’s the first time we’ve had them done in 4 years, oops. When Valentine was born 2 years ago we had newborn photos done, and the photographer did snap a few of our whole family, but if you think I’m going to put pictures of myself up on the wall 5 days postpartum you’ve got another thing coming.
This was the only way we could get Valentine to smile. She kept running out of the picture, or glaring fiercely at the photographer. Eric would throw her in the air until she was laughing and then hurry to step closer to us so that Susanne could get a picture before Valentine started shouting “Again! Again!”
Truman decided during the photo shoot that photo bombing was the funniest thing ever. I’m surprised you can’t see him in the background of any of these. The photographer probably had to edit him out.
Valentine is trying to run out of this picture. I’m so excited to get these up on the wall, but also now we have to narrow down which ones we want. I’ve already put it off for weeks, they are just too cute! Look at their little faces! Ahh. Time flies, you guys.
This is the best Cornbread Stuffing
It’s CORNBREAD STUFFING TIME!
Guys, listen, I am just not a stuffing person. It’s never been tempting enough to me, because we only have it when there are a million other sides to choose from. Who wants soggy bread when there are mashed potatoes, gravy, and rolls for heaven’s sake?
Well I’m officially a stuffing convert. My cousin Lani told me a few years ago that cornbread stuffing was the way to go, so I decided to put it to the test. I bought cornbread from the deli at the grocery store, because I’m lazy, and because isn’t there enough going on at Thanksgiving?? Cut corners where you can, guys, no one is going to notice store bought corn bread. (Update: I have since posting this found my favorite cornbread recipe! Sweet and Moist Honey Cornbread. It would taste amazing in this stuffing!)
I decided that since I’m not a stuffing person, the best way to amp up the flavor was to add bacon and my favorite Thanksgiving herb, sage. (Sage Butter Roasted Turkey is my favorite for the big day. See, sage is the best.)
Bacon is a GOOD CHOICE when it comes to cornbread stuffing. So much flavor! Lani was right, cornbread really is better than regular dried bread. I feel like the Stovetop-style bread cubes just get soggy and sad when they get mushed into stuffing. Cornbread, if you are careful not to pulverize it while mixing, keeps that sturdy shape and gives you these amazingly buttery, crispy edges that are to die for. Plus you get that sweet and subtle honey flavor, and who’s going to say no to a little bacon and honey action?
(Also: I have mended my ways on traditional bread stuffing, at least when it’s my recipe for Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing. This stuff turns hardcore stuffing haters into stuffing lovers, me included!)
Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients
Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need to make this cornbread stuffing. Scroll down to the recipe card for more details.
- cornbread (one 9×13 pan)
- thick cut bacon
- onions
- celery
- Kosher salt
- pepper
- fresh sage
- fresh thyme
- apple cider vinegar
- butter
- turkey stock (or chicken stock)
- eggs
How to make Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this cornbread stuffing. Scroll down to the recipe card below for complete instructions!
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this cornbread stuffing. Scroll down to the recipe card below for complete instructions!
Tear the cornbread into bite-sized chunks and spread it out on 2 large baking sheets. Let the cornbread sit out uncovered (I left mine in the turned-off oven) overnight or for several hours. If you don’t have time to let it sit out overnight before toasting, it will probably get toasty enough when you bake it in the oven. Just make sure you flip the pieces of cornbread over a couple times while you’re baking, and you will probably have to go longer than 10 minutes.
When you bake the cornbread, flip the pieces if necessary and bake a little longer, if they are not dried out. Return the cornbread to the turned-off oven so that it can keep drying out while you prepare the rest of the stuffing.
Chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces and cook over medium heat until crispy. Don’t overdo it!
Chop those onions and celery up into nice, small, even pieces (is cutting onions a real trial for you? I wrote a whole post on how to cut an onion that’s going to save your life).
Once everything is all mixed together with plenty of melted butter and your choice of turkey or chicken stock (both work!) we’re dotting MORE butter on top. Trust me. This is why this is the best cornbread stuffing around. It’s not secret kale or something.
Bake this gorgeous panful of heaven until crispy. Devour.
Make the Best Cornbread Stuffing in advance
Want to save time on Turkey Day? Make the stuffing through step 17, in which you’ll cover the assembled stuffing tightly with tinfoil and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake it, continue with step 18, baking it first covered and then uncovered.
What to serve with Cornbread Stuffing
With turkey and mashed potatoes, of course! Honestly I wouldn’t say no to a serving of this alongside another cornbread friend, like pulled pork, mac and cheese, or chili. Who says cornbread dressing is only for Thanksgiving??
Storing leftover Bacon Corn Bread Stuffing
Cornbread stuffing is definitely the most delicious on the first day when it’s crispy on the edges. It’s soooo good. But if you have leftovers, refrigerate them, tightly covered so they won’t dry out. The stuffing will last in the fridge for 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for 3-4 months. You could even freeze individual portions with slices of leftover turkey and a scoop of mashed potatoes for a “Thanksgiving anytime” dinner for one.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe FAQs
The thickness of cornbread dressing is determined by two factors: how much you’ve dried your cornbread, and how much broth/stock you add. I recommend drying your cornbread out for several hours (or even overnight) before baking it at 400 degrees. When you’re adding your broth, I recommend starting with 2 ½ cups, but gradually adding a little more to make sure the cornbread is thoroughly moistened. We’re looking for something like “damp” and not “drenched.”
Your cornbread dressing is watery, now what?? You probably added too much broth, but all is not lost. Once you’ve removed the foil after the initial 30-minute bake, you’ll let the cornbread crisp up for that last 20 minutes. At this point, if you’re noticing that it still seems too soggy, you will want to put the foil back on, just tented over the top, so the dressing doesn’t burn. Try baking for another 5 minutes, then another 5, and so on, until the liquid absorbs into the bread. Some liquid will also evaporate into the oven.
Cornbread dressing is done when the liquid broth has been soaked up by the bread and the dressing is moist but not wet. The top and edges of the dressing should be crispy, but not burned. If you’re not sure about the texture, grab a spoon and remove a piece from the edge and another piece from the center. Let them cool for 30 seconds before tasting so you don’t burn the roof of your mouth off right before dinner.
Yes, someone might notice that you have nabbed some dressing. They should be grateful you are making sure it is perfect for them!
If Thanksgiving classics are your heart’s desire go check out my recipes for Crescent Rolls (The BEST) and from scratch Green Bean Casserole. Totally epic. Thanksgiving forever!
P.S. If you love cornbread stuffing, you are also going to love this Sweet Creamed Corn Casserole I just posted! It’s like a mix between creamed corn and cornbread. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
More Thanksgiving side dishes you will love!
Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing << I used to think I only like cornbread stuffing, then I created this recipe. Now I’m obsessed, you will be too!
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy for Thanksgiving << I never skip making this. It makes Thanksgiving SO much easier.
Gruyere-Crisped Potatoes Au Gratin << my favorite scalloped potatoes!
Mushroom, Toasted Fennel, and Sausage Stuffing from Big Bear’s Wife
Turkey and Stuffing Turnovers from A Family Feast
Sausage Cranberry Stuffing from Mama Loves Food
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Bacon Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
- cornbread, One 9×13 inch pan
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon, about 12 ounces
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, including some leaves, about 2 1/2 cups
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
- 2 & 1/2 cups turkey stock, or chicken stock, plus more**
- 2 large eggs
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped
Instructions
- Tear the cornbread into bite-sized chunks. Spread out on 2 large baking sheets. Let the cornbread sit out uncovered (I left mine in the turned-off oven) overnight or for several hours.*
- Bake the two pans of cornbread at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Flip the cornbread if necessary and bake a little longer if they are not dried out. Return the cornbread to the turned-off oven so that it can keep drying out while you prepare the rest of the stuffing.
- Chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Don’t overdo it, or the bacon will get to crunchy when you bake it later. It should be cooked but still flexible. Remove the pan from the heat, and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Leave all that bacon grease in the pan.
- Chop 2 onions and 4 stalks of celery. For extra flavor, I love to chop some of the celery leaves. (In fact, I never remove celery stalks. I just start chopping the entire head of celery from the leaf end until it looks like I have about 2 and 1/2 cups. Those leaves have tons of flavor!)
- Heat the bacon grease in the pan over medium heat until it is shimmery. Add the onion and celery. Saute for about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent and the celery is soft. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste.
- Add 2 tablespoons fresh sage and 2 teaspoons fresh thyme to the onions and saute for another 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add the dried cornbread to a very large bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Scrape the onions and celery into the bowl, and return the pan to the oven (don’t wash it). Add the bacon to the bowl.
- Return the empty pan to medium heat and add 1/4 cup cider vinegar. Cook over medium heat, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is nearly evaporated.
- Add a stick of butter to the pan and melt completely. Pour the butter over the cornbread in the bowl, scraping the pan well. (You can finally put it in the sink now.)
- In glass measuring cup, whisk together 2 and 1/2 cups turkey stock** and 2 eggs. Season with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Slowly pour the stock mixture over the bowl with the cornbread, stopping to carefully and gently stir. You don’t want to demolish your cornbread, try to keep it from falling apart. If it’s dried out enough, it should be okay. Add more stock as necessary to make sure that the cornbread is rehydrated.
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Scrape the stuffing mixture into the pan and spread out evenly.
- Top the stuffing with 4 tablespoons of chopped butter.
- Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and cover the stuffing, sealing the edges.
- Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until warmed throughout.
- Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Remove the foil from the pan. Bake at 450 for another 20 minutes or so, keeping an eye on it because every oven is different. You want the top to get crispy but not burned. The edges of the pan should also be crispy.
- Serve with turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes!
I saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it for Thanksgiving. This was actually my first time making stuffing so I wasn’t sure how it would come out.
This recipe is absolutely amazing. I made a few changes. I only used a 9×9 pan worth of cornbread and about 1/2 the other ingredients. I used italian seasoning instead of all the seasonings listed above. I forgot bacon lol. Even with those changes it was absolutely incredible. Thank you!!
You are such a talented and gifted cook. I absolutely love reading and making your recipes. I always wonder how you come up with so many recipes. I wish I had your talent. Keep them coming!!!!!
Do think if I used 12 cornbread muffins it would be ok?
Hi Cherie! A 13×9 inch pan of cornbread is equivalent to about 24 muffins, so if you want to make it with only 12, you should halve the recipe.
Okay awesome. Thank you. I made the stuffing for Thanksgiving. It turned out totally delicious & I got so many compliments.
Instead of bacon, could I add maybe some pork sausage and some sautéed mushrooms and if so, how much should I add? I cannot wait to make this recipe!!
Hi Rosalva! We haven’t tried this recipe with sausage and mushrooms, but if you do, I recommend about 3/4 pound of cooked, crumbled sausage, browned until crispy, and no more than 2 cups of well-sautéed mushrooms (the less liquid the better). If you try it, let us know how it turns out! Enjoy :-)
Was wondering if anyone made this the day before? How it possibly turned out if they did.
Hi Julie! The USDA recommends against refrigerating uncooked stuffing, so here’s what I’d do. Bake the stuffing at 350 for 30 minutes, then let cool completely and refrigerate overnight. Then, day of, bake at 450 for about 20 minutes, until crispy and heated through (you might need a few minutes longer). We haven’t tried this before, but if you do, come back and let us know how it turns out!
Do you think you could you prep the dried cornbread a few days ahead of time and throw the rest of it together the day of? I’m working through time-management of all the things that need to get made for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
This recipe is fantastic! I made it yesterday for our thanksgiving dinner. My whole family was raving about it. We will make this a thanksgiving staple. Thank you for sharing this recipe ❤️
So happy to hear this Jacquelin! Can’t go wrong with a lil bacon and sage :) Thanks so much for taking the time to review! Happy Thanksgiving 🍁
Very excited to try this! Testing a half batch right now to see if I’d like to bring it to Thanksgiving! I was really I interested in the turkey bouillon, however I couldn’t find it at my mega grocery store or on Amazon. I’m curious what you use for this?
Hi Eileen! It can be tricky to find sometimes! I always stock up when I see it. You can look online, or just sub chicken bouillon! Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁
Hi Karen. Love love love ALL of your recipes. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your wonderful talent with us. I have one question for you. How much cornbread did you make for this recipe. If we were to buy jiffy for example how many boxes would we need?
HI Megan! You’ll need 2 boxes of Jiffy mix to make one 9×13 pan of cornbread, which is the amount you need for this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to make such a kind comment! Enjoy :-)
Hi! Maybe I’m missing something but don’t see how much cornbread is needed?
Hi Callie! You need one 9×13 inch pan!
Thanks! I guess I was thinking in cups
or lbs as I was going to purchase some premade.
Hi! Can this be made in advance? I want to make this for Thanksgiving a day or two before!
Hi Ashlynne! We haven’t tried making this stuffing ahead of time before, but if you’d like to try it, I recommend following all the steps through step 17 before putting it in the fridge. If you try it, come back and let us know how it turns out! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is the only stuffing I’ll eat. Thank you for sharing! I’ll be passing this one down to my kids.
So happy to hear that Amanda! It’s hard to beat that cornbread. Thank you so much for taking the time to review!
Could I use regular vinegar or no vinegar at all??
Hi Hannah! You can use regular vinegar, but you definitely won’t want to leave it out. The vinegar helps “deglaze” the pan, meaning that it helps get all those precious brown bits off the pan and into your stuffing. Hope this turned out well for you!