Crockpot Cornbread Dressing
Free up oven space during the holiday season with this mouthwatering Crockpot Cornbread Dressing baked in a slow cooker. It’s a Southern tradition made easy!
Easy Crockpot Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Easy side dishes are the best during the busy holiday season. My kitchen, like yours, is super busy. I consider myself truly blessed, especially when it’s bustling with family and friends and lots of chatter. A little pre-planning means that we can all enjoy the Thanksgiving day and I don’t spend every minute cooking and separate from all of the activity. This cornbread stuffing recipe is one that allows me to do just that, and I wanted to share this easy crock pot technique with you.
Ingredients to Make Southern Crockpot Cornbread Dressing
- Cornbread – You can use store-bought cornbread or homemade cornbread. (See cook’s note)
- Bread – You can use white bread or wheat bread. Brioche is a bit too sweet. Cube the bread and cornbread and leave it out to dry out on the counter. This is one time day old bread is best.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter.
- Onion – I typically use a sweet onion but you can also use a white onion or a yellow onion. You’ll also need green onions.
- Celery Stalks – Celery is a classic flavor. If the stalks have leaves use those, too! You’ll need around 2/3-1 cup celery.
- Herbs – Fresh sage and thyme add a freshness to the flavor.
- Spices and Seasonings – Poultry seasoning, garlic salt or plain salt, black pepper and granulated garlic add flavor.
- Soup – Yes, soup! Canned cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup locks in the moisture.
- Chicken Broth – You can use chicken broth or chicken stock with the amount being adjustable depending on the dryness of the cornbread and bread.
- Large Eggs – Eggs help bind the dressing and provide structure.
How to Make the Best Crock Pot Cornbread Dressing
In the South, cornbread dressing is the gold standard. That’s not saying that some may prefer a cornbread stuffing with cranberries, nuts or apples or sausage stuffed in their Thanksgiving turkey. This slow cooker cornbread dressing recipe is a twist on a holiday classic.
- Saute the Veggies: Sauté onion, celery and green onion with butter until softened.
- Add Seasonings: Season with fresh sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, garlic salt, pepper and granulated garlic.
- Eggs and Broth: Whisk together eggs, soup and chicken broth in a large bowl.
- Combine: Add cooked vegetables, cornbread and bread to the bowl. Stir to combine. Depending on the dryness of the breads, add additional 1 cup broth. The mixture should be fairly wet.
- Prep the Crockpot: Spray a 6 quart slow cooker or similar with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer the Dressing Mixture: Pour dressing evenly into slow cooker.
- Lock the Lid in Place: Cover opening of the slow cooker with doubled paper towels then place lid firmly on top. (This will prevent condensation from dripping back into the dressing.)
- Cook: Cook per the cook time in the recipe.
- Garnish and Serve: Top with remaining thyme and additional sage leaves.
Tips for Making Crockpot Cornbread Dressing
- Crock Pots Only Brown Around the Edge – Keep in mind that slow cooking is a moist cooking environment, so this dressing won’t have a crusty top. If the liner of your crock pot is also oven safe, you could place it under the oven broiler for a few minutes at the end of cooking, if you prefer. Please reference the manufacturers guidelines and recommendations that’s specific to your appliance.
- Kitchen Tools – You’ll need a 6-quart or similar size crockpot, sharp knife and chopping board, measuring cups and spoons a whisk, mixing bowls and paper towels to cover the opening of the crockpot.
- Cube the Cornbread and Bread in Advance – Dry bread and cornbread will make the best dressing. Cube them both and leave them out on the counter on a sheet pan overnight to dry out.
- Why Use Paper Towels? The purpose of the paper towels is to collect condensation that will form on the lid during the slow cooking process. It will absorb it, and prevent it from dripping back into the dressing and making it watery.
- How Do I Know When my Dressing is Done? You can cook this dressing on high or low, simply adjust the cooking time according to how your appliance performs.
- Test with an Instant Read Thermometer – You can also test the center for doneness using a meat thermometer. It should register around 165°F.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetarian Cornbread Dressing: If you want to keep this recipe friendly for those who don’t eat meat, swap out cream of celery soup or cream of mushroom soup and use vegetable stock in place of the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth.
- Herbs: You can experiment with different herbs using fresh rosemary or chives to expand the flavor profile.
- Cornbread Mix: You can take a shortcut for the cornbread using a packaged mix. Please note, the flavor of Jiffy mix is sweet. If this appeals to you, you can certainly use it. I would recommend a more savory cornbread mix like Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread mix. You’d need a double recipe for dressing.
Storage and Leftovers
- Storage and Leftovers: Store Crockpot Cornbread Dressing in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in single servings in the microwave or in a baking dish in a preheated 350°F oven with foil on top just until heated through.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat just before serving.
More Southern Style Crockpot Recipes to Make
On holidays, the oven goes into over time. To help free up oven space for dishes that are best when baked, add these options to your plans.
- Slow Cooked Turkey Breast works perfectly for a smaller gathering.
- This Slow Cooker Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole is dreamy!
- Slow Cooker Sweet Cornbread is a delicious side any time of year.
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn with bacon.
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole topped with gooey marshmallows and pecans.
- Slow Cooker Green Beans with Bacon from Mom on Timeout.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Crockpot Cornbread Dressing
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 604kcal
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed cornbread (See cook's note)
- 6 cups cubed white or wheat bread toasted or dried on the counter
- 1/3 cup salted butter
- 1 medium onion small diced
- 1 large rib of celery chopped
- 2 medium green onions chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 3 tsp fresh thyme leaves divided use
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic salt or plain salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken or cream of celery soup
- 3 -4 cups chicken broth adjust according to how dry the cornbread and bread is when adding
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat sauté the onion, celery and green onion in melted butter for 5 minutes, until softened. To the skillet add sage, 2 tsp thyme poultry seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, condensed soup and 3 cups chicken broth. Add cooked vegetables, cornbread and bread to the bowl. Mix until fully moistened. (Depending on the dryness of the breads, add additional 1 cup broth. The mixture should be fairly wet.)
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker or similar size slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the dressing mixture evenly into slow cooker.
- Cover the opening of the slow cooker with doubled paper towels, then place the lid firmly on top. (This will prevent condensation from dripping back into the dressing.)
- Cook on high for 2 1/2 -3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours. Uncover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with reserved thyme and additional sage leaves before serving, if desired.
Notes
- If you want to remove the entire dressing to a platter for serving, before assembling in the slow cooker, line the slow cooker with two long folded over heavy duty pieces of foil or a crockpot liner. Place one along the length and one across the width of the slow cooker to provide “handles” to lift from the slow cooker after cooking.
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If you need a basic recipe for Southern Cornbread, this is how you make it:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening into a 9-inch or 10-inch cast iron or oven safe skillet and into the oven while it preheats, to melt.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together 2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal, 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs and 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable shortening. Mix well.
- Remove skillet from oven and swirl to coat bottom and sides. Pour cornbread batter into the skillet.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown, puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Cool completely.
- Enjoy immediately or cube and dry out for using in this dressing recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1271mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 502IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 284mg | Iron: 4mg
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In your corn bread you say to use buttermilk can you use regular milk instead?
You can use whole milk. You can also make your own using yogurt or sour cream thinned with milk or add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to each cup of whole milk. Let stand for 5 minutes then stir and proceed with the cornbread recipe.
This is very similar to my mom’s recipe that she made and baked in the oven. I use a crockpot liner and make in the crockpot. I add a diced apple, some sautéed sausage and 1/2 tsp baking powder to mine.
If I make the cornbread recipe you provided, will one pan be enough for this dressing recipe?
The cornbread recipe will make enough for this crockpot cornbread dressing, yes.
This sounds awesome! We like our dressing very moist but seem to always make it too dry. This should be our answer.
Thanks for posting. I have saved so many of your recipes I need to set up a bigger file!
Hi Christly, thank you so much!