Annie’s Thanksgiving Dressing
Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing
Follow our complete, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions to learn how to make Annie’s Thanksgiving Dressing. Easy as can be. Printable recipe included.
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This cornbread dressing starts with Jiffy® Muffin Mix and Pepperidge Farms® Stuffing mix. Goes together quick and easy for less stress when making your Thanksgiving Day meal.
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We all have our favorites when it comes to sitting down to the table for Thanksgiving dinner. I certainly have mine.
If we’re having turkey, as is the standard, I’m also looking for some really good dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and some of that straight out of the can Cranberry Sauce. They’re just basic essentials to me. Must haves. Smile.
My longtime friend Annie, shared this recipe for how she likes to make dressing for her Thanksgiving meals.
Annie has long claimed that she is not a good cook, but I beg to differ. She claims that when she gets invited to a potluck, they always ask her to bring the paper products because everyone knows she can’t cook. Smile. So, when she said this recipe was easy, I figured I certainly had to give it a try.
When I asked her about the pears called for in the recipe, she said they gave the dressing moisture, which she likes.
I guess at one time or another, we’ve all tried to spruce up someones dressing by drowning it in gravy. Dry dressing just happens sometimes. Smile.
I mention this below, but it does warrant mentioning here as well. Be careful with the addition of salt as the recipe calls for. I used unsalted butter, it was what I had, so I needed to add some salt at the end to bring it up to my personal taste.
Also, I waited until everything had been mixed together, except the eggs, so I could taste the mixture to see if it needed any additional seasonings. Once I had it tasting right, I mixed in the eggs and proceeded to bake the dressing.
Some folks like a lot of sage in dressing. And, while I like sage, I can’t handle a lot of it because it will give me heartburn. But, that’s just me. Smile.
With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, I do hope you might consider Annie’s Dressing to go along with your holiday meal. I found it to be nice and moist, but also firm enough that you could cut it into squares for serving. I was very pleased. Thank you Annie.
Ready to give Annie’s Thanksgiving Dressing a try? Alright then, let’s head on out to the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking!
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Annie’s Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe – You’ll need these ingredients.
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Prepare the cornbread following the instructions on your package. You can make this a day or two ahead of time if you like. I added some milk and one egg to the packet that came in the box then baked it.
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Go ahead and dice your onions and your celery.
Next time I do this, I’ll chop my veggies a bit finer. They don’t cook down any when baking, so keep that in mind. Some folks might not like biting into a hunk of celery or onion either one. Just saying.
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Grab a large bowl. You’ll need a pretty big one for all of the ingredients. Then, crumble up your pan of cornbread into the bowl.
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Add the bag of stuffing mix next.
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Add the chicken stock. You’ll want to use stock instead of broth as the stock is a bit thicker and has more flavor.
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Add the diced onions and celery to the bowl.
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Drain the syrup off of the canned pears.
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Dice or chop the pears into small pieces.
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Add the pears, then add the melted butter to the bowl.
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Add the salt.
Annie said all the seasonings were done to taste. I wanted to give you more exact measurements so I’ve included those in the recipe. Be careful with the salt. Keep in mind that you may be using salted butter, or salted chicken stock as your ingredients.
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Add the black pepper.
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Add the thyme.
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Add the sage.
Sage is one of those spices that some folks like and some don’t. Use your own judgement with this one. I added a 1/2 teaspoon, but did add a bit more once I tasted it. It’s all about personal preference. Smile.
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Grab a large spoon and stir the mixture until you have it fully combined. Be sure to stir down to the bottom and get all the dry ingredients mixed in well.
Once it’s mixed, taste the dressing to see if you might want to add any more of the seasonings to it. As I mentioned, I added a bit more sage. I’m not a real big fan of sage but I did think a little more would be about right for me.
And, keep in mind that we are only tasting at this point since we haven’t yet added the raw eggs. I saved that part for next so you could safely taste it first.
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Finally, add the eggs into the mixture. Stir it all again until you have worked the eggs in well.
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Butter your baking dish. We’re using a glass 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish for this. Spread the butter in the bottom and all up the sides.
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Pour the dressing into your baking dish and spread it out evenly.
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Place the dish in a oven that has been pre-heated to 350ºF degrees. Let it bake for 20-30 minutes until slightly browned on top and as Annie says, “until the middle no longer jiggles.”
Ovens do vary, so just watch it carefully and don’t let the top burn. I used a digital thermometer and let mine bake until the internal temperature was 200 degrees to make sure the eggs were properly cooked. You could also test it with a toothpick like you do with cakes. Insert a toothpick into the center. If it pulls out dry and free of crumbs, your dressing is done.
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Remove the dressing from the oven when it’s done. Place it on a wire rack and let it cool about 20-30 minutes before serving. Mine was very moist inside, and it was firm enough to cut into squares. Good stuff.
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Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
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Annie’s Thanksgiving Dressing
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Varies
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American, Southern
Description
Cornbread dressing made with Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and Pepperidge Farms Stuffing Mix. Easy to put together and can be made ahead of time if needed.
Ingredients
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 pkg Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (sage cornbread if possible)
3 cups turkey drippings or chicken stock
1 lg onion finely chopped
4 ribs of celery finely chopped
1 large can of pears drained and diced.
1/2 stick of melted butter
Salt, pepper, sage, and thyme to taste
3 eggs, beaten
Instructions
Prepare Jiffy Mix according to package directions.
Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl.
Add the Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
Add chicken stock.
Add onion.
Add celery.
Add pears.
Add melted butter.
Add ½ teaspoon Ground Sage.
Add ½ teaspoon Salt.
Add ½ teaspoon Black Pepper.
Add ½ teaspoon Thyme.
Mix well with a large spoon until fully combined.
Taste mixture, adjust seasonings as desired.
Add the beaten eggs.
Mix again until fully combined.
Butter a 13×9 baking dish.
Spread mixture in dish.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown.
Dressing is done when browned and no longer jiggles in the middle.
Remove from oven, let cool on wire rack.
Enjoy
Notes
Dressing can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. Remove from refrigerator about 45 minutes before baking to protect your glass dish and so it will bake more evenly.
Keywords: cornbread dressing, jiffy mix, pepperidge farms stuffing mix. chicken stock, thanksgiving, stuffing
Your Comments:
Do you make your own dressing for the holidays? Have you tried our recipe? How did you like it?
Share your memories of this dish with us. It will only take a minute or two for you to leave your comments in the section below.
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Be Blessed!!!
Steve
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You might also like: Skillet Cornbread Recipe
Or, maybe this one? Hot Water Cornbread
How about this? Homemade Cornbread Dressing
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Category: Side Dishes
Hi Steve,
I would freeze my onions and celery to bring out the flavor like two or three days before I and then to my dressing.
Just a Georgia girl
Hi Robyn, Learn something new everyday as the old saying goes. Smile. I’ve not tried that, but thank you for the suggestion. I appreciate your visits and do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Don’t a lot of folks add raisins? I occasionally do, but I almost always get complaints from the guys.
Also, I have a friend who adds dried cranberries–instead of the raisins, I guess.
This is an easy recipe, and used as a base, almost any version or family favorite would be possible. “Easy” is vital for the he cook’something mental health on Thanksgiving!
★★★★
Hi Mary Ellen, I’ve never used raisins or cranberries. Maybe that’s a regional thing more suited to other areas than mine. I don’t know for certain. Perhaps some of our readers will chime in and share their input on the matter. Thank you for asking. I do appreciate your visits and I trust you’ll will stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Every recipe I’ve done calls for sauteing the onions and celery in butter. A good cornbread makes a good dressing. We have always added extra eggs to the cornbread and called it eggbread to make the dressing. This should be made ahead to allow it to dry out. It will then absorb all the flavors better. Chopped eggs are a good addition also. Our goal is to try and recreate the dishes made by our mothers and grandmothers and to pass them on to the next generation. Thanks for your newsletter.
Hi Fred, Thank you for being a subscriber to the Newsletter and for sharing your comments with us today. Several folks have mentioned about sauteing the onions and celery before adding them. It’s a good idea and one worth doing. There are lots of versions of dressing, I’m just happy to share this one from my friend Annie. I liked it and hope others will as well. I do appreciate your visits and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Do you bake the dressing before refrigeration and then heat it up or refrigerate it uncooked? Thanks. I plan to try it for Thanksgiving.
Hi Lois, I would refrigerate it uncooked, then bake it on Thanksgiving day as needed. The big concern would be that the dressing contains raw eggs. You shouldn’t have any problems if you make the dressing the day before, then bake it within 18-24 hours. You could even make the dressing down to the point of where you add the eggs, refrigerate it that way, then stir in the eggs just before you bake it. I listed the egg addition as the last element so you could safely taste the dressing to see if it was seasoned to your desired taste. Many glass dishes say they go from refrigerator to oven without any problems, but either way, I’d let the dressing set out for about 30 minutes to remove the chill before placing a glass dish in a hot oven. They just don’t make those dishes the way they use to, and you’d hate to crack one while baking the dressing. Smile. I hope you’ll give the recipe a try and I look forward to hearing how it turns out for you. I appreciate your visits and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Not to change the subject, but that turkey looks delicious- it looks juicy and mine is dry and tasteless- can you share what brand you use and/or how you prepared it?
Thanks
Hi Marcie, Thank you for putting me on the spot with this question. Smile. While I do have a recipe for Roast Turkey that you might be interested in, I must admit that the turkey you see in the photo actually came from a grocery store deli. I cannot tell a lie. I only needed enough to take the photo, so I ordered a couple of thick slices with my grocery order. Living alone, I hardly ever cook a whole turkey except for when they go on sale really cheap around Thanksgiving. Then, it’s just hard not to pick one up. Smile. Thank you for the question and for your kind comments though. I do appreciate it. I’m thankful you looked the recipe over and hope you might try the dressing soon. I appreciate your visit and hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Good Morning Steve,
Just read your friends stuffing recipe and plan to try it out this year. The pears do sound good.
I don’t know if you have Trader Joe’s anywhere near you, but if so, they do have some wonderful products for Thanksgiving. They have the only Turkey Broth I have ever seen. They also carry very tasty products to make a great Green Bean Casserole. I don’t normally like this casserole, but this one is special.
Have a nice Holiday.
Judi Goodich
Hi Judi, We do not have a Trader Joe’s here where I live, but there is one about 45 miles up the road that I’ve been to a couple of times. And, where I made the mistake once of telling them it was my first time visiting their stores. Smile. Have you done that? I do hope you will try the recipe. I enjoyed it and hope you will too. I appreciate your visit today and do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I have never heard of putting fruit in dressing. It’s like potato salad…everyone makes it different. My grandmother put oysters in hers and the other grand mother didn’t de bone the chicken. I make my cornbread ahead of time and freeze it…gives the dressing a better texture but the stuffing mix in yours might do the same. Have a great week!
Kathy
Hi Kathy, Several folks have commented that they use apples instead of pears. Apparently either one will work well. It did make the dressing moist so you gotta like that. I hope to make an Oyster Dressing before too long. Daddy always enjoyed making his with oysters and a lot of sage. Thank you for sharing your memories with us today. I appreciate your visit and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi Steve! I laughed when this recipe was your Monday share because I got cornbread dressing hungry and made a pan, actually 2 this weekend. I made 2 because everyone wanted more! Anyway I made mine from my cornbread I always make anyway. I love celery and onion in larger pieces so I saute mine in butter before adding it in. And your right about the sage, it’s personal preference. I put a lot in mine and also some sugar. Lol
I look forward to Monday recipe time with you.
Hi Joyce, Just goes to show that great minds think alike. Smile. I’m glad you enjoyed some dressing of your own. I bet it was delicious. It would be good to saute the onion and celery first I think. Will have to try it that way next time. I do appreciate your visit today. I’m thankful you have subscribed to the Newsletter and appreciate your support. I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Stev
I always cook my onions and celery in the butter, then cool it a bit before adding to the bowl. I use condensed cream of chicken soup and stock because I needed the moisture. Can’t wait to try the pears! Then I fold in a ten ounce bag of chopped or torn baby spinach, which looks so pretty throughout the dish and amps up the nutrition a little without altering the flavor. Sometimes we throw in half a cup of chopped pecans. No sausage, no oysters, no complaints! Yummmmmm…
Hi Mary Ellen, I do hope you’ll try Annie’s version with the pears. I think you’ll enjoy it. Your variations sound very good. Although I don’t care for Collards and other greens, I can eat a bit of spinach ever so often. Smile. Thank you for your visit today and for sharing your comments with us. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I use apples, instead of pears. Being a Georgia boy, I have to add pecans. I add about a cup chopped into the dressing mix, and I pick out about a dozen of the best looking whole pieces for decoration on the top of the pan…
★★★★
Hi Doug, I can see where apples would work well in the recipe. And the pecans would be a nice addition. Hadn’t thought about those. I do appreciate your suggestions and your visit today. I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Sounds good. When I make my stuffing I always saute the celery and onions for a while to soften them up. Adds some moisture, and brings out the flavor!
Happy Turkey Day.
Pam
Hi Pan, That’s an awesome idea. Thank you for sharing the suggestion. I really wish I had chopped my onion and celery up a bit more, but I’ll know better next time. Smile. I appreciate your visit today and hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve