Today, I’m excited to share our family’s Cornbread and Herb Stuffing recipe with you. Whether you’re looking to start your own tradition or simply want to try something new, this recipe offers the perfect balance of classic comfort and homemade goodness.
I’ve been making my mother’s and grandmother’s Cornbread and Herb Stuffing for most of my adult life. After my husband and I moved from Chicago back to Hendersonville in 1992, I began hosting Thanksgiving for my parents, my children and husband, and friends.
While my siblings celebrated with their in-laws, my family carried on my parents’ traditional recipes—always including this cherished Cornbread and Herb Stuffing.
Here’s a photo comparing Mom’s handwritten recipe card with mine. She kept her recipe cards nicely written and organized, while I quickly jotted mine down on a notepad. Now, my daughter Megan and son Chris have modernized it, keeping their versions on a spreadsheet.
As you may have noticed, there are no instructions! I will explain how to make the Cornbread and Herb Stuffing step by step.
Let’s gather all the ingredients!
First, the most important is the Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix. Second, Arnold’s Cornbread Stuffing Mix. I know the mixes are old-fashioned, but that is what we use. Of course, you need your loaf of wheat or white bread.
The produce is easy—celery, onions, and apples—but the most important thing is the butter, which I always have pounds on hand. The recipe calls for fresh and dried herbs, a few eggs, and pecans or walnuts.
You are ready to begin! Start the chopping. Our son, Chris, and I always do the stuffing together. Our daughter, Megan, is the gravy extraordinaire, which my Mom taught her. Paul is the turkey man!
Begin chopping the celery and onions. We always chop extra of both. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. When the butter is hot, add the celery and onions and saute until soft but not mushy.
Peel, seed, and chop the apples. Set these items aside.
Add the broken-up pieces of the loaf bread and the two stuffing mixes in a large mixing bowl. Next, heat the bouillon until it is hot but not boiling. Set aside. Take your eggs out. Break the pecan or walnuts up into pieces.
It is time to assemble the stuffing. Add the sauteed celery/onion mixture to the dry bread and mix. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Slowly add some of the bouillon. It is time to start seasoning with salt, pepper, sage, and marjoram. Add the apples and nuts. Keep stirring. Add the sugar and the eggs. Make sure the eggs are fully incorporated. Add more of the bouillon, making sure everything is moist. Adjust the seasonings, and the recipe is done.
The aroma of this recipe when it’s cooking brings back memories of cozy Thanksgiving gatherings, laughter around the dinner table, and the joy of sharing good food with loved ones.
Additional Recipe and Tip:
Here is a Cranberry Chutney recipe from my website: another great Thanksgiving side!
Here are some tips from the All Recipes website on keeping the stuffing moist. It should be crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.
Cornbrad and Herb Stuffing
Ingredients
- 16 oz. stuffing bread loaf I use wheat soft bread
- 1 pkg. Peddridge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix
- 1 pkg. Arnold Cornbread Stuffing Mix
- 4 cups Celery finely chopped
- 3 cups Sweet Onion finely chopped
- 4 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup Chicken Bouillion Cube or from a jar
- Salt and Pepper – to taste I use kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Sage – rubbed and fresh
- Dried Marajoum
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- 2-3 Eggs
- 3 Green Apples peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup Pecan broken into pieces
Instructions
- Peel, seed, and chop the apples. Set aside.
- Begin chopping the celery and onions. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. When the butter is hot, add the celery and onions and saute until soft but not mushy.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the broken-up pieces of the loaf bread and the two stuffing mixes. Heat the bouillon until it is hot but not boiling. Set aside. Take your eggs out. Break the pecan or walnuts up into pieces.
- Add the sauteed celery/onion mixture to the dry bread and mixes. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Slowly add some of the bouillon. Begin seasoning with salt, pepper, sage, and marjoram. Add the apples and nuts. Keep stirring. Add the sugar and the eggs. You have to make sure the eggs are fully incorporated. Add more of the bouillon – making sure everything is moist. Adjust the seasonings, and you should be done!