Simple Cornbread Apple Stuffing

Here is my favorite cornbread apple stuffing recipe, with crumbly homemade cornbread, sweet apples, fresh herbs, and all the classic seasonings that make this side dish perfect for any holiday table.

This cornbread apple stuffing is what my family always asks for at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love how the apples add a little sweetness to balance out the savory herbs. Plus, it goes with just about everything!

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What Kind of Apples Should I Use?

For this cornbread apple stuffing, you’ll want to stick with apples that hold their shape well during cooking and won’t turn to mush. Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and Gala are all great choices because they have a nice balance of sweetness and tartness, plus they maintain their texture when baked. Granny Smith apples also work wonderfully if you prefer a bit more tartness to balance out the sweet cornbread. Whatever variety you choose, make sure to peel and dice them finely so they distribute evenly throughout the stuffing and cook at the same rate as the other ingredients.

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Options for Substitutions

This stuffing recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Cornbread stuffing cubes: If you can’t find cornbread stuffing mix, you can use regular bread stuffing cubes or make your own by cutting day-old cornbread into cubes and letting them dry out overnight. Regular white bread works too, though you’ll lose some of that sweet corn flavor.
• Hard cider or apple cider: No cider on hand? You can substitute with apple juice, white wine, or even additional chicken broth. If using apple juice, add a splash of lemon juice for some acidity.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh sage and thyme really make a difference, but you can use dried herbs if needed – just use about 1/3 of the amount called for. So that’s about 2 teaspoons dried sage and ¾ teaspoon dried thyme.
• Pecans: Walnuts, chopped almonds, or even pumpkin seeds work great as substitutes. You can also leave the nuts out entirely if you have allergies or just don’t like them.
• Apples: Any firm, sweet apple variety will work here. Granny Smith apples are fine too if you like a bit more tartness in your stuffing.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works perfectly for a vegetarian version, or you can use turkey stock if you’re making this for Thanksgiving.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making cornbread apple stuffing is adding too much liquid at once, which can turn your stuffing into mush – start with about 2 cups of broth and gradually add more until the mixture feels moist but not soggy.

Another common error is not cooking the vegetables long enough before mixing them with the cornbread, so make sure your onions are translucent and celery is tender to avoid crunchy bits in your finished dish.

Don’t skip toasting your pecans beforehand, as this step brings out their flavor and prevents them from getting soggy during baking, and be careful not to overmix once you add the eggs and broth since this can make the stuffing dense instead of fluffy.

For the best texture, let your stuffing rest for about 10 minutes after mixing before transferring it to the baking dish, which allows the cornbread to absorb the liquid evenly.

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What to Serve With Cornbread Apple Stuffing?

This cornbread apple stuffing is perfect alongside roasted turkey or chicken, especially during the holidays when you want that classic comfort food spread. The sweet apples and savory herbs also pair really well with pork tenderloin or ham, since the fruity flavors complement those meats nicely. If you’re going for a full Thanksgiving-style meal, serve it with cranberry sauce, roasted Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes for the complete experience. For a lighter option, try it with a simple roasted chicken and some steamed green beans to let the stuffing’s apple and pecan flavors really shine.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Store your leftover cornbread apple stuffing in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. The flavors actually get better after a day or two, so don’t worry if you have extras! I like to portion it out into individual containers for easy weekday lunches.

Freeze: This stuffing freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely first, then wrap tightly in foil or store in freezer-safe containers. I often make a double batch during the holidays and freeze half for later when I’m craving those cozy fall flavors.

Reheat: To warm up your stuffing, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes until heated through. If it seems a bit dry, drizzle a little extra broth over the top before reheating. You can also microwave individual portions, but the oven gives you that nice crispy top again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1750-1950
• Protein: 38-46 g
• Fat: 85-95 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-245 g

Ingredients

For the stuffing base:

• 12 to 14 oz bag cornbread stuffing cubes or 8 cups homemade equivalent
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

For the vegetable and fruit mix:

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow or sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 to 4 stalks)
• 2 apples (golden, honeycrisp, or gala), peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

For the liquids and binders:

• 1/4 cup apple cider or hard cider
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, or homemade unsalted chicken or turkey stock
• 2 large eggs

For seasoning:

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow or sweet onion
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 to 4 stalks)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Heat the unsalted butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and bubbling.

Add the diced onion, chopped celery, and minced garlic.

Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and the onion becomes translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 2: Add Apples, Fresh Herbs, and Seasonings

• 2 apples (golden, honeycrisp, or gala), peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Add the peeled and diced apples to the skillet along with the chopped fresh sage, chopped fresh thyme, salt, coarse ground black pepper, and ground cinnamon.

Continue to cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until the apples begin to soften and the herbs are fragrant and well combined with the vegetables.

Step 3: Deglaze and Simmer with Liquids

• 1/4 cup apple cider or hard cider
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, or homemade unsalted chicken or turkey stock

Pour in the apple cider and stir well, allowing the mixture to simmer until the cider is mostly evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth (or alternative stock) to the skillet and bring everything to a simmer.

This will infuse the vegetables and aromatics with savory and sweet notes.

Step 4: Combine Vegetable Mixture with Eggs

• 2 large eggs
• vegetable and broth mixture from Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly.

Carefully ladle about 1 cup of the hot apple, vegetable, and broth mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper them and prevent scrambling.

Gradually stir in the remaining hot vegetable and broth mixture, mixing well to fully incorporate.

I always temper the eggs gently so the final stuffing has a rich but smooth custard texture.

Step 5: Mix with Stuffing Cubes and Pecans; Assemble in Baking Dish

• 12 to 14 oz bag cornbread stuffing cubes or 8 cups homemade equivalent
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
• stuffing base from Step 4

Add the cornbread stuffing cubes and the toasted chopped pecans to the bowl with the egg and vegetable mixture.

Toss everything together until the stuffing is evenly moistened and combined.

Lightly coat a 9×13-inch (or similar) baking dish with cooking spray or a bit of butter.

Transfer the stuffing mixture into the prepared dish and cover with foil.

At this point, you can refrigerate the stuffing for up to 24 hours if desired.

Step 6: Bake the Stuffing

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Bake the covered stuffing dish (with foil) until heated through—35 to 45 minutes if starting from refrigerated, or 25 to 30 minutes if freshly mixed.

Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is beautifully browned and slightly crisp.

I like to let my stuffing rest for 10 minutes after baking so the flavors settle and it slices neatly.

Simple Cornbread Apple Stuffing

Delicious Simple Cornbread Apple Stuffing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 24 minutes mins

Cook Time 48 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1850 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the stuffing base:

• 12 to 14 oz bag cornbread stuffing cubes or 8 cups homemade equivalent
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

For the vegetable and fruit mix:

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow or sweet onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 to 4 stalks)
• 2 apples (golden, honeycrisp, or gala), peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

For the liquids and binders:

• 1/4 cup apple cider or hard cider
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, or homemade unsalted chicken or turkey stock
• 2 large eggs

For seasoning:

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Heat the unsalted butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and bubbling. Add the diced onion, chopped celery, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and the onion becomes translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the peeled and diced apples to the skillet along with the chopped fresh sage, chopped fresh thyme, salt, coarse ground black pepper, and ground cinnamon. Continue to cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes until the apples begin to soften and the herbs are fragrant and well combined with the vegetables.
• Pour in the apple cider and stir well, allowing the mixture to simmer until the cider is mostly evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth (or alternative stock) to the skillet and bring everything to a simmer. This will infuse the vegetables and aromatics with savory and sweet notes.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Carefully ladle about 1 cup of the hot apple, vegetable, and broth mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to temper them and prevent scrambling. Gradually stir in the remaining hot vegetable and broth mixture, mixing well to fully incorporate. I always temper the eggs gently so the final stuffing has a rich but smooth custard texture.
• Add the cornbread stuffing cubes and the toasted chopped pecans to the bowl with the egg and vegetable mixture. Toss everything together until the stuffing is evenly moistened and combined. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish with cooking spray or a bit of butter. Transfer the stuffing mixture into the prepared dish and cover with foil. At this point, you can refrigerate the stuffing for up to 24 hours if desired.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the covered stuffing dish (with foil) until heated through—35 to 45 minutes if starting from refrigerated, or 25 to 30 minutes if freshly mixed. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is beautifully browned and slightly crisp. I like to let my stuffing rest for 10 minutes after baking so the flavors settle and it slices neatly.