Gluten free cornbread stuffing delivers classic Thanksgiving flavor-without any gluten and without sacrificing that cozy, savory, herb-packed goodness everyone expects. Made with golden cornbread cubes, aromatic vegetables, and a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries, this gluten-free stuffing is both traditional and naturally delicious. Serve it with turkey, ham, roast pork, or beef, and completely make-ahead friendly, keeping your holiday prep calm and organized.
For a crowd with mixed dietary needs, this is a perfect stuffing (or dressing) choice as my gluten-free cornbread stuffing recipe tastes exactly like the classic. Skip the boxes and bake a loaf of my easy no-flour gluten-free cornbread a day or two ahead. It's a simple one-bowl recipe. Then cube and dry it, and you're halfway to a festive, satisfying classic side everyone will love.
Jump to:
Why You'll Enjoy Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing
- Make-ahead ease - Bake and dry the cornbread up to two days in advance, prep the veggies, so things go faster.
- Classic, savory flavor - All the cozy dressing vibes with aromatics and herbs.
- Holiday workhorse - Pairs with turkey, ham, roast pork, or beef.
- Dressing or stuffing? - Traditionally stuffing is cooked inside the bird and dressing on the side, but cooking it on the side is easier and more food-safe. Today terms are interchangeable.
If you prefer a traditional herbed dressing, here's my old fashioned family recipe made gluten-free (and no one would ever know).
Chef's Tip on GF cornbread: When baking gluten free cornbread for stuffing and testing different grinds of cornmeal, I found that using a medium-grind cornmeal (not coarse or polenta) creates a finer, tighter crumb that holds together nicely for the dressing while staying tender once baked, but I've done both!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Cornbread - Bake ahead and dry into cubes so it soaks up flavor. Use a medium grind cornmeal for gluten free dressing.
- Onion - Yellow, brown, or white; builds that classic savory base.
- Celery - Adds gentle crunch, and a touch of moisture.
- Fennel - Subtle anise note that brightens and lifts the richness.
- Unsalted butter - Unsalted butter lets you control the sodium. Olive oil works, too.
- Garlic - For depth of flavor.
- Dried cranberries - Sweet-tart pops of color and contrast (optional).
- Fresh herbs - Parsley, thyme, and sage for holiday flavor, marjoram, and savory work well too.
- Egg - Light binder so the cubes hold together.
- Milk - Dairy or use unsweetened plant milk (almond or oat).
- Broth - A little chicken broth or turkey broth adds moisture and savory flavor.
Please see recipe card for measurements, including salt and pepper.
Substitutions and Variations
- For vegan or no-dairy - Substitute olive oil or plant-based butter, and try unsweetened, unflavored oat milk or almond milk.
- Dried herbs - If you can't get fresh herbs use dried herbs at ⅓ to ½ the amount.
- Egg-free substitution - 1 tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water and let them hydrate for 1-2 minutes or use a ¼ cup of carbonated water.
Chef's Tip: For softer bites, soak dried cranberries in hot water for 5-10 minutes, then drain well before adding.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing
You can make cornbread dressing in steps, starting ahead a few days and finishing on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. Prep ahead tip: make the cornbread, slice, and bake dry the day before. Reserve in an airtight container untiil ready to make dressing.
- Pre-heat the oven to 250°F. Slice the cornbread into approximately ¾" cubes.
- Line a baking tray with parchment and add cornbread cubes in a single layer. Bake until dry, about 1 hour.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large wide skillet or fry pan and add onion, fennel, leek, and celery.
- Cook, stirring, until soft, 7-10 minutes, do not brown them. Turn down heat if needed
- Stir in the garlic, herbs, salt and pepper, cook another minute to blend flavors.
- Add the cornbread cubes, then the milk, beaten egg, and broth. Stir gently to coat well. Stuffing should feel moist but not wet.
Pour the dressing into a buttered or oiled 2 quart casserole baking dish and bake covered with foil at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. If you prefer a more traditional cornbread dressing texture (golden brown top), uncover, turn up the heat to 400°F, and bake an additional 15 minutes.
Cornbread Dressing Make-Ahead Tips
- Dry the cornbread early - Bake 1-2 days ahead, cube, and dry in a 250°F oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring once. Cool and store airtight until needed.
- Prep aromatics the day before - Chop leek, celery, fennel, and onion; store covered in the fridge. Mince garlic fresh for best flavor.
- Assemble ahead (best method) - Sauté aromatics; toss with herbs, cranberries, and cornbread cubes. Whisk egg + liquid (milk or broth), fold in gently, transfer to a buttered 2-3 qt dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
- Bake day-of from cold - Pull the dish out 45 minutes before baking. Bake covered at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, then uncover 10-15 minutes to crisp the top. If starting very cold, add 5-10 minutes to the covered time. Center should read 165°F.
- Moisture control - Mixture should feel evenly damp, not soggy. Prefer extra-moist? Drizzle in a bit more milk or warm broth before baking.
- Reheat - If baked ahead, reheat covered at 350°F until hot, then uncover 5-10 minutes to re-crisp. If edges seem dry, drizzle 2-4 Tbsp. warm milk or broth around the sides before reheating.
Chef's Tip - Refreshing Stuffing Before Serving
IIf your gluten free cornbread stuffing sits for a while before dinner (up to about 2 hours in a warming drawer or low oven), it can dry out a bit as it holds. Just before serving, check the texture: if it looks a little dry, drizzle on a few tablespoons of warm broth (or a mix of broth and melted butter), gently toss, and return it to the oven for 5-10 minutes. It will rehydrate beautifully and taste freshly baked.
Serving Suggestions
Gluten-free cornbread stuffing is terrific aside roast turkey, roast beef, and a baked ham or pork roast. It's not just for holidays but any day, and leftovers are great. Try them with scrambled eggs for a savory satisfying breakfast.
Place leftover dressing into an airtight container, label and date. It's good for up to 4 days. I've not tried freezing it because there is never any left!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Assemble the stuffing, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add a splash of warm broth before baking if it looks dry. Bake as directed, adding 10-20 extra minutes if chilled.
This is why I add the drying step for the cornbread cubes, so they hold their structure. Fold gently, don't over-mix, and add broth ad milk gradually-you want the cubes hydrated but not soggy.
Yes. Use olive oil or vegan butter and choose vegetable broth and plant milk such as unsweetened, unflavored oat or almond. The recipe turns out just fine without dairy.
Absolutely-brown ½-1 pound of Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, or ground turkey and mix it into the stuffing before baking.
Most packaged cornbread stuffing mixes are not gluten free, and the texture can be quite dry or crumbly. Since gluten free cornbread is so simple to make, I recommend using homemade GF cornbread cubes for the best flavor and structure in this gluten free cornbread stuffing.
More Thanksgiving and Holiday Recipes
For another gluten-free dressing or stuffing recipe, try my traditional herbed bread stuffing recipe.
If You Make Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
Please let me know and leave a comment. They help other readers and I love hearing from you, and please leave a ⭐ if you can. Thanks for supporting my site!
Gluten-free cornbread dressing was originally published 12-12-2012 and is now updated.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing
Equipment
- 12" skillet or fry pan
Ingredients
- 1 recipe gluten free cornbread (easy recipe on this site) 1 ¼ pounds dry cubes or 7 cups
- 1 cup chopped leek ½ a medium
- 1 cup chopped onion ½ medium
- ¾ cup chopped celery 2 ribs
- ¾ cup chopped fennel 1 small
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter sub olive oil or plant-based butter
- 2-3 large garlic cloves finely chopped or zested
- ½ cup dried cranberries soaked in hot water
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
- 2 teaspoon fresh chopped sage
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup milk sub almond or oat milk
- ½ cup broth, chicken or turkey
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Soak the cranberries
- If using, soak the dried cranberries in hot water to cover for 10 minutes, then drain and dry.
Dry cornbread cubes
- Pre-heat the oven to 250°F. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment. Cut cornbread into slices ½″ wide, then cut pieces into small cubes, ¾" in size. Bake breads cubes until dry but tender, about 1 hour.
Cook the aromatics & vegetables
- In a large saute pan (12") over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek, onion, celery and fennel and cook until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 7-10 minutes, stirring. Do not brown, turn heat down if needed, and keep the veggies juicy. Add the garlic and sauté another 1 minute. Add salt and pepper.
- Add the herbs and the dried cornbread cubes and mix in gently. Add the soaked and drained cranberries, then beaten egg, milk, and broth. Mix gently but thoroughly. Stuffing mix should feel moist but not soggy.
Bake dressing
- Spoon dressing into a 2 quart buttered or oiled casserole or gratin dish. Cover with foil. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, then uncover, turn up the heat to 400°F, and bake an additional 15 minutes for a golden top.
Hot holding before serving
- If the dressing will sit before serving, keep it covered and expect a bit of moisture loss. For make-ahead or holding, taste first add up to ½ cup extra liquid (milk or broth) before baking, or spoon a few tablespoons of warm broth over the top before reheating to keep it tender. Taste and adjust to your preferred texture.
Notes
- flax egg - 1 T ground flax meal with 3 T warm water, let it stand 5-15 minutes.
- chia egg - 1 T white chia with 3 T warm water, let it stand 5-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Would you like to save this recipe?
Never lose a recipe! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Suzanne Holt says
This recipe sounds delicious. I like the fact that this can be gluten free and that you have included a recipe for your corn breads well. Thanks!
allison says
I am making your cornbread stuffing but I am double the recipe since I need more then 6-8 servings. Do I need to double the time to bake it as well?
Sally says
Hi Allison. Short answer is no. You don't need to bake it twice as long. Either do it in a larger pan or do it in two small ones. Should take the same time or close to it.Use a digital thermometer to test the internal temperature. It should read 160 to 165 when done. If 160, it will come up those last few degrees as it sits. Please let me know how it comes out. Need to go make my cornbread right now!
Tara says
This looks so fabulous, it is making my mouth water so that is why I have added it to my Mouth Watering Mondays post. Cheers, Tara
Sally Cameron says
Thanks Tara!