Make this Crock Pot stuffing and turn your slow cooker into the MVP of holiday meal prep. You don’t sacrifice flavor by using a slow cooker to make this Thanksgiving classic. The slow, gentle heat makes the cornbread tender, while the edges become just crispy enough, and the bacon on top renders, flavoring everything underneath.
During the holidays, my oven is always tightly packed. You know that moment when you’re trying to coordinate the turkey, green bean casserole, rolls, and stuffing all at once? Been there, done that! This recipe gives you back your oven space and your sanity while delivering the kind of stuffing that makes people ask for the recipe.
The slow cooker keeps it moist without turning it into mush, and you can start it hours before dinner without needing to babysit. There is no stirring, no checking, no oven space battles. The cornbread base soaks up all the savory broth and herbs while the bacon gets perfectly crispy on top, creating layers of flavor and texture that boxed stuffing can’t match.
Plus, you can leave the slow cooker on warm for hours, which means one less thing to time perfectly in your holiday juggling act. Whether you’re hosting your first Thanksgiving or you’re a seasoned pro looking to simplify your holiday cooking, this Crockpot Stuffing recipe is about to become your favorite.
I’ll show you exactly how to make this crowd-pleasing side dish with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Then you can let it cook while you focus on other holiday dishes (or maybe even put your feet up for a few minutes!).
Looking for more holiday dishes to make in your slow cooker? Try slow cooker mashed potatoes, slow cooker sweet potato casserole, or slow cooker creamed corn.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Cornbread: You’ll need a full 9×13-inch pan of cornbread, which equals about 8 cups when cubed. Use a box mix to make it, or if you’re feeling ambitious, try making Southern-style cornbread from scratch.
- Cooked bacon
- Cream soups
- Eggs
- Onion
- Salt
- Pepper
- Poultry seasoning
- Butter
- Chicken broth
How to Make Crockpot Stuffing
- Start by spraying your 8-quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut the cornbread into roughly 1-inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, both cream soups, chicken broth, chopped onion, poultry seasoning, and black pepper.
- Gently fold the cornbread cubes and half of your crumbled bacon into the wet mixture. Remember, you want to mix just enough to moisten everything.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared crockpot, spreading it evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top and dot with small cubes of butter.
- Set your crockpot to low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. You’ll know it’s done when the edges are slightly crispy and the middle is set but still moist.
Serving Ideas
My family loves this crock pot stuffing as a Thanksgiving side dish, but honestly, it’s delicious any time you’re craving some comfort food. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Pair it with roasted turkey or chicken, a classic combo that never fails
- Serve alongside baked ham for a Southern-style feast
- Top each serving with a bit of extra gravy for added moisture
- Garnish with fresh parsley or sage for a pop of color
I like to keep the slow cooker on the “warm” setting during big family gatherings. This keeps the stuffing at the perfect temperature, allowing everyone to go back for seconds.
How to Store
Transfer leftover stuffing to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
To reheat, the microwave works fine for individual portions. For larger amounts, I prefer to reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes. Just add a little chicken broth to keep it from drying out.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Crockpot Stuffing
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Use a basic, not-too-sweet cornbread. While I love a sweet, moist cornbread for regular eating, it just doesn’t work as well in this recipe. I usually grab a box mix from the store.
- I always make the cornbread and cook the bacon the day before. It makes the assembly so much easier when you’re juggling other Thanksgiving preparations!
- When you’re combining the ingredients, resist the urge to stir too much. Overmixing can make your stuffing dense and gummy. Just fold everything together until the cornbread is moistened.
- This recipe needs an 8-quart slow cooker. If you only have a 6-quart cooker, reduce all ingredients by about 25%.
- The types of cream soup you use aren’t critical. If you have cream of mushroom on hand, use that instead.
Reader Questions
While you can prep the components ahead, I don’t recommend mixing and cooking the stuffing more than 24 hours in advance. The texture is best when the dish is freshly made. However, you can definitely make the cornbread and cook the bacon up to 2-3 days ahead.
If your stuffing seems dry during cooking, add a little warm chicken broth, about ¼ cup at a time, to moisten it.
If your stuffing is too mushy, it’s likely because the cornbread was too moist to begin with or too much liquid was added. Remember to use a basic, drier cornbread and measure your liquids carefully.
You can adapt this recipe by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup instead of chicken and celery soup, and omitting the bacon.
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Crockpot Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups cornbread a whole 9×13-inch pan of cornbread
- 4 eggs
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt if you have a salt free poultry seasoning
- 1 can cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces
- 1 can cream of celery soup 10.5 ounces
- 2 ⅔ cups chicken broth
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup butter 1/2 stick butter
Instructions
This recipe is designed for an 8 quart crockpot.
- Spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- Cut your cornbread into cubes.8 cups cornbread
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, chicken broth, onion, poultry seasoning and black pepper.4 eggs, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 ½ tablespoons poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of celery soup, 2 ⅔ cups chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gently stir in the cornbread cubes onion and half of the bacon into the bowl of wet ingredients. Just mix enough to moisten the cubes, don't overmix.10 slices bacon
- Pour the mixture into the slow cooker
- Cut the butter into small cubes. Then put the rest of the bacon on top and dot with the butter.¼ cup butter
- Cook the dressing on low for 4-6 hours or high 3-4 hours.
Notes
- The day before you plan to make this recipe, make or buy some cornbread and cook the bacon. I generally use a boxed cornbread mix to keep things simple. Use a basic, not-too-sweet cornbread. While I love a sweet, moist cornbread for regular eating, it just doesn’t work as well in this recipe.
- I always make the cornbread and cook the bacon the day before. It makes the assembly so much easier when you’re juggling other Thanksgiving preparations.
- When you’re combining the ingredients, resist the urge to stir too much. Overmixing can make your stuffing dense and gummy.
- This recipe needs an 8-quart slow cooker. If you only have a 6-quart cooker, reduce all ingredients by about 25%.
- You can place this in a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish and bake it in the oven. Cook it at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
This looks like such a great recipe, I’ll be trying this for sure!
Great recipe for a big crowd!
I love making dressing in my slow cooker to save on oven space during big holiday meals. I can’t wait to try this.
A new Thanksgiving side dish for our holiday this year. Thank you for the recipe!!
Appreciate the clarity of explanation. 馃檪 Looking forward to your next post!…