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There is nothing better on a holiday buffet than a really good dressing. You can never go wrong with a classic stuffing/dressing recipe, but if you want to make something extra festive – try this special autumn harvest variation!
What’s to love
- Simple to make. It’s just as easy as a classic stuffing, with some extras added. It’s not a lot more work, but you’ll be rewarded with an extra cozy and festive side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Make-ahead easy. Bake it up to 3 days ahead, and reheat in the oven before serving.
- Beautiful on your holiday table. The colors and textures of the dressing make it look extra-gorgeous on your buffet!
This is the dish that’s empty at the end of a holiday dinner, and everyone always asks for the recipe!
Printable recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups hearty bread cubes (about 10 oz; we like a rustic sourdough, but you can also use a mix of white and whole wheat bread)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (finely chopped)
- 2 apples (peeled, cored, and diced)
- ½ cup dried cranberries (or mix with chopped dried apricots for variation)
- ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (optional, for a slightly sweet twist)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons poultry seasoning (or 1 tsp sage + ½ tsp thyme)
- 1¼ to 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup apple cider (unfiltered if possible)
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
Tips
- Texture control: If you like drier, crispier stuffing, reduce liquid slightly. For softer, casserole-style dressing, add a few more tablespoons broth or cider.
- Make-ahead: Bake up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate, and reheat in the oven just before serving.
- Flavor upgrade: Add ¼ tsp cinnamon or a dash of nutmeg for a warm apple note; or toss in ½ lb cooked breakfast sausage for a heartier version.
Instructions
- Prep:If you need to toast fresh bread, preheat your oven to 300°F. If you have day-old stale bread, there is no need to toast it and you can preheat your oven straight to 350°F.Get your ingredients ready.
- Prep bread: Cut bread into ¾-inch cubes and spread on a baking sheet. Toast at 300°F for 10–15 minutes, until lightly dry but not brown. remove from the oven and set aside to cool.Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.8 cups hearty bread cubes
- Sauté aromatics: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 5–7 minutes until softened. Stir in apples, cranberries and nuts; cook 3–4 minutes more. Add brown sugar, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.4 tablespoons butter, 1 medium onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 apples, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1½ teaspoons poultry seasoning
- Combine: Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add toasted bread cubes. Pour over broth, apple cider, and beaten eggs. Toss gently until bread is evenly moistened but not soggy – it should hold together when pressed but not drip liquid.1¼ to 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, ½ cup apple cider, 2 eggs
- Bake covered: Spread into a greased 2–2½ qt baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Finish baking:Uncover (gently stir if you like a more even texture – if you leave it as-is, the top will be crisper; either is delicious, just depends on your preference) and bake 15–20 minutes more until golden and crisp on top.Serve hot.
🍂 Autumn Harvest Dressing/Stuffing
make your kitchen smell like home?Harvest Dressing FAQs
It depends! Eggs adds moisture and richness, an egg-free version is usually more crumbly. If you like a stuffing that has more of a bread pudding texture, eggs will give you that.
To make it without eggs, you can use some extra broth and butter to help bind it (about 4-5 tablespoons broth and 1-2 tablespoons butter.)
Using bread that is too sweet or soft, or bread that is too fresh (use a more sturdy bread like a sourdough, not something like a brioche, and toast it in the oven if it’s fresh.
Another mistake is to use vegetables raw in the stuffing – make sure to adequately sauté them in butter before adding them to the bread and liquids.
Finally, adding too little or too much liquid will yield a stuffing/dressing that is too dry, or soggy. Stick to the recipe and only make small adjustments gradually.
Cover the stuffing for the first portion of baking, to make sure it bakes all the way through and doesn’t dry out.
Uncover it for the final portion of baking to get a crispy top.
Yes! To make it ahead, assemble and bake the stuffing completely, let it cool, then store it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When you’re ready to serve, place it on the counter for 30 minutes to temper the dish (do not place a fragile dish like ceramic directly from the fridge to the hot oven! If in doubt, transfer to a fresh room temperature dish.) Cover with foil and place it on a room temperature baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until fully heated through (165°F throughout). This may take up to an hour.
For a crisper top, uncover for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
Perfect to serve with
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