Once upon a time, I was a personal chef, and during those few years, I cooked many, many meals for families I worked for- but my favorite was always when they would ask me to do something extra, to make something for a dinner party or a holiday. This was one recipe I created for a family who was gluten-free, but still wanted stuffing on their Thanksgiving menu. This slightly-sweet and savory, chewy and crunchy stuffing was a hit not just with my clients- but with my family, as well!

You can make your own cornbread (recipe below), use a mix or buy one (if you need gluten-free, make sure to check the package as many have flour in them). I like this stuffing slightly crunchy on top and fairly firm throughout, if you want it extra-moist, add that extra half cup broth I recommend.

This recipe is easily doubled (double the cornbread and put in a 9×13″ in pan instead of an 8×8″) if you need more. No matter if your thanksgiving is celebrated with four or fourteen, this year, I hope it’s a good one with lots of leftovers for Thanksgiving sandwiches!

Gluten-free Cornbread Stuffing with Cherries and Pecans
Serves 6-8 as a side

Gluten-free Cornbread:
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp honey or cane sugar
1/2 cup melted butter (extra for greasing)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar)
2 eggs

Stuffing:
1 8×8″ gluten-free cornbread (use recipe or use a mix)
4 tbsp butter
4 stalks celery
1 large onion
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 eggs, whisked
1-1 1/2 cups broth

For cornbread:

• Preheat oven to 400. Grease an 8×8″ pan with butter.
• Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.
• Whisk together slightly cooled melted butter, buttermilk and eggs.
• Combine wet and dry until smooth.
• Pour into greased pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

For stuffing:

• Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Saute onion and celery until translucent. Stir in garlic and use broth to deglaze pan.
• Toss all ingredients into a large bowl and combine well.
• Transfer to a greased 9-10″ round or rectangular baking dish.
• Cover with foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15.

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