Fried Cornbread Stuffing Balls
Fried cornbread stuffing balls with cranberry dip are the perfect way transform Thanksgiving leftovers into the perfect snack for watching football the rest of the holiday weekend.
In our family, we always make dressing instead of stuffing because we deep fry our turkey. Trust me, trying to deep fry a turkey that’s stuffed is definitely not the way to go!
My mother-in-law Judy makes her incredible cornbread dressing in a casserole dish, and it’s absolutely worth drooling over. What makes her’s so special is how she makes it from scratch using homemade cornbread and biscuits instead of store-bought bread or a bagged mix.
She starts by making cast iron cornbread. When you pour the batter into a screaming hot cast iron skillet it gives it those crispy edges, a tender, fluffy inside, and the most amazing buttery flavor.
And when you turn that dressing into these fried stuffing balls, all those yumminess get concentrated into little bites of heaven.
They are perfect for using up leftovers, including that cranberry sauce that no one ate, and become the best snack for watching all those holiday football games for the rest of the weekend.
Serve them with some cranberry jalapeno meatballs, this sweet potato souffle dip, and this caramel apple dip.
They’re also fantastic with ranch dressing or gravy on the side like these poutine poppers. Perfect for using up leftover mashed potatoes!
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Leftover cornbread dressing – Here is a great recipe for skillet cornbread or use this southern cornbread dressing recipe. No gluten? Check out this gluten-free cornbread recipe to use.
- Poultry seasoning – I like to use homemade but you can use a combo of oregano, thyme, and sage.
- Panko – Use regular or gluten free.
- Sour cream – Full fat, reduced fat, or fat free. You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
- Cranberry sauce – Canned or leftover homemade will work.
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How To Make Cornbread Stuffing Balls
- In a bowl, add the sour cream and the leftover cranberry sauce.
- Mix to combine and chill until ready to serve.
- In a separate bowl, combine the stuffing and the cheese.
- Roll into balls and set aside on a baking sheet.
- In three separate bowls make the egg wash, the panko coating, and the seasoned flour.
- Roll the balls in the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg wash, and then roll in the panko to coat them.
- Heat the oil to 375F and fry the stuffing balls in batches of 4-5.
- Fry until golden brown and drain on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve with the cranberry dip.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage
Since you are already using leftovers, these only last 1-2 days. Plus, you really want them hot, right after you fry them for the best flavor.
But you can store them in the fridge and reheat them in the air fryer or in the oven, they just might not be quite as crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
If they stuffing is dry they might not stick and the balls will fall apart. If you need to, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth until the balls stay together when formed.
They are made with the same ingredients but dressing is baked in a dish and stuffing is put in the turkey and baked.
Yes, because you are cooking it again. Just make sure the internal temperature comes to 165F.
If you love stuffing, try this crockpot chicken and stuffing casserole! It’s a great way to use up leftover stuffing mix.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Are you dreaming of Thanksgiving leftovers already? This stuffing balls recipe is the best way to use them up and make a fun appetizer for eating while watching football!
Fried Cornbread Stuffing Balls
Ingredients
Stuffing Balls
- 2 ½ cups leftover cornbread dressing
- ½ cup cheese shredded
Panko Coating
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Oil for Frying
Cranberry Dip
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cranberry sauce use leftovers if you have it
Instructions
Make The Dressing Balls
- Combine the cornbread stuffing and the cheese in a bowl.
- Scoop into 1.5 inch balls and roll in you hands to smooth them out. Set aside.
Make The Panko Coating
- Combine flour, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Beat eggs and milk together in a second bowl.
- Add the Panko crumbs in a third bowl.
Coat The Stuffing Balls
- Dredge each ball through the flour mixture and shake off any excess.
- Transfer each dressing ball to the egg mixture and evenly coat.
- Roll each ball in the Panko crumbs until evenly coated.
- Set each stuffing ball on a plate and allow to sit for a few minutes to allow the coating to stick.
- Heat 2-3 inches oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375F.
Fry The Stuffing Balls
- Working batches of 4 or 5, carefully fry the stuffing balls in the oil until all sides are golden brown.
- Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- Continue until all the dressing balls are fried.
- Keep in a 250F oven to keep warm until serving.
Prepare the cranberry dip
- Combine equal parts sour cream and leftover cranberry sauce.
- Stir to combine.
- Serve with the fried cornbread stuffing balls.
Video
Nutrition
Looking for other great Thanksgiving leftovers recipes to try?
turkey or ham recipe:
- Turkey Ala King
- Turkey Salad Sliders
- Roasted Turkey Tater Tot Casserole
- Turkey and Sweet Potato Risotto
- Ham and Potato Supreme
- Chicken/Turkey Tortilla Soup
- Easy Turkey Tetrazinni
- Turkey Pot Pie
leftover mashed potatoes:
leftover cranberry recipes:
- Roasted Cranberry Crostini
- Roasted Cranberry Bourbon Crush
- Sugared Cranberries
- Cranberry Orange Pound Cake
- Brie and Cranberry Puff Pastry
leftover pie or pie crust:
- Pie Crust Cookies with Whiskey Caramel Drizzle
- Pumpkin Spice Swirls
- Apple Pie Blizzard
- Pumpkin Pie Croissant Bundles
- Pumpkin Dip
- Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Cake
{Originally published 11/09/18 – photos and notes updated 10/03/25}
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These are a huge hit at my house. Thanks for the recipe. Question. Could you make these and freeze them. And then go straight to deep fry/air fryer. Has anyone tried this. I would love to make ahead the day before and use for a quick cook
I haven’t tried that but I am think it would work. Maybe freeze them and take them out of the freezer about 15 minutes before frying so they cook evenly. But if you make them the day before I think they would be ok in the fridge before freezing.
So here it is Sunday after Thanksgiving with tons of cornbread dressing leftover. After trying these, we will make sure that we double our recipe so we can make more if these balls next year!
I did add 1 large jalapeno otherwise I followed exact. I didn’t even get a chance to make the sauce because my family was gobbling them down so fast, there was no point for the few that were left.
We have renamed them Turkey say hushpuppies. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked them! I love that name! Turkey Day Hushpuppies!!
I plan to make these into patties and air-fry them!
Please let me know how they turn out! I would love to add that option to the recipe:)
I’m definitely going to try this. I made dressing just like your MIL does. Mine always turns out great. But this sounds great too. I don’t have to make it to rate it cause I know it will be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. Thank you for posting the recipe
Thank you so much!!
We love cornbread and I can’t wait to try this twist on using the leftovers!
I make the same dressing every year. Your Mother in law’s cornbread dressing would be a giant hit with my hubby!! I only hope there are plenty of leftovers so we can have these while we watch our Huskers play on Black Friday!! Woop!
These look absolutely addicting! I’m going to make extra stuffing this year, just so I can make these!
What a fun and tasty recipe! This is perfect for entertaining on the holiday weekend.. The cranberry dipping sauce goes so well with the cornbread balls and I can think of many other things I could dip into it. Love all the recipe ideas you are sharing in this post. I am going to have a hard time deciding what to make first!
I make the same dressing every year. Your Mother in law’s cornbread dressing would be a giant hit with my hubby!! I only hope there are plenty of leftovers so we can have these while we watch our Huskers play on Black Friday!! Woop!
You are so clever Jennifer! These look so tasty, and cornbread stuffing is my favorite. I would love to do these for my next cocktail party!
What a fun and tasty recipe! This is perfect for entertaining on the holiday weekend.. The cranberry dipping sauce goes so well with the cornbread balls and I can think of many other things I could dip into it. Love all the recipe ideas you are sharing in this post. I am going to have a hard time deciding what to make first!
These look absolutely addicting! I’m going to make extra stuffing this year, just so I can make these!