The Simple Bread Swap For Flaky And Buttery Holiday Stuffing

Holiday feasts are like the family members that assemble them: no two are ever the same. While there are many hallmark dishes associated with the holiday season, each recipe has its own versions and variations that make every Thanksgiving dinner unique.

America is already rather divided when it comes to each state's favorite Thanksgiving stuffing, so why not add another to the option mix? Most stuffing recipes are quite heavy and use a dense wheat bread as the base — but a croissant-based stuffing creates an entirely different experience. Croissants are known for their flaky, delicate texture and their yeasty, buttery taste. While still a rich and hearty side dish, croissant stuffing has a lighter consistency due to croissants' thinner, flakier dough.

If you're wondering what to mix into your croissant stuffing, take your lead from popular croissant fillings. Croissants are usually enjoyed with a mix of savory and sweet ingredients, such as a fruity jam, salty cured meat, and nutty French cheese. You can mimic these flavors in your stuffing by adding dried fruit, sausage, nuts, and other similar ingredients. Together with suitable herbs, croissant stuffing offers a light and flaky texture blended with traditional, seasonal flavors.

Another stuffing alternative that's common in southern states is cornbread dressing. Though not referred to as a "stuffing," it is similar in preparation, flavor, and texture. Cornbread stuffing — a dish with origins in West Africa — mixes the greatest elements of stuffing with cornbread rather than wheat bread to create a rich, crumbly texture. As with bread stuffing, slightly stale cornbread is combined with celery and onions, meat stock, and classic herbs like sage and rosemary then thickened with egg. It is traditionally served with oysters in some southern regions and is not cooked inside the Thanksgiving bird. 

If you want to make your Thanksgiving sides fresher and sweeter this year, you could also enhance your stuffing by adding butternut squash. This will give your dish a moist texture and fill it with sweet and subtle fall flavors to reinforce the holiday spirit at your Thanksgiving table. Most stuffing recipes that include butternut squash suggest that you select a firm and heavy squash and roast it before adding it to the stuffing to dry it out slightly.