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This butter herb croissant stuffing is the perfect holiday side dish for the spread. Made with flakey, buttery croissants, crunchy vegetables and lots of fresh herbs, it will pair perfectly with the roasted turkey and more. This stuffing feels extra but is super simple to prepare!
Why We Love This Butter Herb Croissant Stuffing
Stuffing is hands down the one holiday side dish I can’t get enough of–I would fill half my plate with it every year and the other with desserts and call it a day. I decided to play with using flaky, buttery croissants in the classic dish and it is for sure going to be a repeat recipe every year now!
- The texture: it’s next level. The flakey, light buttery texture of the croissants combined with the egg and broth mixture makes for a custard-like center with a crisp, golden. It’s less dense and more delicate you could say even than using regular bread and.
- The flavor: not much I even need to say about this. Can you even go wrong with butter and herbs? The savory richness of this Thanksgiving dish is also balanced with a pinch of nutmeg that gives it another layer of flavor.
- The ease of prep: overall, this is a very easy side dish recipe to prepare. Yes, it takes a bit longer than some, and you have to be a bit strategic in planning, but this stuffing recipe is hard to mess up, promise!
Serve this herbed stuffing with these favorite dishes: Cheddar Gruyère Mac and Cheese, Cranberry Apple Chutney Recipe, Puff Pastry Brie Bites, Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes and more!
Ingredient Notes
- For this butter herb croissant recipe, “all butter” croissants from the bakery are ideal. I do not suggest using Pilsbury crescent rolls or anything in that category. The best thing about this recipe is that you can buy the discounted, day-old croissants from the grocery and you are already a step ahead! The flavor and texture will be best with a true butter croissant.
- Fresh herbs are strongly suggested for the best flavor. I do know that around the holidays, they can be a bit more challenging to find as they sell out. If you don’t have fresh thyme and sage, you can use 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh.
- I prefer low sodium broth to keep the saltiness in my control when making stuffing. You can salt later to taste as well if it seems bland.
Ways To Vary This Recipe
- add garlic: I don’t love garlic in my stuffing, but I know some people prefer it. If you want to add some, sauté minced garlic with the onions and celery.
- add meat: brown some sausage and add it into the mix for a heartier stuffing
- add more herbs: you are welcome to double the sage and thyme for more herby goodness but you can also add some chopped rosemary, oregano, parsley, etc.
- other possible add-ins: dried cranberries, chopped pecans or walnuts, sautéed mushrooms, apples, bacon and more!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Once your croissants are stale/dried out and if preferred, lightly toasted, heat 6 Tbsp butter to melt in a skillet. Add the celery and onion and cook until softened (about 5-7 minutes). Add the fresh herbs and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Step 2: In a separate bowl or 3-4 cup measuring cup, whisk the eggs, chicken broth, nutmeg and salt and pepper to your liking.
Step 3: Transfer celery and onion mixture to the bowl with the croissant pieces and fold into the mixture.
Step 4: Pour egg and broth mixture into croissants and stir to coat evenly. You can add extra broth if there doesn’t seem to be enough moisture. I start with 2 cups mixed with the eggs, and then add as needed.
Step 5: Transfer to a well greased casserole dish and evenly pour or dab 2-4 Tbsp remaining butter (melted) over top.
Step 6: Bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown tops and liquid is absorbed into the croissants. Check in at the 20-minute mark and if seems to be browning a too quickly or too much, loosely tent with foil. You can broil for a few minutes for extra crispy tops if desired.
Recipe Tips
Use bakery style, all-butter croissants and let them dry out for at least 2 days. The key to really great stuffing is in using dry/stale bread. Since we are using croissants in this recipe, it can take a bit more time with the butter being a key ingredient. If your croissants are still quite moist, use the oven method to dry them out a bit more.
To make this in advance: you can prep this one day in advance and then bake just before you are ready to eat. It allows the flavors to meld together better. Make sure to really dry out the croissants so that the stuffing doesn’t become too soggy. Add the butter on top just before baking.
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Butter Herb Croissant Stuffing
Ingredients
- 12 large butter croissants*, stale/ 2-day old, cut into about 1 ½ -2 inch pieces, about 10-12 cups
- 8-10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, (divided, 6 Tbsp. to sauté, 2-4 Tbsp for topping)
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped sage, more for garnish
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, more for garnish
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- pinch of nutmeg, optional, but adds a level of balance to the dish
- pepper, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- *Before starting, make sure to cut and allow the croissants to sit out for about 2 days for best results. If you are not starting with stale/dried out croissants, preheat oven to 325°F and line one or 2 sheet pans with the croissant pieces. Toast for about 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and add the croissant pieces to a large bowl.
- In a large skillet, heat 6 Tbsp butter to melt over medium heat. Add in celery and onion and cook until softened (about 5-7 minutes). Add in fresh herbs and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer celery and onion mixture to the bowl with the croissants and fold into bread.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, chicken broth, nutmeg and salt and pepper to your liking. Pour mixture into croissant mixture and stir to coat evenly. You can add extra broth if there doesn’t seem to be enough moisture. I start with 2 cups, and then add as needed.
- Pour into a greased casserole dish and evenly pour or dab 2-4 Tbsp remaining butter (melted) over top.
- Bake uncovered for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown tops and liquid is absorbed into the croissants. Check in at the 20-minute mark and if seems to be browning a lot, loosely tent with foil. You can broil for a few minutes for extra crispy tops if desired.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Add freshly chopped herbs to garnish and serve!
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