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Preparing Bread Cubes for Stuffing is a super simple, important step and ensures perfectly moist stuffing that is never soggy. Dry the bread pieces on the counter up to 4 days in advance or in the oven the day you need them.
Meggan’s notes
When it comes to Thanksgiving recipes like classic bread stuffing, they should taste exactly the way you remember: the flavors, the texture, and the smell should be like walking down memory lane.
As a classically-trained chef, I know that technique matters more than ever. Stuffing was originally created as a way to use up leftover bread, so you need to mimic that stale texture if you want to make stuffing like grandma used to do. Dried out bread also soaks up more flavor as it cooks.
Whether you can plan ahead and let the bread dry on the counter, or you completely forgot and need to dry it out this instant, I’ve got you covered. Either way it’s easy, and it’ll lead to better stuffing on the table.
Ingredients for Bread Cubes
- Bread: You can use almost any type of high-quality bread: unsliced French or Italian bread, sturdy sandwich loaf, brioche, challah, or even cornbread. Avoid overly-soft or fluffy white sandwich loaves.
How to Make Bread Cubes for Stuffing
- Slice the loaf, including crust, into 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes. For a rustic look, tear the bread by hand.
To dry bread cubes on the counter:
- On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the bread cubes in a single layer and cover with a dry kitchen towel. Dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
To dry bread cubes in the oven:
- On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the bread cubes in a single layer. Bake at 300 degrees until dry, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: A 1-pound bread loaf usually makes 10 cups of bread cubes, enough for a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish of stuffing, or 10 to 12 servings (assume 1 cup of stuffing per person).
- Make ahead stuffing: The dried cubes can stay at room temperature up to 4 days in advance. Keep them in a dry, cool place. After you’ve assembled the stuffing, refrigerate it up to 1 day in advance. See my full Make-Ahead Thanksgiving menu for more ways to cook in advance, including a Make Ahead Roasted Turkey, Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (that won’t get watery in the freezer), and Make Ahead Pumpkin Pie.
- Air frying stuffing: Air fryer stuffing turns out golden brown with plenty of crispy edges, and it takes just 15 minutes in your air fryer.
- Crockpot stuffing: Save your oven space and make bread stuffing in your slow cooker. You’ll still have soft, chewy bread cubes with plenty of crispy edges without using your oven.
- Small batch stuffing: My Bread Stuffing for Two is the same delicious, buttery stuffing with all your favorite flavors, but scaled down to a smaller quantity for small gatherings. See my full Thanksgiving for Two Menu, which includes a pair of roasted Cornish Hens with Stuffing and two Mini Pumpkin Pies for dessert.
- Vegan stuffing: Filled with wild mushrooms, leeks, fresh kale, and all the classic Thanksgiving herbs you love, this Vegan Stuffing recipe has bread cubes that are soft and chewy on the inside with browned, crispy edges outside. The entire recipe is 100% vegan and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
For food safety reasons, and for a more evenly cooked bird, most modern recipes don’t encourage stuffing a turkey. If you decide to stuff your turkey, combine wet and dry stuffing components just before placing them in the cavity, ensuring any raw meat, poultry, or seafood used in the stuffing is fully cooked beforehand. Do not stuff a bird with cooked stuffing. Use a large spoon or your hands to loosely stuff the body and neck cavities (do not pack it tightly because the stuffing expands while it cooks). Truss the main cavity with trussing pins to keep the stuffing inside. The stuffing must register 165 degrees on a thermometer to be safe to eat. For more information, see the USDA website.
Favorite stuffing recipes
Side Dish Recipes
Crockpot Stuffing
Thanksgiving Recipes
Air Fryer Stuffing
Vegan Recipes
Vegan Stuffing Recipe
Side Dish Recipes
Gluten Free Stuffing
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Bread Cubes for Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 pound, see note 1)
Instructions
- Slice the loaf, including crust, into 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes. For a rustic look, tear the bread by hand.
To dry bread cubes on the counter:
- On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the bread cubes in a single layer and cover with a dry kitchen towel. Dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
To dry bread cubes in the oven:
- On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the bread cubes in a single layer. Bake at 300 degrees until dry, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Notes
- Bread: You can use almost any type of high-quality bread: unsliced French or Italian bread, sturdy sandwich loaf, brioche, challah, or even corn bread. Avoid overly-soft or fluffy white sandwich loaves.
- Yield: A 1-pound bread loaf makes about 10 cups of bread cubes, enough for a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish of stuffing, or 10 to 12 servings (assume 1 cup stuffing per person).
What temperature should the cubes be baked at to dry them??
Hi Belinda, so sorry about that! You can bake them at 300 degrees until dry, about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the cubes. – Meggan
Hi! I only have Udi’s gluten free soft white sandwich bread. Couldn’t use the heartier gluten free bread because of a sesame allergy. Can I still bake the bread cubes in the oven and dry them out like you directed? Will it still turn out ok for stuffing?
I also don’t know how many cups of unbaked bread cubes I need to feed 20 people??
Thanks!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Hi Sonia! Thank you so much for writing. You absolutely can bake them to dry them out, use a 300-degree oven and bake about 30 minutes, just watch the baking time since it will depend on how large ro small the cubes are. I would estimate you’ll need about two loaves of bread for twenty people. I recently wrote a recipe specifically for gluten-free bread, although I used the Udi’s multigrain bread, I hope you find it helpful, too: https://cash-surge.live/gluten-free-stuffing/%3C/a%3E. Please write if you have anymore questions! Happy Thanksgiving! – Meggan
Thank you. Huge time saver in a pinch
You’re so welcome, Milo! Take care! – Meggan
I dried them on the counter for 4 days but don’t need them for 2 more days can I keep them in a zip lock bag without freezing them for 2 days? Please advise. Thanks
Hi Susan, I would suggest freezing them at this point, since it’s been 4 days. They might be good in 2 more days, but I would be worried about them becoming moldy. – Meggan
I made a yogurt wheat bread and cut it up as your recipe said. I’ve baked it just as your recipe said but let it cool in the oven with the oven off for three hours. After removing from the oven let cool further and bagged the cubes releasing all the air from the bag and popped it in the freezer for years and two weeks for Thanksgiving. Undoubtedly this will be a healthier bread stuffing recipe snd much more cost effective as well. Grateful for your post -happy holidays! Viv
Happy holidays, too! Hope your stuffing is delicious!
I’d like to make these well in advance of Thanksgiving. How can I keep them longer than four days?
Hi Cammy, I’ve placed the cooled cubes into freezer-safe zip-top bags, removed as much air as I can, and freeze for up to two months. Hope this helps you prepare for Thanksgiving! Take care! – Meggan