Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. If your bread cubes are not completely stale, spread them out onto the pan first and toast at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes until bone-dry to the core, then transfer them to an extra-large mixing bowl to cool completely.

Melt the 1 cup of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the fat is hot and bubbling but not browning, drop in the finely diced celery and yellow onion, along with the fresh parsley, sage, and thyme.

Sauté the vegetables and herbs for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions and celery soften slightly and release an intense, aromatic holiday fragrance. Stir the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and a half-teaspoon of black pepper directly into the hot vegetable fat, then remove the skillet from the heat source.

Pour the warm herbed vegetable butter directly over the cooled dry bread cubes in your large mixing bowl. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the cubes from the bottom up until every single piece of bread is completely glossed in melted butter; stir carefully to avoid mashing or tearing the bread cells into a gummy paste.

In a separate small bowl, vigorously whisk together the ¾ cup of chicken broth and 3 large eggs until completely frothy, smooth, and unified.

Pour the liquid egg wash evenly across the buttered bread cubes, tossing gently once more. Let the bowl sit undisturbed on the counter for 3 to 5 minutes so the dry bread cells can slowly drink up the moisture baseline and tighten up into a cohesive, workable mixture.

Use a 3-tablespoon cookie dough scoop or your clean hands to portion out the stuffing. Press the mixture firmly between your palms, rolling it into compact, uniform 2-inch balls (roughly the size of golf balls) to ensure the structure holds together without fragmenting.

Arrange the stuffing balls on your prepared parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving at least a half-inch of space between each sphere so the hot ambient air can circulate uniformly around them.

Bake uncovered at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch closely and pull the pan the exact moment the exterior edges turn a deep, shaggy mahogany golden-brown and crisp up. Let the stuffing balls rest flat on the hot pan for 5 minutes to allow the internal egg proteins to stabilize and set completely before transferring to a platter to serve alongside warm gravy.