Soft, golden biscuit pieces, spicy sausage, gooey cheese and fluffy eggs, all soaked in a peppery country gravy and baked into one big Christmas breakfast casserole. It’s basically a sausage biscuit sandwich you can feed the whole family from one dish.
Here’s the thing about holiday mornings. Everyone’s hungry, there’s wrapping paper everywhere, and nobody wants to be stuck at the stove flipping eggs. This sausage, egg and cheese biscuit casserole fixes that. You layer everything in a 9×13 dish, pour over the eggs and the gravy, cover it and let the oven do the rest.
What comes out is properly hearty. The biscuits puff up and turn tender and bready, the sausage gives a little kick, and the gravy seeps into every layer so each bite is rich and savoury. The cheese melts into gooey pockets all the way through.
It’s made for Christmas morning, but it’s just as good for weekend brunch, a crowd of overnight guests, or a big breakfast-for-dinner night. And yes, you can put it together the night before.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- Feeds a crowd: one 9×13 dish gives you 9 generous servings.
- Short ingredient list: canned biscuits, sausage, cheese, eggs, milk and a packet of gravy mix.
- No stirring, no fuss: it’s all layered straight into the dish, then baked.
- Make-ahead friendly: assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning.
- Biscuits and gravy built in: the gravy bakes right into the casserole, so every slice tastes like a Southern breakfast.
- Easy to customise: swap the meat, change the cheese or add veggies.
Ingredient Notes & Easy Substitutions
Jumbo buttermilk biscuits – These are the base of the casserole. Cut into small pieces, they bake up soft and bready and soak up the egg and gravy. If you can’t find jumbo biscuits, two 7.5 oz tubes of regular refrigerated biscuits work. Use just enough to cover the bottom of the dish without packing it in.
Hot sausage – Brings the flavour and a bit of heat. Cook and crumble it before it goes in. Mild sausage works if you prefer less spice, and bacon or ham can be used instead.
Colby and Monterey Jack cheese – Both melt beautifully. Feel free to use whatever shredded cheese your family likes best.
Eggs and milk – Whisked together, they set around the biscuits and hold the whole thing together.
Country sausage gravy mix – This is the secret weapon. Whisked with water (or milk for a richer gravy), it bakes into the casserole and gives you that biscuits-and-gravy flavour without making gravy from scratch.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making This Breakfast Casserole
1. Get the dish ready
Heat the oven to 350°F and give a 9×13 dish a good coating of cooking spray, so the biscuits don’t stick.
2. Cut and layer the biscuits
Cut each biscuit into eighths and spread the pieces in a single layer across the bottom of the dish. Smaller pieces cook through more evenly and soak up more of the egg and gravy.
3. Add the sausage and cheese
Scatter the cooked sausage over the biscuits, then sprinkle the cheese over the top. Try to spread both out evenly so every square gets its fair share.
4. Pour over the eggs
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper for a couple of minutes until well combined, then pour it all over the cheese. Don’t stir! The layers do their thing in the oven.
5. Pour over the gravy
Whisk the gravy mix with the water (or milk) until smooth and pour it over the egg layer. Again, no stirring.
6. Cover and bake
Cover the dish with foil and bake on the middle rack for 45 to 55 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through. Check the middle. If it’s still doughy, pull off the foil and give it a bit longer until it’s done. Then slice and serve.
Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Cooking spray
- Aluminum foil
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 16 oz can jumbo buttermilk biscuits see Note 1
- 1 lb hot sausage cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt and pepper a pinch of each, to taste
- 2.75 oz packet country sausage gravy mix plus extra prepared gravy for serving, optional
- 2 cups water or milk
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut every biscuit into 8 pieces.
- Spread the biscuit pieces over the bottom of the dish in one even layer.
- Scatter the cooked, crumbled sausage over the biscuits.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the sausage.
- Whisk the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper for 2 minutes. Pour it evenly over the cheese, without stirring.
- In another bowl, whisk the gravy mix with the water (or milk) until smooth. Pour it over the egg layer, again without stirring.
- Cover with foil and bake on the middle rack for 45 to 55 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through. If the centre is still doughy, take the foil off and keep baking until it is no longer doughy.
- Cut into squares and serve, with extra gravy on the side if you like.
Notes
- Biscuits: No jumbo biscuits? Use two 7.5 oz tubes of regular refrigerated biscuits, just enough to cover the base of the dish without overfilling it.
- Swaps: Add green peppers and onions (sauté them first so they soften), or use bacon or ham instead of sausage. Any cheese your family likes works.
- Make ahead: Assemble the night before, cover and refrigerate, then bake in the morning. It will need extra baking time because it goes in cold, so check the biscuits are cooked through.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition: Estimated per serving from the ingredients, without the extra gravy for serving.
Nutrition
Tips for the Best Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit Casserole
- Cook the sausage first: raw sausage won’t cook through properly in the casserole, so brown and crumble it before layering.
- Keep the biscuits in one layer: stacking them up makes the centre slow to cook.
- Whisk the eggs well: a full 2 minutes gives you a smooth, even egg layer.
- Resist stirring: pouring the eggs and gravy over in layers keeps the texture right.
- Check the centre: the biscuits in the middle are the last to cook, so that’s where to look for doneness.
- Bake on the middle rack: it helps the casserole cook evenly from top to bottom.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overfilling the dish with biscuits: too many pieces and the middle stays doughy. Use just enough to cover the base.
- Taking it out too soon: if the biscuits are still doughy inside, uncover it and bake a little longer.
- Stirring the layers together: pour the egg and gravy over the top and leave them be.
- Skipping the cooking spray: biscuits love to stick. Grease the dish well.
- Not adding time for a cold casserole: if you assembled it the night before, it’ll need longer in the oven, so check it carefully.
Easy Ways to Change It Up
The recipe card is the classic version. These are optional ideas:
- Add veggies: sautéed green peppers and onions are great layered in with the sausage.
- Swap the meat: use cooked bacon or diced ham instead of sausage.
- Change the cheese: cheddar or pepper jack both work well.
- Make it milder: use mild breakfast sausage instead of hot.
- Richer gravy: whisk the gravy mix with milk instead of water.
How to Serve This Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Serve it warm, cut into squares, with extra gravy on the side for anyone who wants more. Fresh fruit, a simple fruit salad or orange juice balance out the richness nicely. Add a pot of coffee and you’ve got a full holiday breakfast spread.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make ahead: assemble the casserole the night before, cover and refrigerate. Bake it the next morning, allowing extra time because it’s going in cold.
- Fridge: store leftovers covered for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: warm individual squares until heated through. The oven keeps the biscuits from going soggy better than the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this breakfast casserole the night before?
Yes. Assemble it, cover it and keep it in the fridge overnight. It needs extra baking time in the morning since it starts cold, so check that the biscuits in the middle are cooked through.
What if I can’t find jumbo biscuits?
Use two 7.5 oz tubes of regular refrigerated biscuits. Add just enough to cover the bottom of the dish without overcrowding it.
Can I use bacon or ham instead of sausage?
Absolutely. Cooked bacon or diced ham both work in place of the sausage.
How do I know when the casserole is done?
The biscuits should be cooked through, with no doughy centre. If the middle is still doughy after 45 to 55 minutes, remove the foil and bake a little longer.
How long do leftovers last?
Covered in the fridge, up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you want a Christmas breakfast that feels special without keeping you in the kitchen, this is it. Tender biscuits, spicy sausage, melty cheese and that savoury gravy all in one dish.
Put it together the night before, slide it into the oven in the morning, and enjoy the presents while it bakes.
