Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This Christmas breakfast casserole recipe is the ultimate easy breakfast to make for the holidays. It combines perfectly cooked sausage, light and chewy bits of bread, creamy fluffy eggs, and melty cheddar cheese to make a breakfast casserole recipe that's to die for. So, whether you're looking for the perfect Christmas brunch to share with family and friends, or you just want an effortless Christmas morning breakfast to make, this casserole is the answer! It's delicious alone, and even better served with these Reindeer Pancakes!

Why You'll Love This Christmas Breakfast Casserole

I’ll be honest, my favorite part of Christmas morning is not the presents, it is the breakfast. This Christmas breakfast casseroles has become “the one” in our house. Out of all the breakfast casseroles on the blog, this is the one my wife and I come back to every year, because it feels like a complete holiday breakfast in one dish. The browned breakfast sausage brings that salty, savory flavor, the bread soaks up a rich, creamy egg mixture, and the melty cheese ties everything together so every bite tastes cozy and comforting. It's seriously delicious, just look at what this reader said about it:

Tested this out and it was excellent. I will actually be making it Christmas morning. -Danielle

It's also incredibly simple to make, which matters a lot when you are juggling a busy December. There are just a few straightforward steps: brown the sausage, mix everything in a bowl, transfer to a dish, and bake. You don't need any special equipment or advanced cooking skills, and the ingredients are all easy to find. The result looks and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did, which is exactly what you want for a holiday breakfast.

One of the biggest reasons this is such a good Christmas morning casserole is that it is truly make-ahead friendly. You can assemble the whole thing on Christmas Eve, cover the dish, and refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, all you have to do is pop it in the oven and let it bake while you make coffee, a gingerbread latte , or a peppermint mocha frappuccino. By the time everyone is up and moving, breakfast is hot, bubbly, and ready to serve with almost no morning work.

It also pairs really well with other breakfast casseroles if you are feeding a crowd. You can serve this savory sausage and egg casserole alongside something sweet like a French toast casserole, or add a Mexican breakfast casserole for variety. However you build your spread, this Christmas breakfast casserole is the reliable, comforting base that makes the whole meal feel special.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. (500g) ground pork sausages, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices bread, toasted and broken into pieces
• 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

If you have these ingredients, you have everything you need to make this overnight egg casserole. It's similar to this recipe, but you make the casserole ahead of time and chill it in the fridge overnight.

If you want a casserole like this one but with crescent roll dough instead of bread, check out this crescent roll breakfast casserole. And if you love bacon, you have to make this breakfast casserole with bacon.

How To Make Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Step 1: Cook The Sausage

First, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F (180 °C). Then, use a large nonstick skillet and cook the sausages for a couple of minutes, breaking them up as they cook until browned on all sides.

Step 2: Build The Casserole

Now that the sausage is ready, it's time to bring in the rest of the ingredients. To do that, take out a large bowl and add the eggs, half-and-half, and a little salt and pepper, then whisk to combine. Then add the cooked sausages, bread pieces, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl and mix with a spatula. Once the bread is coated in the egg mixture, transfer the casserole ingredients to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Step 3: Bake The Casserole

Place the casserole in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown. Derve it on its own or with McDonald's breakfast sauce, and enjoy it!

Expert Tips For The Best Christmas Breakfast Casserole

• Choose the right bread for structure and flavor. Sturdier bread works best for breakfast casseroles. Day-old French bread, sourdough, brioche, or a hearty white sandwich loaf all soak up the egg mixture without turning mushy. Slightly stale bread is ideal because it absorbs more custard and helps the casserole set with a soft, custardy center and defined pieces rather than a soggy base.
• Cook and drain the sausage well. Take the time to brown the sausage thoroughly in the skillet, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks. Browning develops flavor and removes excess moisture. Once the sausage is cooked, drain off any extra grease. Too much fat left in the pan can make the casserole greasy and prevent it from setting properly.
• Season the egg mixture, not just the sausage. Salt and pepper the egg and half-and-half mixture before you add the sausage and bread. This ensures the seasoning is distributed throughout the casserole. You can also add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, or dried herbs if you want more flavor.
• Use half-and-half for a richer, custardy texture. Half-and-half gives you a richer, creamier egg custard than milk alone, which makes the casserole feel special for Christmas morning. If you want it lighter, you can use whole milk, but the texture will be slightly less decadent. Avoid using only heavy cream, which can make the casserole too dense.
• Mix gently so the bread holds some structure. When you combine the sausage, bread, cheese, and egg mixture, stir until everything is coated, but do not mash it. You want the bread cubes to stay mostly intact so the casserole has a nice texture with pockets of bread and sausage rather than a uniform mush.
• Let it sit if you can, especially for make-ahead. If you are making this casserole ahead, cover the dish and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight. This gives the bread time to fully soak up the egg mixture so the casserole bakes more evenly and slices cleanly. Even if you bake it right away, letting it sit for 15–20 minutes before going into the oven helps the custard absorb.
• Bake until the center is just set. The casserole is done when the cheese is melted and bubbly and the egg mixture in the center is set. Gently shake the pan or insert a knife in the middle; it should come out mostly clean, with no wet liquid. Overbaking can make the casserole dry, so start checking around the 25-minute mark, especially if your oven runs hot.
• Let it rest before serving. Once you take the casserole out of the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the custard to firm up slightly, making it easier to cut into neat squares and keeping each portion from falling apart when you serve it.
• Add vegetables or extras the right way. If you plan to add vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms, sauté them first to remove excess moisture before mixing them into the casserole. This prevents excess liquid from making the dish soggy. You can also add cooked bacon, ham, or different cheeses for more variety, but keep the total amount of add-ins reasonable so the egg mixture can still bind everything together.
• Double the recipe for a crowd. If you're feeding a big group on Christmas morning, you can double the recipe and bake it in a larger casserole dish. The bake time may increase slightly, so keep an eye on the center and use the same visual cues to check doneness.

Christmas Breakfast Casserole FAQS

My Final Thoughts on This Breakfast Casserole Recipe For Christmas

Well, that's how to make a Christmas breakfast casserole your whole family will love! This effortless and crazy delicious recipe really is the best way to start Christmas day. It has everything you'd want in a complete breakfast, and kids and adults love this, so everyone will be happy on Christmas morning!

Anyway, I hope you love it as much as I/we do. As always, if you try this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it went. Oh, and if you're looking for a casserole to serve for dinner, this chicken pot pie casserole has Christmas written all over it. 

More Holiday Recipes

This casserole recipe is, of course, perfect for breakfast. But if you're looking for some desserts you can make during the holiday season, we have some pretty delicious ones to try out! Here are some of our favorites:

• Brioche French toast casserole
• Christmas crack
• Christmas cookie fudge
• Peppermint brownies
• Fantasy fudge 
• No bake Christmas cookies

Also, for more tasty recipes, don't forget to follow us on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. We post new ones on them every single day.