Start your day with a warm, hearty breakfast that practically cooks itself! This Crockpot Breakfast Casserole is loaded with layers of eggs, cheese, hash browns, and savory sausage, making it the perfect morning meal for family gatherings, holiday breakfasts, or lazy weekend brunches.
Just throw everything in the crockpot, set it overnight, and wake up to a delicious, comforting breakfast that’s ready when you are. It’s an easy, no-fuss recipe that will feed a crowd!
First published December 7, 2022. Last updated November 6, 2024, for editorial improvements and more tips.
Table of Contents
- ...absolutely the best crockpot breakfast meal I’ve made...
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat a Crockpot breakfast casserole
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- Everyone raved...
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- I love being able to start breakfast the night before - no clean up in the morning and breakfast is ready when I am!
- This easy casserole is perfect for the holidays, weekends, and anytime you have overnight guests.
- You can assemble it 12 hours ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to start the
slow cooker . Plus this is great for meal prep.
Crockpot recipes are great on busy mornings, but they're even better for Christmas morning breakfast.
This overnight crockpot breakfast casserole handles all the cooking time for you, so you won't miss a festive minute of the whole family gathering around the tree.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
Slow cooker breakfast recipes are easy to adapt, so you can make something your entire family will love! Here are some ideas:
- I prefer to use regular sausage, but for a hearty breakfast that's just a touch lighter on the calories, swap in some turkey sausage.
- Some people like to use frozen tater tots instead of shredded potatoes.
- No Pepper Jack? Monterey Jack is good in this breakfast Christmas casserole, too.
- Add a can of diced green chiles to the green peppers mixture for spice!
- Garnish with green onions or parsley for a delicious herbal flavor.
- Don't forget your favorite toppings. Serve with hot sauce, pico de Gallo, a scoop of sour cream, ketchup, or even some maple syrup for a sweet touch.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
Place ⅓ of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot.
Spoon ⅓ of the sausage, red and green bell peppers, and diced yellow onions on top of the potatoes.
Top with cheese, repeat layers twice, and pour egg mixture over top.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
I will often switch Pepper Jack for the Monterey Jack cheese and stir in a handful of chopped cilantro to give it more of a Tex-Mex flavor.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
As an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat a Crockpot breakfast casserole
This crockpot breakfast casserole recipe usually doesn't often yield any leftovers. The delicious smells wafting out of the kitchen by 7 AM means everyone is ready to scarf down breakfast!
However, if you do have leftovers, spoon them into an airtight container. Like most egg bake recipes, the leftovers will last for about three days in the refrigerator.
Microwave individual servings until just warm for an easy breakfast, days after the festivities have ended.
This freezes well. Let the casserole cool then cut into serving sized squares. Freeze in individual freezer bags for a quick and easy breakfast.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Spray the crockpot well with nonstick cooking spray, because the cheese and potatoes tend to get all crispy around the edges. It's yummy but can stick if not greased well.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Use a
slow cooker liner if you prefer no clean-up at all. Just be careful not to cut the liner and accidentally serve it stuck to the bottom of your breakfast casserole! - Drain off the excess fat if you're browning the sausage yourself. Breakfast meat tends to have a lot of extra grease, and you don't need that in the casserole.
- Beating the eggs with a whisk is the key to fluffy eggs. Try to incorporate in as much air as possible.
- Want breakfast now? Prepare as directed, layering the ingredients into a large, oven-proof skillet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked all the way through.
- No
slow cooker ? Here are some options for when your slow cooker is out of commission.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
You can! Thankfully, there's a little bit of lee-way when it comes to eggs out of their shells. After prep, cover the crockpot dish with plastic wrap or the lid and put it in the fridge until later that night.
I don't love how this Crockpot Christmas casserole comes out when the crockpot cook time and temperature have been altered. However, see the Things to Know section to cook this recipe in a cast iron skillet, instead.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Grab diced onions and diced bell peppers in the produce section of your grocery store. You'll save 10 minutes of chopping time.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
Southern Fried Apples are a delicious side dish for just about any brunch! Cinnamony, buttery, and sweet.
Easy Christmas Danish are so pretty on the table! They're festive plus they're baked in the shape of a pull-apart Christmas tree! Or, try these fluffy sour cream cinnamon rolls.
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Here are five delicious ways to repurpose leftover crockpot breakfast casserole:
- Breakfast Burritos – Scoop portions of the casserole into tortillas, add some salsa, avocado, or extra cheese, and roll them up for quick breakfast burritos. Perfect for freezing and reheating, too!
- Hash Brown Bowl – Reheat a serving, then top with fresh ingredients like diced tomatoes, green onions, hot sauce, and a dollop of sour cream for a hearty breakfast bowl with extra flavor.
- Egg Muffins – Press spoonfuls of the casserole into a greased muffin tin, add a sprinkle of cheese on top, and bake until heated through. They’re easy to grab and go!
- Breakfast Quesadilla – Spread some casserole filling on a tortilla, add shredded cheese, then fold it in half and cook in a skillet until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melted. Great with a side of salsa!
- Loaded Breakfast Sandwich – Layer a slice of the casserole on a toasted English muffin or bagel, add some fresh spinach, and top with a slice of tomato or avocado for a filling breakfast sandwich.
These creative twists will help you enjoy every last bite!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
I love sitting around on Christmas morning, drinking a creamy coffee, and watching the kids & grandkids open presents. It's so much more fun than listening to all the commotion and laughter while I'm working away in the kitchen to get breakfast on the table!
This breakfast casserole might change your life. 🙂
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Crockpot Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 12 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 pounds hash brown potatoes
- 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage, cooked
- ½ cup onions, diced
- ½ cup bell peppers red & green , diced
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese , shredded from a block
- 1 ½ cups pepper jack cheese, shredded from a block
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, if you use regular table salt use half as much
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the crock with no-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix the two shredded cheeses together and set aside.
- Mix the cooked sausage, onions, and peppers and set aside.
- Beat the eggs until well blended.
- Whisk in milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Layer ⅓ of the potatoes in the bottom of the crock.
- Next sprinkle with ⅓ of the sausage mixture.
- Top with 1 cup of mixed cheese.
- Repeat 2 more times to have a total of 3 layers.
- End with cheese mixture.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
Notes
- Spray the crockpot well with nonstick cooking spray, because the cheese and potatoes tend to get all crispy around the edges. It's yummy but can stick if not greased well.
- Or, use a slow cooker liner if you prefer no clean-up at all. Just be careful not to cut the liner and accidentally serve it stuck to the bottom of your breakfast casserole!
- Drain off the excess fat if you're browning the sausage yourself. Breakfast meat tends to have a lot of extra grease, and you don't need that in the casserole.
- Want breakfast now? Prepare as directed, layering the ingredients into a large skillet. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked all the way through.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Don't lose this recipe!
Christmas Breakfast Casserole
Pin to your favorite Pinterest board to keep it handy.
Kelly Usrey says
We had the same experience. It smelled delicious so we were quite disappointed when it lacked flavor. I will not be making this one again, unfortunately.
Katie Rowland says
The casserole made a hearty, savory breakfast. The left-overs reheat well in the microwave. My only suggestion would be to decrease the hash brown potatoes to 1 pound instead of 2.
Ashley says
This wasn’t very good. Texture was weird, cheese got chewy, it all got watery in the bottom of the crockpot. Lacked flavor. My kids like egg bakes but wouldn’t eat this. Now have to choke down what we can of the leftovers, most will prob get thrown out. Going back to tried & true recipes in the future.
Shelley says
Made this for Christmas breakfast today- was great! Modified for my family, used two packages of sausage, used tator tots, omitted peppers, subbed onion powder for onions, used two 2 cup pkgs of shredded cheese and added an extra cup of milk as my vintage weather rectangular crockpot runs hot— even on heat/cook setting “1”. Was done nicely, (not soupy, even with the extra liquid). Everyone liked this.
Next time I might add 3-4 extra eggs.
Robyn says
I love all the ingredients in this recipe and prepared overnight for Christmas morning. I followed the recipe exactly, with some extra seasoning, and my family found it pretty bland. We had to season heavily to eat and the kids weren’t fans. I like crispy hash browns, which these definitely aren’t. I’m glad others enjoyed! It simply wasn’t our taste at all and the leftovers will not be eaten.
Richard Gamble says
I did not make this, yet, but have had variations of this recipe over the years. This one looks much better because it has peppers and you can almost never go wrong cooking things in the crock pot. But, I would definitely say to have 8 people over to eat it all while it's right out of the crock pot because the refrigerated leftovers are never quite as good as the fresh, hot meal.
Tedi says
I’m definitely making this for Christmas breakfast! Only question I have is are the hashbrowns frozen or thawed
Marye says
either way.
Judi Schafman says
Oh that looks sooo good. May try this on Christmas morning instead of my old recipe
Pam says
In our newspaper today, there were recipes to make breakfast casseroles that you refrigerate overnite. This one is better-it cooks while you're sleeping! I don't have
company for breakfast, but will have for "brunch" and this will be perfect!
Thanks
Pam says
Forgot the rating!
Lisa Ekiyor says
This is absolutely the best crockpot breakfast meal I’ve made yet !
I made this for my employees for a breakfast treat !! Easy and delicious I’ll be making it again for Christmas morning! Thank you ♥️🎄
Vicky Avens says
I believe this is one of the best crockpot breakfast! The layering is perfect. I am going to try the skillet next because I like crispy hash browns!
Laurie L Kearnes says
I've already bought all the ingredients and this is my plan for breakfast tomorrow. Thanks for an easy recipe for the busy morning.
Robin Frazier says
I love Breakfast casseroles for dinner. I think I'll use sweet Italia sausage and make it for dinner on the 26th.
Clay W Willingham says
This casserole has saved Christmas lunch many times, it's not only delicious but it makes the whole house smell so good! It's been requested by seven of the guests staying here for Christmas again. Sure makes my life simpler.
Janet Martin says
I've been looking for a great CHRISTmas breakfast casserole, and this Crockpot recipe will fit the bill perfectly! I like the addition of the Pepper Jack cheese, as l love a little spice in my food. I'm off to the grocery store so l can prepare this recipe this CHRISTmas morning!
Sue Turcsany says
Have made similar breakfast casseroles but always baked in the oven. Didn't really think that eggs would work well in the crockpot, but if you say it does, I'll give it a try---looks delicious and easy.
Sherri Rochester says
Cannot get any more simpler than this yummy sounding meal! Simple meals more time to spend enjoying your family!
Leslie says
I learned a breakfast casserole in th1980's, It has been my go-to. However, this recipe is much more flavorful. Your recipe will be my new go-to.