Cowboy Christmas Breakfast has been a Christmas morning tradition in the Foster Family for decades. Eggs, sausage, cheese and rolls are the main ingredients. The result is an easy-to-make dish that tastes more like a savory bread pudding than a breakfast casserole!
Breakfast casserole is our go-to on Christmas morning – a combination of savory breakfast ingredients that are easily prepped a day before and waiting to pop in the oven when the gift giving begins!
This breakfast casserole is a delicious combination of sausage, onion, cheese, and eggs. It pairs perfectly with Sheri’s Super Simple Salsa, fruit, and Berry Merry Coffeecake. It’s so easy to put together breakfast the day before Christmas! Assembling the casserole is the perfect task for guests hanging out at home while you’re out doing last minute errands…
A Christmas Memory
As a little girl, I looked forward to helping my mother decorate for Christmas each year. My favorite decoration was the nativity. I loved putting all of the figures in place, finally placing the angel (with the “Gloria” banner across her chest) on top of the manger. The nativity was always set up on the fireplace. It survived years of my brother and me playing with the pieces. One year, the angel was somehow lost, so we packed up the nativity without our little angel. A few months later, while Dad was cleaning ashes out of the fireplace, he scooped up our little (now soot covered) angel! We wiped her off, and she was reunited with the nativity once again.
I read a story in a book entitled A Christ Centered Christmas, by Emily Freeman. The story is about a young mother who sets up a nativity in the living room and each day tells her little boy Caleb not to touch “Mommy’s manger.” Day after day she finds the figures in disarray, and finally asks her little boy why he keeps rearranging the figures. Caleb responds, “Because they can’t see Jesus.”
I love what the author writes next:
The mother looks at the nativity and sees that there was some order to the arrangement by her son. His little hands had placed every figure in a circle around the most important piece in the set, the baby in the manger. Crowded into the stable, each had a perfect view of the baby. Everyone could see Jesus.
I loved this little story and have thought all year about arranging my life so I can focus less on the world and more on the Savior.
Thanks to each of you who teach me each day about Christlike love and the wonderful gift we celebrate this time of year.
Merry Christmas!
xo,
Si
THIS RECIPE WAS originally POSTED December 2011 and HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH NEW PHOTOS AND CONTENT.
Cowboy Christmas Breakfast
Ingredients
- 8-10 soft white dinner rolls, split in half and buttered on the inside (any type works: Costco, homemade, etc.)
- 4-6 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds sausage (Italian or spicy)
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or chopped
- 2-3 cups grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a combo)
- 10 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground pepper
Instructions
- The night before serving, grease a 9×13-inch pan. Split rolls; lightly butter each half. Place rolls in the prepared pan, buttered side up.
- Brown sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease from the skillet. Remove sausage to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Add onions to the skillet and cook on medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Evenly distribute the sausage, onions, and garlic on top of the rolls. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- In a large bowl or blender, combine eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Pour this mixture over the rolls in the pan. Cover with foil that has been buttered on the bottom side.
- Store overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rack in the center of the oven.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then carefully remove foil and continue baking until the top is slightly puffed and the custard is set in the center, about 30 minutes more.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into 12 squares and serve immediately.
Equipment
- 1 9×13-inch pan
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Brooke
Best Christmas breakfast casserole ever. Period.
Si Foster
Brooke,
This is such a kind response! It is one of our favorites!
Happy Holidays!
XO,
Si
Cindy
Awesome! The ease of putting it together the night before combined with the outcome of a nice rich custard and great taste. I will try adding red pepper and either chives or green onions just for some color.
Always like the story behind the recipe. Thanks.
Anonymous
I love this story and I love this dish! Love you mother.
carolina
Great story! That's exactly the same configuration as my nativity set, thanks to my 7 year old (who also gave the same explanation). I love it and agree with his logic, so it stays that way. 🙂