Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches
Buttery, flaky croissants filled with a seasoned pan-fried sausage patty, a soft folded egg and melty sharp cheddar. Everything cooks in one skillet in about 20 minutes, and the sausage drippings add flavor to the eggs and the toasted croissants.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Wait
- 3 min
- Total
- 31 min
- Makes
- 4 sandwiches
Steps
Before you start
- Use bakery-style or large store-bought croissants, about 2.5 oz (70 g) each, that are a day old or fresh; very soft ones squash easily.
- Mix and shape the sausage patties first, then keep them chilled until the pan is hot so they hold their shape.
- Set out a plate lined with paper towels and a baking sheet to keep finished components warm.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) only if you want to hold components warm while you cook in batches.
Shape the patties
- If using, sprinkle the sage over the sausage in a bowl and gently mix with your hands just until combined.
- Divide into 4 equal portions (about 3 oz/85 g each).
- Press each into a 4-inch (10 cm) round about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, slightly wider than the croissant interior since patties shrink.
- Press a shallow dimple into the center of each.
- Refrigerate until the pan is ready.
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Ready when: Patties are even in thickness with smooth edges.
Tip: Don't overwork the meat or the patties will turn dense and rubbery.
Prep croissants and eggs
- Slice each croissant horizontally with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion, leaving the back edge attached.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, a small pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl for 30 seconds.
- Cut the butter into 4 pieces.
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Ready when: Eggs are a uniform pale yellow with no visible streaks of white.
Tip: Go easy on salt; the sausage and cheddar are already salty.
Brown the sausage
- Heat the skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the patties and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until deeply browned on the underside, then flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Check that the center reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Move the patties to the paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet and keep warm.
- Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat, leaving the browned bits.
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Ready when: Deep brown crust on both sides, juices run clear and the center reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Don't press the patties with a spatula; it squeezes out the juices.
Toast the croissants
- Wipe the pan if it is very dark.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and place croissants cut side down in the skillet, in batches if needed, for 45 to 60 seconds, until the cut surfaces are golden and lightly crisp.
- Set aside on the baking sheet, cut sides up.
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Ready when: Cut surfaces are golden and feel crisp when tapped.
Tip: Watch closely; croissants contain a lot of butter and scorch fast.
Cook the eggs
- Keep the heat at medium-low.
- Add one piece of butter to the pan (or into a greased 4-inch ring), swirl to coat, then pour in one quarter of the egg mixture (about 3 tbsp/50 ml).
- Cook 60 to 90 seconds until the edges set and the surface is mostly opaque.
- Fold the sides in to form a square about the size of the croissant, then flip and cook 20 seconds more.
- Slide onto the plate and repeat with remaining butter and eggs.
- Eggs should be fully set, with no liquid.
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Ready when: Egg is fully set, with no runny wet spots, and springs back lightly when pressed.
Tip: Low heat keeps the eggs tender instead of rubbery and browned.
Melt the cheese
- Lay a cheddar slice on each hot egg while it is still on the plate or in the pan, then cover with a lid or inverted bowl for 30 to 45 seconds until the cheese softens and begins to slump.
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Ready when: Cheese edges look glossy and slumped over the egg.
Assemble and serve
- Set a sausage patty on each croissant bottom, top with a cheesy egg, and close with the croissant top.
- Let rest 2 minutes so the layers meld, then serve warm.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted and the sandwich holds together when gently squeezed.
Tip: Serve right away; the croissant softens as it sits.
Good to know
Tips
- Use cold sausage and a medium pan, not a screaming-hot one, so patties brown without burning before they cook through.
- A 4-inch (10 cm) egg ring gives perfectly round eggs that fit the patty, but folding works just as well.
- Slice croissants while they are fully cooled; warm ones tear and crush.
- Make a double batch of patties and freeze the extras raw between parchment for quick mornings.
Make ahead
"Cook the sausage patties and eggs up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate separately in airtight containers. Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, and eggs in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, before assembling on freshly toasted croissants."
Storage & reheating
"Best eaten immediately. Assembled sandwiches keep wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Freeze wrapped sandwiches for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above, or from frozen for 20 to 25 minutes. Microwaving makes the croissant soft and chewy."
Substitutions
- bulk breakfast sausage (pork) → turkey or chicken breakfast sausage. Leaner, so add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan and cook to the same 160°F (71°C).
- sharp cheddar cheese → American, Colby Jack or Swiss cheese. American melts the smoothest; use the same amount.
- large croissants → English muffins or brioche buns. Toast them in the sausage fat; they hold up better if you plan to travel with the sandwiches.
- unsalted butter → neutral oil or reserved sausage fat. Use 1 teaspoon per egg.
