Easy Sausage Egg and Cheese Crescent Breakfast Bake Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before beginning, ensure your oven is preheated to 375°F (190°C) to ensure the dough rises properly and the eggs set without becoming rubbery. If your sausage was refrigerated, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.

Have your whisk and baking dish ready on the counter, and ensure you have enough space to spread the dough evenly across the bottom of the pan without tearing it too much.

Instructions

Assembling the Foundation

1. 1Prepare the base
   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Unroll the refrigerated crescent roll dough and press it into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9x13 inch ceramic baking dish, ensuring the seams are pinched together. Distribute the cooked sausage crumbles evenly over the surface of the dough.
   Look for The dough should form a uniform layer across the bottom of the baking dish.
   Tip Ensure the dough is pressed firmly into the corners of the dish for an even crust.

At the end of this phase, the dough should completely cover the bottom of the dish, and the sausage should be evenly distributed.

Ensure there are no large gaps in the dough so the egg mixture stays contained within the crust while it cooks.

Adding the Custard Layer

2. 2Add eggs and cheese
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined. Pour the egg mixture slowly and evenly over the sausage and dough base. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese generously over the top of the eggs to cover the dish completely.
   Look for The eggs should settle around the sausage crumbles without overflowing the dish.
   Tip Whisking thoroughly ensures the egg mixture sets uniformly during the baking process.

The egg and milk mixture should be poured slowly to avoid displacing the sausage. The cheese should be sprinkled uniformly over the surface, creating a complete layer that will melt into a golden crust once it enters the oven.

Baking to Perfection

3. 3Bake and serve
   Place the dish in the center of the oven. Bake for approximately 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the eggs have set. Check that the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for the eggs and ground meat. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing into neat squares.
   Look for The edges should be bubbling and the center firm to the touch.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Allowing the bake to rest makes it much easier to lift clean squares with a spatula.

The bake is ready when the kitchen smells like toasted pastry and savory meat. The edges will look crisp and browned, and the center should no longer jiggle when the dish is gently shaken, indicating that the eggs have fully set.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is failing to pinch the seams of the crescent dough together properly, which can allow the egg mixture to leak underneath and result in a soggy bottom.

Another error is overfilling the dish, which can cause it to overflow during baking. Ensure your dish is deep enough and that you do not add too much liquid, as the eggs should just cover the sausage and dough.

How to tell it’s done

The bake is finished when the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling throughout. The most reliable way to check for doneness is to insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bake.

It must reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C) to ensure the eggs and sausage are fully cooked and safe to consume.

• Ground meat: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part
• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part