Pancake Bacon Casserole
Pancake Bacon Casserole layers everything you love about breakfast into one easy dish, with a fluffy pancake base, melted cheddar, and crispy crumbled bacon on top. It’s the perfect sweet and savory combo for a lazy weekend brunch or a holiday breakfast, and it feeds a crowd with almost no effort. Make ahead and freezer friendly too. Made with pantry staples, it comes together in about 40 minutes and serves 8.
Breakfast is the best meal of the day, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. The only problem is making pancakes and bacon and eggs all at once while everyone’s staring at you, hungry.
No one likes that kind of pressure, certainly not in the morning before the coffee has kicked in.
You just combine in one dish and let the oven do the work.
It’s got a fluffy pancake base, gooey melted cheese, and crispy bacon on top, which means every bite hits that sweet and savory combination that makes breakfast so good. It feeds a crowd, the pickiest eaters go for it, and it comes together with barely any effort. Pair it with sausage links and some fruit and you’ve got a full spread.
Best of all, it’s make ahead and freezer friendly, which makes it a holiday morning lifesaver. If breakfast is your favorite meal too, I have a few more recipes you will love.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole – hearty creamy breakfast style biscuit bake
- French Toast Casserole – make ahead overnight sweet breakfast bake
- Mini Pancake Skewers – fun grab and go breakfast on a stick
- Breakfast Bundt Cake – sweet pull apart breakfast cake for a crowd
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Pancake Mix – Bisquick is my go to, and the buttermilk flavor is especially good. Homemade pancake mix works, and waffle mix subs in a pinch since they’re basically the same.
Bacon – Cooked and crispy, then crumbled on top. Crisp it well so it doesn’t get soft in the oven. Turkey bacon works if you prefer, but let’s be honest, regular bacon rules!
Cheddar – I know you don’t think cheese and pancakes go together but the sweet and savory really works. Cheddar cheese tastes the best in my opinion. Grate it yourself so it melts better.
Syrup – Use your favorite syrup, I love the butter flavored syrup, but any will work. My husband likes the real maple syrup from Costco, molasses, or that old fashioned cane syrup. But they do change the flavor a bit.
Eggs – Use regular, large size, eggs to help the pancake batter hold together and fluff up nice and light.
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How To Make Pancake Bacon Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the Bisquick, milk, syrup, eggs, and sugar. Stir to mix.
- Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and top with the crumbled bacon and remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve warm with maple syrup.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through. If reheating in the oven, cover with foil so the top doesn’t dry out.
Make Ahead: Whip up the batter, pour it into the dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature, then bake as usual.
Freezer: One of my most popular features of this recipe is the fact that freezing it ahead of time, saves me most weekends. Bake it, cool it completely, wrap it in plastic and foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before warming through.
Bacon Tip: Crisp the bacon well before adding it so it stays crunchy instead of going soft in the casserole. Plus, you don’t want it to drip excess grease into the pancake layer.
Variations
Different Topping: Swap the topping of cheese for crispy hash browns if you can’t have cheese or want to mix it up. Crisp them in the air fryer, or pan fry them first.
Sweeter: Serve with extra maple syrup, or a drizzle of honey. My husband loves that old fashioned cane syrup. It’s a bit strong for me but it does have a following!
Different Meat: Use turkey bacon, or add breakfast cooked sausage crumbles.
Cast Iron: Bake it in a cast iron skillet for a crispy bottom. Just make sure you have one big enough or break it into two skillets.
Add Fruit: Top with fresh berries or sliced strawberries (or some of this homemade strawberry sauce) for a sweeter touch. I love doing this for brunch along with these chocolate chocolate chip pancakes and air fryer eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Whip up the batter, pour it into the dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature before baking as usual.
Absolutely, and it’s one of the reasons this recipe is so popular. Bake, cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Yes. Waffle mix and pancake mix are basically the same, so it works great in a pinch.
Crisp it well before adding it to the casserole, cooking it a few minutes past the package directions. It goes on top near the end so it stays crunchy.
Yes. Swap the cheese for crispy hash browns, for a different but delicious topping.
Breakfast sausage or patties, air fryer eggs, fresh fruit, and a cold glass of iced tea round it out into a full brunch spread.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Crisp the bacon well before adding it so it stays crunchy in the casserole.
- Use a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish for a crispy bottom.
- Serve with extra maple syrup or honey for more sweetness.
- Add the top cheese in the last few minutes so it melts without overcooking.
This Pancake Bacon Casserole recipe is fluffy, cheesy, and everything you love about breakfast in one dish. Make it for your next lazy weekend brunch or holiday morning and watch it disappear!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Pancake Bacon Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups Bisquick pancake mix
- 3 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pound bacon cooked, crumbled
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoons syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9×13 pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the bisquick, milk, syrup, eggs, and sugar. Stir to mix.
- Add 1 cup of cheese and stir to combine.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven.
- Top with crumbled bacon and remaining cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Notes
- Crisp the bacon well before adding it so it stays crunchy in the casserole.
- Use a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish for a crispy bottom.
- Serve with extra maple syrup or honey for more sweetness.
- Add the top cheese in the last few minutes so it melts without overcooking.
Nutrition
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