Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches – Ham, Egg, Cheese

Ham and cheese make-ahead breakfast sandwiches will get you going in the morning.  Grab from the freezer, heat and then relax…….or go.  You just saved yourself 10 minutes of driving to fast food and sitting in line with an aggravating attitude.  Or skipping breakfast, I’m looking at you.  With breakfast meal prep there’s no reason not to eat a healthy breakfast.

My whole family loves these ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches.  For one, they love the convenience of always having a breakfast choice around.  Two, the breakfast sandwiches taste great.  They sit in the freezer with frozen blueberry pancakes, sausage egg casserole bites, banana muffins, blueberry muffin tops and more.

These ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches remind me of similar biscuits from The Flying Biscuit Restaurant, maybe not quite as incredible as their freshly made biscuits. But for an on-the-go breakfast these do just fine, actually better than fine, they are great.

It’s also a very versatile recipe.  Add sautéed vegetables or different kinds of cheeses.  Use up what you have in the salad drawer………..well maybe not lettuce, but you get the idea.

How To Make Ham and Cheese Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

If you include the cooking time, these take 30 minutes.  But if you look at the hands on time, they are a quick and easy recipe.  And if you pull from the refrigerator or freezer you are talking a minute or two.

Use refrigerated biscuits, I typically use Pillsbury, and get them cooking right away.  While the biscuits are cooking get the eggs prepared.

Remove the ham and cheese from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.

Butter or spray the baking pan. with non-stick spray like Pam. I use butter by putting a small pat on a paper towel and rubbing the butter all over. Don’t forget the corners.

Crack 12 eggs (or 15 if you like thicker, taller eggs) in a bowl, add cream, salt and pepper, whip with a fork.  Add to the oven with the biscuits and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the eggs are set.

If you’ll be freezing these make-ahead breakfast sandwiches, then err on the side of undercooked eggs versus overcooked.  They’ll finish cooking in the microwave when you reheat the biscuits.

Butter or use non-stick spray on a 9” X 12” pan.  If you use a baking sheet you’ll get more circles out of it.  Personally, I’m not skilled enough to use a baking tray.  Meaning with the short sides I would spill the egg all over the place.  So using a “brownie” pan is safer for me.

If you use the “brownie” pan then you’ll only get 6 circles.  Then I use the leftover eggs and put them on the biscuits like a jigsaw puzzle.  So those biscuits aren’t as pretty but they sure do taste just as good.

How To Assemble And Meal Prep Our Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches With Ham And Cheese

Now that the biscuits and the eggs are cooked, you’re ready to assemble the ham and cheese make-ahead breakfast sandwiches.

Optional:  Spread the biscuits with butter on both halves.  This isn’t necessary, but it does add an extra buttery taste to the sandwiches.

Cut the cooked eggs with a round cookie cutter the size of the biscuits.  I use a 3” cutter.  If you don’t own one of the cookie cutters you’ll be amazed at how many uses they have. 

You can also use a jar lid.  One’s from a mason jar work well because they have the hollow center which makes the eggs release better.

Or just cut the eggs into squares.  They just won’t fit quite as nice as circles.

Top the biscuits with eggs, piece of cheese and a folded piece of ham.  If you want to get really decadent add cooked bacon too.  Ham it up!

How To Store Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches With Ham And Cheese

Store the ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches in the refrigerator up to 3 days.  That way you can just microwave for 30 seconds to a minute and run out the door.  Or do yourself a favor and take 5 minutes to sit down, enjoy your coffee and breakfast and maybe even read the newspaper or listen to a podcast.

I like to wrap my breakfast sandwiches in parchment paper, see this post on How To Wrap A Sandwich the Deli Way.  Or wrap them in plastic wrap, a foil bag, in a lidded container or in a baggie.  The main thing is to keep air away from the biscuit as much as possible to keep it from getting stale.

What puts the “Make-Ahead” in our Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches is that they freeze beautifully.

How To Freeze Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

Ideally you wrap the breakfast sandwiches in parchment paper, then store in a freezer baggie.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  You can freeze longer, but the texture may start to degrade or ice crystals might form.

I like the parchment paper because it keeps the sandwiches intact in the freezer and you can reheat in the wrapper.  It’s truly a grab and go breakfast.  The wrapper also keeps the sandwich in tact while walking or driving.

You can also place the biscuits directly in the freezer bag.  Squeeze as much air out when closing.  Then when you are ready to reheat, put the ham and cheese breakfast sandwich on a paper towel and reheat for 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave.  Sometimes you need the longer time to heat all the way through.

If you are reheating several biscuits then put in the oven at 350, covered with foil, for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.  This is the ideal method. But come on, if you are only reheating one or two biscuits the microwave just makes sense.

How To Make The Biscuits Shiny And Golden

The biscuits will come out golden no matter what.  But if you want to add that final touch to make them irresistible, then brush the biscuits with an egg wash.

Mix an egg with about a Tablespoon of water and stir.  Brush on the biscuits just before putting in the oven.

See the picture above.  The biscuits on the left have egg wash on them and the biscuits on the right do not. Mainly for appearance and nothing else.

Ingredient Substitutions or Additions

Biscuits – Use English muffins or your favorite bread.  It’s not necessary to toast them beforehand but I like it better.  Your choice.

Eggs – You can add whatever you like in your favorite omelet, think sautéed vegetables, cheese, cubes of ham, diced tomatoes, the list goes on.

Cream – you can just use water.  Cream adds an extra richness to the eggs.

Ham – Substitute cooked bacon, any deli meat, Canadian bacon, cooked chicken or a vegi burger.

Cheddar cheese – American melts well.  Any cheese will work.  Cream cheese is an easy one, or a soft Boursin herb cheese.  Brie will give an extra rich flavor but be careful because it comes with a lot of calories as well.  Whatever cheese you have in your refrigerator will work.

Toppings – When you remove the freezer breakfast sandwich you can customize to your liking. Add some cooked bacon, fresh spinach leaves, avocado, jalapeno (pickled or fresh), comeback sauce, guacamole or a fresh juicy tomato, you get the idea.

How To Take Ham and Cheese Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches On-The-Go

Wrap in parchment paper, a container or a baggie.  The make-ahead breakfast sandwiches travel well and can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.  If you have them frozen then the ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches should be fine until lunch time.  Yes, breakfast for lunch, it’s a great thing.

No need to reheat if there is no microwave.  I often eat room temperature food.  Obviously you don’t want to eat it frozen!