Cracker Barrel Ham and Egg Casserole: Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast
I stood in my kitchen one evening, staring sleepily at the clock while contemplating the house full of weekend guests who would be expecting breakfast the next morning. As someone who cherishes my morning sleep, waking up early to prepare a hot, hearty breakfast seemed nearly impossible. That’s when I remembered Cracker Barrel’s delicious Ham and Egg Casserole.
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Within minutes, I layered sourdough bread, whisked eggs, and sprinkled ham and cheese into a casserole dish. I slid it into the refrigerator with a smile, knowing that tomorrow’s breakfast was already handled. While still in my pajamas the next morning, I popped the casserole into the oven and brewed coffee. Thirty minutes later, as my guests gathered around the table, they were greeted by the irresistible aroma of a freshly baked breakfast casserole that tasted like our favorite restaurant version. This make-ahead miracle has become my secret weapon for stress-free morning hospitality.
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Why This Recipe Works
This copycat Cracker Barrel Ham and Egg Casserole succeeds brilliantly because it captures the comfort food essence of the restaurant while making breakfast preparation effortless. The genius of this recipe lies in its overnight preparation method, which allows the bread to fully absorb the egg mixture, creating a perfect custard-like texture when baked. The sourdough bread provides a subtle tang that balances the richness of the eggs and cheese, while the overnight rest ensures that every bite is moist and flavorful rather than dry or soggy. Using evaporated milk instead of regular milk gives the casserole additional richness and creaminess, elevating it beyond standard breakfast fare. The combination of country ham and cheddar cheese creates the perfect savory flavor profile, and the simplicity of the ingredient list means you can easily customize it based on what’s in your refrigerator. This recipe transforms morning cooking from a chore into a simple finishing step, making it perfect for busy households, weekend guests, or holiday mornings.
Ingredients
- Lean ham – Provides savory protein and classic breakfast flavor
- Sliced sourdough bread – Creates a sturdy, flavorful base for the casserole
- Eggs – Form the custard-like binding that holds everything together
- Evaporated milk – Adds rich creaminess without excess liquid
- Salt – Enhances all flavors in the casserole
- Ground black pepper – Provides subtle warmth and depth
- Shredded mild cheddar cheese – Creates melty pockets of cheesy goodness
How to Make Ham Egg and Cheese Casserole
- Spray a casserole dish with a non-stick spray and place sourdough bread on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Beat eggs.
- Add salt, pepper and evaporated milk to the eggs and mix thoroughly.
- Pour egg mixture over the bread.
- Sprinkle ham and cheese over the egg mixture and cover it with plastic wrap or a lid.
- Place the casserole in the refrigerator overnight or at least five hours.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes.
This ham egg and cheese breakfast casserole is the perfect make-ahead casserole to enjoy when you have company or over the weekend.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Cover leftover casserole tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer Storage: Wrap individual portions or the entire casserole tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality.
- Reheating Individual Portions: Microwave on 70% power for 1-2 minutes until heated through, or reheat in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Reheating Full Casserole: Cover with foil and heat in a 325°F oven for 20-25 minutes until warmed through. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp the top if desired.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Prepare all ingredients the night before as directed. For best results, don’t extend the soaking time beyond 24 hours.
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Copycat Cracker Barrel Ham and Egg Casserole
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup diced lean ham country cured is best
- 1 slice sourdough bread (remove crust and cut to fit the bottom of casserole dish)
- 5 beaten eggs you want 1 cup of eggs
- ¼ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a casserole dish with a non-stick spray and place sourdough bread on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Beat eggs in a medium bowl.
- Add salt, pepper, and evaporated milk to the eggs and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread.
- Sprinkle diced ham and shredded cheese over the egg mixture and cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
- Place the casserole in the refrigerator overnight or at least five hours.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, depending on the depth of the casserole dish. You will know this is completely done when you shake the dish slightly and the eggs do not wiggle.
Nutrition
Love Cracker Barrel breakfast? Check out these copycat recipes!
Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Bacon Egg Bites
- Ham and Cheese Egg Bites
- Homemade Oatmeal
- McDonalds McMuffin
- Sausage Burrito
- Skillet Baked Eggs
- Sprinkle Pancakes
- Wendys Breakfast Sandwich
- Whataburger Breakfast Sandwich
You can find many more easy breakfast recipes and copycat Cracker Barrel recipes here at CopyKat!
Could you add hash browns to this? If so how much and what other tweaks would you need to make.
Off the top of my head, I would think you would have to swap out the bread for the hashbrowns. I think this recipe could take a 2 pound bag of frozen hashbrowns.
As a former employee at C.B. I have made all their recipes. The key in this recipe is the C.B. sour dough bread. There is nothing like it. You just cut it into 1 Inch cubes, no need to cut crust off. The liquid is 2 parts egg to 1 part milk. I made these in quantity so I used 3/4 gallon of the egg mixture. Pour the liquid over the bread making sure it is all saturated. Add whatever kinds of meat or vegetable you like. Cover with shredded colby and bake. Make sure you spray the baking dish with oil.
I would love a recipe for popeyes ck
Thank you for your suggestion.
What is the pan size. You only use 1 slice of bread.. Can you use white or wheat bread.
I use a 1 quart sized baking dish.
In the restaurant, they use white bread. You can use either.
Great recipe but they don’t use white bread. I worked at CB. They use their sourdough bread. It makes a difference.
A sliced of bread? How big or thick of a slice, look like I would need 2 to 3 sliced of bread to cover a loaf pan. Or does it matter?
I used normal sandwich bread for this recipe.
That’s a long time to preheat the oven.
that,s what ithought
Kathy, my husband and I ate this nummy casserole at Cracker Barrel while traveling for Christmas. Because the taste and appearance were fresh in my mind, I knew right away what was missing. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of diced pimento and two-three thinly sliced green onions, with the ham, over the bread. When you whisk the eggs, use about 1/3 cup of heavy cream wrather than evaporated milk, AND add about a teaspoon of the juice from the pimento jar. Be certain to let the cassserole sit overnight, if using for breakfast, or for at least 8 hours during the day, if you are doing breakfast for dinner. Also, the waitress at Cracker Barrel advised they use cojack and cheddar cheeses in the casserole. I promise that if you follow the above additions, you will find that this tastes exactly like the Cracker Barrel recipe.
How does the bread go after cooking? hope not soggy.can you use ordinary bread and milk ? Ta
I made this according to the original recipe given, and it didn’t taste at all like the Cracker Barrel version. I tried it again with the modifications Miki suggested, and it turned out wonderful. I added the pimentos and added some of the pimento juice to the egg mixture. I used heavy cream instead of evaporated milk, and used a combination of cheddar/jack and colby cheeses. I used diced up Cook’s Ham Steak. Instead of sliced green onions, I just sprinkled a tiny bit of onion powder on top of the bread and egg mixture along with the salt and pepper. I had to bake mine much longer than 25 minutes though; closer to 40 minutes to get it to where the eggs didn’t wiggle.
It wasn’t even close to the taste. I was so disappointed.
It would be nice to know what size pan to use! Thank You!
Looks like just a regular loaf pan.
It was an old glass storage container.
I used an antique glass baking dish for this recipe, it wasn’t a loaf pan, but I am not sure what it was. You can use anything that is a 1 quart size.
Bake at what oven temperature?
350.
It says 350
I love that this serves 2! I’m going to try it with some of our leftover ham.