This was one of my earliest blog posts and is by far my most popular. Lately I’ve been sifting through earlier work, checking recipes and re-taking photos. This recipe got lost in the shuffle of my day-to-day, as my husband went gluten free and my babies weren’t old enough to enjoy breakfast sandwiches but time is indeed a thief, and my 2nd grader is as much a fan of breakfast sandwiches as I am of saving time.
What I remembered as an hour of work is actually much less; this came together in 30 minutes. Breakfast right now for my kids rotates every other day between shakes and frozen pancakes. If I add these sandwiches to the rotation, I’ll get two weeks out of each batch.
Some of you may be wondering why I would make something that Jimmy Dean already makes. Well, I like that I can make these with Ezekiel Bread English muffins, organic ham and cheese, and eggs from the West Chester growers’ market. These things matter to me. If they don’t matter to you, then this probably seems like a waste of time!
One tip. I toast the English Muffins ahead for two reasons. First, it dehydrates the bread so it freezes better. Second, you can easily reheat the whole sandwich and be on your way. That being said, I highly recommend, when ready to eat, that you re-toast the English muffin and just microwave the eggs/cheese/meat portion, then put it all back together before eating. It technically takes no extra time, just a smidge more work. If interested in a healthier version, Click here for my updated healthy version, full of veggies and whole grains.
“Make-ahead and Freeze†Breakfast Sandwiches
Makes 12
12 English muffins (or bagels)
12 slices cheese (American, Cheddar and Swiss varieties melt the best)
12 eggs (or 3 cups egg substitute)
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. butter
12 slices meat, cooked (bacon, turkey bacon, ham, turkey, pork roll)
1. Set muffins into rimmed baking sheet and bake in 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
2. Once muffins are toasted, lay them out in a line. Place cheese on the top slice.
3. Place cooked meat on the bottom half of each muffin.
5. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and milk with fork. Add salt and pepper.
6. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp. butter.
7. Pour about half of egg mixture into pan. Let it cook, scrambling slightly with spatula until it begins to set.
8. Divide eggs into six sections and flip each section. Once eggs are cooked, put on top of the bacon and close the sandwich.
9. Continue with the second half of the egg mixture and the second tbsp. butter.
10. Once sandwiches are complete, put on a cookie sheet and freeze at least 20 minutes.
11. Wrap each sandwich in a sheet of paper towel and place in a zippered bag. When the bag is full, store in the freezer.
12. When ready to eat, remove sandwich and microwave in paper towel for 30 seconds. Remove muffin/bread slices and place in toaster. Microwave egg/cheese/meat for 2 minutes on 80% power (or 1 minute 30 seconds on full power). Re-assemble sandwich and eat. If you’re in a rush, you can just microwave the whole sandwich on 80% power for 2 1/2 minutes.Â
Love this! I am a breakfast lover too! I am going to try this. I cook and freeze breakfast burritos. So easy nd convenient.
So glad! Yes anything that can be done ahead is THE BEST!
You can also purchase pre cooked sausage pattis from Aldi.
You can use a cookie cutter to make the eggs round.
GENIUS! I buy these pre-made and spend a fortune. Thanks so much for the tip!!
This is fantastic!!
Thanks, seems simple enough!
I’ve made breakfast burritos for years & frozen them, but I’ve never done sandwiches. GREAT idea!! Thanks!!
Great recipe! I make these with sausage for my hubby. It’s so easy for him to pop it in the micro, them on his way he goes! I try to keep this on the men.
Yes, Leslie, if your husband is like mine, he needs food to instantaneously appear in front of him when he’s hungry.. making these ahead helps with that 🙂 Check out the “light banana pancakes and a make-ahead breakfast idea” post, under breakfast. These sandwiches are his current fave – maybe your husband will agree!
looks great, can these be cooked in the oven as well?
Justina – like to reheat do you mean? Yes absolutely! Just keep the temp low – 250 to 300 – and keep a close eye.
Hi! Quick question… After placing in paper napkins/ziploc, do you place in freezer until ready to eat or just place in fridge?
Hi Karla – Freezer! Thanks for bringing this to my attention.. i will make the directions more clear 🙂
Sending some of our readers your way – what a GREAT idea!
So after all that prepping and you’re finished… Do you store them in the refridgerator or the freezer??
Store them in the freezer 🙂
How long will the keep in the freezer?
Cassie – will keep for about three months!
I found a link to your blog on Pinterest and am so glad! I made a huge batch of these this morning and am so excited to have hot breakfast on my way to work. It takes more time, but Target sells a little 1-egg frying pan that makes little omlettes that fit sandwich rounds perfectly. The sandwishes turned out so cute and are less expensive than fast food! Thank you again for your blog post!!!
So glad these turned out well for you, Nicole! They take a bit of time but time spent on your health is definitely time well spent!
just found this on pinterest and knew i had to make them this weekend! i buy them all the time for my husband(i don’t like eggs) and we have been trying to watch what we spend on stupid stuff and i think this will help a ton since buying 4 of them costs about 6 dollars!
My kids called ours Mom Muffins! I made them a lot when the boys lived at home. My college son loves moms cooking, and now he can have it to start his day! Great idea! Thanks!
how long can the eggs stay good?
Jessa.. do you mean in the freezer? The sandwiches will be good for at least 1 month if kept frozen.. if that’s not what you were asking just let me know and Ill get right back to you!
Made these this weekend. I needed something that’s quick but had some sustenance and these are perfect. Although it was a little work on the weekend, it makes the next couple weeks so much easier. Thanks for the idea!
Hey! I made these once but next time I’m going to need help. How do you cut the eggs like that? I tried to follow your directions with no avail. Thanks!
Hey Christina! Basically put those beaten eggs into the pan all at once, swirling them occasionally with the spatula. Once they seem pretty set (but obviously still wet on top), use the end of your spatula to cut it like a pizza (but into 6 “slices” instead of 8). Once cut you can slide your spatula underneath each section and flip it over to “set” the wet side. From there onto the english muffin! Does that make sense?
Thanks for posting this–I’m glad to know it can be done with success! I have a new baby and, being on maternity leave, I have gotten used to having a few minutes to make a breakfast sandwich each morning while he’s in his swing. However, I’m returning to work in a couple of weeks and need to be able to expedite the process, so I’m hoping to make these work! Quick question–is it absolutely necessary to broil the bread? Will it be terrible if I don’t? I’m thinking of trying multigrain sandwich bread instead of muffins…
J – totally not necessary to broil the bread! You’d just be skipping that “toasty” aspect. Multigrain sandwich bread would work, and if you’re looking to go lower calorie try the 100 calorie sandwich thins. For health, you can’t beat Ezekiel Bread! Good luck heading back to work – I am back in January and will DEFinitely be making a batch of these sandwiches!
I make these alot and I crack the eggs in a muffin tin and cook in oven. Perfect size for the muffins. You could pour scrambles egss in them too. So much easier.
Kim, that’s a fantastic idea! How long do you bake the eggs and at what temperature?
Awesome idea. I usually use egg tins in the pan but this idea is quicker!
This is a fantastic idea. Came across it on Pinterest. I’m just off to make my first batch. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
OMG! This is so easy! I’m really bad about eating breakfast.. thanks for the simple make-ahead recipe!
I make these with low fat cheese, egg whites and canadian bacon to save on fat and calories!
Emily – so funny, I just re-did this recipe to make a 200 calorie sandwich. I’ve been eating them all week and am exciting to post soon! I’ll bet it’s almost just like yours!
I found a fantastic toaster at Macy’s that actually cooks eggs in a steam plate. I use it to make my hubby breakfast everyday. Only takes 5 minutes!
Lisa – will definitely look into that – my little girl loves her eggs and that steam plate would make the process easier! Thanks!
Can I use biscuits?
Sure! I don’t see why that wouldn’t work – they might not be as “light and flaky” after being frozen but they will still taste good!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I am going to try it with half a slice of cheese to cut a few more calories.
I make my fiance breakfast sandwiches on the days I am off, but he wakes up for work at 4:30 and that doesnt excite me, but I know he wont eat good unless I do it. I usually use the microwaveable sausage that come in a bag. Can I use them? Or do I have to make sausage fresh then freeze it?
I think you can definitely use the frozen meat – keep it frozen though. if you thaw and then freeze again you increase the possibility of bacteria growth!
I just wanted to say Thank You for sharing this recipe. My family loves them! And I love them so I don’t feel guilty for making them breakfast in the morning. We go through 12 in less then a week! Tonight I am making a batch with English Muffins and Bagel Thins. We haven’t tried the bagels yet! I also bake my bacon. A little less healthy, but my microwave either burned the bacon or didn’t cook it enough!
Amy – so glad! Yes microwaves can be tough – I agree. Whichever way you make the bacon, it STILL ultimately saves you major minutes in your day when you can just pull a sandwich out of your freezer. I made a lighter version for myself (200 calories – egg whites, spinach, light cheese, 100 cal english muffin) and have been flying through the batch! Really happy these have worked for your family! Have you ever tried pb&j make aheads? I have them on this site too – check them out!
Hey Becca! Just wanted to share that I made these last night, ate one this morning, and they are great! I saved a little bit more money by making the muffins myself (I’m on a baking kick) with this recipe: http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/01/25/the-easiest-and-tastiest-homemade-english-muffins.
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe and I look forward to more of them from you!
Madeline – love homemade english muffins – I made them in the yeast unit with my high school students – homemade is the best! Love your site and so glad you liked this idea and it worked for you!
Hi! I would love to make these…looks so yummy and it’ll def solve our am cravings when I feel too crappy to cook (not really a morning person). Um, my question is how do you reheat these babies up aside from a microwave? I have instead an oven toaster, would it work on that? Thanks!
Hey Sarah – The night before, unwrap the sandwich from the paper towel and wrap in foil. In the morning when you wake up, place sandwich in oven or toaster oven (at about 350 degrees). Since it’s already thawed it should heat up in about 20 minutes (while you get dressed for the day!). Let me know how that goes!
I made this already. I was only able to buy 4 English muffins so I adjusted the recipe on that. I didn’t freeze it coz there’s only four of them, I just put it in the chiller and lo and behold, during breakfast, it was gone before I can bat my eyelashes LOL. I did put it on my trusty oven toaster, took about 10 minutes to reheat. It was really yummy, thank you for sharing this.
P.S. I’ll make this again, and I’ll update you if the next batch finally made its way to the freezer LOL.
I love this idea, and actually I have an egg maker to put the egg inside of with the chesse b4 i put it on the muffin which is the best part
GREAT idea! We do this when we make pancakes or waffles, make a extra large batch and freeze the leftovers. Makes a quick yummy breakfast even in a hurry!
I made these tonight! So yummy!
Busy family of three, no one works the same hours. Just made for the first time. Can’t wait to see how it works out for us. Thanks for sharing detailed photos.
I love this idea. Rhw clown charges way too much and I love these meals. You just made my day!
Making up a batch of these as we speak! Busy family of 6 with both DH and I working full time and 4 kids in 3 different schools, makes for mornings that can be a little (ok, a LOT) hectic…and nobody likes eating cereal EVERY day! I’m going to make a separate batch for everyone to suit their taste!
I made these but the egg ended up being a frozen ice cube in the middle of the sandwich. I would heat for 1 minute in the microwave but it would still be cold. Any suggestions?
Hi Lindsey! The flatter the scrambled egg portion, the more evenly it will reheat – try making it flatter next time but for your current batch, just microwave it longer – no harm done.
I just found your blog on pinterest. I’m super excited to make these!! Just out of curiosity why do say to microwave the bacon instead of say, baking it in the oven? Is it more for convenience or is it healthier that way?
Hi Nicole! I like to microwave bacon because the paper towels sop up the fat and I can throw them out after and just put the plate in the dishwasher – so basically it’s hands off cooking and easy clean up. It’s not healthier – just easier. It’s my preferred method but YOU should do the bacon however you find it easiest! ENjoy the make-aheads and let me know how it goes!
What is the shelf life of these when left in the freezer. Obviously they’ll be so delicious they won’t last long, but if they’re kept in the freezer for longer than, let’s say, a month, will the ingredients go bad?
Hey Katrina – nothing will go “bad” in that it would make you sick or anything.. it’s just that it might not be the best possibility quality after a month. Make sure to “flash freeze” before your wrap them tightly in papertowel/plastic ziplock. Happy cooking!
how long do they last in the freezer?
Best eaten within about two months, amy!
Love them! So easy, and I only have to do the dishes once! I just made almost 3 dozen, and with a hungry husband and teenager in the house, they will be gone in a few weeks.
We get some food assistance, so when I found myself at the end of the month with 6 dozen eggs in my fridge (how did that happen???), i knew it was time to “make ahead” some convenience breakfasts. Great way to avoid food spoilage and minimize prep time. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Hi! I loved this idea! I made them for my boyfriend as he loves ‘quick and easy food’ I followed your directions exactly and had him try one the next day, for some reason they tasted freezer burnt. I’m wondering if anyone else had this problem and how I could fix it?
Kim – how long do you bake the eggs in the muffin pan? That sounds like a good idea to me.
I’m not a big fan of microwaved bacon, and your going to have the oven on anyway try baking your bacon. it doesn’t shrink or splatter and you can make it as crispy as you want. 400 degree oven place bacon on a cooling rack set inside a cookie sheet bake 25 to 30 minutes. less time for less crispy bacon. 🙂
I know this post is on the old side but I just wanted to pop my two cents in. I love these kind of sandwiches, and my husband says he feels like he’s eating at a restaurant. I just fry the eggs whole, though; it’s super easy and also delicious. I plop two or three (never done a big batch!) into a low-heat frying pan with a little of the bacon grease I got from PAN-FRYING (!) my bacon, put a lid on and in about 10 minutes have delicious fried eggs for my sandwiches.
I’ve not tried to freeze and reheat them because I love the crispiness of the bacon and bread. Do you find that crispiness suffers after freezing and reheating? Thanks for posting and inspiring us to have delicious breakfast at our fingertips!
Hey Aceroo – your sandwich sounds delish! Are the yolks cooked through or still a bit runny? Runny yolks def wouldn’t freeze well. As for the bacon and bread – the crispness would likely be compromised for the sake of ease, unforunately! The resulting sandwich is soft and full of cheesy goodness, and the flavor is still all there. The reason I toast the bread ahead is more for flavor’s sake than crispness. Here is a frittata that my fam LOVES and freezes exceptionally well, if you’re interested! https://homebeccanomics.wpcomstaging.com/2012/04/30/fret-free-frittata-with-swiss-chard-and-chicken-sausage/
I tried this and the we had to microwave forever for the inside to warm up. Then the eggs were complete rubber. I added water to the eggs as they cooked cause I always do them that way but maybe that was the problem because it was the only thing I did differently.
Kara – I’d skip the water next time. Also, when I make these I place the frozen sandwich in the fridge the night before to thaw. The microwave process is a lot easier the next morning! Good luck, hope you try them again!
I’ve been doing this for my husband for a few years because he’s. it s breakfast ester and I just think it’s so important. I have used bacon but don’t like the texture of it after freezing I find it rubbery, but I may hsve not cooked it enough. I usually use sausage or slices of ham. I like how you did the eggs. I do mine in a muffin top pan and bake 6 at a time. He loves them and I look like a hero 😉
Hey Torey! I agree- breakfast is so important! I just redid this post with a video to make a lower calorie, healthier option – meat free! I will be posting it as soon as the video is edited. Thanks for stopping by homebeccanomics!
How long can you keep in freezer
Mary – they should be good for at least 1 month
Well, it looks like I lost my original post. Hate it when that happens!
Two questions for you: I have to consume 350 breakfast calories each a.m. before I can take a medication. So, about how many calories do you think are in each of these tasty concoctions?
Also, any thoughts on easier prep when you are heating them up for consumption? It seems like double work to put complete sandwiches together, freeze them, then take them apart and reassemble. I’m all about efficiency! 🙂
Thank you; these sound great, especially since I forced down yet another of my husband’s “protein bars” this morning. (And actually, those come up short in my calorie requirements unless I eat two along with some OJ, and I find it hard to do that.)
Hi Sharon!
As for calories, it depends on what you use. Let’s figure you use a 100 calorie english muffin, 70 calories of egg, 80 calories of cheese, and (if you use bacon) 60 calories per slice. You are up to 300 there (and with your OJ you have more than enough!). As for reheating, if you put the sandwich in the fridge the night before (or even two nights before) the morning you want to eat them, a quick microwave while still in the paper towel should be fine. I suggest taking it apart and toasting the muffin only because I prefer a crunchy english muffin (and toasting is the only way to get the crunch). If it doesnt matter to you as much, just micro the whole defrosted sandwich for about 45 seconds (or up to 1 minute 30 seconds). Hopefully that helps! Thanks Sharon!
Thank you so much, Becca; I’m going to make a batch of these this weekend. And, a la the fine folks at Cook’s Illustrated, I will test both methods for reheating to see which way works best for me! 🙂
So excited to try these out later this week! We NEVER eat breakfast, though we love it! I’m sure this will help a lot. I’m going to try with bagels instead of English muffins – I assume the directions on toasting the bread is the same. Thanks for this great idea!
Dana – will work great with Bagels! Hopefully this gets you eating breakfast more often! Let me know how it goes!
I love this idea and I have made sandwiches kind of like this, but with fried eggs. Do the eggs get rubbery after freezing them?
Julie – less so than a fried egg would, but not quite like fresh. For convenience sake I find the difference in the frozen egg to be negligible!
Does anyone know How long do you bake eggs in a muffin pan? I’ll make mine with bagels, Canadian bacon, spinach and egg whites. Do you think if I do a week’s worth I can avoid freezing them and keep them in the fridge?
Hey LA – the canadian bacon could be suspect after about three days. I’d keep three sandwiches out and freeze the rest. Eggs in a muffin tin (at 350 degrees F) should be between 15-20 minutes. It will be obvious whey they’re done as they’ll be opaque.
Hello
Just came across this on pinterest, what a great idea!
is there anyway i can add some veggies with the sandwich? it would be nice to add some color.
Thanks|!!
sarah – check out the post for my healthy version – including lots of veggies! https://homebeccanomics.wpcomstaging.com/2013/09/30/make-ahead-and-freeze-healthy-breakfast-sandwich/
I was thinking about wrapping these in foil before freezing. Then defrosting them overnight in the fridge and throwing them in the oven in the morning while we are getting ready. Anyone tried that?
Do the eggs get rubbery?
I saw a similar post on Pintrest but they used a muffin tin in the oven to make round eggs…I would like to make these today 🙂
While I just made these, made the eggs easier by using one of those microwave egg omelets containers and just cut in half did this 6 times while waiting for English muffins to cook.
But my question was when ready to cook do you microwave in paper towel for 30 sec. and then do this step too or do you do one or the other?: remove muffin/bread slices and place in toaster. Microwave egg/cheese/meat for 2 minutes on 80% power (or 1 minute 30 seconds on full power). Re-assemble sandwich and enjoy!
PAtricia I do both – Once I started toasting the bread when ready to eat I realized I didn’t need to toast the bread before freezing. This DOES help it stay dry but it’s probably not necessary.
Hi! Just a quick question on the reheating. Some of the options in the store just have where you can put the frozen sandwich in the microwave for a minute and a half, including the english muffins (the whole thing stays intact). Can that be done with these as well?
Yes Tammy! I just like mine toasted which is why I suggest that. Go for it!
If you dampen your paper towel you can microwave the whole bread too. You wrap sand which in dampened paper towel and microwave like you would before the inside will have a semi crunch to it but the out side would be like you made fresh…
I was wondering, couldn’t you do everything as stated but freeze the egg/meat/cheese mixture outside of the bread? Package it all in a paper towel, but then when rehearing, immediately put the bread in the toaster and just the other stuff in the microwave? I know it’s a small step, but I don’t see my bf disassembling the sandwich 30 seconds in and putting it all back together just to toast the bread…
Rachael – yes that would work! I wouldn’t package the egg/cheese/meat in a paper towel though if you’re doing it this way. I’d wrap it in plastic wrap once it’s cooled down; it’s easy to remove and then reheat on a plate. Good idea!