Biscuits and gravy always take me back to my childhood. My family would always have big weekend breakfasts, and it wasn’t complete without homemade biscuits and creamy sausage gravy. This Biscuits and Gravy Bake keeps that same idea, but turns it into an easier one-skillet meal without losing the from scratch-made taste. I level it up with homemade cheddar drop biscuits, which couldn’t be easier to make, and pair them with savory, sage-seasoned sausage and creamy gravy. It’s a simple dish that’s a little elevated, made all in one pan, is quick to prepare, and seriously delicious. Best of all, it’s budget-friendly!
Creamy Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Bake
Sausage gravy and biscuits are a breakfast essential, especially here in the South. This easy recipe takes that classic comfort food one step further by baking cheddar drop biscuits right on top of the gravy for a completely one-pan dish!
I make the sausage gravy with simple ingredients (flour, butter, milk, sage breakfast sausage) on the stovetop before it goes into the oven, so it stays creamy and luscious instead of separating or turning watery as it bakes. Then I make the from-scratch cheddar biscuits with cold butter, milk, and sharp cheddar. They have a deliciously rich flavor and just enough structure to bake in the gravy without getting dense. This breakfast bake gives you the best of both worlds with fluffy biscuits and creamy gravy underneath, and it’s especially good when you need an easy breakfast for a group.
Recipe Success Tips
Use sage breakfast sausage for the best flavor. I like using sage breakfast sausage when I make sausage gravy because it’s already seasoned. It gives the gravy a deeper, more savory flavor with very little extra effort or ingredients needed! I use Tennessee Pride Sage Country Sausage, but any ground breakfast sausage will work (not sausage links or patties). If you only have plain ground sausage, add 1 tsp ground sage so you don’t miss any flavor.
Let the gravy thicken before it goes in the oven. Keep whisking the milk and seasonings into the sausage, flour, and butter mixture until it thickens (about 3-5 minutes). The flour needs a little heat and time to work. If the gravy is taking its time to thicken, don’t add extra flour; just let it simmer a little longer. It should coat the back of a spoon before you add the biscuit dough. Don’t forget it’ll keep thickening in the oven too!
Use COLD butter. Cold, cubed butter helps the biscuits bake up fluffy and tender instead of heavy and dense. As the butter melts in the oven, it creates pockets of steam throughout the dough for a soft and fluffy texture.
Try a different biscuit topping. I love, love, love the cheesy flavor in these cheddar drop biscuits, but you can make classic homemade biscuits by leaving out the shredded cheese if preferred. Or try making our ranch drop biscuits. Leave out the cheese and parsley, then add some ranch seasoning.
Use canned biscuits for a shortcut. Canned biscuits will work if you need a faster option. I’d cut them into smaller pieces first, so they bake through more easily. But I promise these homemade cheddar drop biscuits are worth the few extra minutes! They’re very easy to mix up, use cheap pantry ingredients, and taste so much better!
Make it ahead! You can prepare the gravy and biscuit dough up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then assemble and bake. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time to account for them starting out cold.
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Biscuits and Gravy Bake
This easy Biscuits and Gravy Bake turns a Southern breakfast classic into a cozy one-pan meal with creamy sausage gravy and fluffy cheddar drop biscuits.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Total Cost $8.21 recipe/ $1.64 serving
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 5servings (2 biscuits)
Calories 910kcal
Author Jennie Alley
Equipment
Large Bowl
Oven Proof Skillet (Cast Iron Skillet)
Ice Cream Scoop (2-3 oz.)
Ingredients
Gravy Base
1lb.sage breakfast sausage$3.98*
2Tbspsalted butter28g, $0.23
¼cupall-purpose flour30g, $0.04
3cupsmilk24 oz., $0.92
1tspblack pepperfreshly cracked, $0.16
¾tspsalt$0.10
Cheddar Drop Biscuits
2cupsall-purpose flour240g, $0.35
2tspbaking powder10g, $0.09
½tspsalt$0.08
1tspgranulated sugar4g, $0.01
½tspdried parsley0.5g, $0.04
½cupsalted buttercold and cubed, (113g) $0.92
¾cupwhole milk6 fl oz., $0.23
1cupsharp cheddar cheeseshredded, (113g) $0.94
1Tbspsalted buttermelted, (14g) $0.12
Instructions
Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat a cast iron or oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the sage breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
Add 2 Tbsp butter and stir until melted. Sprinkle in ¼ cup of flour and cook for 1 minute to coat the sausage.
Slowly whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and dried parsley.
Add ½ cup cold, cubed butter and use your fingertips or a fork to cut it into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form.
Pour in the milk and cheddar and stir just until the dough comes together; it should be thick and spoonable.**
Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough evenly over the hot sausage gravy, similar to a cobbler topping. I use an ice cream scoop to do this (2-3 oz.) This should make about 10 biscuits.
Brush biscuits with 1 Tbsp melted butter. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 25-28 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving. Scoop onto plates and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
*If sage breakfast sausage is unavailable, use plain ground breakfast sausage and add 1 tsp ground sage while browning.**Do not overmix the dough once the milk is added; overworking develops gluten and can make biscuits tough.
how to make Biscuits and Gravy Bake step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Brown the sausage: Set a cast-iron (or other oven-safe) skillet over medium heat. Add 1 lb. sage breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon or spatula, until it’s browned and fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
Make the gravy: Add 2 Tbsp salted butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Sprinkle ¼ cup all-purpose flour over the sausage and stir well to coat everything. Cook for about 1 minute to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Slowly whisk in 3 cups milk, then add 1 tsp black pepper and ¾ tsp salt. Keep whisking and stirring, making sure to scrape along the bottom of the pan, until the gravy thickens, about 3-5 minutes. It should be creamy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Make the cheddar biscuits: Whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp granulated sugar, and ½ tsp dried parsley in a mixing bowl.
Add ½ cup cold, cubed salted butter and cut it into the flour mixture with your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a fork until the butter is worked in and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Pour in ¾ cup whole milk and add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir just until the dough comes together. It should look thick and scoopable. Be careful not to overmix, or the drop biscuits can turn out dense.
Top with dough: Drop spoonfuls of the cheddar biscuit dough evenly over the hot sausage gravy (like a cobbler topping) until the surface is mostly covered. I use a 2-3 oz. ice cream scoop to do this. You should get about 10 biscuits.
Brush with butter: Brush the tops with 1 Tbsp melted salted butter for extra flavor and color.
Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake uncovered for 25-28 minutes, or until the biscuits are puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
Let the skillet rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the gravy can settle a bit. Then scoop it onto plates and serve while it’s hot and cozy. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this cheesy biscuits and sausage bake straight from the skillet for a hearty, family-style breakfast or brunch. It makes enough for about 5 servings, with 2 biscuits and some gravy in each! For sides, I add fried eggs and breakfast potatoes, plus some fresh fruit to balance the richness. A little fresh parsley or extra shredded cheddar on top adds nice color and extra flavor, too.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it shows you how to make a homemade sausage gravy from scratch. So if you want a lower-carb option, you can skip the biscuits and the oven altogether, then top the sausage gravy with a poached egg instead!
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover biscuit and sausage gravy bake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Warm individual portions in the microwave or reheat the whole skillet in a 350°F oven until heated through. Add a splash of milk if the gravy has thickened too much.
As for freezing, it’s best to freeze this before baking. Assemble the skillet, top with the cheesy biscuit dough, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Try These Breakfast Bakes Next!
Our Sausage Breakfast Casserole is a cheesy, hearty breakfast bake made with country sausage, eggs, peppers and onions, and tortilla chips.
This Baked French Toast is perfectly sweet with a soft, custardy middle and gooey caramel sauce, which makes it especially good for lazy weekends, holiday mornings, or brunch.
I make these Baked Eggs when I want a quick, affordable breakfast that helps me use up odds and ends in the fridge!
