Tasty Breakfast Rolls

If you ask me, breakfast rolls are one of the smartest ways to feed a crowd in the morning.

These handheld bundles are packed with all your favorite breakfast ingredients rolled up in flaky crescent dough. Scrambled eggs and savory sausage pair with crispy bacon and melted cheddar cheese.

They’re spread with chive cream cheese and loaded with red bell pepper for a little color and crunch. The crescent dough bakes up golden and creates the perfect portable package.

They’re great for busy mornings or lazy weekend brunches, and everyone can grab one on their way out the door.

What Kind of Crescent Dough Should I Use?

You can use either refrigerated crescent roll dough in the can or crescent dough sheets for this recipe, and both will turn out great. The main difference is that crescent sheets come in one solid piece without perforations, which can make rolling a bit easier, but the regular perforated rolls work just as well if you pinch the seams together. Most grocery stores carry the classic Pillsbury brand, but store brands are usually cheaper and taste pretty much the same. Just make sure to keep the dough cold until you’re ready to use it, and if it gets too warm and sticky while you’re working with it, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm back up.

Options for Substitutions

These breakfast rolls are easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Crescent dough: This is the one ingredient you really don’t want to substitute – the crescent dough is what makes these rolls work. However, you can use the seamless crescent sheet if you prefer fewer perforations.
• Breakfast sausage: Feel free to use turkey sausage or chicken sausage if you want a lighter option. You can also swap it for chorizo if you like a bit of spice.
• Chive and onion cream cheese: Regular cream cheese works fine – just add a tablespoon of chopped fresh chives or green onions to get that flavor back. Plain cream cheese on its own will work too.
• Cheddar cheese: Any melty cheese you like will do the job here. Try pepper jack for heat, mozzarella for mild flavor, or a Mexican blend for something different.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon or Canadian bacon are solid swaps. You can also leave it out entirely and add more sausage if you prefer.
• Red bell pepper: Green bell pepper, diced jalapeños, or even sautéed mushrooms can replace the red pepper. Or skip the veggies altogether if that’s your preference.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making breakfast rolls is not sealing the crescent dough seams properly, which causes all your fillings to leak out during baking – press the perforations together firmly and pinch the edges closed before rolling.

Another common error is adding hot scrambled eggs directly to the dough, which can melt the cream cheese and make everything slide around, so always let your cooked eggs cool completely before assembly.

Overfilling the rolls might seem tempting, but it makes them impossible to slice and causes them to fall apart – stick to a thin, even layer of each ingredient and leave about an inch of space on the edges.

Finally, use a sharp serrated knife and dental floss works even better for cutting clean slices without squishing the roll and pushing out all the filling.

What to Serve With Breakfast Rolls?

These breakfast rolls are pretty filling on their own, but I love serving them with fresh fruit on the side – think sliced melon, berries, or even a simple fruit salad to balance out all that savory goodness. A cup of coffee or orange juice is a must, and if you’re feeding a crowd for brunch, some crispy hash browns or breakfast potatoes make a great addition to the plate. You could also set out some hot sauce or salsa for anyone who likes a little extra kick with their breakfast, and maybe some sour cream for dipping if you’re feeling fancy.

Storage Instructions

Store: These breakfast rolls are great for meal prep! Once they’ve cooled down, wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. They make grabbing breakfast on busy mornings so much easier.

Freeze: You can totally freeze these for later. Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag and they’ll stay good for up to 2 months. I like to make a double batch and freeze half for those mornings when I need something quick.

Reheat: To warm them up, unwrap and microwave for about 45-60 seconds, or heat in the oven at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until heated through. If they’re frozen, let them thaw in the fridge overnight first, or add an extra minute or two to the microwave time.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2950-3150
• Protein: 110-125 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-195 g

Ingredients

For the egg mixture:

• 4 eggs (I use Eggland’s Best for the richest yolks)
• 3 tbsp red bell pepper (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

For the rolls:

• 16 oz crescent dough (I prefer Pillsbury for the most consistent rise)
• 1/2 cup chive cream cheese (room temperature, about 70°F for easy spreading)
• 8 oz breakfast sausage
• 4 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
• 1.75 cups cheddar cheese

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Preheat

• 3 tbsp red bell pepper
• 4 slices bacon
• 8 oz breakfast sausage
• 16 oz crescent dough

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or similar size.

While the oven heats, dice the red bell pepper into small 1/4-inch pieces, crumble the cooked bacon, cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned (about 5-7 minutes), then break it into small pieces and set aside to cool slightly.

Remove the crescent dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to make it easier to work with.

Step 2: Make the Scrambled Egg Filling

• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, black pepper, and garlic powder until well combined.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and pour in the egg mixture, stirring gently and continuously until the eggs are just set but still slightly creamy—this should take about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the cooked eggs to a plate and let them cool for about 2 minutes; I prefer my eggs slightly underdone at this stage since they’ll continue cooking in the oven and you want them tender, not rubbery.

Step 3: Prepare the Dough Base and Spread the Filling

• 16 oz crescent dough
• 1/2 cup chive cream cheese

Unroll both crescent dough sheets and press them together to form one large rectangle, sealing the seams by pinching and rolling slightly.

Spread the room-temperature chive cream cheese evenly across the entire surface of the dough rectangle, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Step 4: Layer and Assemble the Roll Filling

• scrambled eggs from Step 2
• cooked breakfast sausage from Step 1
• crumbled bacon from Step 1
• 1.75 cups cheddar cheese

Distribute the cooked eggs from Step 2 evenly over the cream cheese layer, followed by the cooked breakfast sausage and crumbled bacon.

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top, distributing it as evenly as possible.

I like to reserve a small handful of cheese for the top layer after rolling to give the finished rolls a nice cheesy exterior.

Step 5: Roll and Portion the Dough

• assembled dough from Step 4

Starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge by pressing gently with your fingers.

Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces (each about 1.5 inches wide).

Place each roll cut-side up in the prepared baking dish, arranging them in rows so they fit snugly but have a little room to expand as they bake.

Step 6: Bake and Finish

• assembled rolls from Step 5

Bake the rolls in the preheated 350°F oven for 24-26 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the edges are set.

The rolls should puff up slightly and the cheese should be melted.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes before serving warm.

Tasty Breakfast Rolls

Delicious Tasty Breakfast Rolls recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 52 minutes mins

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 3050 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the egg mixture::

• 4 eggs (I use Eggland's Best for the richest yolks)
• 3 tbsp red bell pepper (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

For the rolls::

• 16 oz crescent dough (I prefer Pillsbury for the most consistent rise)
• 1/2 cup chive cream cheese (room temperature, about 70°F for easy spreading)
• 8 oz breakfast sausage
• 4 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
• 1.75 cups cheddar cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar size. While the oven heats, dice the red bell pepper into small 1/4-inch pieces, crumble the cooked bacon, cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned (about 5-7 minutes), then break it into small pieces and set aside to cool slightly. Remove the crescent dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to make it easier to work with.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, black pepper, and garlic powder until well combined. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and pour in the egg mixture, stirring gently and continuously until the eggs are just set but still slightly creamy—this should take about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggs to a plate and let them cool for about 2 minutes; I prefer my eggs slightly underdone at this stage since they'll continue cooking in the oven and you want them tender, not rubbery.
• Unroll both crescent dough sheets and press them together to form one large rectangle, sealing the seams by pinching and rolling slightly. Spread the room-temperature chive cream cheese evenly across the entire surface of the dough rectangle, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
• Distribute the cooked eggs from Step 2 evenly over the cream cheese layer, followed by the cooked breakfast sausage and crumbled bacon. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top, distributing it as evenly as possible. I like to reserve a small handful of cheese for the top layer after rolling to give the finished rolls a nice cheesy exterior.
• Starting from one of the longer sides, tightly roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge by pressing gently with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 equal pieces (each about 1.5 inches wide). Place each roll cut-side up in the prepared baking dish, arranging them in rows so they fit snugly but have a little room to expand as they bake.
• Bake the rolls in the preheated 350°F oven for 24-26 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the edges are set. The rolls should puff up slightly and the cheese should be melted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes before serving warm.