Slow Cooker Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Enjoy a crockpot Christmas breakfast this year. It’s a perfect holiday dish because you can let it cool a bit while everyone opens their gifts, then dig into it afterwards.

If you enjoy trying new breakfast recipes, you might also like this carrot cake slow cooker oatmeal, breakfast fries, breakfast tacos or this breakfast skillet!

Why You’ll Love It

Tasty savory flavors: Hash browns, eggs, vibrant veggies, and ham add plenty of delicious appeal to this easy breakfast casserole.
Easy to make: Even newbies in the kitchen will find this to be a very straightforward recipe.
Ideal for the holidays: You can prepare this the day ahead and cook it overnight to serve up fresh in the morning.

Crockpot Christmas Breakfast Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Ham: Because you can use leftover ham to make this easy holiday breakfast, it’s also a nice dish to prepare after Christmas or Thanksgiving, when you’re wondering what to do with all those ham leftovers! Otherwise you can absolutely buy the ham specifically to make the casserole rather than use up leftovers.
Vegetables: I added color and crunch with bell pepper, spinach and cherry tomatoes.
Gouda cheese: For that ooey-gooey melty factor!
Hash browns: Thaw them first so they don’t make your casserole watery.
Dairy: Heavy cream sour cream and butter give it a rich, luxurious mouthfeel and taste.
Garlic: Always delicious in savory breakfast casserole recipes.

How to Make a Crockpot Christmas Breakfast

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Combine the ingredients: Toss the thawed, shredded hash browns with melted butter and cayenne pepper. Next mix the eggs, heavy cream, sour cream, garlic, salt pepper, mustard, and more cayenne pepper.

Layer the ingredients in a crockpot: Grease the slow cooker then add a third of the hash brown mixture, followed by half the chopped ham, vegetables and cheese. Repeat the layers. Pour the eggs mixture on top to finish off.

Cook the casserole: Cook for 2½ hours on high or 6 hours on low, then add some more shredded cheese on top along with avocados and fresh herbs too, if liked. Offer hot sauce at the table for those who want to spice their egg bake up.

Substitutions and Variations

Ham: Substitute cooked bacon, chicken or another protein.
Toppings: There are lots of fresh toppings that could be added to this great dish. Those are up to you and you can choose your favorite topping combo, although avocado, chives and/or other fresh herbs add a fresh touch and sriracha or your favorite hot sauce can add a little heat. Pico de gallo, green onions can also be a part of the dish.
Cheese: You could swap the gouda for a different kind of cheese (cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese) in the brunch recipe.
Vegetables: Perhaps you have some veggies in the salad drawer beyond their prime. Whether this is onion, mushrooms, zucchini, or another kind of vegetable, you can throw it in, in additional to the bell pepper, spinach and tomatoes, or instead of them. If you’d throw it in an omelet, it will work fine in a breakfast casserole.
Spices: Leave out the cayenne pepper if you don’t want any spice at all, or sub chili powder or smoked paprika instead if you wish.

I love how quick and easy it is to make this crockpot Christmas breakfast or brunch recipe, and am definitely including it on my holiday menu this Christmas. If you are looking for another time saver, consider using a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.

Serving Suggestions

Side dishes: You don’t need to have any holiday menu sides with this crockpot Christmas breakfast casserole, since it’s already really filling, but a fresh fruit salad or a side of fruit would be good with this hash brown casserole. Or a breakfast charcuterie board. Don’t forget some tasty cinnamon rolls or almond plum cake, too!
Drinks: If you’re having this as a breakfast or brunch treat on Christmas morning, consider pairing it with a mimosa or even a watermelon paloma.

How to Store Slow Cooker Overnight Casserole

Store: You probably won’t need to know this, since leftovers with this casserole dish are unlikely! But if you do have some left over, it should be fine for up to 5 days in a container in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: The easiest way to reheat this crockpot breakfast casserole recipe is to do it in portions in the microwave. If you choose to do that, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until hot in the middle.