Breakfast Pancake Grilled Cheese skips traditional bread or buns and uses pancakes to hold the fried egg, cheese, and ham together. It’s a fun and delicious breakfast sandwich you can easily make ahead.
I made two recipes for this theme this week. What can I say? Sometimes I’m an over achiever? Yeah, on rare occasions I make more than one recipe for an event or a theme. I had the idea for a breakfast grilled cheese that had eggs, cheese, and sausage on it. I made that one. It might show up on the blog later this month since it’s National Grilled Cheese month.
Then I was getting ready to make myself breakfast and considered making me a small batch of pancakes. Because, well, I’m working at home right now. Actually, I’m taking a TON of free training this month and I’m super excited about that.
So, I was standing there debating about making pancakes or a sandwich. I knew there was pancake mix in the pantry for another recipe I made. Those easy peanut butter pancakes were OH SO delicious. I hope you try that recipe AND this one while we’re all stuck at home right now.
So, pancakes or sandwich? Pancakes or sandwich? I really didn’t want to pick one over the other. I thought about making pancakes with eggs. And it just sort of smacked me in the head like a V8 moment.
Why not a pancake sandwich??
I mean, why can’t pancakes be breakfast sandwich bread? I don’t see why not. It’s like a bread, it holds it’s shape, and it holds the sandwich ingredients in. You can pick them up and don’t have to eat pancakes with a fork. You can make French toast grilled cheese, too, but French toast is bread so that makes more sense than pancakes as a grilled cheese bread.
Since it’s Grilled Cheese Month, I am always trying to think of creative grilled cheese recipes. And I think I did just that. This is one of those breakfast grilled cheese sandwich recipes where you’re going to have that V8 moment, too. “Why didn’t I think of that?” is what you’re saying right about now.
And I was the same as you. I didn’t think of a breakfast pancake grilled cheese among the breakfast ideas or even among the breakfast sandwich ideas. And I most definitely did not put two and two together with this as even a grilled cheese idea.
But now that I have, you’re saying to yourself, “This really does make sense. And it looks SO GOOD!” So, just go ahead and add some pancake mix and ham to your grocery list. I’m pretty sure you have some cheese and eggs you can use. Those are a staple in most kitchens.
Is grilled cheese a breakfast food?
I don’t see why not. We have lots of breakfast sandwiches out there on muffins, croissants, waffles, biscuits. Why not use pancakes? I mean isn’t there one at McDonalds? Don’t have they McGriddle? So, it only makes sense to expand the side of the pancake and make a full-on sandwich out of it.
And you can easy change this up and make your grilled cheese with egg and bacon, sausage, or one of those Beyond Meat choices. Fry the egg or make a scrambled egg. Heck even poach the egg if you want! Though it might be a bit messy if you didn’t make it a jammy egg. Swap out any cheese you want.
Breakfast pancake grilled cheese sandwiches are not only a good idea, but they’re ones of those great breakfast ideas without bread! And since we don’t eat a lot of bread ours has a tendency to get moldy and stale in the pantry if we don’t use it up within the week or so. That means when I do go to use the bread for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner, it’s past it’s prime. This is a recipe you can whip even without the pancake mix! But pick your favorite pancake recipe and scale it down to have just enough pancakes for your sandwiches.
You see what I mean about not overcooking your egg? Or under cooking for that matter. When you put the egg back on the sandwich you don’t want it to get dry. Which is why I chose a fried egg and not scrambled one. However, you could soft scramble your eggs, so they finish cooking while the grilled cheese cooks.
You can see the layer of ham in there and the cheese both top and bottom. I had Provolone, on hand, but I would have preferred some Cheddar or even a Colby or Monterey Jack. But I know we can’t be choosy with the cheese when we’re shopping lately. Heck just grab some American if you want. It’s your sandwich so make it how you want and make it with what you easily have on hand.
Yes, sometimes pancakes can be big. I heard you comment on that. These were a little bigger than I anticipated, but you can easily keep the size down and only put a small amount on your griddle or in your skillet. Think something between a short stack and dollar pancakes. That would be the perfect size for a breakfast pancake grilled cheese.
OH MY! I just thought about. If you make the dollar size pancakes you can call them breakfast pancake grilled cheese sliders! That’s such a genius idea. Grilled cheese sliders on it’s own is a genius idea! You’ll probably be seeing that on the blog sometime soon. And you’ll be seeing the other breakfast grilled cheese sandwich on the blog soon, too. It’s grilled cheese month so I’ll be sharing them ALL!
And speaking of which, there’s a list of all of them on my blog at the bottom of the post. Make sure you check those out for some inspirational lunch ideas!
Breakfast Pancake Grilled Cheese
Breakfast Pancake Grilled Cheese skips traditional bread or buns and uses pancakes to hold the fried egg, cheese, and ham together. It's a fun and delicious breakfast sandwich you can easily make ahead.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pancake mix (I used Bisquick)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 large eggs, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 ounces Cheddar cheese, sliced
- 3 ounces ham, sliced
Instructions
- Combine the pancake mix with the milk and 2 large eggs. Stir until just combined.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Swirl one tablespoon of the butter into the pan.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake mix and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until the edges are dry. Turn the pancake over and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a plate, top with a clean kitchen towel, and keep warm.
- Repeat with remaining batter and 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Swirl one tablespoon of butter into the pan and cook the eggs to just under your liking. You do not want to overcook the eggs and have them be dry on the sandwich.
- Spread the remaining butter on the pancakes. Turn the pancakes over and top with cheese, eggs, ham, cheese, and the top pancake.
- Cook the sandwiches 3 to 4 minutes a side or until the cheese is melted.
Slice and serve!
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 873Total Fat 52gSaturated Fat 27gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 509mgSodium 1827mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 2gSugar 13gProtein 41g
ALL THE GRILLED CHEESE!
- Blueberry Ricotta Grilled Cheese by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Breakfast Pancake Grilled Cheese by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Broccoli Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Bacon by Sweet Beginnings
- Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Easy Grilled Cheese Hot Dogs by Blogghetti
- Grilled Blue Cheese and Onion Sandwich by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Hawaiian Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Italian Sub-Style Panini by That Recipe
- Jammy Brie Grilled Cheese by Art of Natural Living
- Mushroom Pizza Grilled Cheese by Palatable Pastime
- The Cuban Sandwich (Cubano) by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Making Miracles
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Grilled Cheese Recipes
Slap it between some bread (or pancakes or waffles), fill it with stuff, and fry it up in the pan for a delicious sandwich.
Audrey says
Oh my wow! This is a great idea. My son would love this idea for breakfast or brinner.
Chris says
This kid loved it!! Ate every last bite of the fun sandwich.
Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng says
This is such a fun sandwich! Especially for a big breakfast lover like me!
Chris says
It was so much fun to make and to eat! Perfect for breakfast with the fam.
Lisa Kerhin says
Add a drizzle of maple syrup and my family would be all over this!
Chris says
Definitely!!
Hezzi-D says
Such a fun breakfast grilled cheese. I love that you used pancakes!
Chris says
Right? I made two. One with regular bread and this one with pancake bread. This one definitely won out!
Cindy says
I’m in! I’d love waking up to one of these sammies!
Chris says
Right? And something you could easily make ahead, too.
Karen says
I have grilled cheese for breakfast a lot! putting it in pancakes are genius.
Chris says
I have not had grilled cheese for breakfast often. But I will be making them more often. So so good.