Craving a hearty, over-the-top breakfast that hits all the savory notes? This Southern Breakfast Burger layers maple-fennel sausage, crispy bacon, a runny fried egg, and creamy country gravy, and instead of a bun, it's served on a giant buttermilk biscuit. It’s the full Southern breakfast experience - no fork required!

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Meet the Ultimate Southern Breakfast Burger: a juicy griddled maple-fennel breakfast sausage patty, crisp applewood smoked bacon, a gloriously runny fried egg, and a pour-over of rich country gravy, all stacked high on a buttery, sky-high cathead buttermilk biscuit. It’s everything you love about a hearty Southern breakfast… in one hand. Kind of like a full plate and a bear hug at the same time.
This incredible biscuit brunch burger is for those mornings when you're craving something savory, a little indulgent, and 100% worth getting out of bed for, but you can’t decide between a breakfast sandwich, a diner-style platter, or just something that will actually keep you full past 10 a.m. Yeah, this is the answer to all those dilemmas.
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Burger Behind-the-Scenes
This Ultimate Brunch Burger was created for a social media collaboration between myself, butcher Pat LaFrieda, Rachael Ray, and burger bash champion Melanie Landano from Mel's Butcher Box in New Jersey to celebrate National Burger Day on May 28th.
It is the ultimate mashup between the best meat you can find in America, one of the greatest cooks I've ever had the opportunities to meet, a true Burger Champion, and me - the Biscuit Queen of New Jersey. It doesn't get any better than this!
Ingredients & Substitutions
I have pictures and information on the three major components of this breakfast burger recipe. Let's go over them:
Buttermilk Biscuits - These are the ingredients needed to make my buttermilk cathead biscuits, the perfect size for building a sandwich. If you don't have buttermilk you can follow the recipe to make my biscuits with milk. Of course no one is forcing you to make homemade biscuits, you could use a brioche bun, hamburger bun, english muffins, or even a bagel, but when biscuits are this simple and delicious, why would you?
Country gravy - Although I grew up with country gravy made with whole dairy milk, you can make it with an alternative milk, if you like. Most people use butter to make the roux (a flour and fat thickener), but as long as we're making bacon, we might as well use the salty delicious fat!
- Breakfast sausage - While I usually use store-bought pork sausage, or my own ground breakfast sausage recipe, since this was part of a National Burger Day collaboration, I did a variation on Rachael Ray's recipe for maple sausage to make sausage burger patties. It's not a traditional, but WOW! It's delicious!
- Ground pork - I used Pat LaFrieda ground pork in Rachael's recipe, although store-bought ground pork, or ready-made sausage, will work fine. You can also follow the instructions in my homemade breakfast sausage recipe to grind your own sausage or you can use ground beef if pork is not your thing.
- Fennel seeds - I toasted my fennel seeds in a pan for about two minutes and then crushed them to release their oils and add additional flavor. You can use half the amount of ground fennel, but I really love the flavor of whole seeds.
- Maple syrup - Only use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. If you don't have that, you can substitute with brown sugar.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Quick Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let's get to making these southern breakfast burgers. I'm dividing everything into easy to digest bites (pun intended). Some of the components can be made ahead, and some are better fresh. Let's go over everything:
Make the sausage patties
Step 1: In a mixing bowl combine your ground pork, toasted fennel seeds, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, and a little bit of olive oil. Use a gloved hand to combine the mixture gently.
Step 2: Use a round cutter, or a large mason jar lid, to form six patties. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Make the biscuits
Step 1: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and kosher salt in a bowl. Add cold grated butter and toss to combine.
Step 2: Add buttermilk and mix until you have a shaggy dough.
Step 3: Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 30 seconds, just to bring the dough together and build a little bit of structure. Use a sharp biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out 4 inch rounds. Press together any scraps and cut out additional biscuits.
Step 4: You should be able to get six to seven biscuits. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator or freezer while you preheat the oven to 450°. Keep on the baking pan, or transfer to a cast-iron pan. Brush tops with egg wash and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cook the meats
Step 1: In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook your bacon. You can also make your bacon in the oven. Reserve the bacon grease and cook the sausage patties in 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat for about 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and cook on the other side until cooked through.
Step 2: Add the bacon back into the pan with the sausage and keep warm while you make the gravy.
Make the gravy
Step 1: Add 2 tablespoons of your reserved bacon fat, or unsalted butter, into the pan and add 2 tablespoons of flour. Cook for about one minute and then slowly add in your milk, whisking constantly.
Step 2: Continue to simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the gravy is thick. Taste and season to your liking with salt and black pepper, adding ¼ teaspoon garlic powder if you like.
Fry eggs and assemble
Step 1: In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs to your preferred doneness. For runny yolks, cover the pan briefly once the whites are nearly set. See my fried eggs post for all the ways to cook your eggs to order.
Step 2: Slice open your biscuit and add a sausage patty, bacon, and a fried egg to each one.
Step 3: Top with creamy country gravy.
Step 4: Top with a biscuit hat and serve immediately
Serving suggestion: This might get messy, but that's the best part! If you have fastidious eaters, serve open-face with a knife and fork, otherwise provide plenty of napkins. A French toast iced latte would be great to finish off this delicious biscuit burger!
Helpful tips
Everything is relatively simple, but I'm here with some great helpful tips to make sure that this is the brunch burger of your dreams!
- Use a gentle hand with your biscuits - I do have you knead these biscuits, but only for about 30 seconds. This helps build up a tiny bit of structure so the biscuit doesn't fall apart when you bite into your sandwich, but not so much that it's tough.
- Use a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan for your proteins - A cast iron pan holds heat evenly and gives both the bacon and sausage a beautiful, crispy sear, just what this brunch burger deserves. If you don't have a cast-iron pan, use the heaviest skillet you have.
- Drain the bacon, but don’t toss the fat! - Once the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Then carefully pour off the rendered bacon fat into a heat-safe bowl or jar to cook your sausage and your gravy. It adds so much flavor!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan - Cook your burger components in batches for best results. Wipe out any burnt bits between steps if needed to keep everything delicious.
- Warm your biscuits - A quick toast in a dry skillet or a few minutes in a 350°F oven keeps the biscuit tender inside but strong enough to hold up to all that deliciousness.
- Fry your egg last, right before assembly - This keeps the yolk warm and runny, so it cascades perfectly over the rest of the sandwich when you bite in.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make the biscuits and cook the bacon up to 2 days ahead. Just store the biscuits at room temp (or freeze and reheat) and the bacon in the fridge. The sausage patties can also be shaped and refrigerated overnight, ready to griddle in the morning. For best results, fry the egg and make the gravy just before serving. You can also make the gravy up to 2 days in advance and reheat it gently in a saucepan or microwave, stirring often. If it thickens too much, whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it up.
Yes! Freeze uncooked sausage patties on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Cook straight from frozen. Just add an extra few minutes to the cook time and make sure the center reaches 160°F.
Use a nonstick skillet with a lid. Once the egg white is mostly set, cover the pan for the last 30 to 60 seconds to gently finish cooking the white without overcooking the yolk. If anyone doesn't like a runny yolk, just continue to cook until it is the texture they prefer. You can poke it with a knife to cook the yolk quicker.
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment with a ⭐️ rating below to tell me all about it, and don't forget to tag me on Instagram!
I appreciate you!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Southern Breakfast Burger on a Buttermilk Biscuit
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Maple Fennel Sausage (makes 6 patties)
- 1 pound (450 g) ground pork
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds toasted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) olive oil or vegetable oil
For the Cathead Biscuits (makes 6 biscuits)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter very cold, cut into cubes
- ¾ cup (180 g) very cold buttermilk + 2 tablespoons, if needed
- 1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
For the Country Gravy
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat or unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (488 g) milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For Assembly
- 12 slices bacon
- 6 eggs
Instructions
Make the Sausage Patties:
- In a bowl, mix ground pork with fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Divide into 6 patties. Chill until ready to cook.
Make the Biscuits:
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until pea-sized. Stir in buttermilk until just combined. Gently knead dough on a floured surface for 30 seconds.
- Pat into a 1½-inch thick circle and cut 6 rounds. Freeze for 15 minutes on parchment lined baking pan. Keep on the baking pan, or transfer to a cast-iron pan. Brush tops with egg wash and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing.
Cook the Bacon:
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, or bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Pour off bacon fat, reserving 2 tablespoons for gravy and 1 tablespoon for sausage.
Cook the Sausage Patties:
- In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Cook sausage patties over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side. Set aside.
Make the Gravy:
- In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Fry the Eggs:
- In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs to your preferred doneness. For runny yolks, cover the pan briefly once the whites are nearly set.
Assemble the Burgers:
- Slice biscuits in half. Layer with a sausage patty, two slices of bacon, a fried egg, and a generous spoonful of gravy. Top with the biscuit lid and serve immediately.
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Video
Notes
- You can make the biscuits and cook the bacon up to 2 days ahead—just store the biscuits at room temp (or freeze and reheat) and the bacon in the fridge.
- The sausage patties can also be shaped and refrigerated overnight, ready to griddle in the morning.
- For best results, fry the egg and make the gravy just before serving.
- You can also make the gravy up to 2 days in advance and reheat it gently in a saucepan or microwave, stirring often. If it thickens too much, whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it up.
Cynthia Christensen says
Everyone LOVES these biscuit burgers!!