Sometimes you just have to turn your guilty pleasures into guiltless pleasures. And while I haven’t had a McGriddle sandwich since way back from when they very first made their debut, I can appreciate the mix of sweet and savory in the form of a breakfast sandwich. So when I came across the idea for this McGriddle Breakfast Casserole, I knew I wanted to put my own twist on it.

This casserole is a whole wheat pancake batter base that’s sweetened up with some vanilla, a touch of brown sugar, and some syrup too. I decided to go with a vegetarian breakfast sausage rather than a traditional breakfast sausage or a turkey breakfast sausage just because it’s plant based and I also had some on hand to use up!

One of my favorite things about this recipe though is that it’s SO easy to make. Literally mix up the batter and top it with cooked sausage to bake in the oven. No questions. It’s a great thing to make on the weekend and then have breakfast ready for a quick reheat through the week.

You could really get away with using whatever pancake mix or sausage you enjoy. I went the whole wheat and vegetarian based route. But, the original one was gluten free and keto based. So, you definitely have options!

Step-by-Step Photos: