Copycat Starbucks Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich Recipe

While Starbucks offers a wide variety of hot breakfast items, including a number of breakfast sandwiches, if you've ever ordered their Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich, you probably would agree that it's one of the best things on the menu. It's got all the right savory notes you're looking for in a breakfast treat, from the cheese and bacon down to the bread itself. However, you may not want to drive to Starbucks every time you find yourself craving this savory, protein-packed sandwich on its flaky, buttery croissant bun.

Fortunately, recipe developer and dietitian Jaime Shelbert of Wholly Nourished has figured out exactly how to replicate this mouthwatering sandwich at home. Now, you can experience the utter deliciousness of a Starbucks breakfast without ever changing out of your pajamas. The recipe makes one sandwich, but you can easily scale it up for every member of your family if you want. That way, you can deliver a filling and satisfying breakfast that will give you the energy to get through your morning but at a fraction of the cost spent when going through your local Starbucks drive-through.

One of the things that sets Starbucks' Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich apart from other breakfast sandwiches is the quality of the ingredients that they use. While any type of bacon will work in a pinch, to truly get that smokey Starbucks flavor that's so key to the final sandwich, Shelbert recommends applewood smoked bacon. And of course, one of the defining characteristics of the Starbucks sandwich is its flaky croissant bun, an ingredient that you should be able to pick up in the bakery section of your local grocery store.

However, if you have trouble finding croissant buns, you can definitely substitute another type of breakfast bread in its place. "Bagels, croissants, English muffins or toast would all work great!" Shelbert says. A rich, buttery brioche bun may work especially well here, since it uses a similarly enriched dough to what is used for croissants. You'll also need an egg, a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, and some butter.

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, to ensure that it's up to the right temperature for some of the later steps. Then, you'll get to cooking your egg.

In order to get a perfectly round, lightly scrambled egg that fits precisely on your croissant bun, Shelbert has come up with a neat trick for the perfect sandwich-style egg. Taking the ring from a wide-mouth mason jar, coat the inside of the ring liberally with cooking spray. Then melt ½ tablespoon of butter in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat and place the ring in the pan around the melted butter.

Crack the egg directly into the ring and then scramble it lightly with a fork. Cover the pan with a lid for 2-3 minutes, so that the egg cooks through gently and evenly. Once the egg is set, use a pair of tongs to gently free the egg from the ring and set the ring to the side. Flip the egg and allow it to cook on the other side for about 30 seconds, just long enough to make sure it's completely cooked through. Then remove the egg to a paper towel-lined plate to help drain off any excess butter from your perfectly shaped scrambled egg.

If you're craving a Starbucks Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich but are missing the mason jar lid, don't sweat it. You can still get the same flavor experience without it. The end result will just look a little more rustic but will still taste great all the same.

"I used the mason jar lid to achieve the aesthetic of the Starbucks sandwich. You could certainly just scramble the egg instead in the pan and place it on the sandwich," Shelbert reassured us. It'll still be every bit as delicious, we promise.

While you're cooking your egg, you can also prepare the croissant buns. Although croissant buns are delicious right out of the package, buttering and toasting your bun will take the flavor and texture to a whole new level. By the way, toasting the buns is a pretty smart move for quite a few sandwich-style applications, including your classic burger.

To do that, first butter the tops of each half of your bun. Then, place the halves on a baking sheet and toast them in a preheated 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 3 minutes, until they're lightly browned. Stay nearby and keep an eye on your buns to make sure they don't get too dark, since they can go from golden to burnt in the blink of an eye.

Once your egg is ready and your bun is toasted, cut a slice of bacon in half widthwise and fry it in the same pan that you used for your egg. Unlike at Starbucks, frying your own bacon gives you the power to make it exactly the way you like it, whether that's extra chewy, thoroughly crisp, or somewhere in between. As soon as you reach your desired level of crispness, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the grease.

Once your egg is cooked, your bread is toasted, and your bacon is fried, it's time to assemble your sandwich. Start by placing the egg patty on the bottom bun, followed by the bacon, then topped off with the slice of cheese. 

Place the bottom half of the sandwich back in the oven for another minute or two, giving it just long enough for the cheese to begin to melt. This will act as the tasty glue that will bind the sandwich together and make eating it a neater experience. Plus, it helps to warm up any ingredients to the perfect, comforting, and delicious temperature. When the cheese has just started to melt, remove the sandwich from the oven, top it off with the other bun half, and enjoy!