Start your morning with a Maple Bacon Breakfast Pie, where savory bacon meets sweet maple syrup, tender hash browns and a rich egg custard in a flaky crust for a truly satisfying meal.
This bacon pie is always a crowd pleaser: creamy, flavorful, and finished with extra crispy bacon on top.
For other breakfast ideas, try cinnamon pull-apart bread, easy french toast, sticky buns, sweet potato breakfast hash, or blueberry coffee cake.
What you need:
Premade Pie Crust: A refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury) works well. If needed, roll it slightly larger to fit a deep-dish pan.
Bacon: Use a thick-cut bacon for the best texture and flavor; reserve some for crumbling and use the rest for a bacon weave topping.
Potatoes: Cooked frozen shredded hash browns or well-cooked diced potatoes.
Cheese: A good melting blend—cheddar and gouda are recommended, but any melting cheese will work.
Green Onions: Adds brightness and savory bite.
Custard: Cornstarch, whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder create a rich, stable custard.
Maple Syrup: Lightly brush the bacon weave before baking for a touch of sweetness.
9-inch Deep Dish Pie Dish: For a thick, hearty pie.
What is a breakfast pie?
A breakfast pie is essentially a quiche: an egg-based custard baked with breakfast additions such as bacon, potatoes and cheese.
Why does this recipe take time?
Because it’s a custard, the egg-and-milk mixture needs time to cook gently and then cool to set properly. Rushing the bake or changing the egg-to-dairy ratio can cause a watery result, so patience yields the best texture.
How to blind bake the crust
- Fit the dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Cover with foil or parchment.
- Fill the foil with sugar, uncooked rice, or pie weights to hold the shape.
- Bake 10 minutes, remove the weights and foil, then bake another 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
Why use pie weights?
Weights prevent the crust sides from slumping so the shell bakes upright and cooks evenly.
Why blind bake?
Blind baking crisps the crust so it won’t become soggy when the custard and fillings are added.
Helpful Tip:
If a store-bought crust is a bit small for a deep dish pan, gently roll it out on a floured surface to enlarge it before placing it in the dish.
How to make the breakfast pie
- Cook five slices of bacon until crisp; cool, crumble and set aside.
- Cook frozen hash browns until golden and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk cornstarch with a little milk until dissolved. Add the remaining milk, heavy cream, eggs, salt, pepper and garlic powder; whisk until smooth.
- Spread crumbled bacon, cheese, green onions and cooked hash browns in the prebaked crust, then gently pour the custard over the top. Tap or stir gently to release trapped air.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the center reaches about 175°F—about 70–90 minutes. The pie will puff while baking and flatten as it cools. Allow to cool on a wire rack up to two hours before slicing.
- When cooled enough to handle, top with the cooked bacon weave and slice to serve.
Helpful Tip:
Place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet before baking. It makes sliding the pie in and out of the oven much easier and catches any spills.
How to make a bacon weave
- Lay five strips of bacon horizontally and five vertically, weaving them to form a tight square or rectangle.
- Brush the top side with maple syrup, flip the weave onto an oven-safe rack set on a rimmed baking sheet, then brush the other side.
- Bake alongside the pie, checking at 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes until browned and crisp. If possible, flip the weave during baking to brown both sides evenly.
Can I cook the bacon weave on the pie?
No. Baking the weave directly on the pie leads to unevenly cooked, floppy bacon and makes the pie soggy from excess grease. Cooking the weave separately yields the best texture and appearance.
About bacon
Thick-cut bacon gives the best results for a weave and for crumbling into the filling. Thinner bacon will shrink more and may cook faster—watch it closely if you use it.
Can you use 2% milk instead of whole milk or cream?
For the best custard texture use whole milk and heavy cream. The higher fat content gives richness and helps the custard set properly.
How to serve maple bacon pie
Serve warm or at room temperature. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, or even a savory dinner.
How to store breakfast pie
Cover and refrigerate the quiche. It’s best eaten within 3–5 days.
Can you freeze quiche?
Yes. Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, or microwave single slices.
Maple Bacon Breakfast Pie
Print
Pin
Ingredients
- 1 premade crust* I used refrigerated pie crust dough
- 15 slices bacon, divided* (use thick-cut for best results)
- 2 cups shredded frozen hash browns, cooked
- 1 ½ tbs corn starch
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 8 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded gouda cheese
- ¼ cup maple syrup for brushing
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425°F and place the rack in the lower middle position.
-
Blind bake the crust: fit dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, cover with foil and add weights (sugar, rice or pie weights). Bake 10 minutes, remove weights and foil, then bake 4–10 more minutes until edges are lightly browned. Reduce oven to 350°F.
-
Cook hash browns according to package directions until golden; set aside.
-
Cook 5 slices of bacon until crisp, transfer to paper towels and crumble once cool.
-
Make a bacon weave with the remaining bacon strips: weave 5 across and 5 vertical, brush with maple syrup, place on an oven-safe rack over a rimmed sheet and brush the other side. Set aside to bake with the pie.
-
Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup milk until dissolved. Add remaining milk, heavy cream, eggs, salt, pepper and garlic powder and whisk until smooth.
-
Layer crumbled bacon, cheeses, hash browns and green onions in the prebaked crust, then pour the custard over. Gently move the filling to release air bubbles.
-
Bake the pie until the top is lightly browned, a toothpick comes out clean and the center reaches 175°F—typically 70–90 minutes. Bake the bacon weave at the same time, checking periodically and flipping if possible for even browning.
-
Remove the bacon weave when done and set aside.
-
Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack up to two hours; it will deflate slightly as it cools. When ready to serve, place the bacon weave on top and slice.
Notes
- Premade Pie Dough: If it’s a bit small for a deep dish pan, gently roll it larger on a floured surface.
- Cornstarch: Helps stabilize the custard and prevents it from becoming watery when mixed with other ingredients.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon works best for weaving and texture; thinner bacon will cook faster and shrink more.
- Bacon Weave: Cooking the weave separately gives the best crispness and prevents the pie from becoming greasy or soggy.
- Potatoes: Diced potatoes can be used if cooked thoroughly first.