Sausage and Cheese Cornbread Biscuits

Some recipes start with a carefully thought-out plan. This one started because I simply couldn’t decide what I wanted.

I was craving homemade biscuits, but at the same time, I really wanted cornbread. Instead of choosing between the two, I decided to combine them, and these Cornbread Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches were the result.

I want to set expectations right from the beginning: don’t make these expecting the texture of a traditional fluffy, flaky biscuit. They really are a cross between a biscuit and cornbread. You get the buttery richness and shape of a biscuit, but the cornmeal gives them a tender, slightly crumbly texture and noticeable corn flavor that leans more toward cornbread.

Once I had the biscuits figured out, turning them into breakfast sandwiches was easy. I filled each one with hot Italian sausage seasoned with garlic and onion powder, then covered the cooked sausage with slices of cheese right in the pan and let everything melt together before dividing it between the biscuits. A warm honey butter glaze brushed over the tops gives you that sweet-and-savory finish that works especially well with the spicy sausage.

The result is a hearty breakfast sandwich that’s buttery, savory, spicy, cheesy and sweet, with a lightly crisp exterior and a tender, cornbread-like center.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The thing I love most about these breakfast sandwiches is that they don’t fit neatly into either the biscuit or cornbread category and that’s exactly the point. You get that unmistakable corn flavor and slightly crumbly tenderness of cornbread while still having something sturdy enough to split open and turn into a breakfast sandwich.

The hot Italian sausage keeps the filling savory with a little heat, while the melted cheese makes everything rich and creamy. Then there’s the honey butter. Brushing it over the warm biscuits gives the tops a buttery sheen and just enough sweetness to balance the savory filling.

They’re also substantial. Between the thick cornbread biscuits and cheesy sausage filling, one sandwich makes a satisfying breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

For the Cornbread Biscuits

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour

⅔ cup (about 100 g) fine yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 cup cold buttermilk

Melted butter, for brushing

For the Sausage and Cheese Filling

1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

6–8 slices cheese, or enough to completely cover the cooked sausage

For the Honey Butter Glaze

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey

Pinch of salt

How To Make Sausage and Cheese Cornbread Sandwiches

Make the Cornbread Biscuit Dough

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt and sugar. Add the very cold cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until you have small pieces of butter roughly the size of peas.

Pour in the cold buttermilk and gently stir just until everything begins to come together. Don’t knead the dough or try to make it perfectly smooth.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, rotate it, flatten it again and repeat this process two or three times.

Pat the finished dough until it is approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick.

Cut the dough into 8 squares. Cutting them into squares means there are no scraps to gather and reroll, which also keeps you from overworking the dough.

Transfer the biscuits to a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.

If the dough has become warm while you’ve been working with it, place the shaped biscuits in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Brush the tops lightly with melted butter immediately before baking.

Bake at 425°F for 16–18 minutes, until the biscuits have risen, are set and are lightly golden.

Cook the Sausage and Melt the Cheese

While the biscuits are baking, cook the hot Italian sausage on a griddle or in a large skillet over medium heat.

Season the sausage with garlic powder and onion powder and break it into small-to-medium pieces as it cooks. Leave some texture instead of breaking it into extremely fine crumbles.

Cook until the sausage is completely cooked through and nicely browned.

Spread the cooked sausage into a relatively even layer in the pan. Lay 6–8 slices of cheese or however many you need to completely cover the sausage.

Allow the cheese to melt completely over the hot sausage.

Divide the cheesy sausage mixture into 8 equal portions.

Make the Honey Butter Glaze

Melt the butter and stir in the honey and a small pinch of salt until smooth.

Allow the baked biscuits to cool a bit before slicing. The cornbread biscuits are more delicate when piping hot, so giving the centers a few minutes to set makes them easier to split without crumbling.

Brush the warm biscuit tops generously with the honey butter glaze.

Split each biscuit and fill it with one portion of the cheesy sausage mixture. Replace the top and, if desired, brush with another light coating of honey butter before serving.

Ingredient Notes

Cornmeal

Fine yellow cornmeal works best here. The recipe uses enough cornmeal to give these biscuits a true cornbread flavor and texture rather than simply making a traditional biscuit with a little cornmeal added.

It’s also important to remember that these aren’t supposed to have the exact consistency of traditional biscuits. The ⅔ cup of cornmeal makes the centers more tender, slightly crumbly and distinctly cornbread-like.

If you’re expecting tall, feathery layers like a traditional buttermilk biscuit, this isn’t that recipe. Think of these as the point where cornbread and biscuits meet.

Cold Butter

Keeping the butter very cold is important. The small pieces of cold butter remain throughout the dough until they hit the hot oven. As the butter melts and releases steam, it helps create pockets throughout the biscuit and gives the dough some lift.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk adds moisture and a subtle tang while also reacting with the baking soda. Keep the buttermilk refrigerated until you’re ready to add it to the dough.

Sugar

I originally tested these biscuits with 1 tablespoon of sugar, but after tasting the first batch, I wanted the cornbread itself to have a little more sweetness. Increasing it to 2 tablespoons gives the biscuits a subtle sweetness without turning them into dessert.

Hot Italian Sausage

Hot Italian sausage gives these breakfast sandwiches a savory, fennel-forward flavor with a little heat. The spice works especially well with the sweetness of the honey butter.

If you prefer less heat, bulk sweet Italian sausage works too.

Cheese

Use a good melting sliced cheese. American cheese will give you the creamiest melt, while cheddar will give the sandwiches a sharper cheese flavor. A combination of the two would also work well.

You don’t need to measure the cheese too precisely. I used approximately 6–8 slices for 1 pound of sausage, but the easiest method is simply to use enough slices to cover the cooked sausage completely.

Tips for The Best Sausage and Cheese Cornbread Biscuits

Don’t chase the color. This was the biggest lesson from my first batch. At 425°F, the biscuits should be finished in approximately 16–18 minutes. Pull them when they’re set and lightly golden instead of leaving them in the oven because you’re waiting for dark golden-brown tops. The extra baking time can dry them out.

Keep everything cold. Start with very cold butter and cold buttermilk. If the shaped biscuits feel like they’ve warmed up while you were cutting them, refrigerate them for about 10 minutes before brushing with butter and baking.

Don’t overwork the dough. Cornmeal naturally makes these biscuits more tender and crumbly. Mix and fold only as much as necessary to bring the dough together.

Cut straight down. Whether you’re using a knife or bench scraper to make the squares, press straight through the dough rather than sawing back and forth.

Let them rest before slicing. Give the biscuits about 5-7 minutes after baking so the centers can set. They’ll still be warm enough for your breakfast sandwiches but will be less likely to crumble when you split them.

Melt the cheese directly onto the sausage. Instead of putting individual cheese slices onto each biscuit, cover the cooked sausage with cheese while it’s still in the pan. Once the cheese melts, fold everything together and then divide the mixture into 8 portions. This gives you sausage and gooey cheese together in every bite.

What To Serve With Sausage and Cheese Cornbread Breakfast Biscuits

These sandwiches are hearty enough to be breakfast on their own, but they’re also perfect as part of a weekend breakfast or brunch spread.

For something fresh alongside all that buttery, cheesy richness, serve them with fresh berries, sliced melon or a simple fruit salad. Crispy breakfast potatoes or hash browns are a good choice if you’re leaning into a full Southern-style breakfast.

Scrambled or fried eggs also work well on the side, although I intentionally left eggs out of the sandwich itself. The hot Italian sausage, melted cheese, cornbread biscuit and honey butter already give the sandwich plenty of flavor without turning it into a standard sausage, egg and cheese biscuit.

For brunch, serve them alongside fresh fruit, breakfast potatoes and plenty of hot coffee.

Kitchen Tools

• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin, optional
• Bench scraper or sharp knife
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• Large skillet or griddle
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Pastry brush

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cornbread biscuits supposed to be flaky like regular biscuits?

No. These are intentionally a cross between cornbread and biscuits. They have some of the buttery richness and structure of a biscuit, but the amount of cornmeal gives them a softer, slightly crumbly consistency that’s closer to cornbread. Don’t expect the tall, feathery layers of a traditional Southern buttermilk biscuit.

Why didn’t my cornbread biscuits rise as much as regular biscuits?

The cornmeal changes the structure of the dough and limits some of the gluten development you would get from an all-flour biscuit. These will rise, but they aren’t intended to rise as dramatically as a traditional biscuit.

Can I use sweet Italian sausage?

Absolutely. I prefer hot Italian sausage because the spice balances the honey butter beautifully, but sweet Italian sausage is an easy substitute.

What kind of cheese should I use?

American cheese gives you an especially smooth, creamy melt, while cheddar provides more pronounced cheese flavor. You can also use a combination. Use approximately 6–8 slices, or simply enough to cover the cooked sausage.

Can I use breakfast sausage instead of Italian sausage?

Yes. Bulk breakfast sausage will work if you want a more traditional breakfast flavor.

Why do the biscuits need to rest before slicing?

The centers are delicate immediately after baking. Resting them allows the structure to set slightly so they’re less likely to crumble when sliced.

Can I make the biscuits ahead of time?

Yes. The biscuits can be baked ahead and reheated before assembling. For the best texture, warm them briefly in the oven rather than microwaving them for too long.

Can I freeze the biscuits?

Yes. Freeze the cooled, unfilled biscuits in an airtight freezer-safe container. Reheat them in the oven until warmed through, then add the freshly cooked sausage and cheese.

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