Quick Meals

Breakfast Egg Rolls (Eggs, Bacon, and Cheese — Deep Fried)

3 min

Pull the eggs off the heat while they still look a touch underdone and glossy. They keep cooking from their own warmth, and they'll cook again inside the wrapper when these hit the oil, so soft and just-set is what you want here. Let the scramble cool before it goes anywhere near a wrapper or the steam will turn the wrapper soggy and it won't seal. From there it's bacon, cheddar, and a tight roll into 350-degree oil until the outside goes deep gold.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Egg rolls themselves come out of Chinese-American restaurant cooking, but stuffing one with a diner breakfast is pure home-cook improvisation, the kind of thing that spreads through brunch menus and food video accounts rather than any old recipe book. Think of it as a handheld bacon-egg-and-cheese that someone decided to deep-fry, and you've got the whole idea.

Breakfast egg rolls are the best idea you’ve never had. Fluffy scrambled eggs. Crispy bacon. Melty cheese. Wrapped in a golden, crunchy egg roll wrapper. Serve with maple syrup or hot sauce. Breakfast just got dangerous.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Make Scrambled Eggs

Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Scramble in a buttered skillet over medium heat until soft and just set. Let cool slightly.

2 2

Mix Filling

In a bowl, combine scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, cheddar, and green onions.

3 3

Assemble Egg Rolls

Place an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape. Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center.

Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold in sides. Roll tightly. Wet top corner with water to seal.

4 4

Fry

Heat 1½ inches of oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry egg rolls 2-3 at a time, 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels — keeps them crispy).

5 5

Serve

Serve hot with maple syrup for sweet-savory or hot sauce for kick. Either way, you’re winning.

Summary

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total: 30 min

Yield: 8-10 egg rolls | Difficulty: Medium

Storage Notes

Make ahead: Assemble uncooked egg rolls, freeze on a tray, then bag. Fry from frozen (add 2 minutes). Leftovers: Reheat in oven or air fryer at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Never microwave — sogginess is the enemy of the egg roll.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Yield

8-10 egg rolls

Ingredients

Makes 8-10 egg rolls.

8-10 egg roll wrappers
6 large eggs
2 tbsp milk or cream
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Optional dippers: maple syrup, hot sauce, ranch

Instructions

1
Make Scrambled Eggs. Make Scrambled Eggs. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Scramble in a buttered skillet over medium heat until soft and just set. Let cool slightly. 2 2
2
Mix Filling. Mix Filling. In a bowl, combine scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, cheddar, and green onions. 3 3
3
Assemble Egg Rolls. Assemble Egg Rolls. Place an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape. Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center. Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold in sides. Roll tightly. Wet top corner with water to seal. 4 4
4
Fry. Fry. Heat 1½ inches of oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry egg rolls 2-3 at a time, 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels — keeps them crispy). 5 5
5
Serve. Serve. Serve hot with maple syrup for sweet-savory or hot sauce for kick. Either way, you’re winning

Swaps & Substitutions

Egg roll wrappers → spring roll wrappers work but fry up thinner and shatter more; thaw fully and keep them under a damp towel so they don't dry and crack
Bacon → cooked breakfast sausage, crumbled, or diced ham; pat off excess grease so the filling isn't wet
Cheddar → any melting cheese like Monterey jack, pepper jack, or American; skip crumbly cheeses like feta that won't bind the filling
Milk or cream → water works in a pinch, or leave it out; the eggs will be a little less tender but still fine
Green onions → chives, or just leave them out; they're optional and the rolls don't need them
Frying → air-fry at 375F for 8-10 minutes, turning once, after a light brush of oil; you lose some of the all-over crunch but it's far less messy

Questions & Answers

Can I make these ahead?

Assemble and refrigerate the rolls up to a day before frying; keep them covered so the wrappers don't dry out. Fry straight from the fridge, maybe adding 30 seconds. I wouldn't fry them ahead since they go soft fast.

Why did mine burst open in the oil?

Usually too much filling or a loose roll. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons, roll tight, and seal the top corner with a real swipe of water. A scramble that's too wet also leaks, so cool it and drain any liquid first.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat in a 375F oven or air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes to bring the crunch back. The microwave makes them rubbery and limp.

How do I know the oil is ready without a thermometer?

Dip a corner of a spare wrapper in; it should bubble steadily right away without browning in a second or two. If it sits there doing nothing the oil's too cold, and the rolls will drink up grease.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, freeze the assembled unfried rolls on a tray, then bag them. Fry from frozen at 350F, adding a couple of minutes, since thawing makes the wrappers slack and prone to tearing.

Breakfast Egg Rolls (Eggs, Bacon, and Cheese — Deep Fried)