Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish generously with butter.
- Cook the breakfast sausage thoroughly in a skillet. Drain off all excess fat and break the meat into small, bite-sized crumbles. Set aside.
- Mix the Batter: Whisk together all dry pancake ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla). Combine wet and dry ingredients gently until just mixed. Do not overmix.
- Cook Initial Pancakes: Lightly grease a skillet over medium heat. Pour small amounts of batter to cook 6-8 small, slightly undercooked pancakes (about 1 minute per side). They should be pale, not golden brown.
- Assembly - Layer One: Arrange half of the partially cooked pancakes tightly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly to cover the base.
- Assembly - Filling: Sprinkle all the cooked sausage crumbles evenly over the first pancake layer. Drizzle half of the ½ cup of maple syrup over the sausage.
- Assembly - Layer Two: Arrange the remaining half of the pancakes on top of the sausage layer. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup over the top layer.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the centre is set and the edges are golden brown.
- Make the Glaze: While the casserole bakes, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream. Add the final 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Add the final tablespoon of milk slowly until you reach a thick but pourable consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle the maple-cinnamon glaze generously over the top before slicing and serving immediately.