Breakfast Croissant Bake with Ham and Cheese
- Jan 3
- 4 min read
Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2026, full of baking, cooking, and delicious food! Welcome back and thank you for joining me for another year of fun in the kitchen. From my kitchen to yours, THANK YOU for all your support! From craveable appetizers and stacked sandwiches to soulful soups and meal-worthy salads, indulgent desserts and show-stopping mains, this year will be full of satisfying recipes that you can recreate at home with ease. So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
A new year brings with it resolutions and I resolve to treat myself to something special a little more often. So, with that, I present to you a breakfast that is every bit as easy as it is indulgent. This one pan meal is perfect for quiet Sunday mornings, elegant enough for brunch with friends and works equally well as a quick dinner during a busy work week. My Breakfast Croissant Bake with Ham and Cheese couldn’t be easier to make, comes together in under an hour and uses a handful of simple and everyday ingredients! It’s the epitome of breakfast with zero drama, minimal cleanup and maximum flavour!
My Breakfast Croissant Bake with Ham and Cheese recipe is a mashup of Croque Monsieur and Jamon de beurre but in casserole form. C’est magnifique! Buttery croissants form the basis of this dish, adding next-level richness and a soft and luxurious texture. They serve as the perfect vessel for this breakfast bake given their ability to soak up the silky custard. The croissants are then torn up into bite-sized pieces and are added to the base of a greased baking dish. Slices of cooked ham and Gruyère are nestled amongst the croissants, imparting earthiness, nuttiness, savouriness, saltiness and sweetness to this dish. A combination of herbs, both dried and fresh, are added to the mix, giving this Breakfast Croissant Bake fresh, fragrant and floral tasting notes. The croissant, ham and cheese mixture is then coated in a savoury custard. The custard is made using six large eggs (including a spontaneous double yolk) and whole milk and is lightly seasoned with Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper. It is very important that you allow the Breakfast Croissant Bake to stand for at least 10 minutes before baking. This will give the croissants time to soften and absorb that delicious custard.
The Breakfast Croissant Bake with Ham and Cheese is popped into a hot oven and baked for just shy of one hour. It undergoes as two-step baking process which contributes to its delicate, pillowy and soft texture. The casserole is first baked covered, allowing the custard to evenly and gently cook. The second stage involves cooking the Breakfast Croissant Bake uncovered, which gives the croissants a beautiful golden-brown colour and caramelizes the cheese. You know your Breakfast Croissant Bake is done when it has puffed up and the custard has fully set. Once baked, let it stand for at least 10 minutes then cut into desired slices and serve and enjoy!
For more fun and exciting breakfast or brunch ideas, try my Crustless Quiche, Peameal Bacon Sandwich, Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats, Oven Bacon, Turkish Eggs and Dutch Baby recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 – 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 - 65 minutes (includes 10 minutes of inactive time for soaking)
Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients:
6 large croissants (approx. 270g)
½ Tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
150g cooked ham (See Notes below)
150g Gruyère, cut into 1/8-inch slices
3 Tbsp fresh parsley leaves and stems, finely chopped
5 large eggs
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Herbes de Provence (See Notes below)
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 8” x 10” ceramic baking dish with butter.
Tear the croissants into 1 ½-inch pieces and toss them into the baking dish, spreading them out into an even, single layer.
Depending on the overall size of the slices of ham used, you can leave them whole (for smaller cuts), cut them in half or quarter them (for large slices).
Nestle the cooked ham and Gruyère amongst the croissants and sprinkle parsley over top.
To a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, mustard, garlic powder, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper and whisk until light and fluffy (approx. 30 seconds).
Pour the egg custard over the croissant mixture, ensuring that the croissants are submerged and coated.
Set the Breakfast Croissant Bake aside for at least 10 minutes to allow the croissants to absorb all the custard.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 25 – 30 minutes or until the Breakfast Croissant Bake has puffed up and the custard has set. You know your custard has set when a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let the Breakfast Croissant Bake stand for 10 minutes. Cut into desired slices and serve and enjoy!
Notes:
There are so many varieties of ham to choose from: How does one decide? There’s your classic baked ham, Black Forest ham, Virginia ham, honey ham, Prosciutto cotto, or Capicola. With so many delicious varieties to choose from, you really can’t go wrong! It’s really dealer’s choice!
Substituting Herbes de Provence: Herbes de Provence is a spice blend from southeastern France, specifically the Provence region. It’s typically comprised of a combination of dried savory, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, oregano and, at times, lavender. If you don’t have any handy in your pantry or can’t find it at your local grocer, simply substitute it with equal parts dried thyme, rosemary and oregano. Be mindful that dried herbs are more potent than fresh and thus, the combination of dried herbs should be limited to ¼ tsp in aggregate for this recipe!
