Croissant Breakfast Casserole! Store bought baked croissants, deli ham, gruyere cheese (or sub swiss) and an easy to make custard of eggs and half and half! Simple ingredients that yield the most amazing breakfast casserole!
This savory breakfast casserole may be one of our fave recipes this year! It’s not only rich and flavorful, it is incredibly easy to make and feeds 8! Bring on Brunch!
Ingredients for Croissant Breakfast Casserole
- 1 pound baked croissants -about 6 large or 12 mini croissants
- 1 1/2 cups grated gruyere – or grated swiss
- 4 large slices of deli ham
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups half and half (half milk and half heavy cream)
- dijon mustard
Thats only 6 ingredients and look at that beautiful casserole!
Tear your croisants into large pieces. About 4-5 chunks for large croissants. Scatter in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
PRO TIP: If you can find day old croissants in your bakery even better!
Next cut up about 3-4 slices of deli ham into 2″ wide strips.
Weave them around the croissants randomly. You can’t mess this up. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
NOTE: You can also use cubed ham and sprinkle it around if you prefer. We like the slices because it made it look like a Monte Cristo Sandwich Casserole.
Next toss on a cup of Gruyere cheese!
What is Gruyere Cheese? and can I substitute another cheese?
- I could give you the Wikipedia description, but I like to describe it as a funked up swiss cheese without the holes. It has more of an earthy deep flavor than swiss and it is worth the few extra $’s. You can find it in the deli section of most grocers.
- Substitutions for Gruyere – Swiss, Fontina or Jarsberg.
The custard for this Easy Croissant Casserole is very basic:
- Combine eggs, half and half (half milk and half cream) a touch of dijon, salt and pepper. Pour it all over the casserole Press down on the croissants with your hands and work the cheese in between the pieces.
Resting time – and can I make this the night before?
- this breakfast casserole needs to take a nap for at least an hour in order for the croissants to soak up some of the egg mixture.
- you can also make this the night before. A good 12 hour soaking will yield great results!
After you have let this rest. Loosly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake an additonal 20 minutes or until it is cooked through in the middle.
If your croissants start to brown a little too much, place the foil back on the casserole and continue to cook until done.
How to serve this Easy Breakfast Casserole –
- We like to serve this Monte Cristo style with a dusting of powdered sugar and jam on the side!
- You can serve along with, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit. Keeping it simple!
A few more breakfast casseroles we think you will love! –
- Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Hashbrowns – a hearty casserole made with store bought has browns.
- Breakfast Enchiladas – roll uup flour tortillas stuffed with sausage and cheese then pour over the egg mixture for a beautiful breakfast bake!
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Casserole – our most popular casserole!
- Crockpot Breakfast Casserole – set it and forget it!
LET’S EAT!
Kathi and Rachel
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Croissant Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound bakery croissants - about 6 large or 12 mini
- 4 slices deli ham, cut into 2" strips - or cubed ham if you prefer
- 1 cup grated gruyere cheese - swiss is a good substitute
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half - half milk, half cream
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non stick spray.
- Tear croissants into large pieces. About 3 inches. Skatter in baking dish.
- Wind strips of deli ham sporadically around the croissants.
- Sprinkle with one cup of grated gruyere cheese.
- In a medium size bowl (with a pour spout if possible). Beat 6 eggs. Add half and half, dijon, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
- Pour egg mixture over croissants. Using your hands press down to submerge the croissants and work some of the cheese down into the casserole.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 12. Occasionally remove from the refrigerator and press down on the croissants so they are fully soaked.
- Remove casserole from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Loosley cover casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15- 20 minutes until the custard is cooked all the way through in the middle. NOTE: If you find the croissants are browning too much, place foil back on the casserole and continue cooking until done.
- Serve warm with a dusting of confectioners sugar and a side of jam if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we might receive a very small commission, at no additional cost to you, should you chose to purchase that linked item. We only link to items we know and trust. Kathi & Rachel
Alexandra says
2 cups half and half (half cream half milk) does that mean 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup milk or 2 cups half and half? This is extremely confusing
Kathi & Rachel says
Hi Alexandra – ‘Half and Half’ is a product available to purchase in most all grocery stores (unless you live outside the US then Ive been told is not readily available). But you are correct, you can use 1 cup cream and one cup milk if ‘half and half’ is not available where you live. Kathi
raela guernsey says
This is absolutely the best dish ever!! I could eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner!! Don’t forget the jam that’s the best part!! Make this!! Rae