This Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake is the perfect holiday breakfast. Croissants, ham, gruyere, and custardy eggs layered together and baked into golden brown breakfast perfection!

Think delicious croque madame in casserole form! This recipe is so great for feeding a crowd and freezes beautifully. It’s even better if you serve it drizzled with a bit of hollandaise sauce.

Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

If you’re looking for an easy breakfast or brunch recipe, this is it! I love this ham and cheese croissant bake for the holidays because it’s so easy to throw together.

I always throw an epic Christmas Morning Brunch with homemade bagels for an epic bagel board, gravlax, cinnamon rolls, and this delicious ham and cheese croissant bake! We celebrate Christmas morning with mimosas, espresso martinis, and a huge spread of food and it’s absolutely magical.

The holidays can be such a busy time for hosting and entertaining that it’s nice to have an easy (and delicious!) breakfast option on deck.

In this ham and cheese croissant bake, croissants are torn into pieces and layered with herby sautéed onions, ham, and gruyere, and soaked with a custardy egg mixture before being baked to golden-brown perfection.

You are going to love this recipe, especially when it’s drizzled with my easy blender hollandaise sauce.

How to Make a Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

This recipe is so easy to prep for feeding a crowd. Scroll down for my make-ahead tips!

Tools Needed

• 9×13 Baking Pan
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Saute Pan
• Cheese Grater

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Croissants. Buy already baked small croissants from the bakery section of your grocery store, not from the tube. The ones at Costco are fabulous. If you don’t want to use croissants, brioche or challah is a contender.
• Ham. I like going to the deli and having them slice me some nice French ham or an uncured smoked ham.
• Gruyere. Make sure to grate the cheese yourself instead of buying pre-shredded.
• Onion. I’m a fan of yellow onion here, but you really can use any onion.
• Butter. Sautéing the onion in butter gives it great flavor and I like to grease the baking pan with butter too.
• Herbs. Fresh thyme and sage add tons of flavor here.
• Eggs. A must for creating a savory custard.
• Half and half. I don’t recommend down grading to milk here. You can make half and half by mixing equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
• Dijon. The mustard adds savory notes to the custard that play so well with the ham and gruyere.

The Process

1. Prep the croissants. Tear the croissants into large pieces and lay them on a baking sheet. Let them get stale overnight. Alternately, you can put the tray into a 250 F oven for 40 minutes.
2. Saute the onions. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet. Once the butter is hot and foamy, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the chopped sage and thyme and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the onions are soft. Set aside.
3. Prep the baking pan. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
4. Layer the casserole. Lay about half of the torn croissants into the baking pan. Top with half of the ham, shredded gruyere, and all the sautéed onions. Top with the rest of the croissants, ham, and cheese.
5. Make the custard. Whisk or blend together the half and half, eggs, dijon, whole grain mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper until very smooth and all the eggs are well-mixed. Pour the custard over the layered croissants, ham, and cheese and press the croissants into the mix. Let it soak for 30 minutes.
6. Bake. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top of the croissant bake is golden brown and puffed. Check 30 minutes into cook time – if the croissants are browning too quickly, you can cover with aluminum foil. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then garnish with chives and enjoy immediately.

Tips for Making Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

This recipe is pretty foolproof, but here are all my best tips for creating a perfect ham and cheese croissant bake every time.

Use a metal baking pan. I tested this recipe with both a ceramic baking dish and a metal baking pan and I preferred the metal! It helped the bottom crisp up a bit more, I just preferred the photos taken in the baking dish. I love this 9×13 USA Pan!

Use stale croissants. Stale croissants are so important when making this ham and cheese croissant bake! They absorb the custard better and don’t get mushy or soggy. When I know I’m making this recipe, I tear up my croissants and lay them on a baking sheet overnight.

Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is not the way as it’s usually coated in cellulose which keeps it from melting well. Skip the pre-shredded and bust out that cheese grater!

Choose quality ham. This is when I head to the deli counter and ask them to slice me some French ham or some quality uncured smoked ham.

Make-Ahead Instructions

The holidays are a busy time and having an easy breakfast you can prep in advance is everything! This ham and cheese croissant bake can be prepped in advance and baked off in the morning.

You can whisk the custard mixture together and store in an airtight container overnight. You can also layer the croissants, cheese, onion, and ham together in a greased baking dish and wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, just pour the custard over the croissants, let it soak briefly, and bake as directed.

I do not recommend soaking the croissants overnight. While you technically can, the ham and cheese croissant bake will end up soggier than we like. I recommend prepping the components and keeping them separate until you plan to bake.

Storage Instructions

Ham and cheese croissant bake stores, reheats, and freezes beautifully!

Leftovers and storage: Wrap leftovers tightly with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in an oven preheated to 350F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. The oven method for reheating is best and gives the croissants some of their crispy texture back.

To freeze: Allow to cool completely, then tightly wrap casserole in plastic wrap and then into a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Press out as much air as possible before sealing as this helps prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, bake the casserole at 350F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.

How to Serve Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

Obviously this ham and cheese croissant bake is dynamite on it’s own, but I do love to serve it as part of a brunch spread.

Try serving this with crispy potatoes on the side and even a fried egg on top. My absolute favorite thing is to serve it alongside my easy blender hollandaise sauce! It takes this breakfast casserole to the next level.

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We absolutely love serving this Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake as part of our Christmas morning tradition. It’s packed with flavor and easily feeds a crowd! If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Brunch Recipes to Try

Cheddar Chive Biscuits
Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby
Croissant Breakfast Casserole
Migas Breakfast Tacos

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