French croissants became American breakfast casserole when 1980s hotel chains needed day-old pastry solutions for continental breakfast buffets.
Ham and Swiss Croissant Bake
Elevate your brunch game with our scrumptious Ham and Swiss Croissant Bake! This delightful dish layers buttery croissants with savory ham and gooey Swiss cheese, all baked to golden perfection. Perfect for family get-togethers or festive celebrations, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s as easy to prepare as it is to devour!
Prep
15
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This unholy matrimony between French pain perdu and American casserole culture was birthed in 1980s California brunch spots when French-trained chefs discovered Americans would pay twenty dollars for yesterday's pastries drowning in custard—suddenly every country club from Marin County to Manhattan Beach was serving croissant bread pudding like they'd invented fire itself, completely ignoring that the French had been doing this with stale brioche since Napoleon was in short pants.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Charlevoix region, they swap the Swiss cheese for aged Oka cheese and drizzle the croissants with local maple syrup instead of honey, creating a Franco-Canadian hybrid that's basically poutine's sophisticated breakfast cousin.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 6 croissants
- 8 oz (227 g) deli ham
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh rosemary
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
- 4 oz (113 g) mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz (227 g) swiss cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (114 g) butter
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 2
Cut the croissants into thirds and set aside.
- 3
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary.
- 4
Dunk the croissant pieces in the egg mixture and shake off excess liquid.
- 5
Arrange the croissant pieces in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
- 6
Fold the ham into roses and layer them on top of the croissants.
- 7
Add Swiss cheese on top of the ham and sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the corners.
- 8
In a small saucepan, melt butter and mix in honey, thyme, and rosemary to create the honey butter herb sauce.
- 9
Pour the honey butter sauce over the croissant bake.
- 10
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Let croissant pieces soak in the custard base for 15-20 minutes before baking so the buttery layers absorb liquid evenly without becoming soggy on the outside while staying dry inside.timing15-20 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk (1 cup cream to 1 cup milk) because the higher fat content prevents the custard from curdling at 350°F and creates a silkier texture.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Cut croissants when they're day-old and slightly stale because fresh croissants will disintegrate in the custard, while stale ones maintain structure and absorb 30% more liquid.technique30% more absorption
- ✓Bake uncovered for the first 25 minutes, then tent with foil to prevent over-browning while the center reaches the safe custard temperature of 160°F.timing25 minutes, 160°F
- ✓Use a 13x9 dish specifically because it provides 2-inch depth for proper custard-to-bread ratio and ensures even heat distribution at 350°F without hot spots.equipment2-inch depth
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
12
min
Serves
6
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
French croissants became American breakfast casserole when 1980s hotel chains needed day-old pastry solutions for continental breakfast buffets.
Ham and Swiss Croissant Bake
Elevate your brunch game with our scrumptious Ham and Swiss Croissant Bake! This delightful dish layers buttery croissants with savory ham and gooey Swiss cheese, all baked to golden perfection. Perfect for family get-togethers or festive celebrations, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s as easy to prepare as it is to devour!
The Story
This unholy matrimony between French pain perdu and American casserole culture was birthed in 1980s California brunch spots when French-trained chefs discovered Americans would pay twenty dollars for yesterday's pastries drowning in custard—suddenly every country club from Marin County to Manhattan Beach was serving croissant bread pudding like they'd invented fire itself, completely ignoring that the French had been doing this with stale brioche since Napoleon was in short pants.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Charlevoix region, they swap the Swiss cheese for aged Oka cheese and drizzle the croissants with local maple syrup instead of honey, creating a Franco-Canadian hybrid that's basically poutine's sophisticated breakfast cousin.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 6 croissants
- 8 oz (227 g) deli ham
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh rosemary
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
- 4 oz (113 g) mozzarella cheese
- 8 oz (227 g) swiss cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 1 cup (114 g) butter
- fresh thyme (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- honey (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 2
Cut the croissants into thirds and set aside.
- 3
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary.
- 4
Dunk the croissant pieces in the egg mixture and shake off excess liquid.
- 5
Arrange the croissant pieces in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
- 6
Fold the ham into roses and layer them on top of the croissants.
- 7
Add Swiss cheese on top of the ham and sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the corners.
- 8
In a small saucepan, melt butter and mix in honey, thyme, and rosemary to create the honey butter herb sauce.
- 9
Pour the honey butter sauce over the croissant bake.
- 10
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Let croissant pieces soak in the custard base for 15-20 minutes before baking so the buttery layers absorb liquid evenly without becoming soggy on the outside while staying dry inside.timing15-20 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream to milk (1 cup cream to 1 cup milk) because the higher fat content prevents the custard from curdling at 350°F and creates a silkier texture.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Cut croissants when they're day-old and slightly stale because fresh croissants will disintegrate in the custard, while stale ones maintain structure and absorb 30% more liquid.technique30% more absorption
- ✓Bake uncovered for the first 25 minutes, then tent with foil to prevent over-browning while the center reaches the safe custard temperature of 160°F.timing25 minutes, 160°F
- ✓Use a 13x9 dish specifically because it provides 2-inch depth for proper custard-to-bread ratio and ensures even heat distribution at 350°F without hot spots.equipment2-inch depth