Ham Cheese Croissant Bake (Printer View)

Buttery croissants with ham, cheeses, and creamy custard baked until golden and fluffy for hearty mornings.

# What you'll need:

→ Bread & Base

01 - 4 large day-old croissants, torn into bite-sized pieces

→ Meats

02 - 1.5 cups diced cooked ham

→ Cheese

03 - 1.5 cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
04 - 0.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Custard

05 - 6 large eggs
06 - 2 cups whole milk
07 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
08 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
10 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange croissant pieces evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Sprinkle diced ham evenly over croissants, followed by both Gruyère and cheddar cheeses.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until well combined.
05 - Pour custard mixture evenly over croissant, ham, and cheese layers, pressing down lightly to ensure absorption.
06 - Let stand for 10-15 minutes to allow croissants to absorb custard, or refrigerate up to overnight covered.
07 - Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and center is just set.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Garnish with chives or parsley if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes of prep, then basically does its own thing in the oven while you pour coffee and set the table.
  • Tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did, which is the best kind of cooking magic.
  • You can assemble it the night before and just slide it in the oven in the morning—no early-wake-up stress required.
02 -
  • If you skip the soaking time and bake it cold straight from mixing, the custard won't fully set and you'll get pockets of liquid at the bottom—I learned this by impatient mistake on a morning when I was already running late.
  • The Dijon mustard isn't optional, no matter how skeptical you feel about it—it's what transforms this from just eggs and cheese to something that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen.
03 -
  • Always use day-old croissants that have sat out overnight—they have the right structural integrity to soak up custard without disintegrating like fresh ones would.
  • Whisk the custard mixture until it's completely smooth and pale; any lumps of yolk will create uneven pockets of texture throughout the bake.
Return