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Stepping up our holiday breakfasts with this Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake. Buttery croissants, Brie cheese, prosciutto, and mushrooms, all tossed together in a mustard “cream” sauce, then baked to golden, cheesy perfection. This a cross between your favorite ham and cheese croissant sandwich and your mom’s old school Christmas morning strata. It feels extra fancy but is actually SO EASY, and of course, SO DELICIOUS. Bonus, it’s just as good for breakfast as it is dinner. And the best part? You can prep this croissant bake in advance, then bake it off just before you’re ready to serve. Perfect for holiday entertaining!
There are only two days left until Thanksgiving and oddly I am more prepared than ever. Why? Because I’m not cooking! Well, I mean, I will be cooking, but this year I won’t have our usual huge crowd. My family will be a bit split up (which is the weirdest thing). This is the first year in…ever…that I won’t be with them. It’s also the first time in many years that I will not be roasting a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. It’s OK though, I’ve already roasted two whole turkeys this month alone. Plus, there’s a very good chance I will do so again on Christmas. So, don’t you guys worry, I am not bummed.
All that said, while my family will be in Tahoe over Thanksgiving, almost everyone is currently here in Colorado now. My brothers have taken over my parent’s house. They’ve been making their way over to the HBH studio barn…just down the hill a little way…and requesting food and drink at least once a day. It’s the busiest time of year for us right now, but I just can’t say no to them.
Since everyone is here, I’ve been looking to make more casseroles and bakes that feed our large crew and are easy to throw together. I’ve already made this one pot spicy pesto bake rigatoni twice in the last week. To switch things up a bit, I wanted to give the classic ham and cheese sandwich a fresh new update.
Which brings me to this cheesy bake that’s great for everything from breakfast to dinner. It’s rich, indulgent, and perfect for feeding friends and family.
With nine plus people in my family, I rely heavily on my Pyrex Deep baking dishes throughout the holidays. I love the added depth these dishes provide. I can conveniently layer food in them and easily feed the family…and friends. The new Pyrex Deep are the deepest glass baking dishes out there. They hold up to 50% more than any current glass bakeware. Obviously, they’re perfect for things like pasta bakes and lasagna. But I also love using them for pretty layered dips and desserts.
You can find Pyrex Deep baking dishes at Walmart and Pyrexhome.com.
Here is how to make this ham and cheese croissant bake.
The process is pretty simple. Toast some store-bought croissants in the oven to add a little crispness to them.
While that’s happening, make the mustard cream sauce, which is a simple mix of mustard, cream, eggs, and herbs. When the croissants are toasted, toss them in the sauce along with caramelized mushrooms, prosciutto (or deli ham), and cheese. Layer the croissant and cream in the Pyrex Deep, then bake.
Simple right? Yes, and SO GOOD.
But hold on, there’s more…
The two ingredients you need most…
Creamy Brie cheese and just a touch of everything bagel spice.
First, the brie. It’s not traditional in a ham and cheese sandwich, but I also have Brie in my fridge this time of year and love using it in my recipes to make them feel just a bit more special. Of course, you can really use any cheese you love. But we’ve found the Brie to really take this simple bake from good to incredibly delicious.
Second, everything bagel spice. No, you don’t NEED this, BUT it adds so much. You can mix up your spice blend or pick up some from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or order via Amazon.
This is a great dish to prepare ahead of time for holiday guests. We love enjoying this for breakfast, but it’s also great as a dinner too. Either way, it will be loved by everyone.
I mean, it’s pretty hard not to enjoy buttery croissants, cheese, and ham all baked together. It has the perfect marriage of French flavors. If you don’t already have your Black Friday brunch recipe lined up, add this to the menu. Chances are you’ll have all the ingredients in the kitchen anyway. This dish is also a great way to use up anything leftover from Thanksgiving Day…just throw it in!
If you make this ham and cheese croissant bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1189 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 12 cups (about 12-16 croissants) roughly torn, day-old croissants
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 rounded tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, using more or less to our taste
- 3 ounces deli ham or prosciutto, torn
- 4 ounces creamy Brie cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss or fontina cheese
- 2 tablespoons everything bagel spice (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch Pyrex Deep baking dish.2. Arrange the torn croissants in the baking dish and lay 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced butter over the croissants. Transfer to the oven and bake 5-8 minutes, until the croissants are lightly toasted.3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes or until golden, stir and continue cooking until the mushrooms have caramelized, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, cook an additional minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.4. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, mustard, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the toasted croissants, mushrooms, ham, and Brie cheese, gently toss to combine. Pour the mixture back into the casserole dish. Top evenly with Swiss cheese and sprinkle with everything spice.5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the croissants are golden on top. Serve warm.
Notes
To Make a Few Hours Ahead: This can be made assembled a few hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Allow the stuffing to come to room temperature before baking.
To Make a Few Days Ahead: complete the recipe through step 3. Toss the mushrooms and croissants together. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to assemble, remove from the fridge. Continue on with step 4, tossing the croissants + mushrooms with the egg mix, then assemble in baking dish. This can be done up to 4 hours ahead of time. Bake as directed.
This is an amazing recipe!! I left a more detailed, helpful review, but because there’s WAY too much going on on this website – way too many ads – the page keeps having to reload and actually froze my browser earlier. Instead of typing it all out again, which is a shame because I had some tips to help other readers, I’d just ask you, Tieghan, to revisit your ad strategy on this site. It makes for an awful user experience, but your content is SO good! I know you have to make a living and you DESERVE it – but it wouldn’t hurt to remove one or two and make for a far better reader experience. Seriously, go to your site and try to make a recipe and you’ll see how often it has to refresh because it’s just too much. I’m on a macbook pro 2019. That’s all, before it crashes again!!
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
I made this today for a brunch get together and it was a hit! I accidentally added an extra tablespoon of Dijon and it still tasted great. I also used spinach instead of mushrooms and a mix of gruyere and sharp white cheddar I had on hand. Otherwise, I just followed the recipe as written (baked the full time given). Very tasty! Will make again.
Hey Amy,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Kids at home for digital learning and I just made this for lunch. They kept saying how good it is with every bite. Used guyere instead of brie cause that’s what I had. Seriously, so darn good!
Hey Rachelle,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
Made this for a holiday breakfast, fed 4 hungry men/boys with it. Comments were “very filling”, “Delicious!” “Stuffed!” “I can’t eat any more!” Finally, we have some breakfast leftovers everybody can look forward to. Thanks, Tieghan for making the holidays special and helping me feed boys to satisfaction! xoxo
Hey Elif,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoy, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
10/10 recipe! Made this morning for New Years brunch. I used brioche because the store was out of croissants, 1/2 and 1/2 instead of heavy cream and leftover Christmas ham. Everything else the same. This may be my favorite HBH recipe yet!
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was a hit! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Amazing!
Thanks so much Sarah! xTieghan
Made this for Xmas morning and we now have a new tradition! Delicious. Lucky to live in same town as King Arthur Flour HQ so used some day old KAF bakery bread and added some sautéed spinach.
And I was lucky enough to get HBH Super Simple under the tree today!
Thank you for your wonderful recipes that feed my family’s tummies and souls!
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this for Christmas morning! It was so easy and such a crowd pleaser!
Hey Elle,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
My big mistake, didn’t cover dish with foil in the oven, so was not set properly and didn’t look anything like the pic, they were still tasty but not crisp at all. Need to recipes fully!!’ But interesting dish.
Hey Elaine,
Thanks for giving the dish a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this ham and cheese strata today and it was OUTSTANDING! Definitely, will be doing this again!!!
Thank you so much Elizabeth! xTieghan
I tried this using some kinda stale cheese bread and it turned out incredible!! Making it again this week with croissants this time. I’m so excited! Thank you!
Thank you Ashley! xTieghan
Can this recipe be frozen?
Hey Rachel,
Sure you could freeze before baking. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Question- are. you recommending 12-16 full-sized croissants in this recipe? That seems like a lot for 6 people. I know Whole Foods sells mini croissants in packs of 12. I’m wondering if that is sufficient. Thank you.
Hey Maureen,
Yes, the recipe is correct:) I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made this for brunch today! The sautéed mushrooms really give this dish amazing flavor! Thanks for sharing yet, another, delicious recipe @halfbakedharvest
Thank you for trying this Sheri! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi there!
Absolutely love your recipes!
For this one…could I turn it into a dinner and switch out the croissants for noodles? If so would I need to make any adjustments or just add cooked noodles instead of croissants?
Thank you!!
Sarah
Hey Sarah,
Sorry I’ve not tried this and it would be a completely different recipe so I am unsure of what the results would be. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan