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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.
I’m planning this for Christmas morning , but I have to say 3 eggs is all it calls for for 6 people??? Ir seems like next to nothing compared to the rest if the Ingredients…can you please confirm this is right??
Thanks, Caroline
Hi Caroline! Yes, that is correct! Hope you enjoy 🙂 xT
Love this hearty, protein (and dairy!) dense brekkie. Make sure you tear your croissant pieces on the side of big. Canadian bacon worked perfectly for this. Added broccoli and green onion to round out the food groups. Next time I’ll: incorporate more mustard as I didn’t taste this enough, even more every seed seasoning, and less Brie with more Swiss. Lastly, I like crust and will pull the foil off sooner. Can easily recreate this with other ingredients. EASY!
Hi Jen,
I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Have a great week! xT
I’ve made this and it is delicious but wondering if it can be made vegetarian– without the ham – has anyone made it without the ham??
Hey Joan,
Sorry, I have never made this without ham, I’m sure it would be great if you wanted to add some veggies in like mushrooms and peppers! xx
I’m planning this for Christmas morning , but I have to say 3 eggs is all it calls for for 6 people??? Ir seems like next to nothing compared to the rest if the Ingredients…can you please confirm this is right??
Thanks, Caroline
Could this be made with a brioche bread or maybe French or bread? It sounds amazing but my kids and husband aren’t fans of croissants.
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried that before! So sorry! xT
Hey, can you freeze this dish? Look delicious- Thanks for sharing!
Hey Dakota,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it turns out well for you! xx
I made this last Saturday with your Sugar Cookie Hot Chocolate and some cut up fresh fruit, it was a hit! I wasn’t sure if my two kids (9 year old twins) would like it, but they came back for seconds! I will definitely be adding this to my recipe box to make again! I used croissants from the bakery section of my grocery store, prosciutto, a mix of Swiss and fontina, and President triple crème Brie. The only change I made was leaving out the mushrooms.
Hey Lindsay,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT
This has become my go-to special occasion breakfast dish. Christmas morning, birthday breakfast, etc.—making it again this weekend for a bridal shower brunch. I like the consistency to be more like an egg casserole than bread pudding, so I use ~10 eggs instead of just the 3, and it is *divine.* Don’t worry about making too much— leftovers reheat the next day just fine!
Thanks so much for the recipe, Tieghen!
Hey Abby,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe always turns out well for you and thanks so much for making it so often! xx
Love this🤩🤩🤩
I only trust her recipes. Made this with the pecan French toast and its chef’s kiss.
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear this was enjoyed! xT
Hubby is allergic to eggs, how to substitute it?
Hi Anu,
So sorry, but this dish heavily relies on the eggs. Here are some other breakfast options that might work well for you:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/ombre-citrus-cream-tart/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/heirloom-tomato-basil-and-manchego-toast/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/vegan-whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-banana-bread-muffins/
I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can this be fully assembled, left in the refrigerator overnight, and cooked in the morning?
Hey Marcey,
You bet, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it! xT
I’m planning this for Christmas morning , but I have to say 3 eggs is all it calls for for 6 people??? Ir seems like next to nothing compared to the rest if the Ingredients…can you please confirm this is right??
Thanks, Caroline
Hi Tiegan – if I wanted to swap out the mushrooms, what’s the best game plan? Thank you and can’t wait to make this for Christmas!
– Rebecca
Hey Rebecca,
You can just skip them or add another veggie that you enjoy, either will be just fine! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Can’t wait to try. If you went up to serving size of 8, would you change the pan size? or do 2 smaller?
Hey Dana,
I would use a large pan or do 2 9-inch pans. Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope it’s delish! xT
This looks amazing! Do you think it would work with thinly sliced spiral ham and cheddar?
Hi Sarah,
Yes, that will work well for you:) Happy Thanksgiving! xx
Excellent! I used a little Tabasco instead of the cayenne pepper and added a little rosemary. Everyone loved this.
Hey Nancy,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was a winner! 🤩
No one in my family likes mustard. Do you have any substition ideas for the sauce? Maybe something with some smoky paprika? Just not sure what base to use.
Hey Dina,
I would just skip the mustard, you could totally add some extra seasonings to your liking:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx