Easy Cheese and Prosciutto Croissants.

Name: Easy Cheese and Prosciutto Croissants
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed; 3 tablespoons salted butter, cold, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; kosher salt and black pepper; 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese; 1 cup shredded Gouda cheese; 9 slices thinly sliced prosciutto; coarse sugar, for sprinkling; fruit jam, for serving ((optional))

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December 11, 2018

Posted in American, Appetizers, Breakfast, Christmas, Cuisine + Inspiration, Fall, Holidays + Seasonal, Muffins/Scones, Quick + Easy, Recipes, Thanksgiving, Type of Meal, Winter

These cheese and prosciutto croissants are my go-to, make-ahead breakfast, that double as an easy appetizer this December. Buttery puff pastry layered together and baked with prosciutto and a cheesy egg filling. Made complete with both Gruyère and Gouda cheese. Top these croissants with fresh thyme and your favorite jam for a sweet and savory holiday breakfast that everyone will love.

Easy Cheese and Prosciutto Croissants | halfbakedharvest.com #quick #simple #Christmas #holiday #brunch #breakfast #appetizer

You’ve probably noticed, but I love a sweet breakfast, especially for the holidays. My family’s Christmas is filled with either cinnamon rolls, French toast, or monkey bread. It would not be Christmas without a sweet bread. That said, this year I’m also including something a little more savory, for those who love their bacon and eggs.

Usually our Christmas morning goes something like this. Asher will wake everyone up, since she’s the youngest…and the only one who actually wants to get up early on Christmas morning (she’s 10). We’ll wait for my brothers to drag themselves out of bed (this can take a while). And then we’ll open gifts with coffee and hot chocolate while leisurely munching on monkey bread. By mid-morning, all the gifts will have been opened. Then half the house will decide they need something more substantial to eat before they head outside to play in the snow. They’ll make eggs, bacon, and maybe even potatoes…if they’re feeling up to it.

By the time they’ve finished cooking, my parent’s kitchen looks worse than mine does after testing and photographing recipes all day. It’s a little scary. The family might know how to make eggs, but they don’t know how to clean. I’m sure some of you can relate…

In an effort to avoid the chaos and mess on Christmas morning (and save my parents from cleaning for hours). I created this recipe, that I honestly have no idea what to call, but is DELICIOUS.

These croissants are a mix between a ham and cheese croissant, and an eggy quiche. And while they are not technically real croissants, they sure taste just like them. Only with the yummy addition of cheese and crispy prosciutto.

Instead of making homemade croissant dough, which is typically a two-day process, I’m using a short cut – puff pastry.

Here’s my secret to turning store bought puff pastry into a buttery croissant dough. Layer two pieces of pastry with thinly sliced, extra cold butter, and then roll it together. Putting two sheets of puff pastry together, along with just a little cold butter, will give you those extra buttery layers you love so much in a croissant.

When I tested this, I wasn’t sure how it would work. But I am pleased to say that it turned out amazing well.

Once you have the pastry sheets rolled together, cut them into 9 squares and fit them inside a muffin tin. At this point, you want to put the muffin tin in the freezer while you work on the filling. Keeping the pastry cold will result in a pastry that’s buttery and flakey. Trust me, you want that.

For the filling, I mixed together a couple of eggs yolks, whole milk, and cheese with fresh thyme to create more of a cheesy custard. It’s the perfect eggs to cheese ratio.

Before filling each muffin tin with the cheese mix, line the pastry with a very thin slice of prosciutto. Then pour in the cheese mix. Bake until the pastry is golden, the prosciutto is crisp, and the cheese melted.

For a little sweet and savory twist, I sprinkled the tops of each pastry with coarse sugar. Which I think is a great addition. It’s also pretty and festive, which you know I’m all about right now.

Also, I highly recommend serving these croissants with a little fruit jam on top, raspberry is my favorite. The jam kind of makes these just like a monte cristo sandwich.

Wonderfully delicious.

One of the best things about these croissants? You can make them ahead, and then just bake the morning of. So perfect for busy holiday mornings.

Also, while my original thought for these was as more of a breakfast item. I do believe these croissants would make for a delicious appetizer as well. You could serve warm or at room temp. And if you drizzle them with a little raspberry jam, they’ll make a festive addition to your appetizer table.

If you make these Cheese and Prosciutto Croissants, 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 also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

4.44 from 93 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Easy Cheese and Prosciutto Croissants

These cheese and prosciutto croissants are my go-to, make-ahead breakfast, that double as an easy appetizer. Buttery puff pastry layered together and baked with prosciutto and a cheesy egg filling. Made complete with both Gruyère and Gouda. A sweet and savory holiday breakfast that everyone will love!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 9 makes

Calories 566 kcal

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
3 tablespoons salted butter, cold, thinly sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
1 cup shredded Gouda cheese
9 slices thinly sliced prosciutto
coarse sugar, for sprinkling
fruit jam, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Unfold each sheet of pastry. Place the butter slices in an even layer on one sheet of pastry. Place the second sheet of pastry over the butter. Both sheets of pastry should be stacked, one on top of the other. Now roll the pastry out into roughly a 12x14 inch rectangle. Cut into 9 squares.
3. Fit each square inside the prepared muffin tin. Transfer the pan to the freezer to chill.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, 1 egg, mustard, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir in the cheeses.
5. Remove the muffin pan from the freezer and line a piece of prosciutto on the inside edge. Evenly divide the cheese mixture between the pastries. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet. Brush the top edges of the pastries with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and the cheese has melted. Serve warm with fresh thyme.

Recipe Notes

If you’d like to make these night before, simply prepare the croissants, add the fillings, and then refrigerate overnight. The following morning, remove the pan from the fridge and let sit on the counter while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, adding on an addition 5 minutes of cooking time.

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