Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake.

Name: Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
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))

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November 27, 2019

Posted in American, Breakfast, Christmas, Cuisine + Inspiration, Fall, Holidays + Seasonal, Quick + Easy, Recipes, Type of Meal, Winter

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!

This post is sponsored by Pyrex.

overhead photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

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.

overhead photo of Ham and Cheese Croissants being tossed with egg batter

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.

overhead photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake before baking

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…

side angled photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake with someone holding the dish in the background

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.

overhead close up photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

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!

side angled photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake with serving spoon remove a serving of the dish

Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake on plate with fork

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 | halfbakedharvest.com #brunch #breakfast #holiday #Christmas

4.11 from 305 votes

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

The Recipe

Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

Prep this croissant bake in advance, then bake it off just before you’re ready to serve. Perfect for holiday entertaining!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 388 kcal

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)

US Customary - Metric

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.

Recipe 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.

horizontal photo of Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake

{This post is sponsored by Pyrex. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}

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