Croissant Breakfast Bake (with ham and cheese)

As we know from our fan-favorite sausage and egg breakfast casserole and sausage strata, bread and hash browns are delicious additions to breakfast bakes. They’re easy to add and create a filling, starchy base that’s delicious and satisfying.

But when you want a show-stopping breakfast that feels extra special, we’re here to tell you to skip the potatoes and bread and reach for croissants instead. Since croissants are already laminated with layers of butter, they soak up the dijon-infused egg custard in this breakfast bake for the most decadent bite. Combined with salty ham and gooey gruyere, the whole pan is baked until golden brown and bubbly. It looks and tastes like a gourmet meal, but it uses only 8 ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes of prep time to put together.

Whether you’re looking for a holiday breakfast or brunch or a go-to morning meal to serve houseguests, you can’t go wrong with this cheesy, rich, and insanely satisfying croissant breakfast bake.

How to make a breakfast bake

Ingredients

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spray a 9”x13” ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large liquid measuring cup or bowl whisk together eggs, milk, Dijon mustard, chives, and garlic powder. Set aside.

3. Scatter croissant pieces evenly around the baking dish.
4. Drape and press ham pieces in the spaces between croissant pieces.

5. Sprinkle half the shredded cheese over the mixture.
6. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the croissant bake and season with salt and pepper.

7. Allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes, so the croissants absorb the liquid. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove foil.

9. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the egg mixture has cooked through and the top is browned and bubbling.
10. Remove from oven and cool, about 10 minutes.

11. Top with more chives. Use a serving spoon to scoop out servings. Enjoy!

Tips for the best croissant breakfast bake

This recipe doesn’t require a lot of fuss (which is just how we like a breakfast recipe), but we do have a few quick tips that take it from good to drool-worthy.

• Use day-old croissants. Slightly stale croissants have lost some of their moisture, meaning they’ll soak up the egg mixture without getting mushy. We do the same thing in our Triple Berry Bread Pudding, putting those croissants that have sat on the counter a day too long to good use.
• Tear the croissants, don’t slice them. By tearing the croissants, you’ll get more edges to stick up and out of the custard for crispy golden edges that add the best flavor to the bake.
• Don’t skip the soaking time. At least 10 minutes is needed for the croissants to soak up the egg mixture so the whole bake comes together with a nice custard texture. If you don’t soak them, you’ll end up with pieces that dry out too much in the oven and pools of scrambled egg.
• Press ham into the gaps, not on top. By pushing the ham down into the gaps between the croissants, they’ll stay tender and juicy while the casserole bakes. If they’re layered on top, the ham is more likely to dry out.
• The foil is essential. Covering the breakfast bake with foil for the first 20 minutes helps keep moisture in, steaming and cooking the eggs. Without it, the top will brown too quickly, and the dish will dry out.

Storing and reheating instructions

Storing

To make ahead:

If you want to make this breakfast bake ahead of time for an easier morning meal, you can assemble the dish the night before, right up to step 6, just before you’re about to put it in the oven.

Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight, then take it out and let it rest on the counter in the morning for 20-30 minutes before putting it in the preheated oven and baking as directed.

To store leftovers:

Cool the dish completely, then cover it tightly with foil or transfer it to an airtight container. You can refrigerate the bake for 3 to 4 days or freeze individual portions wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to two months.

Reheating

To reheat leftovers, we recommend the oven or air-fryer for the best results, but the microwave will work in a pinch.

Reheating in the oven: Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Cover the breakfast bake in foil and bake for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Remove foil in the last 5 minutes to help the top crisp back up.

Reheating in the air fryer: Air fry individual portions for 5 to 7 minutes at 325˚F.

Reheating in the microwave: Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, or until heated through. You’ll lose the crispy top, but it will still taste delish.

What to serve with our croissant breakfast bake

This bake is rich, salty, and cheesy, so we love serving it alongside these pairings for a complete breakfast or brunch:

• End of summer fruit salad or mixed citrus and fennel salad
• Blood orange and beet salad over yogurt
• Twice baked breakfast potatoes
• Baked eggs or cloud eggs
• Heirloom tomato tart
• A simple Bloody Mary

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