Ham Swiss Croissant Bake (Printable version)

Buttery croissants with smoky ham and Swiss cheese baked in a creamy custard for a warm, savory dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 4 large butter croissants, preferably day-old, cut into 2-inch pieces
02 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
03 - 1.5 cups whole milk
04 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Meats

05 - 8 oz cooked ham, diced

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Eggs & Seasoning

07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 0.5 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
11 - Pinch of ground nutmeg

→ Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the croissant pieces evenly in the baking dish. Top with half of the ham, half of the Swiss cheese, and half of the green onions. Repeat with remaining croissants, ham, cheese, and green onions.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until well combined.
04 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the layered croissants and ham in the baking dish, pressing down gently to ensure thorough soaking.
05 - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the custard is set in the center.
07 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks elegant but asks almost nothing of you, which is the best kind of dinner magic.
  • Day-old croissants transform into something so creamy and rich you'll wonder why you don't make this every week.
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, and people genuinely impressed—that's a win in my book.
02 -
  • Don't use fresh croissants straight from the bakery or they'll disintegrate into mush; day-old ones have the structure to hold up to soaking.
  • If your custard looks watery after baking, you didn't bake it long enough; it should jiggle only slightly in the very center, not slosh around.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs whisk into the custard more smoothly than cold ones, so pull them out of the fridge while you're prepping everything else.
  • If you're worried about the top burning before the custard sets, lay a piece of foil loosely over the dish for the first 20 minutes, then remove it so the top can brown.
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