Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Print Version)

French bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked in a vanilla-cinnamon custard and topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 8 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

→ Meats

08 - 1 cup cooked ham, chopped
09 - 1 cup cooked turkey, chopped

→ Toppings

10 - Powdered sugar for serving
11 - Maple syrup for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until thoroughly combined.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and meat, pressing gently to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid. Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese over the top.
05 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes for optimal bread absorption.
06 - Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350°F.
07 - Remove aluminum foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes until the casserole is set and the top is golden brown.
08 - Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You assemble it the night before and let the oven do the work while you sip coffee.
  • Every forkful delivers that perfect sweet and salty contrast that makes Monte Cristo sandwiches so addictive.
  • It feeds a crowd without the stress of flipping individual portions on a griddle.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, so you get easy breakfasts all week long.
02 -
  • Use day-old or slightly stale bread or it will turn soggy and fall apart instead of holding its shape.
  • Press the bread down into the custard before baking or you'll end up with dry crusty tops and undersoaked bottoms.
  • Let it rest after baking or the first slice will be a gooey mess that doesn't hold together.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into even cubes so they soak uniformly and bake at the same rate.
  • Warm the maple syrup before drizzling so it flows easily and soaks into every bite.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil during the final minutes of baking.
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