Oh la la! This savory ham and cheese croissant bake with creamy dijon-bechamel is inspired by the classic French croque monsieur sandwich!
Buttery layers of croissant, sliced ham, melted gruyere cheese, and dijon-bechamel baked together in a custardy egg mixture, this croque monsieur croissant bake is perfect for holidays, brunches, or cozy weekends with friends and family!
Croque Monsieur Croissant Bake is the perfect brunch for entertaining!
This recipe is great for entertaining! It feeds a crowd, you can prepare it the night before and bake it the next day. Serve it with a light, bright green salad on the side and you’re good to go!
Recipe Steps→
Step One: Make the bechamel.
Step Two: Slice the croissants in half and layer with bechamel, ham and gruyere cheese.
Step Three: Arrange the croissants into a greased baking dish.
Step Four: Whisk together the eggs and milk, pour over the croissants. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Step Five: Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately!
Overnight Instructions→
To prepare Croque Monsieur Croissant bake ahead of time follow the recipe as instructed up until it’s time to bake. Cover the unbaked egg and milk-soaked croissants with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning uncover and bake as directed.
Croque Monsieur Croissant Bake
Ingredients
- 6 day old croissants
- 12 pc. sliced ham
- 3 c grated gruyère cheese divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 c milk
Bechamel
- 1 1/2 c milk
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp mustard dijon or whole grain
Instructions
- First, make the bechamel. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously until the butter and flour are well combined and foaming but still very pale in color, about 2 minutes. Slowly stream in the milk whisking continuously until the mixture is pale and smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat, whisk in the mustard and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Slice the croissants in half through the middle so you have a top and bottom. Brush each half with a generous layer of bechamel, then a layer of ham and about 1/4c of cheese (reserve a cup of cheese for sprinkling at the end). Put the tops and bottoms back together and arrange them into the baking dish. Depending on the size of your croissants they may not fit perfectly you will have to play around with it a bit. You can cut a few in half if you need to. It doesn't have to be perfect.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the croissants. Press down on the croissants to help them absorb the eggs and milk. Let sit for 30 minutes (or up to 12 hrs) before baking. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the croissants, bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
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