Ham Swiss Croissant Bake (Printable Version)

Buttery croissants layered with ham, Swiss cheese, and creamy custard for a cozy savory bake.

# 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

→ For Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Distribute 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 ingredients in the baking dish, pressing down gently to ensure even soaking.
05 - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center.
07 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means dinner can go from idea to table faster than ordering takeout.
  • The croissants stay buttery and flaky instead of turning into mush, because the custard respects their delicate structure.
  • This is the kind of dish that makes people think you've been cooking all day when you've barely lifted a finger.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling time or you'll have a beautiful dish that falls apart when you try to portion it, which I learned by burning my mouth on a piece that crumbled across my plate.
  • The difference between watery custard and creamy custard comes down to pressing those croissants down gently so they absorb the mixture evenly rather than floating on top of a pool of liquid.
03 -
  • Use a mixture of day-old and slightly stale croissants if you can find them, because they hold their shape better than either fresh or rock-hard ones.
  • Whisk your custard mixture until it's completely homogeneous, because even small pockets of unmixed egg will create strange texture surprises in the finished dish.
Go Back