Description
Look, breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated, and guess what? When it can be done the night before, extra cool points! This cheesy ham and cheese croissant bake checks that stress-free box and is SERIOUSLY tasty.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (5-oz.) country ham steaks, trimmed, bone discarded
- 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 10 large eggs
- 2 cups cream ( you can also use any milk)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup of pepper jack cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup of medium cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 pound of day-old croissants (about 13–15 mini or 5–7 full), torn (I like to lightly toast my croissants)
Instructions
- See note below about toasting croissants.
- Coarsely chop ham. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ham to the skillet stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer ham to a large mixing bowl and reserve drippings in the skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to skillet; stir in onions. Stir occasionally, until deeply browned, about 30 minutes. Add onions to mix to the bowl with ham and let cool.
- Whisk together eggs, cream/milk, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Add croissants and half the cheese to the onion and ham mixture and gently toss. Add mixture to a lightly buttered 9×13 casserole dish.
- Pour custard over ham and croissants pressing croissants down gently to help absorb the liquid. Add a few pats of butter throughout the dish, optional. Cover with aluminum foil, and let sit at least 10-15 minutes for the croissants to absorb the mixture. You can also chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place baking dish on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes cover. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and add the remaining cheese. Leave uncovered and return to the oven until golden brown and center is set, about an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let it rest 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Toasted Croissants: If you’re worried about sogginess, you can toast your croissants first. Heat oven to 500° F. Slice croissants in half horizontally. Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes watching carefully to ensure that they do not burn. Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 45-50
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: North American