Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable)

French bread layered with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese in vanilla-cinnamon custard. Finished with powdered sugar.

# What Goes In:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 loaf)
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 or chicken, 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.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and meat layer, pressing gently to help bread absorb liquid. Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly over the top.
05 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow bread to absorb liquid.
06 - Bake covered for 30 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until casserole is set and top is golden brown.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy brunch but comes together with leftover deli meat and a loaf of bread you probably already have.
  • You can make it the night before and just bake it in the morning, which means you get to drink your coffee in peace.
  • The sweet and savory balance hits every craving at once without feeling heavy or complicated.
02 -
  • If you skip the 15 minute soak, the bread will be crunchy in some spots and soggy in others, ask me how I know.
  • Don't use skim milk or the custard won't set properly and you'll end up with scrambled egg bread instead of a cohesive casserole.
  • Let it cool for the full 10 minutes or it will fall apart when you try to cut it, patience pays off here.
03 -
  • Use day old or slightly stale bread, it absorbs the custard without falling apart and gives you a better texture overall.
  • Press down on the bread with a spatula after pouring the custard to make sure every cube is coated, the dry spots will haunt you otherwise.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.
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