Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable)

Cinnamon-vanilla French bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked golden 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

# Step-by-step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking dish.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined and smooth.
04 - Pour egg mixture evenly over bread and meat mixture, pressing gently to help bread absorb liquid. Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly over top.
05 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow bread to fully absorb custard.
06 - Bake covered for 30 minutes until custard begins to set.
07 - Remove foil and bake additional 15 to 20 minutes 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 -
  • You assemble it the night before and just slide it in the oven when your guests arrive, no morning panic required.
  • It hits that perfect sweet and savory balance without feeling heavy or greasy like traditional fried Monte Cristos.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and honestly taste even better the next day when all the flavors have melded together.
02 -
  • Use day-old or lightly toasted bread, because fresh soft bread will turn soggy and fall apart instead of creating nice custardy layers.
  • Don't skip the resting time before baking, it lets the bread absorb the custard evenly so you don't end up with dry spots and soggy spots.
  • If you're making this ahead and refrigerating overnight, add an extra 10 minutes to the covered baking time since it starts cold.
03 -
  • Press the bread down gently but firmly after pouring the custard to ensure every cube gets soaked, otherwise you'll have crunchy dry spots mixed with custardy bites.
  • Use a mix of Swiss and Gruyère for the most authentic Monte Cristo flavor, and save a little cheese to sprinkle on top halfway through baking for extra golden edges.
  • Warm your maple syrup before serving so it soaks into the casserole instead of just sitting on top, and consider adding a pinch of cinnamon to the syrup for extra warmth.
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