Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Print version)

Cinnamon-vanilla French bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked golden and topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

# What You 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

# 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 evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and meat layer, pressing gently to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid.
05 - Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
06 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
07 - Bake covered for 30 minutes until the casserole begins to set.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the casserole is set and the top is golden brown.
09 - 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 restaurant brunch but you assemble it in your pajamas the night before.
  • The cinnamon-vanilla custard soaks into every bite, making even day-old bread taste incredible.
  • You get sweet and savory in one dish, so no need to choose between breakfast and dessert.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and honestly taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time before baking or you'll end up with dry bread cubes floating in custard instead of a cohesive casserole.
  • Press the bread down into the custard gently but firmly, otherwise the top pieces won't absorb enough liquid and will bake up tough.
  • If you're making it the night before, add an extra 10 minutes to the covered baking time since it'll be cold from the fridge.
03 -
  • Use bread that's a day or two old because it soaks up the custard better without falling apart.
  • Let the casserole sit for the full 10 minutes after baking so it sets up and slices cleanly instead of falling apart on the spatula.
  • Warm your maple syrup before serving because cold syrup on hot casserole is a weird temperature shock nobody enjoys.
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