Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable Version)

Cinnamon French bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked until golden and finished with maple syrup.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

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 egg mixture evenly over bread and meat mixture, pressing gently to help bread absorb the 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 the custard.
06 - Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350°F.
07 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a fancy French toast sandwich but requires almost no effort on the morning you serve it.
  • The sweet cinnamon custard plays beautifully against the salty ham and turkey.
  • You can prep the whole thing the night before and bake it fresh while everyone is still waking up.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well, so you can enjoy it for days.
02 -
  • If you skip the resting time, the bread won't absorb enough custard and you'll end up with dry spots.
  • Don't use fresh bread, it gets too soggy and mushy, day-old or even slightly stale bread is perfect.
  • Covering it with foil for the first half of baking is crucial or the top will brown before the inside is cooked.
03 -
  • Press down gently on the bread after pouring the custard to make sure every piece gets soaked, especially the corners.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the casserole cleanly without squishing the layers.
  • If the top is browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil during the last few minutes of baking.
Go Back