Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Printable)

Cinnamon bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked until 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the 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 combination, pressing gently to help the bread absorb the liquid.
05 - Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese evenly over the top.
06 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the bread to fully soak.
07 - Bake covered for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or 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 Tips:

01 -
  • You assemble it once and feed a crowd without standing over the stove.
  • The sweet and savory contrast hits exactly like the sandwich, but without the frying mess.
  • It tastes even better when prepped the night before and baked fresh in the morning.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting time after pouring the custard, or the bread will not absorb enough liquid and you will end up with dry spots.
  • If you refrigerate it overnight, add 10 extra minutes to the covered bake time since it starts cold.
  • Press the bread down gently but do not mash it, or the texture turns gummy instead of custardy.
03 -
  • Use stale or lightly toasted bread cubes so they hold their shape and do not dissolve into mush.
  • Warm the maple syrup before drizzling so it spreads easily and soaks into every bite.
  • If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil during the final bake.
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