Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Print View)

Cinnamon-vanilla French 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 with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with chopped ham and turkey. Spread evenly in 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 liquid.
05 - Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese evenly over the top.
06 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow bread to soak.
07 - Bake covered for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until casserole is set and top is golden brown.
09 - Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
10 - Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It combines sweet and savory in one dish so you don't have to choose between pancakes and eggs.
  • You can prep it the night before and just slide it in the oven when people show up.
  • The powdered sugar and maple syrup make it feel indulgent without any extra work.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 15-minute soak time or you'll end up with dry bread cubes floating in a pool of unabsorbed custard.
  • Press the bread down gently after pouring the egg mixture so every piece gets coated and nothing bakes up crunchy by accident.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep it covered in the fridge and add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it'll start cold.
03 -
  • Use day-old or lightly toasted bread cubes so they hold their shape and soak up the custard without falling apart.
  • Press down on the casserole with a spatula halfway through the soak time to make sure every piece of bread gets fully coated.
  • Tent the casserole loosely with foil during the last few minutes if the top is browning too fast but the center isn't quite set.
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