Monte Cristo Breakfast Casserole (Print Version)

Cinnamon-vanilla French bread layered with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, baked golden and topped with 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 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 mixture, pressing gently to help the bread absorb 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 partially set.
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.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You can prep it the night before and just pop it in the oven while coffee brews, making you look impossibly organized at brunch.
  • It tastes like a Monte Cristo sandwich had a long, leisurely breakfast instead of rushing to the deli counter.
  • Feeds a crowd without requiring you to stand at the stove flipping individual French toast slices one by one.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period before baking, no matter how hungry you are—the bread needs time to absorb that custard or you'll end up with dry spots and wet spots in the same slice.
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble everything the night before, cover it, refrigerate it, and bake it cold in the morning (you may need to add 5–10 minutes to the baking time).
03 -
  • If your bread is very fresh, buy it the day before or lightly toast the cubes in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes to give them structure before assembling.
  • Don't be afraid to prepare this casserole the night before and bake it cold in the morning—it actually bakes more evenly and the flavors meld beautifully overnight.
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