The BEST Croissant Brunch Bake! Cheese, brown sugar ham, caramelized onions, and spinach baked into creamy eggs and topped with a crispy golden croissant topping.
Egg and Croissant Brunch Bake
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Made 2 of these for a XMAS work brunch. One with ham and the other with mushrooms. Even the “NO-ONION” eaters loved it!!!
Kate
This Croissant Breakfast Casserole Is Blowing My Mind
So you love brunch, too?
And you stand in support of Swiss and Gruyere cheese, brown sugar ham, caramelized onions, and spinach baked into creamy eggs and topped with a crispy golden croissant topping?
Okay, yes. Welcome. You and I are on the same team.
You will not even believe how easy this croissant egg bake is. We are just layering a bunch of delicious things in a casserole dish, popping it in the oven, and setting it out on the table. That’s it. It’s perfect for Christmas morning, and Easter brunch, or just on a normal Saturday morning.
Will you be the belle of the brunch ball? Yes.
Are you cool as a cucumber for how easy this whole thing was? Double yes.
All you do is win. Eggs, cheese, ham, and croissant brunchy style.
Watch How To Make This Egg Bake
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a list of what you’ll need on hand for this recipe. It’s short, simple, and easy to find!
- An onion (we’re going to caramelize it, oh yes!)
- Ham
- Spinach
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Croissants
How To Make This Brunch Bake
1
Caramelize Your Onions In a Large Skillet.
Low and slow, friends. We want to see almost-jammy onions that are a reeeally deep, rich, golden brown.
2
Combine With Ham and Spinach.
Toss your onions with some browned ham and spinach in a 13-inch baking dish.
3
Layer Your Casserole.
Sprinkle that cheese in there like it’s your job, pour the egg mixture in from a bowl, and top with your torn-up croissants, then more cheese.
4
Bake and Serve!
Wrap in foil, bake that guy up, and pull it out of the oven juuuust before it’s fully cooked. I am kind of sensitive about overcooked eggs and I really recommend undercooking slightly and letting this one finish gently by just resting on the counter for a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t find mini croissants?
Regular croissants are just fine! A pack of four standard croissants should be enough.
How can I made this vegetarian?
I would sub in some mushrooms for the ham!
What other types of cheese work for this egg bake?
Mozzarella, gruyere, or white cheddar cheese work wonderfully!
Would this work with bacon or sausage?
Sure would! Just cook it fully, and then use it in the casserole exactly as you would add the ham.
I don’t like onions – can I omit them?
I mean, I LOVE the caramelized onions in this, but this would still work without them.
What should I serve with egg bake?
All the usual brunch suspects! Fresh fruit, maybe a green salad, some sweet pastries, coffee and juice – perfection!
Can you make this egg bake ahead of time?
Yep! Do steps 1 and 2 the night before, and then everything else day-of. The only part I would not recommend doing ahead of time is letting the croissant pieces soak in the egg mixture overnight.
What is the best way to store and reheat leftover egg bake?
Covered and in the fridge is best. It will keep for 3-4 days. You can reheat the whole thing in the oven or individual slices in the microwave.
Egg and Croissant Brunch Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9–12 1x
Description
The BEST Croissant Brunch Bake! Cheese, brown sugar ham, caramelized onions, and spinach baked into creamy eggs and topped with a crispy golden croissant topping. YUM.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
- 2 1/2 cups diced ham
- 2–3 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded cheese (I used a Swiss/Gruyere mix)
- 12 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 5–6 mini croissants, torn into small pieces (or 3–4 large size)
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. End goal: almost-jammy onions that are a reeeally deep, rich, golden brown. (Also, you probably smell like deliciously caramelizey onions now! New signature perfume?)
- Ham and Spinach: Toss the ham in a skillet with a quick drizzle of olive oil. Pan-fry until the edges are kind of browned and some of the fat is rendered. Throw in your spinach. Stir to wilt the spinach. Remove from heat.
- Eggs: Whisk eggs with the milk, dijon, salt, and pepper.
- Layer: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Layer the ham, spinach, and onions on the bottom. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Pour eggs over. Arrange croissant pieces on top. Finish with remaining cheese.
- Bake: Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, depending on oven and pan size. Remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes. You don’t want to overcook the eggs (gross) but the middle should be almost completely firm when you give the pan a quick jiggle test. You’ll also notice the whole thing will be just starting to puff up a bit. Slice, serve, and brunch forward!
Notes
Make Ahead: Yes, you can make this ahead of time! I like to do steps 1 and 2 the night before, and then everything else day-of. The only part I would not recommend doing ahead of time is letting the croissant pieces soak in the egg mixture overnight.
Pan Size: My favorite version of this was in a casserole dish that was slightly smaller than 9×13 – the pieces were a little thicker and it took closer to 40 minutes to bake.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: egg and croissant brunch bake, brunch bake, egg bake
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our yummy spinach recipes page. Check it out!
April 11, 2019
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram so we can find you!
I never liked casseroles or bakes growing up, but now I love them!! Especially when croissants are involved 😉
aldi is also going to have everything bagel seasoned croissants soon. just sayin’!
Team POY saving my brunch again! Can’t wait to make this at Easter. Thanks, Lindsay!
Hey Aldi, if you are listening, please come to NY!!! So sad not to have an Aldi near me.
where in NY, amy? there’s an aldi here in manhattan!
There are ALDI stores in Brooklyn and Queens too!
Perfect! And just in time for Spring and Easter. I love that you made this brunch recipe with mini croissants. What a GREAT idea! Thanks so much for sharing Lindsay.
If you could only hear the noises my stomach is making as I scroll through this post…omg, can not wait to make this!!
This looks awesome. I’m a vegetarian, but sent it to my mom. Which brings me to my point. You should have an email option on your posts! I don’t mind copying and pasting the link, but it would be super helpful. Thanks for all you do!
I used sweet potatoes! Still delish!
This will be great for a staff breakfast. We have just got an Aldi near us and would love to know your favorite things from there. Thanks
I just always get a kick out of your posts!
I’m not a huge fan of ham…thoughts on making this with the precooked apple chicken sausage, or does it really need the fat to add flavor and would I be better off with regular breakfast sausage? Thanks – looks absolutely delicious!!
too bad for me i can’t put my fork through the PC screen and get a quick taste of this delicious looking dish 🙂
I need a recipe for a brunch event coming up at work, and this magnificent recipe shows up in my inbox. THANK YOU!
Just finished making this!!! So. Freaking. Good! Ended up using sausage instead of ham and baked in muffin cups (did about 20 min at 350) and they turned out amazing! So delicious and love the combo of carmelized onions and a taste of mustard! Highly recommend!
Omg wow!! This would be the best dessert to wake up to!!
What can I substitute ham with? I am a vegetarian.
me too! I’m thinking about sauteed/roasted mushrooms (you’d want to get all the liquid out), or maybe even roasted sweet potato cubes.
I sautéd some sweet potatoes with coconut oil and added rosemary. Delicious!
Hi Lindsay! I’m a huge fan of breakfast casseroles and have a regular gig where I feed 75-80 people before a rehearsal for my choir. This one is definitely going into the mix! Just want to say–I am astonished by food bloggers such as yourself who just keep on creating such great new content!
This recipe is fantastic! I used mushrooms in place of the ham and it was so delicious.
Amazing taste. Also my favourite recipe.
hey ALDI !
Thanks for discovering such a flavourful list.
I made this today and came out pretty well. Love all your recipes. Thanks Lindsay. 🙂
Anyone tried this with a gluten free bread? This looks incredible!!
I made it with Schar GF croissants! Yum.
😊
Amazing egg crossaint. My favorite recipe. Thanks for sharing.
These brunch bakes are great! I love how you used croissants instead of bread. Brunch Bakes are always the first to go at parties or potlucks.
Aldi for the win! I made this recipe tonight and it was fantastic. Next time I make it, I’ll probably omit the salt or cut it in half because the ham added enough saltiness for my liking. I didn’t end up using the Aldi brand ham though, so that may have impacted it. 🤷🏻♀️
Glad you enjoyed it, Lyssa!
I just got everything to make this. It talks about warming the ham on the instructions of the ham (got the same one from Aldi.) assuming you don’t have to do this since you’re pan frying and baking? Was confused because the extra glaze comes in a packet so wondering if i need to bake the ham first.
Correct – no need to warm it!