Easy Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Looking for a simple yet scrumptious make-ahead breakfast or brunch option? This Easy Croissant Breakfast Casserole is an excellent choice. It’s an update on the classic ‘Christmas Morning Wife Saver’ made with crispy butter croissants, smoky bacon, and soft soufflé-like eggs. Serve with fruits or breakfast meat like bacon or sausage links.

I don’t know about you, but the easier the breakfast is to make, the more likely it is I am going to eat it. If there’s leftover ham, lazy weekend breakfast is done and delicious in the slow cooker while breakfast on the go couldn’t be easier than Sous Vide Egg Bites.

Easy Croissant Breakfast Casserole

I’m a fan of casseroles, not only for their ‘fix it and forget it’ nature, but for their ease of preparation and versatility. They are similar to a quiche in the way that you can use whatever you have in your fridge to make an entire new and delicious dish. In a way, you can think of eggs as a blank canvas for all the marvelous meals to come.

For this specific breakfast casserole recipe, I have used buttery croissants. They are a bit of an indulgence (as are the heavy cream, bacon, and all the cheeses!) but for an extraordinary special occasion breakfast, you’ve got to pull out all the stops.

In fact, the buttery croissants are the key to this casserole’s unique fluffy texture, which is like that of a French soufflé. The decadence doesn’t stop there. Smoky salty bacon and not one but a mixture of two cheeses really brings this breakfast option to a whole new level.

Since this casserole bakes in oven for 40-45 minutes, you’ll have enough time to prepare a fruit platter, side salad, or cook some breakfast sausage. During the holidays, just pop it in the oven then disappear for a quick shower or use the time to unwrap presents. It’s up to you… time is luxury on Christmas morning and this Croissant Breakfast Casserole is one luxurious dish!

Ingredients for this Recipe

As I mentioned, these ingredients are not set in stone. Feel free to substitute the ingredients you have on hand or explore your own flavour options. The main thing is to keep the same croissant to egg, milk, and dairy ratio and adjust the flavourings around that.

• Croissants
• Eggs
• Bacon
• Parsley
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Chives
• Salt
• Pepper
• Milk
• Cream
• Colby Jack Cheese
• Smoked Gouda Cheese

Use fresh croissants, day-old croissants, or even previously frozen (and baked!) croissants. Just don’t use chocolate croissants, unless you are going for a sweet casserole version (and that’s a whole new ballgame!).

Before the holidays, I often pre-cook bacon to use in various recipes for salads, sides, and this breakfast casserole. Crumble or finely chop the bacon for best results. Feel free to replace the bacon with chopped leftover ham or crumbled cooked breakfast sausage.

Again, use the seasonings you are comfortable with and if you don’t like ground garlic and ground onion, sauté onions and garlic and add them instead. Feel free to use fresh or dried chives or substitute green onions or scallions.

Don’t even think about replacing the cream with more milk. The casserole just won’t have the same unique rich and decadent flavour and texture.

Finally, let’s talk cheese. Colby Jack Cheese and Smoked Gouda Cheese are just two examples of cheese you can use in this recipe. Feel free to replace them with cheddar, mozzarella, or any of your favourite cheeses.

How to Make a Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Let’s begin by toasting the croissants. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with butter.

Next, slice each croissant into four pieces and place them all on the parchment lined baking sheet. Toast the croissants in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until they are dried but not extra golden. Remove croissants from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

To make the casserole, arrange the toasted croissant quarters in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the chopped bacon over the croissants. Next, whisk the eggs, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dry chives, salt, pepper, milk, and cream together in a large mixing bowl. Add ¾ cup of the Colby Jack cheese and ¾ cup of smoked Gouda. Mix well.

Pour the egg mixture over the croissants and bacon then use a spatula to press down gently on the crescents to soak them with the egg mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the surface of the casserole. For directions on how to make this an overnight breakfast casserole, read on or refer to the recipe card. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until it is nice and golden. Serve immediately.

Croissant Breakfast Casserole Variations

The flavour variations of breakfast casseroles are limited only by your imagination and availability of ingredients. Here are five flavour variations for this breakfast bake:

1. Make it Spicy – Add a pinch of chili powder, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to the egg mixture. Use spicy Italian sausage or chorizo instead of bacon. Serve with salsa or hot sauce.
2. Florentine Flavours – Add chopped spinach, Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms, and Italian cheeses to the egg mixture.
3. Spanish Sensation – Replace the bacon with chorizo and add roasted red peppers and Manchego cheese to the eggs.
4. Coastal Casserole – Add smoked salmon, fresh dill, and mild cheeses to allow those flavours to shine through.
5. Sweet Breakfast French Toast Casserole – Add lemon zest and beat cream cheese with the eggs (omit all savoury ingredients!), add berries and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

After all the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to Christmas, we’re already for a bit of a break. Now’s the time to pop in a casserole and enjoy a bit of family time. If you like, you can assemble this breakfast casserole ahead of time, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight.

The next morning, take the casserole out of the fridge to warm up while you are preheating the oven. It’s so simple!!

Allow any leftover casserole to cool to room temperature then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in a 350 F air fryer for 4-5 minutes or in a microwave for 1-2 minutes total time.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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