Ham and Cheese Croissants: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Morning Flakes: Ham & Swiss Croissants Worth Waking Up For
Buttery, flaky croissants filled with savory ham, melty Swiss, and a bright smear of Dijon—easy to prep and impossible to resist.
These croissants solve two morning problems: a need for something indulgent that’s still quick, and food everyone will actually fight over (in a friendly way). The dough puffs into golden layers, Swiss gives a stretchy, nutty melt, and a hint of Dijon cuts through the richness so each bite stays lively rather than heavy.
A few small technique choices make a big difference. Let the refrigerated croissant dough sit on the counter for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet with parchment—this makes rolling smooth without tearing. Lightly flour your surface, reshape any perforated triangles so the edges are neat, then spread about 1/2 tablespoon Dijon on the wide end, season with black pepper, and layer two slices of ham and a slice of Swiss, leaving the point clear for rolling.
Finish and bake like a pro: whisk egg with water for an egg wash, brush the rolled triangles, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake until deeply golden and puffed—about 18 minutes. A brush of melted butter right after they come out adds shine and that irresistible buttery aroma, while the egg wash and sesame give the tops a crisp, nutty note.
These are ideal for make-ahead mornings—assemble the croissants the night before and refrigerate, or bake and warm briefly before serving. They’re perfectly sized for lunchboxes or a casual breakfast spread; four generous croissants feed a small household or provide leftovers that reheat beautifully in a toaster oven for a day-two croissant with nearly the same flake and melt.
Ingredients
How to Make Ham and Cheese Croissants
- Remove the croissant dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with the flour, unroll the dough and separate into the 4 triangles; if the dough has perforations, gently reshape each triangle so edges are smooth.
- Whisk the egg with the water in a small bowl to make an egg wash and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a microwave-safe bowl (reserve the other tablespoon for after baking).
- Spread about 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard over the wide end of each triangle, season lightly with black pepper, then layer 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of Swiss cheese on each triangle, keeping the filling centered but leaving the point clear for rolling.
- Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle toward the point to form a croissant, tuck the point underneath the roll, and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Brush each assembled croissant with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake on the middle rack for 15–18 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed and deep golden brown.
- Remove the croissants from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining melted butter for a shiny, richer crust; let cool 5 minutes before serving so cheese sets slightly.
- To make ahead: assemble croissants, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze on the tray until firm and then transfer to a bag (freeze up to 1 month). Bake refrigerated croissants as directed; bake frozen croissants 5–8 minutes longer, from frozen.
Recipe Card
Ham and Cheese Croissants
Ham and Cheese Croissants: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Remove the croissant dough from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with the flour, unroll the dough and separate into the 4 triangles; if the dough has perforations, gently reshape each triangle so edges are smooth.
- Whisk the egg with the water in a small bowl to make an egg wash and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a microwave-safe bowl (reserve the other tablespoon for after baking).
- Spread about 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard over the wide end of each triangle, season lightly with black pepper, then layer 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of Swiss cheese on each triangle, keeping the filling centered but leaving the point clear for rolling.
- Starting at the wide end, roll each triangle toward the point to form a croissant, tuck the point underneath the roll, and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Brush each assembled croissant with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake on the middle rack for 15–18 minutes, or until the croissants are puffed and deep golden brown.
- Remove the croissants from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining melted butter for a shiny, richer crust; let cool 5 minutes before serving so cheese sets slightly.
- To make ahead: assemble croissants, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze on the tray until firm and then transfer to a bag (freeze up to 1 month). Bake refrigerated croissants as directed; bake frozen croissants 5–8 minutes longer, from frozen.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 30
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 1100
- Fiber
- 1.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 17
- Protein
- 20
- Fat
- 32
- Cholesterol
- 110
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 470
- Sugar
- 5