Ham and Cheese Croissants: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Buttery Ham & Swiss Croissants for Easy Mornings
Flaky refrigerated croissant dough wraps smoky ham, nutty Swiss, and a hit of Dijon into a golden breakfast (or lunchbox) that’s quick to pull together and impossible to resist.
Sunrise & Crumb recipe developer Priya Lane keeps mornings simple with this cozy take on ham and cheese croissants. They’re the kind of thing you can make on a relaxed weekend or assemble ahead and bake for busy weekday breakfasts—each one comes out with a glossy, golden crust and layers worth stealing.
The first bite is all about texture: the dough crisps into buttery, flaky layers while the Swiss melts into a creamy ribbon around the ham. Dijon mustard adds a bright, tangy note against the richness, black pepper wakes up the filling, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds gives a toasty little crunch. Brushing an egg wash before baking and a touch of melted butter after gives each croissant that irresistible sheen and scent.
Practical tips make these especially approachable: let the refrigerated dough sit 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F and line a pan, dust your surface with flour and gently reshape the triangles, then spread a little Dijon, stack two slices of ham and a slice of Swiss on each, leaving the point clear for rolling. Whisk an egg with water for the wash, bake about 18 minutes on parchment, and you’ll have four perfectly portioned pastries.
What makes this work is simple ingredient harmony—the richness of butter and cheese, the savory chew of ham, and the mustard’s lift—so they feel special without fuss. They keep well for make-ahead breakfasts and travel beautifully in lunchboxes, making them a versatile morning-to-midday winner.
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