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Slightly sweet and perfectly savory, this Overnight Breakfast Casserole with ham, egg, and cheese satisfies every brunch craving in one easy make-ahead dish. Perfect for entertaining overnight guests, stress-free holiday breakfasts, or just using up leftover ham!
Kristen's Keys for Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Even though this overnight ham and egg breakfast casserole practically cooks itself, a few small moves upfront will guarantee it turns out exactly the way you want it to.
- Assemble at least 6 hours before baking. For the best texture and flavor, I recommend assembling and chilling 6 to 18 hours before baking, which gives the bread time to soak up the custard the the flavors to marry together. Hence the name, Overnight Breakfast Casserole. 😉
- Use dried-out or day-old bread. This allows the egg custard to soak into the bread, preventing a soggy casserole. Fresh bread? Let it sit out on the counter for a few hours or dry it out by baking at 300°F for 15-20 minutes.
- The type of bread matters. A sweet bread, such as cinnamon raisin, Challah or cranberry walnut, adds sweet notes which compliment the savory, salty notes of the ham and cheese, but feel free to use Italian or French bread for a more savory-forward dish.
- Grate the cheese yourself. Grating it from a block ensures the creamiest melt.
5-Star Reader Review
This is a keeper! Made it for a brunch bible study with friends and it was a hit! I used a brioche bread rather than cranberry walnut and it was very good! Making it again for a church brunch this time adding cranberries and cinnamon! Love it! -Mary⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Make Ham and Cheese Egg Breakfast Casserole
While an easy breakfast casserole recipe, this step-by-step section is provided to help ensure perfect results, regardless of your experience level in the kitchen.
Step One: Prepare the Eggs
Whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, mustard, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
👉🏻Look familiar? This base of this ham and egg casserole is very similar to my Overnight French Toast Casserole, with one key addition: mustard. The mustard adds a bit of tang that pairs well with the savory ham.
Step Two: Add Ham, Cheese, and Bread
Fold the diced ham, some of the shredded cheese, and cubed bread to the egg mixture until everything is coated with the egg mixture.
👉🏻No room in your mixing bowl? You can layer the casserole in a buttered baking dish. Start with cubed bread, top with cubed ham, followed by shredded cheese, and then pour the egg mixture over everything.
Step Three: Assemble in Baking Dish
Pour the egg and ham mixture into a buttered baking dish. Top with additional cheddar cheese.
Step Four: Chill Before Baking
Cover the casserole with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 18 hours.
👉🏻Don't skip this step! Refrigerating the casserole after assembling allows the dry bread to soak up the custard improving both the flavor and texture of this breakfast casserole.
Step Five: Bake
When ready to bake, let the casserole sit on the counter while the oven preheats to avoid cracking the baking dish and ensure even baking. Then bake, uncovered, until the eggs are set and the cheese is fully melted.
👉🏻Finish with powdered sugar. Right before serving dust the casserole with powdered sugar for a touch of added sweetness and visual appeal. Serving with additional maple syrup is not a bad idea either. 😉
Recipe Modifications
- Keep it savory! If you don't like a breakfast casserole that is both sweet and savory, use plain white bread (like French, Italian, or sourdough) and omit the maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg from the recipe.
- Grate the cheese from a block. As freshly grated cheese will melt more uniformly than pre-grated cheese that is coated in anti-caking agents.
- Swap Cheddar for Swiss: For a Monte Cristo kind of vibe.
- Gluten-Free Modifications: Use your favorite gluten-free bread, and be sure your ham is gluten-free as well.
- Swap out the Ham: In place of the ham, use crumbled baked bacon or crumbled breakfast sausage.
- Add Raisins or Cranberries: If you don't have cranberry or raisin bread, feel free to fold in ⅓ cup of raisins or cranberries to the egg mixture.
Serving Suggestions
This make-ahead breakfast recipe is perfect for holiday mornings or entertaining. We love it for Christmas breakfast, Easter brunch, bridal showers, or just a lazy Saturday at home. Keep it simple and serve with homemade lattes or pair with any one the following recipes for a brunch to remember.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Overnight Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Cheese
Video
Ingredients
- 8 cups dried-out cinnamon raisin bread, ~8 ounces of bread
- butter for greasing pan
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk, or half and half
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups cubed, cooked ham
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
Instructions
- Cube bread into 1½-inch cubes. If your bread is not already a bit stale or dried-out, let it sit out on the counter for a few hours or quickly dry it out by baking at 300°F for 15-20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
- Butter a 2-quart or 9x13 casserole dish.
- In a large bowl whisk together 8 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg until well combined.
- Add the ham, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and dried-out bread and gently fold together until the bread is evenly coated in the egg mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 15-30 minutes, to take the chill off the casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- If needed, remove the plastic wrap and cover the casserole with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are fully set and the cheese has melted.
- Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in 2017, and updated in 2025.
Do you bake it covered?
Hi Nancy, this is a casserole you bake uncovered. I will be sure to clarify in directions Nancy! Enjoy!
What a tasty and easy breakfast to make for a crowd! Looks very tasty!
Thanks Shadi!
This is perfect! Im always looking for fun easy recipes to make my morning run smoother.
YAY!! This makes the mornings so easy!
I love overnight casseroles because they make weekdays so easy, this one was so delicious!
I am so glad your family enjoyed Rebecca!
Can I use bacon instead of ham?
Yes, or even breakfast sausage. Just be sure bacon or sausage is precooked. Enjoy
This is definitely one to make ....... made it for a brunch and everyone raved ..... used cinnamon raisin bread and added a touch of onion powder to the egg batter ....... perfect amount of savory and sweet
YAY!!! That makes me so happy Lori! I love the sweet and salty combination myself!
Oh man, I need this in my life 😀 Looks super yummy!
I hope you LOVE it Sarah!
Breakfast is the hardest meal for me to try and get anything other than boxed cereal into my kids. They'd love this! At the same time, if I actually managed to get it to them they'd be like "Who are you and what have you done with our mom?" Thanks for linking up to #SaucySaturdays.
Christine--you CAN Do this--just a few simple steps!