Ham and Cheese Croissants

Warm and flaky, these delicious ham and cheese croissants are quick and easy to prepare in your own kitchen! Prepared with all-butter puff pastry, smoky, thinly sliced ham, baby Swiss cheese, a kiss of Dijon mustard and a sprinkle of herbs, this ham and cheese croissant recipe makes for a terrific cafe-inspired meal or brunch option, perfect with a mixed green salad on the side!

Homemade Ham and Cheese Croissants, Better Than the Bakery's

When I was testing my sweet recipe for my easy chocolate croissants, my husband Michael shared with me that they made him think of the savory croissants, filled with ham and melted cheese, that his family would get from a local French bakery while out shopping, and how much he loved the indulgence of those as a kid (and even as an adult).

So that got me thinking...

Why not make ham and cheese croissants fresh and warm at home? Making them "to taste", and with a little extra TLC, always adds more flavor and goodness than anything premade, not to mention much more love in every bite-full!

And the fact that these tasty little ham and cheese croissants are actually really quick and easy to make in our own kitchen is truly a bonus.

Made with our favorite smoky Black Forest ham (though any good quality ham will work here), some baby Swiss cheese, a kiss of Dijon mustard and a sprinkle of herbes de Provence, they're loaded with flavor.

Wrapped together in squares of store-bought, all-butter puff pastry, and baked off until melted on the inside and crispy on the outside, these baked ham and cheese croissants are better than the bakery's, and make for a gourmet tasting, savory treat.

My Recipe for Ham and Cheese Croissants

Part of what makes these ham and cheese croissants so fun to make in the comfort of my own kitchen is using a good quality store-bought puff pastry made with butter.

This is a terrific shortcut for a recipe like this, because everything is put together in no time flat, with really scrumptious results!

There are just a handful of ingredients called for in this ham and cheese croissant recipe, and this includes the all-butter puff pastry, some very thinly sliced ham of choice (I love Black Forest ham here), some highly meltable cheese (Swiss goes terrifically well with ham), plus a couple of “extras” such as Dijon mustard and herbes de Provence for added savory and earthy flavor.

I love to wrap these ham and cheese croissants like little packages by bringing two points of the puff pastry squares together in the middle, yet keeping some of that delicious ham and cheese exposed, so it gets a little crispy when baked off in the oven.

Here's a sneak peek at my ham and cheese croissant recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prep my ingredients and keep my puff pastry sheet cold in the fridge while I do so.
2. When ready to work with the puff pastry sheet, I lay it out in front of me and roll it out just a touch, to a roughly 13 ½ by 11 ½ size square, then cut that into 4 fairly equal squares (or rectangles).
3. Then, I turn these squares so that they look like a diamond shape in front of me, with the points going vertically and horizontally, and fill each with the ingredients.
4. Next, I bring the two horizontal points together and seal with a bit of water to create a little ham and cheese croissant “parcel”, then chill these for a short while.
5. Finally, I egg wash and bake the ham and cheese croissants until deeply golden brown
6. I enjoy them warm or at room temp as a snack, maybe even with a green salad for a more substantial meal.

Recipe

Ham and Cheese Croissants

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These warm, flaky ham and cheese croissants are easy to prep at home, and make for a delicious cafe-inspired meal with a crisp green salad!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: French-American

Yield: 4 croissants

Nutrition Info: 615 calories (per ham and cheese croissant)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 27 minutes
Total time: 47 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet (14 ounces) thawed, all-butter puff pastry, kept cold in the fridge
• ½ pound very thinly sliced ham (Black Forest, French style, prosciutto, or your favorite kind)
• 1 (slightly generous) tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ¼ cups grated baby Swiss or Gruyere cheese
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1 egg, whisked for egg wash
• Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients (except for the puff pastry, keep that cold) according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Lightly flour a work surface, and place the cold sheet of puff pastry onto that work surface in front of you. Use a rolling pin to slightly roll out the puff pastry sheet to roughly 13 ½ by 11 ½ inches. Then, cut the sheet into 4 relatively equal squares/rectangles.
4. Place each square in front of you so that two of the the points are up and down, and two are horizontal, like a diamond shape.
5. Add about 2 ounces worth of the ham in a vertical line into the center of the diamond, then gently spread about a scant teaspoon of the Dijon mustard over it. Sprinkle over the ham and mustard about ¼ cup worth of the grated cheese (save any leftover cheese for the tops of the croissants), then sprinkle over a small pinch of the herbes de Provence.
6. Bring together the two horizontal points to create a little croissant “bundle” or “pocket”, using a tiny bit of water to seal the pastry together. Place onto your prepared baking sheet, and repeat until all ham and cheese croissants are made.
7. Place the ham and cheese croissants into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes (or up to overnight, if making ahead), covered with plastic wrap.
8. When ready to bake, brush the top of each ham and cheese croissant with a small amount of the egg wash, and sprinkle over about a scant tablespoon of the remaining grated cheese.
9. Bake the ham and cheese croissants for roughly 26 to 27 minutes, until they are a deep, golden-brown color, and the ham slightly caramelized and crisp around the edges.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool to warm or room temp, then sprinkle over some fresh thyme leaves for garnish, and serve on their own or with a crisp green salad as an accompaniment.

Tips & Tidbits for my Ham and Cheese Croissants recipe:

• Use your favorite kind of ham: Because I love a little smoky flavor, I opt for Black Forest ham in my ham and cheese croissants, and ask the deli counter to slice it as thin as possible for me. You could also use a French ham here, or even prosciutto, or whatever your favorite kind is. Just make sure to have it sliced super thin for best results, and the deli counter is your best bet for this rather than pre-packaged ham.
• Good quality, meltable cheese: While I'm using baby Swiss cheese here that I grate myself, you can use Gruyere, which has terrific nutty flavor, or even a combo of the two. Really, any highly meltable cheese will work here, such as gouda, cheddar, mozzarella, or havarti. And grated is best here rather than sliced cheese, as it melts a little more evenly.
• All-butter puff pastry for best quality and flavor: If you can, opt for all-butter puff pastry instead of puff pastry which is made with hydrogenated oils. The all-butter puff pastry is now readily available in most markets in the frozen section where puff pastry is kept, and it has a better texture and mouth feel, with really deliciously buttery flavor.
• Make these ham and cheese croissants ahead: These are fantastic as a brunch item, and I love to serve them warm just on their own, or even with a salad. You can easily prep these up to the point of covering with plastic wrap and placing them into the fridge, keeping them chilled overnight, if needed. When ready to bake and serve, then simply egg wash and bake as directed.
• Double the recipe, if serving as part of a brunch for a group: If you'd like to prepare 8 ham and cheese croissants to serve at a slightly larger gathering for brunch or lunch, simply double all of the ingredients and prepare according to instructions.
• How to reheat ham and cheese croissants: Leftover ham and cheese croissants reheat really well in a small toaster oven (not a traditional pop-up toaster—to be sure) set to 350° for about 5 to 7 minutes, just until warmed through.

Hungry for more delectably cozy puff pastry recipes? Check out my recipe for Easy Chocolate Croissants, Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites, French Onion Mushroom Tart, Savory Hand Pies, Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions, or my recipe for Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus in Puff Pastry!