Monte Cristo Sandwich

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My grandmother used to make these sandwiches every year after Easter when we had leftover ham sitting in the fridge. She’d call them “fancy French toast sandwiches” because she could never remember the actual name. Took me until I was like 20 to realize she was making Monte Cristos.

Now I make them all the time. Not just when I have leftover ham, either. Sometimes I’ll buy deli ham specifically to make these because I’m craving one that bad.

What Even Is This Sandwich

If you’ve never had a Monte Cristo, imagine this – a ham and cheese sandwich gets dunked in egg batter and fried up golden and crispy like French toast. Sounds weird, right? It’s actually incredible.

The outside gets all crispy and golden. The cheese melts into the ham. Everything’s warm and gooey. Then you can dust it with powdered sugar or dip it in jam if you want to get really wild with the sweet and savory thing.

My husband thought I was losing it the first time I made these for breakfast. “Why are you making French toast with ham in it?” he asked. Five minutes later he was making a second one.

Where These Come From

So apparently Monte Cristos are based on some fancy French sandwich called a Croque-monsieur. I’ve never been to France so I can’t verify this, but that’s what everyone says.

The Monte Cristo is basically the American version. We took that French idea and decided to make it bigger, richer, and dip the whole thing in egg. Very on-brand for us, honestly.

What You Need

Bread – I use regular white sandwich bread. Nothing fancy. Texas toast works great too because it’s thicker.

Ham – Thick slices if you can get them. Leftover Easter ham is perfect. Deli ham works fine too.

Cheese – Traditional recipe calls for Gruyere but I’m not made of money. Swiss cheese is great. Even regular old American cheese melts up nicely.

Mustard and mayo – Yellow mustard is what I use. Sometimes Dijon if I’m feeling fancy.

Eggs – Two eggs makes enough for coating two sandwiches.

Butter – For frying. Don’t use oil. Has to be butter.

Salt and pepper – Just a bit.

How I Make These

Crack your eggs into a shallow dish or pie plate. Beat them up with some salt and pepper until they’re all mixed together. Set that aside.

Take two slices of bread. Spread mustard on one side, mayo on the other. Not too much or it’ll get soggy. Just a thin layer.

Pile your ham on there. I use probably 3 or 4 slices of deli ham per sandwich. Add your cheese – as much as you want, really. I’m pretty generous with it.

Slap the other piece of bread on top and press it down a little so it sticks together.

Get a skillet going over medium heat. Toss in a tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Don’t let it burn – if it starts getting brown before you’re ready, turn the heat down.

Take your sandwich and dunk it in that egg mixture. Both sides, make sure it’s coated. Don’t let it soak too long or the bread gets weird.

Plop it in the pan with the melted butter. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. You want it golden brown and the cheese all melted inside.

That’s it. Told you it was easy.

Things I’ve Learned

The heat matters. Too hot and the outside burns before the cheese melts. Too low and it gets soggy. Medium heat is your friend.

Use a nonstick pan. Or a well-seasoned cast iron. The egg makes these want to stick.

Press it down a little while it’s cooking. Helps everything meld together and the cheese melt evenly.

Don’t overload the egg bath. Just a quick dip on each side. First time I made these I let them soak and they fell apart in the pan.

The Sweet Thing

Here’s where people get divided. Some folks dust these with powdered sugar like you would French toast. Some dip them in raspberry jam or strawberry preserves.

I thought it was insane until I tried it. The sweet with the salty ham and cheese? Actually works. Not every time – depends on my mood. But it’s worth trying at least once.

My kids prefer them with a drizzle of honey. That’s pretty good too.

If you’re not into sweet stuff, skip it entirely. They’re still amazing just as a savory sandwich.

Making Them Ahead

Want to prep these for brunch or something? Here’s what I do:

Make the sandwiches the night before – mustard, mayo, ham, cheese, the works. Wrap them in plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge.

Next morning, beat your eggs, dip the sandwiches, and fry them up. Takes like 10 minutes total and everyone thinks you’re a genius.

They don’t freeze well though. The bread gets mushy when you thaw them. Just make fresh.

Different Ways to Do It

I stick with the basic ham and cheese most of the time. But you can mix it up:

Turkey instead of ham works. Good for using up Thanksgiving leftovers.

Some people add a slice of tomato. I’m not convinced but my sister swears by it.

Swap Swiss for cheddar if that’s what you’ve got. Or pepper jack if you want some heat.

My neighbor uses sourdough bread and says it’s life-changing. Haven’t tried it yet but it’s on my list.

When to Eat These

Breakfast? Yes. The egg coating makes it feel breakfast-appropriate.

Lunch? Absolutely. Great weekend lunch.

Dinner? Sure, why not. Pair it with some fruit or a simple salad and you’re good.

Midnight snack after a few drinks? My husband’s specialty. Though he usually burns them a little.

These aren’t exactly health food. They’re butter-fried, egg-dipped, cheese-filled sandwiches. But sometimes you need that. And when you do, Monte Cristos are where it’s at.