This is the best, impromptu ham and cheese croissant bake, period. It’s simple, delicious, filling, and meal prep friendly. Hannah here – I’m in a calorie deficit and when I ran to Aldi the other day, these mini croissants caught my eye. I was looking for weekend brunch inspiration and knew exactly what I wanted to make with their mini croissants! This came together in less than 30 minutes, is super fluffy, flavorful, and feels indulgent while still being Weight Watcher and calorie deficit friendly.
What do I need to make this croissant breakfast bake?
- Low fat cottage cheese
- Egg whites
- 1 egg
- Seasonings of choice
- Krakus ham
- Shredded colby jack cheese
- Mini croissants
- Oven-safe dish
- Optional – blender for egg mixture
To save on WW points as well as calories, we are using low fat, lower calorie ingredients to keep this high in protein, but lower in calories and WW points. This croissant bake still feels and tastes indulgent, but for a fraction of the calories and points as you’d find at a restaurant. Don’t be afraid to include items like mini croissants into your meals, as you can still make the meal as a whole balanced and tasty!
Where can I find mini croissants?
I found mine at Aldi! The Bake Shop brand mini croissants at Aldi are 100 calories each, or 4 WW points each. My mom found some at Walmart that are the Great Value brand, which are 3 WW points each. Mini croissants can be found in the bakery section of nearly any grocery store, but it’s important to look at the nutrition as some are higher in calories and points.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this ahead of time! The longer this sits, the more the croissants will soak up the egg mixture. I have baked this immediately after putting together, but you could also let this sit overnight. This would be a great meal prep or make-ahead brunch for a crowd since you can do all of the work the day before, and simply let it bake the day of. Keep in mind that the longer this sits, the less liquid will be in the bottom of your baking dish since the croissants will soak up the liquid – but that is normal!
Can I sub the ham for something else?
To keep this lower on calories and WW points, I would suggest using turkey sausage or bacon bits in place of the ham. You could even use deli turkey, since each croissant gets a slice stuffed inside. If using bacon bits, I probably wouldn’t slice the croissants and instead keep them whole, sprinkling the bacon bits on top along with the cheese. Turkey sausage links could be chopped up and sprinkled on top, or patties could be stuffed inside as well. If you’re vegetarian, you could sub the meat for veggies (broccoli, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms) and turn this into a veggie and cheese croissant bake instead!
Ingredients
1/2 cup 1% low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
4 slices of Krakus ham
6 tablespoons egg whites
1 egg
4 mini croissants
Seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
How to Make a Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
- Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
- In a blender, combine the egg, egg whites, cottage cheese, dijon and seasonings.
- Spray your baking dish with avocado oil or nonstick spray.
- Slice each croissant nearly in half, keeping the top and bottom connected on one side. Dip each croissant into the egg mixture until it’s fully coated and place into the baking dish.
- Roll 4 separated pieces of Krakus ham and stuff each croissant with a slice.
- Pour the remaining egg mixture over the croissants evenly. Top with shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the eggs have set and the top is golden brown.
- Let cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan, and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 1% low fat cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 4 slices Krakus ham
- 6 tablespoons egg whites
- 1 egg
- 4 mini croissants
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- optional: 1 teaspoon turmeric (for color)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Blend the cottage cheese, egg whites, egg, dijon and seasonings together.
- Spray your cooking dish with avocado oil or nonstick spray.
- Slice 3/4 the way through each croissant, so they are still connected. Dunk each croissant into the egg mixture and set into the baking dish.
- Roll each slice of ham and stuff into each croissant.
- Pour the remaining egg mixture on top of the croissants evenly, and top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the cheese is browned.
- Let cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
Notes
As of the date of this post, each portion (half this cake pan, or 2 croissants) is 7 Weight Watcher points, 411 calories, and 32.6g protein.
Check the WW points here!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2
Serving Size: 2 croissants
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 411Protein: 32.6g
How to portion this Ham and Cheese Croissant Bake
This small cake pan makes 2 servings of 2 mini croissants each. Each portion is 7 Weight Watcher points (if using mini croissants from Walmart), 411 calories, and 32.6g of protein. As someone who struggles to get enough protein in, it’s crucial that I find delicious ways to enjoy getting more protein into my diet. On the side, I would probably add an Oikos triple zero yogurt for an extra 15g protein with some fresh berries. That’s almost 50g of protein for only about 500 calories! This recipe is proof that you can still enjoy “non diet” foods like croissants while making a balanced meal that still fits into your macros/WW points.
If you like easy, quick and delicious breakfast options to meal prep, consider making my mom’s delicious Healthy Cottage Cheese Quiche Bake!
