Croque Madame McMuffins… AKA the ultimate ham and cheese sandwich. This delicious French inspired recipe is made with ham, Gruyere, béchamel, and a fried egg. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!

Croque Madame

Have you ever had a Croque Madame before? If not, you’re seriously missing out!

Despite the fancy French name, it’s really just a glorified ham and cheese sandwich that’s topped with an egg and béchamel sauce. But don’t let my humble description fool you… because this bistro classic is nothing short of incredible! And one of my all-time favorites recipes to whip when we have guests over for brunch. (Or when I’m nursing a hangover…. hey, just keeping it real!). Most Croque Madame recipes are made with sliced bread of some sort, but I wanted to give this recipe a fun twist and decided to use craggy English muffins instead. Their nooks and crannies soak up the creamy sauce and gooey egg and it’s all just so delicious!

Don’t you want this for brunch?! ↓

How to make Croque Madame:

• So let’s talk about cheese for a second! Because this recipe requires two varieties: Gruyere and Parmesan. The Gruyere should be grated coarsely while the Parmesan should be grated quite fine. If you can’t find Gruyere, Swiss cheese would make a fine – and much cheaper – substitute.
• Don’t skip the dijon mustard! Trust me on this; the zippy sharpness it adds ties everything together in this recipe.
• Keep an eye on the sandwiches as they broil. Things happen very quickly at high heat, so I suggest staying nearby to ensure nothing burns… or worse, catches on fire!
• These sandwiches are really best served warm and right away.
• You can easily double or even triple this recipe, so keep it in mind for larger parties!

And just in case you’re wondering what I serve these with, here’s a quick list of ideas we love over here: hash browns, sweet potato fries, salad, granola and berries, or sliced avocado.

Oh, and mimosas. Always mimosas 😉

Croque Madame McMuffins are fun, easy, impressive, delicious, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert. Er, okay… maybe not dessert. But hey – I won’t judge! Savory dessert could be the next big thing. But I digress…

I can’t wait to hear what you think about this French inspired recipe and what you serve them with ♥

If you try this Croque Madame Recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥

Croque Madame McMuffins

Ashley Manila

If you love a good ham and cheese melt, you HAVE to try these Croque Madame McMuffins! They're perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Servings 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

 

• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 English muffins, cut in half and toasted
• 4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 8 slices ham
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large eggs

Instructions

 

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it's lightly brown and nutty smelling. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère and all of the Parmesan, and whisk until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Preheat oven to broil setting. Place English muffins - cut side up - on a large baking sheet. Spread 1/2 a tablespoon of mustard onto each piece. Top 4 of the halves with 2 slices ham and the sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, aiming to pile the cheese in the center of the muffin so it doesn't fall onto the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet under the broiler until the cheese begins to melt, about 1–2 minutes.
• Top with remaining muffin slices, then pour a generous amount of béchamel on top of each muffin and broil until the cheese sauce is bubbling and evenly browned, about 4 minutes.
• In the meantime, cook your eggs! Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are firm but yolks are still runny; about 3 minutes. Place an egg on top of each sandwich, and serve right away!

Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature