Brown Sugar Bacon Monte Cristo Sandwich
Brown Sugar Bacon Monte Cristo Sandwich
Monte Cristo sandwiches already have the formula right, French toast bread, ham, melted cheese. This version pushes it further. Coat thick-cut bacon with Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub, bake it until crisp and caramelized, and you’ve got a sweet-smoky layer that holds its own against the cinnamon egg batter and the pull of melted cheddar.
Sweet, salty, and griddled, three notes that carry a lot of our game day spread.
The baked bacon is what separates this from the diner version. Set it on a rack at 375°F and let it go while you get the egg mixture ready. By the time it comes out, the skillet is warm and the bread is next.
Dip both sides of each Texas toast slice in the eggs, cinnamon, and whole milk mixture. Cook until deep golden on both sides. Then build: egg bread, cheddar, two slices of ham, two slices of brown sugar bacon, egg bread. Serve hot with raspberry or apricot jelly on the side.
Thirty-five minutes. Four sandwiches. Brunch like this works its way into the rotation.
Flavor First.
Brown Sugar Bacon Monte Cristo Sandwich
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling rack on the foil.
- Arrange bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
- Coat one side of each bacon slice evenly with 2 tbsp Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub.
- Bake bacon until crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- While bacon cooks, mix the 4 eggs, cinnamon, and milk together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Warm a skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
- Dip both sides of each bread slice in the egg mixture and cook in the skillet until browned, approximately 2-4 minutes per side. Continue cooking all bread slices.
- While bread is still warm, begin building each sandwich by layering one piece of egg bread, then a slice of cheddar, 2 slices of ham, 2 slices of brown sugar bacon, and another slice of egg bread on top.
- Serve immediately with a side of your favorite jelly for dipping. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Use a shallow bowl for dipping — Wide enough to lay a full slice of Texas toast flat. Even coating on both sides without bending the bread.
- Prep everything before the first dip — Have the cheese, ham, and bacon ready before any bread hits the skillet. Egg-battered bread moves fast.
- Rack the bacon, always — Elevating it on a rack lets fat drip away as it bakes. That’s what creates the crisp, lacquered finish from the Brown Sugar Rub — not bacon sitting in its own fat.
- Medium-high, not high — The egg coating needs time to cook through before the crust burns. Medium-high gives you the color without scorching.
- Butter the cooked bread — Brush lightly with melted butter just before assembly for extra richness.
- Keep the jelly on the side — Dip each bite rather than spreading inside the sandwich. Stays crispier longer and you control the sweetness hit.
- Raspberry and apricot are the classic jelly calls — both have enough acidity to cut through the egg bread and bacon. Currant works if you want something drier. A small amount of hot pepper jelly adds heat with the sweet if that’s the direction you want.
- On the side, a sharp green salad with vinaigrette handles the richness. Fresh orange juice is natural for a late-morning setup. For a game-day spread, cut each sandwich diagonally and serve with jelly in a small ramekin — easier to handle, cleaner plate.
- A light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving is the traditional Monte Cristo finish. Optional, but it’s the right move.
- Best hot. The egg-battered bread softens once it cools, and the bacon loses its crisp within 20–30 minutes.
- To hold them: keep assembled sandwiches uncovered on a rack in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. Beyond that, the bread toughens.
- Leftovers refrigerate for up to 1 day. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat — not the microwave, which steams the bread flat. Don’t freeze; the egg-battered bread texture doesn’t survive it.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these sandwiches ahead of time?
The bacon and egg bread can be prepped up to 2 hours ahead and held warm in a 200°F oven. Assemble just before serving, once built, the sandwich steams itself and loses texture quickly.
What jelly works best with this sandwich?
Raspberry, apricot, and currant are the classic choices. Hot pepper jelly is a strong alternative if you want heat alongside the sweet. Skip anything too sugary, the Brown Sugar Rub bacon is already doing that work.
Can I use a different bread?
Brioche or challah both hold up well to the egg soak and add richness. Avoid regular sandwich bread, it soaks through too fast and tears in the skillet. Texas toast is the standard call for its thickness and structure.
What’s the best way to get the bacon crispy?
Use a rack on the baking sheet. Bacon sitting flat on foil fries in its own fat instead of crisping under the Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub glaze. The rack is what creates the lacquered, caramelized finish.
Can I substitute the Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub?
If you don’t have it, coat the bacon with brown sugar, a pinch of smoked paprika, and black pepper. It gets close, but the Kinder’s rub has a more balanced spice mix that the DIY version doesn’t fully replicate.
Is this the same as a traditional Monte Cristo?
The structure is the same, egg-battered bread, ham, cheese, jelly. The Kinder’s Brown Sugar Rub bacon adds a sweet-smoky layer that a standard Monte Cristo doesn’t have.
More like this: Kinder’s Recipes
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