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.