Monte Cristo Sandwich and Muenster and Apricot Jam

Part savory deli sandwich and part French toast, a Monte Cristo is the ultimate brunch sandwich. In this version, we give it a small twist by swapping the traditional Swiss for creamy Muenster cheese and serving it with a mild apricot jam for dipping. It's savory, a little sweet, and totally irresistible.

Monte Cristo sandwiches on a wooden board with apricot jam cut open.

This Monte Cristo is easy to make at home. The sandwich is dipped in a savory egg custard (like French toast), then cooked until golden and crisp on the outside, with turkey, ham, and melty Muenster cheese inside.

Serve it warm, dusted with powdered sugar, and apricot jam on the side for dipping. The contrast of sweet and savory is crazy good!

Key ingredients and substitutions

You'll need a few ingredients to make this Monte Cristo stand out.

Two Monte Cristo sandwiched on a wooden board with apricot jam.

Thick-cut bread. The thicker the better. Opt for a bread that's at least ½ thick; this way, the sandwich can stand up to the eggy batter without getting soggy. You can choose a sweeter bread, such as brioche or challah, but a sturdy white bread, such as sourdough or Texas toast, also works well.
Deli meat. We like to use a combo of ham and turkey, but you can use all ham or all turkey, depending on your preference. Your favorite deli brand is fine (we are a thin-sliced deli meat family), but any thickness will work. This would be a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham!
Muenster. This creamy cheese replaces the traditional Swiss. Muenster is a cheese that melts well, so you'll still get that creamy, melty goodness. Feel free to use any melty cheese you prefer (i.e. Swiss, provolone, gruyere, or fontina).
Apricot jam. Traditionalists may prefer the red jams, such as strawberry raspberry, or red currant, but we think apricot jam is even better. It's mild, slightly tangy but still sweet, and most importantly, it won't steal focus away from the sandwich.

The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card.

Step-by-step instructions

See how easy it is to make this upgraded Monte Cristo. assemble, dip, then pan-fry until golden!

Prepared meat and cheese on a deli board to make a sandwich.

Step 1. Spread mustard over the bread, then layer your sandwich with ham, turkey, and Muenster cheese.

Overhead of a sandwich being dipped in egg custard.

Step 2. Prepare the egg custard, then dip the sandwiches in the custard, coating both sides.

Overhead of two Monte Cristo sandwiches in a frying pan with butter.

Step 3. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the dipped sandwiches, and cook until golden brown.

Overhead of cooked, golden brown monte cristo's in a frying pan.

Step 4. Flip the sandwiches, and cook the other side until golden brown, and the cheese is fully melted.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions can be found in the recipe card below.

Expert tips

Use stale or toasted bread. To prevent a soggy Monte Cristo, using stale bread or dry toasting the bread before dipping it in the egg batter, will help prevent the sandwich from getting soggy.
Dip fast. Don't submerge the sandwich for too long. You want to coat the bread, but you don't want it to get mushy. When lifting the sandwich from the batter, allow the excess egg mixture to drip off.
Use a lid. If your sandwiches are browned but the cheese is not fully melted, place a lid over the pan while cooking to help melt the cheese.

Serving suggestions

For a classic approach, serve it warm with apricot jam for dipping and a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you're feeling extra brunchy, you can serve it with maple syrup!

To keep things balanced, pair your sandwich with something fresh, such as a simple salad or a fruity drink like lemonade or a bubbly soda.

A Monte Cristo sandwich being dunked into apricot jam.

Keeping leftovers

A Monte Cristo is best served fresh and hot from the pan. However, you can reheat leftovers gently on the stove over low heat to crisp them up again (add a little more butter).

Testing notes

We tested this with both milk and half-and-half. Half-and-half gave a slightly richer, more custardy center.
Skipping the dry toast step made the bread too soft, so we don't recommend it.
Apricot jam worked better than raspberry or strawberry because it didn't overpower the Muenster.