The Creative Way To Use Costco Croissants For A Crowd-Pleasing Breakfast

When it comes to Costco's pastries, ranked worst to best, Kirkland Signature croissants easily claim the number one spot. Given their soft flaky layers and pleasantly mild taste, there are many creative ways to enjoy Costco's fan-favorite croissants. Though, beyond transforming these baked goods into sandwiches or crunchy croutons, consider turning your next batch into a delicious French toast casserole.

Thankfully, Costco sells its popular croissants in packs of 12, which gives you ample freedom to use these French delights in more ways than one. Simply reserve half of your next container for your morning coffee and use the other half to make a weekend breakfast bake everyone is sure to love. Made with pure butter and no excess oils, Costco's croissants are large, flaky, and full of rich, buttery flavor. That said, you don't need a lot of extra ingredients to prepare a delicious French toast casserole at home.

To prepare this simple breakfast, rip apart six to eight croissants and dump them into a rectangular baking dish. Then, all you need to do is prepare a standard custard with eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt. You can also add a bit of brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey to the mix. From here, simply pour the custard over your casserole and bake. Given how easy this recipe is to assemble, there are many delicious ways to upgrade this delicious meal with all your favorite flavors.

To bring out the rich and buttery taste of Costco's croissants, make your French toast custard with half-and-half instead of regular milk. Or, for extra decadence, blend in a small amount of room temperature cream cheese and add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. The best sweet toppings for this dish include mixed berries, toasted nuts, and a glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Conversely, you can also make this simple dish with savory ingredients. Instead of adding in sugar or maple syrup, flavor your custard with Dijon mustard, dried herbs, and a bit of extra salt. Then, pepper in extras like shredded cheese or crumbled sausage before baking. There are also many elegant ingredients you can add to your next breakfast casserole like sun-dried tomatoes or wild mushrooms.

Sweet and savory extras aside, there are a few preparation tips for this recipe worth following. For starters, make sure your croissants are torn into uniform portions and spread evenly within your baking dish. Also, since Costco's signature croissants are baked every day for supreme freshness, consider leaving them out of the package for a full day before using. This way, the layers of each croissant will harden slightly and soak up more of the milky custard throughout the cooking process. That said, if you're pressed for time, you can always assemble this dish the night before and store it in your refrigerator until the next morning.