Turn Croissants Into Muffin-Pan Egg Cups For Easy Breakfast All Week Long

If you're planning a Sunday meal prep session and find yourself staring at a basket of croissants from yesterday's brunch, you have options besides making overnight oats. Ready-made croissants can be put to good use, as you can use the pieces to hold your favorite breakfast ingredients. The result is so impressive, you may rethink the menu for next weekend's brunch. Don't worry if the croissants are slightly stale. That added chew can help the pastry pieces hold extra ingredients. 

Simply halve a store-bought croissant and hollow out the middle to form a cup for your chosen ingredients. The croissant's buttery layers are ideal to envelop your favorite meats, veggies, eggs, and cheeses, and require little effort on your part. There's no forming or shaping to be done. Use a muffin pan to keep the filled pieces in place to bake. Pack the middle of each piece with your selected ingredients and bake the filled croissants until done. Air fryers can also be used for a crispier result.

Whisked eggs can be poured into the center of the emptied croissants, or you can crack eggs directly into the flaky cups. Add shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, diced ham, or sauteed mushrooms into the middle before topping off layers with a fresh crack of black pepper and flaky sea salt. You can also turn these croissant boats into sweeter treats with homemade fruit preserves, nut butters, and squares of chocolate.

Before serving, dress up your pre-assembled croissants with an array of finishings. Chopped garden herbs, dollops of Greek yogurt, roasted nuts, or drizzles of maple syrup can be just the ticket to get you moving on a Monday morning. Not only are these pretty pieces perfect for a midweek morning rush, but an artful spread of these beauties can instantly perk up party tables. The stuffed croissants look much more impressive than the effort required to put them together. As an alternative serving option, air-fry or oven-bake the halved and hollowed croissant pieces and set them out for guests to fill as they please.