Monte Cristo Sandwich

I enjoyed this recipe very much and so did my company. If people would like a thicker batter try: 1 1/2 c flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/3 c water,1 egg. Makes enough for 6 sandwiches. Serve with jam and powdered sugar. Rio R.

It must be a regional thing with the folks who say they like their Monte Cristo deep fried. All I've ever seen in my life are ones dipped in an egg/milk mixture and cooked on a griddle like french toast. This recipe is good at duplicating what I've had at restaurants. You definitely can't cook them on too high a heat or the outside will burn before the sandwich is warmed all the way through. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of strawberry jam for dipping. Sounds bizarro but is excellent! Now if I only had those crisp restaurant french fries to go with it!

This is a family favorite. I worked 2nd shift and made a bunch of them and put them on a cookie sheets so that they could warm them up right before they ate them. There were none left for me when I got home from work! I think the problem that people were having with them being soggy is because they were trying to cook them too quickly. It is basically french toast. If you cooked french toast at too high a temp it would also be browned to fast and soggy. Turn your heat down and cook them slower. The cheese meltinf should make them stay together. This is a great treat that you can make ahead.

tradtional monte cristo are deep fried in a much thicker batter. I personally havent made this person recipe cause i have my own version of doing it. I used thick egg bread like Challah or a Brioche bread that can hold the batter. I use whole-berry cranberry sauce on the inside of the bread ham turkey swiss of course and a few slices of good applewood bacon. You can also experiment with a different chesse.... but my batter is made from 1/2 & 1/2 (1/4 cup) and eggs(4 large) to your batter add a dash of nutmeg and black pepper and cook it as if you are cooking fench toast but in a sandwich form.... Plate it with some warm maple syrup for dunking!!! I hope this info helps some1...enjoy!!!

Great recipe. Made this for dinner last night and it turned out great. Do not soak the sandwich too long in the egg dip, do it very quickly. Daughter loved this so much, she requested a second sandwich for her lunch today. She is a big fan of Bennigan's Monte Cristo as well. Used grape jelly instead of strawberry and it was yummy. My daughter preferred the grape anyway.

I think this taste like the bennigans Monte Cristo, without as much breading (which I prefered), plus it isn't all greasy. We have seven in our family, so by the end of making these, I figured out why some were soggy. I used a pie pan for the liquids, and a slotted metal spatula. Build the sandwich, then place in the liquid, QUICKLY scoop flip and quickly remove allowing the excess to drip off. The sandwich shouldn't stay in the liquid for more than half a sec or else it gets soggy. I used sourdough bread of a regular thickness, and munster cheese, because my family doesn't like swiss. I didn't use mayo or mustard, but powdered sugar over top and seedless raspberry jam for dipping are a MUST-yummy. I also failed to mention that I used leftover ham fro or baked hame from easter- a great way to use leftovers!

i agree with the other review, this needs a "thicker" coating. this is basically a deluxe grilled cheese/french toast (without the syrup). it is very easy and quick to make, and very tasty. i'll try it again with a modified "batter."

Everywhere that I have eaten a Monte Cristo, the sandwich has always been deep-fried. This recipe is a nice alternative, and the sandwiches are still just as good with a side of jam. I also experimented with using another meat and cheese combination; smoked turkey and cheddar worked well. Thanks for the recipe

These were good. My husband's only complaint was that there was something missing. I did take another reviewer's advice to make a thicker batter and it worked really well. I will make again, but I think I will expirament a bit to find that something missing...Thanks for posting.

I forgot the mayonnaise and mustard and these were delicious. I probably will make them just the same next time. We used whole-wheat bread for some and raisin-cinnamon bread for others, and both were really good.

I used fried bacon, ham & swiss, added a dollop of maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, S&P to the batter fried in butter & served with maple syrup. Hubby says it's the best "grilled sandwich" I ever made.

This was a last minute dinner for the boys tonight. I doubled it to make two sandwiches. The kids thought this was great--they flipped over the "french toast sandwiches". I did cook my sandwiches in a buttered skillet, that was the only change I made.

I haven't had a Monte Cristo for years. The one other time I tried making one it seemed it was just a huge mess. I don't know if this one is just less messy, or if I just handled it better. I now have a flexible spatula that made this much easier. I dipped the one side, carefully put it in the pan and let it cook long enough to firm up. Then was easily able to get my flexible spatula under it, carefully turned it over, then dipped the other side and put it back in the pan. This kept it from getting soggy on the second side before I had a chance to cook it. (I also think medium is too high.) It stayed neat and looked very pretty when done. I will say I think I prefer broiling or grilling over the "French toast" approach. It tasted like ham n swiss, but the texture of the bite was like French toast. I would not have wanted a thicker dip. (Speaking of which, the egg wash is enough for 2-3 of these sandwiches.) And no conf sugar here - why does a *sandwich* need to be sweet?

I make 2 sandwiches every day for my husband to take to work... I put the mayo/mustard on one slice of bread then dip the opposite side of that slice in the egg mixture (put it in a warm frying pan), I then add the meat and cheese and then with the 2nd slice I dip it in the egg mixture (both sides are covered), put this on top of the meat..sprinkle a little salt on it... I find you really need to let these sandwiches cook slowly, over low heat, to make sure they are cooked through and not soggy.. hope this helps!

My husband and I have been making these for years. We trim the bread and use butter instead of mustard. Then let set for 24 hours in refg. under a damp towel. Dip in egg mixture and deep fry. But why pay 7-15 dollars at resturant when you can do it at home. Nancy

i made these sandwiches for my family and friends as a quick easy dinner and they all loved them! this recipe is a little too much like a fancy grilled cheese however....i was looking for a bit of a thicker batter. but overall, i will probably make this easy to make but good meal again.

I added a taplespoon of flour to the egg mixture, turned out excellent.

I've never had a monte cristo sandwich before, so I have no point of comparison, but I enjoyed this. I used RIO R's thickened batter (click "Most helpful" and his will be the first review in the list), but I scaled it way down to make enough batter just for one or two sandwiches, and I used milk instead of water. The batter was nice and thick. I only had deli turkey and American cheese, and I used spicy mustard with no mayo. I dipped it in strawberry jam, which I warmed in the microwave for 15 seconds to make it easier to use as a dip. Thanks for the recipe!

These were actually really good, sort of like french toast just with meat. We added slices of fresh tomato and served with Thousand Island dressing on the side like they do at a local restaurant. I probably wouldn't try them with the berry jam, but I will be making these again.

I made these for lunch and they were well received, as well as quick and easy to prepare. I like them without the jam, the boys like them with it. As a previous reviewer stated: Be sure to dip the sandwiches quickly; if you let them soak up too much of the egg/milk mixture, they get a bit soggy.

Nice and quick. I substituted medium cheddar because that's what I had and my daughter prefers it to Swiss. I would make this again.

Have made these for years...but do not use nearly the milk called for, just a dollop. Try cutting these into quarters diagonally and serving as finger food appetizers. I've made several times for a Retirement home and the residents (and I) loved them. You can also put thin slices of dill pickle on them or tomato slices for a bit of moisture...

I'm from Baltimore, MD and the way we've always made them is without the mayo/mustard, heavy on the egg so it is really battered, cut into triangles, and served with Warm Real Maple Syrup for dipping. It is SO good like this.

Def. one that I will make again. Maybe add a drop or two of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon for the true french toast taste..

I made this according to the recipe. The sandwiches turned out great. My husband and I enjoyed them for lunch. Serve with fruit salad for a perfect light meal.

when i followed the recipe the batter was not very think but i like it better that way. i switch this recipe up alot and used various meats and cheeses and its always good. i also use raspberry preserves to dip it in.

I make these without the mayo and mustard and they are still great! I agree with the person who said that deep frying is a regional thing. I had it deep fried once and the greasy thick coating was just too much! For the people who said that something is missing, make sure you are using good quality meats and cheeses and serve with a side of good quality raspberry jam! This is a delight!

Loved it! I used sliced roast beef in place of ham and used dijon instead of plain mustard. Also added vanilla to the egg mixture. This was perfect served with raspberry jam and a sprinkling of confectioners sugar!!!!

Yum and Yum...I added a tbs of flour to the egg/milk mixture for a thicker batter.

Not a recipe for someone on a diet, but delicious and filling. I used thick-sliced bread, and fried in a couple of pats of butter in a skillet pre-heated to 375°, for about 5 minutes on each side. Served hot with a little maple syrup drizzled over it. Note: there's enough egg-milk mixture here to coat at least three sandwiches.

Really good, just what I was looking for, a few changes due to what I had on hand, used hearty rye bread and capicola instead of ham. Probably only use about 1/4 cup of half & half instead of 1/2 cup milk. Of course did not dust with powdered sugar or serve with jam

This is the Monte Cristo sandwich I know. Only thing I do differently is skip the mayo and mustard but pour maple syrup over the sandwich before serving. Might sound strange, but the saltiness of the ham and cheese and sweetness of the syrup go really well together.

This is my all time favorite sandwich with the thicker batter....I use a thin pancake batter and please, please don't use deli meats. Use the real thing! Leftover roast turkey and left over baked ham. What's this with a thinner sliced deli ham??????? NOT!

great sandwich!

Mine came out soggy on the inside. Not sure why, but maybe it was the light mayo, even though I used only a little. Will try with mustard only next time. I have had this sandwich in a restaurant and mine did not turn out nearly that well.

My husband thought I was nuts when I served this to him (the powedered sugar on top completely threw him off!). But one bite and he was asking for more! Delicious!! Cooked slowly on medium heat so that it browned nicely, cheese melted and no soggy bread!

I omitted the mustard, mayo and turkey, mainly because this is how I've eaten them, in the restaurant. Like other reviewers said, quickly dip the sandwich, so they don't turn out soggy. These turned out wonderfully, fried in a pan, on a med-low heat.

I am 15 and one of my goals is to become a chef. I look on this site a lot for recipes that can help me achieve this goal. I really liked this one. It was easy to make and really tasty. I recommend this recipe to anyone for a quick, yummy, and easy lunch.

The something missing may be the orange marmalade that is usually served with it. MMMMMM-GOOD! Next time I will leave the mayo and mustard off though.

I liked it, but Hubby did not.

This was a pretty good sandwich. It tasted just a tad too eggy to me so perhaps I will use a bit more milk next time. It's not quite what I remember eating years ago but still a good sandwich. I also did not measure the mayo and mustard. I just put on as much as knew I would like.

These were great! I used texas toast and it was perfect. Great combination of sweet and savory,

I would not make this again - too heavy tasting.

I made this for lunch today using smoked turkey and baby swiss cheese - no ham. Used dijon mustard for a little extra kick...dipping in strawberry preserves and sprinkling with a small amount of confectioner's sugar made for lots of savory and sweet tastes! Really good.

This was a pretty good sandwich. It tasted just a tad too eggy to me so perhaps I will use a bit more milk next time. It's not quite what I remember eating years ago but still a good sandwich. I also did not measure the mayo and mustard. I just put on as much as knew I would like.

These were fantastic! I had tried this sandwich years ago in a restaurant in Vegas and I was delighted to see the recipe on this site. I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect!

Different but good. I have never had a monte cristo before so I can't complain about the batter. However, I did add some thinly sliced onion and green bell pepper & used colby jack cheese instead of swiss. I made these for breakfast this morning and both my daughter and I agreed they were good = part grilled cheese, part french toast w/ omlette ingrediants. Good with hashbrowns! Thanks!

VERY soggy, not sure if that was my fault. I followed the recipe exactly, but maybe if I omitted the mayo and mustard it may have been better.....

these are now my husbands FAVORITES! We had these a few times already! So easy, and great taste. I serve mine w/blackberry jam, to get that "sweet" taste as they do in resturant's. Thanks for the recipe!!!

These are incredibly good ~ a teensy bit southern style, not quite so French (lite), but so yummy. My family ate them up, and I made triple the recipe :) Thanks so much for sharing

What a easy and excellant meal! I had never had these before much less made them and was very impressed! They didnt hold together as well as I would have preferred but were still delightful!

This was OK, nothing special.

My family enjoyed these sandwiches. I sifted powdered sugar on mine. If you have a deep fat fryer try putting the sandwich in the basket and deep fat frying so it gets the edges.

I have been looking for a traditional Monte Cristo Sandwich to make my husband and his said he liked this sandwich very much. Next time he said not to put any powdered sugar on it, it didn't need it. Thanks for the great recipe.

Good filling sandwich. My husband made his while I watched our infant and his was soggy even after cooking for a while so I made "french toast" first then added the insides and put it back on the pan to heat up. That's how we'll do it from now on.

Really good, used raspberry chipotle sauce to dip it in yummy!

Very good! Perfect with a side of strawberry preserves/jam. 1 egg + 1/2 c milk is enough to coat several sandwiches. The mustard mayo spread gives an interesting perk to this sweet sandwich!

I was looking for a quick dinner and didnt want french toast or grilled cheese, and I had seen this on diner menus, so I figured it had to be ok.. It was really good! It didnt come out as pretty as I had hoped, but next time I go to the diner I will order this to check it out and perfect my sandwich!

THIS WAS VERY VERY GOOD. IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO MY FAVORITES LIST. THANKS FOR SHARING!!

Very good! The use of Djon was new to me but I figured I give it a try and was very pleased. My family begged for these to be made the day.

I love this sandwich. I omitted the ham. Turkey only was just fine. There's enough egg bath to really soak the bread. It turned out perfect.

I never had a monte cristo until I fixed these. It was a cross between grilled sandwich and french toast. I used sandwich spread instead of mustard/mayo because my hubby likes SS. He said they were "very good". Not bad for a first try. Simple and different from the usual hot ham and cheese sandwich.

Made this for my husband and helper for lunch thinking this isn't going to go over very well. My husband love it. You just never know. Even had to make more. The jam really makes the sandwich special.

Everyone agreed that this was just okay. Don't compare it to the a "real" Monte Cristo. I did make the batter the other reviewer suggested- which was very gloppy and took awhile to brown. I think it was better than the egg dip would have been though. I served the sandwiches with powdered sugar and strawberry jelly, which is the only thing that even made it ok. I won't make this again.

I think that it helps to use a honey or a browm sugar ham and a smoked turkey and i have never heard ofusing strawberry jam but raspberry, delicious!!!

I tried this tonight. My favorite restaurant makes these and I always wondered exactly how they made them. I never thought I'd like this, but once I tried it, there was no going back. This version is very much like the one I had with the powdered sugar and raspberry jam. Only difference was their batter was thicker. Still this is good!

To make a thicker batter like bennigans buy a box of tempura batter, and dip the sandwiches in that, then deepfry. DELICIOUS! Also for a spicy kick dip in jalapeno jelly.

Made this with rye bread, using a spicy sweet mustard and applewood smoked gruyere and slivered apples!!!

So yummy! One of my favorite restaurant recipes, now made at home. I did serve with strawberry jelly and it was fabulous!

The first time my husband and I had these sandwiches was in Disney World. We have loved them ever since. Much better/healthier than the deep-fried version. The salty/sweet combo is delightful. Did add some flour to the egg batter and used half the amount of milk (half & half) Try these!

This was a great sandwich. I didn't have swiss cheese so I used mozzarella and it turned out fine. What a great way to use up leftover turkey and ham!

Everyone liked this nice hot sandwich. I made it on a cold night with some cream of tomato soup. Big Hit!

This sandwich was great. Instead of just using a milk and egg mixture, I added a few things like vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. I substituted the milk with half and half, and I used potato bread. I made this sandwich for Father's Day breakfast. It was so good and filling to my fiance he almost missed lunch.

Very tasty and quick to make. Served with green salad and fruit kabobs, it made a great casual meal. Made some with veggie "ham" because I am vegetarian, and they were good too. Although I cooked them for the length of time indicated, they weren't as crisp as I hoped. Maybe I' try lower heat for even longer next time.

YUM YUM YUM wow i am full!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you for this great Recipie!!

I was SO looking forward to trying this but it really 'bombed'. I followed the directions exactly but it came out either soggy or burnt and soggy. Maybe it was my stove??? Still on the lookout for another recipe though.

Different but good. I have never had a monte cristo before so I can't complain about the batter. However, I did add some thinly sliced onion and green bell pepper & used colby jack cheese instead of swiss. I made these for breakfast this morning and both my daughter and I agreed they were good = part grilled cheese, part french toast w/ omlette ingrediants. Good with hashbrowns! Thanks!

I didn't use mayo or must. I love this sandwich. I even spinkle a little powdered sugar on the sandwich. It's like a french toast sandwich for lunch!

This was soooo good. This is like a turkey/ham melt, but dipped in egg. Mine did come out soggy, but I think I had too much grease in the pan before frying. And next time I won't add so much milk to the egg or add more egg to the milk, since the egg is what gives it that nice crunch. I felt the milk contributed to some of the sogginess. I also added a tomato. Thanks for a great recipe to use leftovers in an unexpected way!

Very good, I used French bread (thick slices) layered the sandwich with good quality deli ham and turkey, dipped it into the egg mixture only enough to coat the surface then grilled on medium heat. Turned out great with no soggy bread.

I have been making these since the late 60's when I first had one at a restaurant. It had asparagus in it as well as chicken, ham and cheese. Plus a fried banana on top. I don't like asparagus so that was omitted. I am making them for dinner tonight, with the banana! Adds a different flavour. Thanks for reminding me of this recipe.

awesome! I loved it. just right.

I haven't EVER had Monte Cristo deep fried- this is always the way I've had mine. Very simple and basic. can be dressed up more but I just enjoy mine as cooked, no powdered sugar, no jelly-- just as a warm sandwich with the "batter". Excellent recipe. I make it frequently. my daughter prefers it with Cheddar, but it's good any way.

Meh. I used the thicker batter suggestions from Rio R., but let's face it, deep frying instead of pan frying would have made all the difference.

Really yummy and simple to make! My husband loved that I chose a quick dinner that turned out so delish! Will definitely make again.

My husband has been asking me to find a recipe for these for years. Finally I found one! He LOVED them!!! I am unable to eat eggs, so I am giving his review for these (since he ate 3 of them!) He LOVES these with the powdered sugar idea and dips his in raspberry jam! Easy dinner to make!!!

I've been making this sandwich for many years, based on a local restaurant recipe. I fill the sandwich with a layer of ham, then a layer of turkey, both sliced thin, but not quite shaved. Add a slice of Swiss cheese to each slice of bread so it gets nicely melted. I don't use any mayo or other condiment on the inside. The whole sandwich gets dipped in an egg wash of 2 eggs, and a couple tablespoons of milk or heavy cream - whatever I have on hand. That gets fried in Canola oil until the cheese is melted and the outside is gently browned. I will then finish with a bit of butter for flavor. I'll turn it out on paper towels to absorb any excess oil, then cut and serve hot.

This was a great quick and easy meal to make for my on the go family. It was simple and flavourful. My husband loved it and the kids gobbled it right up. I made it exactly as shown.

I think I will try it a little bit differently next time, but my husband, the sandwich lover, REALLY liked this one!

I always dip my sandwiches in pancake batter, deep fry and serve it with strawberry preserves. Its very yummy that way!

This is a great sandwich. My partner had 2 whole sandwiches and usually 1 sandwich is plenty. I'll be making these again

I made this for my boyfriend and he said it was the best meal I've ever cooked! I used sour dough from the fresh deli bread section of the grocery store and they came out perfectly!

This turned out terribly. Hint: Don't use Texas Toast!!

this recipe was excellent, my wife and I loved it.

Made minus the turkey I didn't have, as a late dinner. With either grape jelly or maple syrup, this late dinner on a snowy night was delicious. I recommend. Quick and easy and very little cleanup.

This was Ok and will not make it again -like the ones in the resturants better :-)

Very tasty sandwich following the original recipe. However, I am not a big fan of basic mayo. First change I made was to use the "Special Sauce" from Sir Kensington, a favorite yummy all organic sauce. Next change was my cooking method. The infamous George Foreman grill was up to the task. A short 5 minutes at 350 degrees and you're all done. Cheers!

I made this Monte Cristo with thinly sliced turkey and chicken with mayonnaise and shredded mozzarella. I had blackberry jam on the side for dipping, It was delicious!

French toast you cook it like you do French toast! I like this recipe just the way it is! Delicious:)!!!

Thank you