This Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe, based on the Disneyland classic, is filled with layers of ham, turkey, and cheese and fried to golden perfection. Served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of raspberry jam, and made in only 10 minutes!
Looking for more Disneyland-inspired copycat recipes? Try my Pumpkin Spice Churro Toffee or Galaxy's Edge Outpost Popcorn Mix!
One of the most popular foods at Disneyland, up there with turkey legs and Dole Whips, happens to be the Monte Cristo Sandwich, and for a good reason! This famous sandwich is fried to perfection, dusted with powdered sugar, and enjoyed with a side of sweet raspberry jam.
It's an insane combination of sweet and savory that will have your taste buds begging for more after the first bite!
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🥪 The History of the Monte Cristo Sandwich
Food historians believe the Monte Cristo Sandwich is a variation of the French dish, Croque Monsieur. The Monte Cristo was first served in Southern California in the 1950s, and it made its way into the menus, and the hearts of millions of fans, in Disneyland not long after. With similar ingredients to a grilled cheese sandwich, the Monte Cristo takes things to the next level!
❤️Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Savory Meets Sweet: The combination of savory turkey, ham, and Swiss cheese is perfectly balanced by the sweet powdered sugar and raspberry jam, creating an absolutely irresistible sandwich!
- Crispy Perfection: The sandwiches are dipped in a batter and fried creating a golden, crispy exterior, while keeping the inside all soft and melty-every bite is satisfyingly crunchy.
- Quick & Easy: Despite its gourmet taste, this recipe comes together in only 10 minutes, making it the perfect comfort food for a busy weeknight or a leisurely weekend brunch.
🛒Ingredients
- Cornstarch: Helps to create a light and crispy batter.
- White bread: Any kind of white bread can be used, but I prefer a thicker variety like sourdough, challah, or brioche.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is dusted on the sandwiches right before serving. It is a must!
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Water: You can use milk for a richer, creamier batter.
- Turkey: Chicken or roast beef also works great!
- Raspberry jam: If you're not a fan of raspberry, any fruit jam like strawberry or apricot would be delicious.
🔪How to Make This Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe
Step 1: Mix the fry batter for dipping the sandwiches in.
Step 3: Follow with two pieces of turkey.
Step 5: Top with mustard, mayo and another piece of bread.
Step 7: Dip the sandwich in the fry batter.
Step 2: Top one slice of bread with two pieces of ham.
Step 4: Follow with one slice of Swiss cheese.
Step 6: Depending on the size of your bread, slice the sandwich in half and secure it with toothpicks.
Step 8: Fry the sandwiches in a skillet until golden brown on each side.
🌟Expert Tips
- When frying the sandwiches, cook them in batches. Overcrowding the pan can lower the oil temperature and result in soggy, greasy sandwiches instead of nice crispy ones.
- Make sure the oil is at the right temperature (365-375°F) before frying. If it's too hot, the batter will burn, and if it's too cool, the sandwich will soak up too much oil. You can test the oil by dipping a small amount of batter in it-if it sizzles right away, you're good to go!
- I find it's helpful to use a toothpick to secure all the sandwich fixings together before frying.
- If you're using larger slices of bread (like I did), slice each of the sandwiches in half before frying. It'll make it so much easier to cook and serve them!
💭 FAQs
These sandwiches are served hot! Serve immediately after cooking with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of raspberry jam for dipping. The sweet, savory, gooey, crispy combination is unlike any other.
Yes! The best way to reheat the sandwich is either in the air fryer, stove or oven. The microwave is more likely to make it soggy (although it will work in a pinch.) Air Fryer: Cook in the air fryer at 350 F for 3-5 minutes. Stove: Melt a ½ tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwich on the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes until warm. Oven: Wrap sandwich in foil and bake for 5 minutes at 350 F. Microwave: Cook the sandwich for 20-30 seconds.
The sandwiches are good for 3-5 days, depending on the expiration date of the ingredients used.
🧀 More Cheesy Recipes to Try
📋 Recipe
Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe (Disneyland Copycat)
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
Sandwich Ingredients:
- 8 slices thick white bread sourdough, challah, or brioche
- 8 slices ham lunchmeat
- 8 slices turkey lunchmeat
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
Batter Ingredients:
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cup water
- vegetable oil for frying
For Serving:
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Raspberry jam for dipping
Instructions
- Mix the mustard and mayo together in a bowl.
- Assemble sandwiches by spreading two slices of bread with the mustard and mayo mixture, followed by two slices of ham, two slices of turkey, and one slice of Swiss cheese on top of a piece of bread. Top with another piece of bread.
- Depending on the size of the bread you are using, you may want to slice the sandwich in half at this point. Secure each piece with a toothpick.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, egg, and water until combined.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (365-375 degrees.)
- Gently dip half of each sandwich into the batter. Then flip so the sandwich is completely covered in the batter.
- Transfer the sandwich to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place the cooked sandwich on a paper-towel-lined plate (or a cooling rack to help maintain crispiness.) Continue cooking in batches until all of the sandwiches are done.
- Dust the cooked sandwiches with powdered sugar and serve with a side of raspberry jam for dipping.
Ashley Amundsen says
This Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe is just as good (if not better) than the Disneyland version! Even the picky eaters in my family love this recipe. It's definitely a must-try!