Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
If you love French toast but do not love standing at the stove flipping slices for a crowd, this Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole quietly solves it. Everything goes into one dish. It bakes while you make coffee, set the table, or sit for a minute before the day ramps up. The texture lands somewhere between custardy and toasty, with little pockets of tangy cream cheese that melt into the bread. Nothing flashy. Just a steady, make-ahead-friendly breakfast that feels special without trying too hard.
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 1 large loaf brioche or challah, cut into 1 to 1.5 inch cubes (about 12 cups loosely packed)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cold but pliable, cut into small cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for the pan
For the cinnamon-pecan streusel topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
To serve:
- Maple syrup
- Fresh berries or sliced bananas, optional
- Powdered sugar, optional
Instructions
- Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F if baking right away. If planning to rest or chill the casserole, you can wait on heating the oven. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with the melted butter. Make sure to brush up the sides so nothing sticks.
- Arrange the bread. Add half the bread cubes in an even layer. Tuck half the cream cheese cubes randomly between the pieces. Scatter the remaining bread and nestle in the rest of the cream cheese. It should look a bit messy. That is good. Those little pockets are your creamy bites later.
- Whisk the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half-and-half, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and well combined. A few bubbles are fine. You want the sugar to dissolve.
- Soak the bread. Slowly pour the custard all over the bread, moving around the dish to coat evenly. Press down gently with the back of a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid. Some pieces will float back up. No worries.
- Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Rub with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like damp sand with some pea-size bits of butter. Stir in the pecans.
- Top the casserole. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the soaked bread. It may feel like a lot, but it melts and crisps in the oven.
- Rest or chill. For the best texture, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the bread drinks up more custard. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 12 hours. This is perfect for overnight prep. In the morning, take it out as you preheat the oven.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the center is set but still a touch wobbly. If it is browning fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes. A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean.
- Rest and serve. Let it stand for 10 minutes. This gives the custard time to settle. Scoop into bowls or cut into squares. Finish with warm maple syrup, a dusting of powdered sugar, and fruit if you are feeling it. Coffee on the side is highly recommended.