French toast casserole
Oh, there is just something so incredibly cozy about a weekend morning, isn't there? The slow start, the cup of coffee... but the real star of the show? Breakfast! And if you're anything like me, you love the idea of French toast but... well, standing over the stove flipping slice after slice can feel like a bit of a chore. That’s where my absolute favorite brunch secret comes in: this amazing u003cstrongu003eFrench toast casseroleu003c/strongu003e! It has all that wonderful, custardy, cinnamon-sugar goodness we all crave, but you can prep it in minutes and let the oven do all the work.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 1 pound) of sturdy bread, like brioche, challah, or French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes. Pro-tip: day-old or slightly stale bread works best!
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream (this is the secret to making it extra rich!)
- 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
For the Topping:
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- First things first, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Then, spread your bread cubes out in an even layer inside the dish. Just dump 'em in!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and that little pinch of salt. Keep whisking until it’s all smooth and well-combined.
- Now, pour this glorious egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Gently press down on the bread with a spatula to make sure every single piece gets a chance to soak up that custardy goodness. We don't want any dry spots!
- Here's a key step! Cover the dish and pop it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but honestly, overnight is even better. This gives the bread time to really absorb everything, which is what makes the casserole so amazing.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- While the oven is heating up, let's make the crumbly topping. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter pieces and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Don't overthink it, a little lumpy is perfect!
- Sprinkle this streusel topping evenly over the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. The whole house is going to smell incredible, just warning you! Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. It's delicious with a drizzle of maple syrup!