Description
This French Toast Casserole is a delightful, crowd-pleasing breakfast dish featuring cubes of bread soaked in a rich custard blend of eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. Topped with sliced almonds for a crunchy finish and baked to golden perfection, it’s served with fresh berries and a luscious cream cheese drizzle, making it perfect for brunch or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
French Toast Casserole
- 1 bread loaf (cut into 1-inch squares)
- 7 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup sliced almonds
- 16 oz fresh berries
- 2 tsp powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Cream Cheese Drizzle
- 2 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ Tbsp whole milk
Instructions
- Prepare custard mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and granulated sugar until well combined and smooth.
- Soak the bread: Cut the bread loaf into 1-inch cubes and add them to the egg mixture. Stir gently to make sure all bread pieces are generously soaked with custard, then transfer everything into a 9×13 inch casserole baking dish.
- Arrange the bread: Pour any remaining egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes and arrange them so they are spread uniformly in the dish. Pat down gently if needed for even layering.
- Add almonds and bake: Sprinkle the top of the casserole with sliced almonds. Cover the dish and bake in a preheated oven at 350ËšF (175ËšC) for 20 minutes. Then uncover and continue baking another 15-20 minutes until the tops of the bread cubes become golden and crispy.
- Make cream cheese drizzle: While the casserole bakes, beat the room temperature cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and whole milk to the cream cheese and beat until the mixture is thick but drizzling in consistency.
- Serve: When the casserole is done, top it with fresh berries. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the prepared cream cheese mixture over each serving. Optionally, sprinkle with powdered sugar for a finishing touch.
Notes
- Use sturdy bread like brioche or challah for best texture and soaking ability.
- Allow bread to soak thoroughly in the custard mixture for optimal custardy softness inside.
- Almonds add a nice crunch but can be omitted for nut allergies.
- This dish can be assembled the night before, refrigerated overnight, then baked in the morning for convenience.
- Fresh berries can be substituted with thawed frozen berries if out of season.
- Adjust sugar amount to taste or substitute with a sugar alternative for a lower-sugar version.
