This Baked French Toast will probably be your back-pocket recipe for vacation brunches and weekend breakfasts with the household! A crusty high offers strategy to a smooth, custard-like inside, all baked with the nice and cozy spices for that impossible to resist cozy taste.
The very best baked French toast is a research in contrasts.
You need the highest to be crispy, the sides to be a little bit bit chewy, and in the case of the center, it’s all about that tender, custard-y texture.
Is custard-y a phrase? Possibly not, however you realize what I’m speaking about, proper?
The cinnamon-spiced egg custard saturates the bread, giving it a consistency much like a bread pudding.
In actual fact, you would possibly consider baked French toast as a slightly-more-virtuous model of bread pudding that you just really feel 1,000% redeemed consuming for breakfast.
About Baked French Toast
This baked French toast recipe has numerous overlap with my Blueberry French Toast Casserole and In a single day French Toast.
Right here are some things it’s best to find out about this baked French toast:
- You can also make it forward and let it sit within the fridge in a single day, which is at all times an appreciated possibility for these of us who’re a little bit too bleary-eyed to cook dinner within the morning.
- Like every worthy French toast casserole, it’s nice for serving a crowd.
- It’s extremely versatile. I share some concepts for personalization beneath, however you can too be at liberty to place your individual spin on it.
So long as you retain the custard-to-bread ratio the identical and don’t go too loopy with add-ins, there’s numerous room for variation.
Find out how to Make Baked French Toast
Even for those who don’t make it the night time earlier than, this baked French toast recipe is straightforward sufficient you can make it the day-of with none stress.
It’ll take about 20 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to cook dinner, together with a 10-minute relaxation to let all that custard-y goodness soak into the bread.
Tip!
You possibly can both tear the bread into items by hand, or use a serrated knife to chop it into cubes. You too can ask your bakery to chop the bread into one-inch slices, which implies you’ll have rather less slicing to do at dwelling!
The Elements
Baked French Toast:
- Crusty Artisan-Fashion Sourdough Bread or French Bread. Word that French bread isn’t a baguette; a French bread loaf is wider and the crust is extra chewy, much less crispy.
- Eggs. You should utilize egg whites as a substitute of entire eggs for those who’d like, however the yolks add richness to the custard.
- Low-Fats Milk or Milk of Alternative. You possibly can swap in half-and-half for a little bit extra decadence, however once I’m making this recipe only for us and never for a special day, I wish to hold it mild.
- Sugars. I take advantage of a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar; this tempers the molasses taste of the brown sugar so it doesn’t overpower the opposite flavors within the recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. For a little bit twist on the traditional, strive utilizing almond extract.
- Spices. I take advantage of floor cinnamon and nutmeg, however you need to use pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or pair the cinnamon with cardamom.
- Kosher Salt. A little bit of salt brings stability to the recipe.
Topping & Serving:
- Granulated Sugar + Cinnamon. This recipe’s secret sauce, er sugar. This isn’t only for sweetness—it helps add a little bit crunch too!
- For Serving. Your favorites! Pure maple syrup, butter, recent fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sliced bananas). Go loopy or hold it traditional.
The Instructions
- Coat your baking dish with nonstick spray or butter, then tear the bread into 1-inch items and place them within the ready dish.
2. Whisk the components for the custard in a mixing bowl, then pour the egg combination over the bread cubes.
3. Press the bread into the liquid till it’s saturated. Let this sit for at the very least 10 minutes, or as much as in a single day.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 levels F and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the French toast.
5. Bake French toast for 30 to 40 minutes, or till the highest is crisp and the within is ready, however nonetheless moist. Plate, add toppings, and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Cinnamon Apple. Slice or cube a agency apple (like Honeycrisp or Pink Woman) and add it to the casserole dish with the bread. The apples will bake up good and tender together with the French toast.
- Chocolate Chip. Earlier than including the cinnamon sugar, scatter chocolate chips on high of the French toast for a little bit additional decadence.
- Banana Nut. High the French toast with sliced bananas and candied pecans.
- Raisin Bread. Purchase a loaf of unsliced raisin bread from the bakery and use that as a substitute of French bread or sourdough.
Storage Suggestions
- To Retailer. Baked French toast will hold in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- To Reheat. Pop your French toast within the microwave to reheat it rapidly, or place it in a 350 diploma F oven to revive the crispiness of the highest and edges.
- To Freeze. Wrap the baked French toast within the baking pan, or switch leftovers to an hermetic container or freezer bag. Retailer for as much as 3 months, then thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating in response to the instructions above.
Storage Suggestions
Portion leftover baked French toast into quart-size freezer luggage for a simple heat-and-eat breakfast for one!
What to Serve with Baked French Toast
- Bacon. In case you’ve received a double-oven, make a batch of Baked Bacon whereas your French toast cooks. If not, strive my Air Fryer Bacon!
- Fruit. Feeling bold? Make a bowl of Fruit Salad to serve alongside your French toast. Or, simply purchase some minimize recent fruit from the grocery retailer.
- Eggs. Add some protein to your breakfast with Prompt Pot Boiled Eggs or scrambled eggs.
- Yogurt. Serve your baked French toast with a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt or skyr on high, or whip it right into a Greek Yogurt Smoothie.
- Mixing Bowls.
- Whisk.
- Casserole Dish.
This baked French toast is one of the best type of weekend breakfast—heat, cozy, and oh-so-easy. You don’t even have to be a morning particular person to drag it off!
Incessantly Requested Questions
Utilizing sliced sandwich bread or slicing your bread cubes too small are two widespread causes your baked French toast may be soggy. You might also have a low bread-to-custard ratio; be sure that the loaf of bread you utilize weighs a few pound.
It’s as much as you! In case you want a firmer French toast, you may dry out the bread or use day-old bread for this recipe. Like your French toast on the softer aspect? Then use recent bread.
As a result of baked French toast spends extra time absorbing the custard, I discover {that a} sturdy bread works finest. For this recipe, I take advantage of French bread or sourdough, however a country nation bread would work nicely too. Mainly, for those who assume it would crumble whereas soaking within the egg combination, it’s not a good suggestion for baked French toast.
For Serving
- Pure maple syrup
- Salted or unsalted butter
- Contemporary blueberries strawberries, or raspberries (non-obligatory)
- Sliced bananas non-obligatory
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GENEROUSLY coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or rub with unsalted butter. Tear or minimize the bread into 1-inch chunks, then scatter evenly into the pan (you’ll have about 9 cups of bread).
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In a big mixing bowl, whisk collectively eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour evenly over the bread cubes. Along with your fingers, press down on the bread cubes and toss them round gently in order that all of them are moist with a number of the egg combination. Alter them as wanted so they’re in a good layer. Let sit for 10 minutes, or cowl and refrigerate in a single day.
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When able to bake, preheat the oven to 350 levels F. In a small bowl, stir collectively the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. With a small spoon, scatter evenly excessive of the French toast.
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Bake the French toast uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, relying upon how crisp vs. pudding-like you want to it. It must be calmly crisp on high and now not uncooked within the heart whenever you test with a butter knife. (35 minutes is the candy spot in my oven for a moist inside and crispy bits on high). To serve, use a spoon to scoop out a giant portion (or slice and serve it like lasagna). Serve scorching with butter, maple syrup, and every other toppings of alternative.
TO REHEAT: Pop your French toast within the microwave to reheat it rapidly, or place it in a 350ºF oven to revive the crispiness of the highest and edges.
TO FREEZE: Wrap the baked French toast within the baking dish, or switch leftovers to an hermetic container or freezer bag. Retailer for as much as 3 months, then thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating in response to the instructions above.
Energy: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 12gFats: 6gSaturated Fats: 2gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 2gTrans Fats: 0.02gLdl cholesterol: 164mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 238IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 3mg
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