Description
Weekend mornings get instantly cozier with this Baked Cinnamon French Toast Casserole that fills your kitchen with warm, sweet aromas. Layered with rich bread, sweet spices, and a creamy egg mixture, this breakfast treat comes together effortlessly for lazy family gatherings or special holiday breakfasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- ½ loaf sourdough bread
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Sweeteners and Spices:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Coat a 1.5-quart casserole dish thoroughly with cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage for easy removal.
- Tear the sourdough bread into large, rustic chunks and spread them across the bottom of the prepared dish, allowing some natural overlap.
- Whisk 4 eggs, 1 cup whole milk, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the bread pieces, making sure every chunk gets saturated.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to let the bread absorb the custard.
- In a separate bowl, combine ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add 8 tablespoons of cold butter pieces to the dry ingredients and blend using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly sand.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit about 15 minutes before you plan to bake.
- Retrieve the chilled casserole and sprinkle the butter-sugar mixture uniformly across the soaked bread.
- Bake the casserole for exactly 1 hour until the top turns golden brown and the edges become crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving with softened butter and warm maple syrup.
Notes
- Prepare the casserole the night before to let the bread soak up all the delicious egg mixture, ensuring maximum flavor and a soft, custardy texture.
- For a lighter version, swap heavy cream with whole milk and use less sugar in the egg mixture.
- Slightly stale sourdough works best because it absorbs the liquid without falling apart, creating a perfect bread pudding-like consistency.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven to maintain the crisp topping and prevent soggy results.
- Prep Time: Several hours to overnight (for chilling)
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 388 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 155 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg