Description
French toast lovers rejoice – this Overnight Creme Brulee French Toast Bake delivers pure breakfast magic straight from your oven with minimal morning effort. Crusty bread soaks overnight in a luscious custard mixture, then bakes into a golden, caramelized breakfast dream that makes weekend mornings feel extra special.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Dairy:
- 1 loaf French bread, cubed
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
Sweeteners and Spices:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Generously coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of softened butter, ensuring complete coverage.
- Slice 1 loaf of French bread into 1-inch cubes and distribute them evenly across the buttered dish.
- Crack 6 large eggs into a large mixing bowl, whisking them until smooth and slightly frothy.
- Pour 2 cups milk and 1 cup heavy cream into the egg mixture, stirring continuously.
- Add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the liquid ingredients.
- Whisk the entire mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and the sugar dissolves.
- Gently pour the custard over your bread cubes, carefully ensuring every piece gets saturated with the liquid.
- Press down gently on the bread to help it absorb the mixture more effectively.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours overnight.
- Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 350F with the rack positioned in the center.
- Uncover the dish and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the center sets completely.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar evenly across the surface of the baked dish.
- Switch your oven to broil and place the dish 4-5 inches from the heat source.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning, until the sugar caramelizes and turns a deep amber color.
Notes
- Make sure bread cubes are slightly stale for better absorption of the rich custard mixture.
- Whole milk or half-and-half can replace some cream if your diet needs lower fat content.
- Prep the dish the night before to let bread fully soak up all those delicious flavors.
- For a gluten-free version, swap French bread with gluten-free challah or brioche cubes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-47 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 357 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg