Description
Lemon cheesecake French toast casserole layers custardy bread with tangy, creamy filling. It’s a bright, indulgent brunch dish made for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf French bread, cubed
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
Flavor Enhancers:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Warm your oven to a precise 350F (175C), preparing for a delightful breakfast transformation.
- Generously coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Distribute your cubed French bread across the dish, creating an even layer that will absorb the creamy mixture.
- Take your softened cream cheese and whip it until silky smooth in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour 1 cup milk, 4 eggs, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt into the cream cheese.
- Blend the ingredients thoroughly, ensuring a consistent and luscious liquid that will soak your bread completely.
- Cascade the mixture over your bread cubes, gently pressing to help each piece become saturated with flavor.
- Seal the dish with plastic wrap and nestle it in your refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour, or ideally overnight.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to reduce temperature shock.
- Slide the uncovered dish into the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the top turns a gorgeous golden brown.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven to set slightly.
- Dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving to add a sweet, elegant finish.
Notes
- Use day-old bread for the best texture and ability to soak up the creamy mixture without falling apart.
- Make this dish ahead of time by preparing it the night before and letting it sit in the refrigerator, which allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- For a lighter version, swap whole milk for almond or oat milk and use reduced-fat cream cheese to cut down on calories.
- If fresh lemons are unavailable, bottled lemon juice works fine, but the zest adds a bright, authentic citrus flavor that really elevates the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 369 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 315 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg