Make breakfast extra special with this delicious brioche French toast bake. Made with thick buttery slices of brioche bread, soaked in a sweet vanilla custard and drizzled with brown butter and cinnamon sugar.
It is then baked until golden brown and served with fresh berries and warm maple syrup.
If you're looking to add some sweetness to your morning, then this brioche French toast bake is definitely for you. It has all the amazing flavors you love inside French toast except without all the flipping. You can assemble it ahead of time and let it sit overnight in the fridge.
This baked French toast is crispy and golden on top but soft and custardy in the middle. It's decadent, sweet and so easy to make!
For more delicious sweet breakfast ideas, try my Hawaiian Bread French Toast and Custard French Toast.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to make- This French toast casserole doesn't require any flipping or standing by the stove. The oven does all the work!
- Make ahead- Assemble and let the French toast sit inside the fridge overnight. This is great if you want to have breakfast already prepped and ready for baking the next morning.
- Great for holidays- This French toast recipe is great for Christmas morning, Easter or Mother's Day.
- Crowd pleaser- Everyone loves French toast and this baked version is great to serve when you have a large crowd of people to feed. Just place it on the table and let your family or guests help themselves.
- Customizable- The beauty of this recipe is you can add other flavors depending on your preference or change it up in between seasons.
Ingredient Notes
- Brioche- This butter and egg enriched bread can be found at most supermarkets. They come in loafs and are sometimes already sliced. I use 1 loaf in this recipe and cut it into 1" thick slices.
- Milk- I use whole milk which not only adds the moisture but the fat as well.
- Half and half- This adds extra richness to the custard.
- Cinnamon- Adds a beautiful warm flavor to this baked French toast.
- Sugar- I use light brown sugar.
- Eggs- I use large eggs.
- Vanilla- Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- Butter- I use unsalted butter and brown it inside a skillet to add extra flavor to the French toast.
Step By Step Ingredients
STEP 1: Make custard. Inside a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla and cinnamon. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any unmixed egg (optional).
STEP 2: Dip bread. Take each slice of brioche bread and dip it into the custard. Then, place slices of bread into greased baking pan, overlapping as you go. Next, pour the remaining custard over the bread.
STEP 3: Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. In a small pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook until tiny brown bits form at the bottom of the pan.
Take brown butter and drizzle over soaked brioche bread. Next, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Then, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the French toast.
STEP 4: Soak bread. If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If not, let the bread soak in the custard for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before baking.
STEP 5: Bake French toast. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake French toast for 40 minutes until the tops are golden and crisp. If the tops begin to brown too quickly, you can lightly cover it with foil.
Lastly, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Serve with fresh berries and warm maple syrup.
Expert Baking Tips
This French toast is best when it's allowed to sit overnight. But, if you decide to make it the day of, make sure the bread soaks in the custard for at least 1 hour before baking.
Use day old bread. This is best when it comes to soaking up the custard. Alternatively, you can toast the bread to achieve this.
Because each oven is different, baking times can vary. If the tops begin to brown too quickly, lightly drape a piece of foil on top so that it can continue baking without burning.
Experiment with different flavors. The custard really is a blank canvas and you can add other flavors throughout the season.
For example, during the fall, add some pumpkin spice or pumpkin puree to bring in the warm flavors of the season. You can also add caramelized apples on top and serve it with homemade whipped cream for an apple pie mash up.
FAQ
Challah is very similar in taste and texture as brioche. You can also use a sweet French bread, cinnamon swirl bread, or sourdough. Just make sure the bread is thick enough to hold up to the custard.
Yes, you can! Swap in coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk or oat milk. Keep the amounts the same. Just keep in mind the richness of the custard will change without the dairy.
Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausage patties, fresh berries, a side of whipped cream and maple syrup would complete this delicious dish.
Storage and Reheating
Store this brioche French toast bake inside an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheating
To reheat, place inside a 350° oven for 8-10 minutes until warmed through.
Other Breakfast Recipes To Try
If you decide to try this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR RATING on the recipe card and leave a comment below. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
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📖 Recipe
Brioche French Toast Bake
Ingredients
Custard Base
- 6 Eggs large
- 1 ¼ cups Whole milk
- ¾ cup Half and Half
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 16 oz Brioche bread sliced
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 4 tablespoon Butter browned
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Toppings
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Whipped cream
- Fresh berries
Instructions
Custard Base
- Inside a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla, brown sugar and cinnamon. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any unmixed egg (optional).
Assembly
- Take each slice of brioche bread and dip it into the custard. Then, place slices of bread into greased baking pan, overlapping as you go. Next, pour the remaining custard over the bread.
- In a small pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook until tiny brown bits form at the bottom of the pan. Take brown butter and drizzle over soaked brioche bread. Next, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Then, sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the French toast.
- If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If not, let the bread soak in the custard for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before baking.
- Preheat oven to 375°. Bake French toast for 40 minutes until the tops are golden and crisp. If the tops begin to brown too quickly, you can lightly cover it with foil.Lastly, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Serve with fresh berries and warm maple syrup.
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