This Baked French Toast will probably be your back-pocket recipe for vacation brunches and weekend breakfasts with the household! A crusty high provides solution to a mushy, custard-like inside, all baked with the nice and cozy spices for that impossible to resist cozy taste.
The perfect baked French toast is a examine in contrasts.
You need the highest to be crispy, the perimeters to be a bit of bit chewy, and in relation to the center, it’s all about that tender, custard-y texture.
Is custard-y a phrase? Possibly not, however you understand what I’m speaking about, proper?
The cinnamon-spiced egg custard saturates the bread, giving it a consistency much like a bread pudding.
In reality, you may consider baked French toast as a slightly-more-virtuous model of bread pudding that you simply really feel 1,000% redeemed consuming for breakfast.
About Baked French Toast
This baked French toast recipe has plenty of overlap with my Blueberry French Toast Casserole and In a single day French Toast.
Right here are some things it is 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 bit of too bleary-eyed to prepare dinner within the morning.
- Like several worthy French toast casserole, it’s nice for serving a crowd.
- It’s extremely versatile. I share some concepts for personalization beneath, however it’s also possible to be happy to place your personal 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 plenty of room for variation.
Easy methods to Make Baked French Toast
Even if you happen to don’t make it the night time earlier than, this baked French toast recipe is simple sufficient you could make it the day-of with none stress.
It’ll take about 20 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to prepare 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 chopping to do at house!
The Components
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 need to use egg whites as an alternative of complete eggs if you happen to’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 bit of extra decadence, however once I’m making this recipe only for us and never for a special day, I wish to maintain it mild.
- Sugars. I exploit 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 bit of twist on the basic, attempt utilizing almond extract.
- Spices. I exploit 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 steadiness 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 bit of crunch too!
- For Serving. Your favorites! Pure maple syrup, butter, contemporary fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, sliced bananas). Go loopy or maintain it basic.
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 no less than 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 about, 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 bit of further decadence.
- Banana Nut. Prime 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 an alternative of French bread or sourdough.
Storage Ideas
- To Retailer. Baked French toast will maintain 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 Ideas
Portion leftover baked French toast into quart-size freezer baggage for a simple heat-and-eat breakfast for one!
What to Serve with Baked French Toast
- Bacon. When you’ve obtained a double-oven, make a batch of Baked Bacon whereas your French toast cooks. If not, attempt my Air Fryer Bacon!
- Fruit. Feeling bold? Make a bowl of Fruit Salad to serve alongside your French toast. Or, simply purchase some lower contemporary fruit from the grocery retailer.
- Eggs. Add some protein to your breakfast with Instantaneous 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 the perfect sort of weekend breakfast—heat, cozy, and oh-so-easy. You don’t even should be a morning individual to drag it off!
Regularly Requested Questions
Utilizing sliced sandwich bread or chopping your bread cubes too small are two frequent causes your baked French toast is likely to be soggy. You may additionally have a low bread-to-custard ratio; make sure that the loaf of bread you employ weighs a couple of pound.
It’s as much as you! When you favor a firmer French toast, you possibly can dry out the bread or use day-old bread for this recipe. Like your French toast on the softer facet? Then use contemporary bread.
As a result of baked French toast spends extra time absorbing the custard, I discover {that a} sturdy bread works greatest. For this recipe, I exploit French bread or sourdough, however a country nation bread would work nicely too. Mainly, if you happen to suppose it’ll 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
- Recent 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 lower 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. Together 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. Regulate them as wanted so they’re in a fair 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 prefer to it. It needs to be frivolously crisp on high and not uncooked within the heart while you examine 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 an enormous 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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