Ingredients
Scale
- 1 loaf stale bread (challah, brioche, or French bread), cut into cubes (6–8 cups)
- 6–8 large eggs
- 2–3 cups whole milk or cream (or a mix of both)
- ½–1 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: berries, bananas, apples, peaches, or pears
- Optional: ½–1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts)
- Optional: ½–1 cup chocolate chips
- Optional: 4–8 oz cream cheese, softened
- Optional: citrus zest (lemon or orange)
Instructions
- Cut stale bread into 1-inch cubes. Optionally toast if using very fresh bread.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Gently stir in bread cubes to coat evenly with the custard mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Pour the bread and custard mixture into the prepared dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 45–60 minutes until golden and set. A toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs.
- Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving. Optionally dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, or fruit.
Notes
For best results, use day-old bread and chill overnight. Adjust sweetness to taste. Get creative with seasonal fruits, nuts, and toppings like caramel drizzle or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 160mg
Keywords: baked french toast, breakfast casserole, brunch, make-ahead, custard, cinnamon