Strawberry French Toast Bake
Fresh juicy strawberries combine with a rich custard filling in this Strawberry French Toast Bake. This make-ahead casserole is perfect for weekend breakfast!
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One of the things I love the most about this Strawberry French Toast Bake is that it is made the day before. That’s right. The recipe itself is made the day before, and it rests in the fridge overnight. Correction – most of the recipe is made the day before. Once you wake up the next morning, all you need to do is add a streusel topping before baking. Easy peasy!
We really enjoy French Toast around here. It’s an easy recipe that gives us a chance to use some of our favorite maple syrup from upstate New York – their “very dark” syrup is the thing dreams are made of! But what I love even more? Waking up, popping a casserole dish into the oven and sitting back with a cup of coffee while breakfast cooks itself!
What is a French Toast Bake?
Most folks are familiar with French Toast, but what is a French Toast Bake? A French Toast Bake, sometimes called French Toast Casserole, is a breakfast dish made with eggs, milk and stale bread. It typically includes cinnamon, vanilla, maple and other classic baking spice flavors. The result is a casserole which features a soft and custardy middle combined with crispy edges. The brown sugar streusel on top adds a nice sweet crunch.
Classic French Toast is often topped with berries, so I decided to add a couple handfuls of chopped fresh strawberries into this recipe. The result was fantastic! This recipe is perfect for lazy weekend mornings when fresh strawberries are in season and plentiful.
Tips for baking Strawberry French Toast Bake
This Strawberry French Toast Bake is super easy, and it can almost entirely be made the day before. But here are some tips for making this breakfast casserole at home:
- Let the cold casserole dish rest on the countertop while you preheat the oven and add the brown sugar streusel. Unless your bakeware is specifically designed for refrigerator-to-oven, the temperature change could crack it. The 10-15 minutes it takes to preheat the oven should be plenty of time.
- Use a large loaf of French bread. You’re looking for ~10-12 cups of cubed bread. This is a great way to use those cheaper loaves of French bread from the grocery store. No need for the artisan bread from the bakery – just use the cheap loaf instead! Brioche or challah also work well for this casserole, or if you want to get really creative, you can substitute cinnamon raisin bread instead. (Just remember you’ll need 10-12 cups total.)
- Let the bread dry out. If the bread is too soft or fresh, it won’t absorb the custard mixture as well. You’ll end up with a casserole that is slightly soggy. The flavor will still be good, but the texture won’t be ideal. Just cut the bread into cubes and let it sit out on the counter for several hours or even overnight. That stale bread is perfect for French Toast Casseroles!
- Leave some larger chunks of streusel on top. That brown sugar streusel is amazing – I use it on top of all sorts of baked goods from casseroles to muffins to quick breads. As you crumble the streusel on top, leave some larger pieces. These will bake up and turn extra crispy in the oven – trust me when I say they are delicious!
This Strawberry French Toast Bake is a fun and easy recipe – and it’s perfect for when you have guests in town and don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. Just wake up, pop the casserole in the oven and make a nice big pot of coffee!
How to Store Leftover French Toast Casserole
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be reheated in the microwave, but I recommend reheating leftover slices in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. This will help “re-crisp” the top and edges of the casserole.
This casserole definitely tastes better fresh, but leftovers can be frozen. Just wrap the cooled casserole in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight before reheating in the oven.
If you’re looking for a tasty weekend brunch recipe, then put this baked French Toast recipe on the menu. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do here in our house – Happy Baking!
Did you bake this Strawberry French Toast Bake recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) on Instagram – I’d love to see your version!
Strawberry French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the French Toast Bake
- 1 day-old loaf of French bread
- 2½ cups milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
For the Strawberry Topping
- 2½ cups chopped strawberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
For the Streusel
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
For the French Toast Bake
- Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Slice the French bread into 1” cubes and spread evenly in baking dish. (Note: If possible, slice the bread several hours in advance and let sit on the countertop to dry out.)
- Using a medium bowl, whisk together remaining French Toast Bake ingredients (milk, heavy whipping cream, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt). Pour egg mixture over bread cubes.
For the Strawberry Topping
- Using a medium bowl, add all ingredients (strawberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, orange zest and melted butter); toss until well combined. Spread mixture evenly on top of bread cubes.
- Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
For the Streusel
- Preheat oven to 375°F. (Tip: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for a bit to prevent the dish from cracking.)
- Using a medium bowl, add sugars, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir until well combined.
- Add the melted butter; stir until well combined.
- Add the flour; stir until well combined.
- Crumble streusel evenly on top of casserole dish.
- Bake for 80-85 minutes, or until a butter knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. (Note: Tent the top with foil after 50 minutes to prevent the streusel from burning.)
- Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
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I need to try this soon for me BTW can’t wait to make your recipes soon for me