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Cozy French Toast Casserole with Cinnamon Streusel

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A comforting baked French toast casserole featuring custardy bread soaked in a vanilla-cinnamon egg mixture topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. Perfect for cozy mornings, brunches, and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 loaf thick-cut bread (brioche or challah), cut into 1-inch cubes (stale bread works great)
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups whole milk (or 2% milk for lighter option)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional for extra creaminess)
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for GF option)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (or vegan butter for dairy-free)

Instructions

  1. Cut the loaf of bread into roughly 1-inch cubes. Let cubes air-dry for about 30 minutes or toast lightly in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes to firm up.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and well combined.
  3. Place bread cubes in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour custard mixture evenly over bread, pressing gently to soak all pieces. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to work butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from fridge and sprinkle streusel topping evenly over soaked bread. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until top is golden and custard is set. Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly.
  6. Let casserole rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to firm up and meld flavors.

Notes

Use stale bread for better custard absorption. Letting the bread soak overnight improves texture and flavor. Keep butter cold for a crumbly streusel topping. If topping browns too fast, tent with foil during baking. Variations include adding fruit, nuts, or using gluten-free/dairy-free substitutions.

Nutrition

Keywords: French toast casserole, cinnamon streusel, baked breakfast, brunch recipe, cozy breakfast, easy casserole, cinnamon, maple syrup

Find it online: https://tastypierecipes.com/cozy-french-toast-casserole-with-cinnamon-streusel-easy-recipe/