Baked Strawberries and Cream French Toast
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The most impressive make-ahead breakfast! So easy with 15min prep. Just pop it right in the oven before serving!
why i love baked strawberries and cream french toast
- Custard-soaked French toast, similar to bread pudding
- Only requires 15 min prep time
- Completely make-ahead recipe (assembling the night before and baking in the morning)
- So impressive for guests, weekend company or holiday get-togethers
- Irresistible ooey-gooey nestled cream cheese filling that no one can say no to
tips and tricks for success
- Use sturdy bread. Sturdy breads such as brioche, challah and sourdough are all great options, holding up very well in the egg mixture without becoming soggy.
- Use fresh strawberries. Frozen berries will have more juices released that may result in soggy French toast.
- Use brick cream cheese. Be sure to use “brick” cream cheese (full fat or 1/3 less fat), not whipped. It will add all the lovely rich and creamy textures here.
- Prep the night before. Baked french toast is one of those great dishes that you can prep ahead of time and is recommended to do so, assembling everything the night before and giving the bread plenty of time to soak the egg custard. This is key for that favorited bread-pudding texture.
- Halve the recipe. Need a small-scale version? This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8×8 baking dish, reducing the bake time to about 35-40 minutes.
- Freeze before baking. This will preserve the texture and prevent sogginess. Always use a freezer-safe baking dish, label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
baked strawberries and cream cheese french toast variations
Bread
Use day-old, stale brioche, challah, sourdough or cinnamon raisin bread.
Fruit
Add in your favorite berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries), bananas or peaches. We also have a pumpkin and cinnamon apple version.
Topping
Serve with confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon sugar, strawberry jam or whipped cream.
Tools For This Recipe
9×13 baking dish
Baked Strawberries and Cream French Toast: Frequently Asked Questions
A sturdy bread that can soak up the egg custard is ideal here. Try using brioche, challah or sourdough bread. Day-old, stale bread is even better.
You can quickly dry out the bread by baking the bread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan at 275°F for about 10-15 minutes.
There can be many reasons for this – too much dairy was used, the bread was soaked too long or the bread was too soft (ex. white bread). If your french toast is soggy, pop it back in the oven, increasing the baking time as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! Prior to baking, cover the french toast tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed, adding a few more minutes to the bake time as needed.
For the best results, we recommend assembling, freezing, then baking to help preserve texture. But if you’ve already baked your french toast, no worries at all – it can still be frozen!
Baked Strawberries and Cream French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) loaf brioche bread, cubed
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 pound strawberries, diced and divided
- 12 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a layer of bread cubes evenly into the baking dish. Top with cream cheese and half the strawberries in an even layer. Top with remaining bread cubes to completely cover the filling.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and salt. Pour mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove baking dish from the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes.
- Place into oven and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; continue to bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and center is firm.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining strawberries and confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Video
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