Do you have stale bread to use up? This recipe for baked cinnamon French toast is a winner!
As soon as I saw this drool-worthy recipe on The Pioneer Woman’s blog, I emailed it to Mike with the subject line, “Will you help me eat this??” 
Both Mike and I love French toast, and I decided to make this as a special treat for our anniversary.
The recipe would be perfect for a weekend brunch, and it’s so easy you could make it on a weekday, too! Here’s my recipe, slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman’s original version:
baked cinnamon french toast
- 1 loaf slightly stale sourdough or French bread
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
for the topping:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick cold butter
- fresh fruit {optional}
1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch glass baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
2. Beat eggs. Add the milk, cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and vanilla.
3. Pour the egg mixture evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.
4. In a separate bowl, make the topping: mix flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and salt.
5. Cut butter into small pieces.
6. Stir the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine pebbles. If you are baking the casserole in the morning, keep the topping in a plastic bag or container in the fridge until ready to bake.
7. When you’re ready to bake the casserole: preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle flour crumb mixture over the top. {If you’re using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture. Next time, I’m going to try using apples. I think strawberries would be delicious, too!}
9. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.
10. Scoop out individual portions with a large spoon. Top with more fruit if desired and drizzle with maple syrup.
Enjoy! Store any leftovers covered in the fridge and microwave to reheat. Mike and I enjoyed this dish for a decadent breakfast three days in a row.
How do you add little moments of luxury to your weekday routine?
