Description
Pioneer Woman’s French Toast Casserole is a delightful breakfast dish made by layering chunks of bread in a baking dish and soaking them in a mixture of eggs, milk, and spices. The casserole is then topped with a sweet, buttery streusel and baked until golden and crispy on top while remaining soft and custardy inside. It’s an easy, make-ahead dish that’s perfect for serving a crowd at breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Casserole:
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- 1 loaf of crusty bread (such as French bread or challah), cut into cubes
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- 8 large eggs
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- 2 cups whole milk
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- 1/2 cup heavy cream
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- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
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- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
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- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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- Pinch of salt
For the Topping:
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- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
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- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Place the cubed bread evenly in the dish.
- Make the custard: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- Assemble the casserole: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, ensuring that all the bread is soaked. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the bread to absorb the custard.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make the topping: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the cold butter pieces and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the topping resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the topping: Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Bake the casserole: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set. If you prefer a softer casserole, bake for a shorter time; for a firmer texture, bake longer.
- Serve: Let the casserole cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream if desired.