Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Printable Format)

Baked French toast with strawberries, creamy custard, and a cinnamon-sugar topping for a spring brunch.

# What's Needed:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 6 large eggs
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fruit

09 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

→ Topping

10 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Finish

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Maple syrup for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange bread cubes evenly in prepared baking dish. Scatter sliced strawberries over bread.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and strawberries. Gently press down to ensure all bread pieces soak up custard.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold butter and work into mixture using pastry cutter or fingertips until resembling coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over casserole.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until custard is set and top is golden brown.
06 - Let cool for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You prep it the night before, so morning-of stress basically disappears and you actually get to enjoy your guests.
  • The buttery streusel topping stays crispy while the bread soaks up this custardy, vanilla-kissed center that's pure comfort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight rest if you have time; the bread absorbs the custard so much more evenly, and you'll get a better texture throughout.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes so the inside can finish cooking without the topping burning.
03 -
  • Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the custard if you want to brighten the vanilla and strawberry flavors without anyone being able to quite pinpoint what makes it taste so good.
  • If you're assembling this in advance, let it sit out for about 20 minutes before baking so the bread doesn't go straight from cold to oven, which can affect how evenly it cooks.
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