Description
This French Toast Bake is a deliciously easy breakfast casserole featuring cinnamon-spiced egg mixture soaked into challah bread, baked to golden perfection and topped with a sweet cinnamon-brown sugar crust, toasted almonds, and fresh fruit. It’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish perfect for weekend brunch or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the French Toast Bake:
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup almond milk, or any milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 10 to 12 1-inch slices challah bread, about 1 loaf, cut on a slight diagonal
- Non-stick spray or olive oil (for greasing)
For the Topping:
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ heaping teaspoon cinnamon
For Serving:
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils or desired fruit
- Maple syrup, optional
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray or olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix Egg Custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth and well combined.
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons brown sugar and ¼ heaping teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well to create the topping mixture.
- Assemble Bread Slices: Dip each slice of challah bread into the egg mixture, ensuring it is well coated. Layer the slices in the prepared baking dish, slightly overlapping and tilting them. Alternate slice placement if the loaf is uneven to ensure the pieces bake evenly and create a uniform top surface.
- Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar topping evenly over the layered bread. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the egg custard is set, and the top is golden brown and crisp.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and top with toasted sliced almonds and pomegranate arils or your choice of fresh fruit. Serve warm with maple syrup on the side, if desired.
Notes
- Using challah bread gives a rich, slightly sweet flavor and fluffy texture, but brioche or thick-cut white bread can be substituted.
- To save time, prepare the bake the night before by soaking the bread and refrigerating; bake fresh in the morning.
- Adjust the sugar to taste or use a sugar substitute for a lower sugar option.
- To toast almonds, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Fresh seasonal fruits like berries or orange segments can be used instead of pomegranate arils.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
