French Toast Bake (Feed a Crowd, One Dish)

Name: French Toast Bake (Feed a Crowd, One Dish)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 loaf Brioche or Challah, torn into chunks; 6 Eggs; 2 cups Milk; 2 tsp Cinnamon; 2 tsp Vanilla Extract; 2 Tbl Butter, cubed (for topping)

All the French toast flavor baked in one dish - assembled the night before, baked in the morning.

This is the French toast you make when you have people staying over and you do not want to stand at the stove flipping individual pieces while everyone waits. Tear the bread, soak it in custard overnight, and bake it in the morning while you make coffee and pretend you had this planned all along. The overnight soak is what makes it: the bread absorbs the custard completely and the whole thing bakes into something halfway between French toast and bread pudding. Perfectly custardy in the middle, slightly crispy on top, and it serves eight people from one dish. Brunch saved.

Prep: 15 min • Cook: 45 min • Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 loaf Brioche or Challah, torn into chunks
6 Eggs
2 cups Milk
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbl Butter, cubed (for topping)

Instructions

Arrange torn bread chunks in a greased 9x13 glass baking dish.
Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl. Pour over the bread.
Press bread down gently so everything absorbs the custard. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 350F. Scatter the cubed butter over the top.
Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until puffed, golden on top, and set in the center.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving with maple syrup.