Good old white bread is your best option for this recipe. I usually go with Texas Toast style bread since it is cut nice and thick. It also soaks up the egg well and makes for a taller bake. Of course, regular white bread will work fine too. Coquito is an optional ingredient in this recipe (heavy cream also works), but I highly recommend going the extra mile. That rich and creamy coconut rum drink makes the most amazing French toast. Best of all, you can assemble everything the night before. Then you pop it in the oven the next morning; delicious and convenient! 🙌
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make French Toast Bake
Assemble and Bake
Cut the Bread – Cut your bread into cubes. Place the cubes evenly into the prepared baking dish. Set aside. (Photos 1-3)The Wet Ingredients – Whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, coquito, milk, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until everything is thoroughly combined. (Photos 4-5)Assemble – Pour the mixture over the bread evenly, pressing down on the bread if needed so that every inch is soaked with the egg mixture. (Photo 6)Rest – Let it sit for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.Make the Topping – Next, combine the topping ingredients. Mix the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and butter until it becomes crumbly, then sprinkle it evenly over the bread mixture. (Photos 7-9)Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown. It should be just crispy on the outside and soft inside. (Photo 10)
Make the Syrup
Melt Butter – While the French toast bake is baking, melt the butter for the syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.Add Sweetness – Once melted, add the maple syrup and stir for 3-4 minutes, or until the syrup is warmed.Add Flavor – Remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and bourbon. Set aside and serve with bake. (Photos 11-12)Serve – Remove the French Toast Bake from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Drizzle the entire casserole with the syrup or allow guests to drizzle it over their individual portions.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
This recipe tastes best when made ahead of time, so go ahead and assemble it a day or two in advance and bake it whenever you’re ready to serve it. You can even freeze the baked French toast casserole for up to three months. Just thaw it in the fridge the night before serving it for breakfast and reheat it in the oven or microwave. If you use the oven, set it to 350℉/177℃ and bake for about 20 minutes or until it’s heated through.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve baked French toast fresh out of the oven while it is still nice and toasty (pun intended). 😂 Drizzle it with syrup and enjoy! If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container, and they’ll keep for 3-5 days. Individual portions reheat well in the microwave, but you could use the oven to reheat the entire dish if you prefer. Keep the temperature relatively low at 300-350℉/150-177℃ and bake just until heated through.
What to Serve With a French Toast Bake
All the usual breakfast and brunch players go great with French toast bake. Try serving it alongside egg muffins or a sausage egg casserole. Sometimes I like to balance out the rich flavors with a tropical fruit salad on the side too. Don’t forget to serve your guests plenty of coffee, or a chai tea latte, maybe? Honestly, any hot drink goes beautifully with this bake. ☕️
More Effortless Breakfast Recipes to Try
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Vitumbua (Coconut Rice Pancakes)Sweet Potato PancakesBrioche French ToastEasy Cinnamon French Toast SticksWestern Omelette
Conclusion
This is the perfect satisfying breakfast dish to feed a crowd with a sweet tooth! What’s your favorite variation on French toast? Let me know in the comments because I’m always looking for new recipes. 🤩
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”xakp5usq” upload-date=”2022-12-02T14:15:54.000Z” name=”FRENCH BAKE TOAST.mp4″ description=”French Toast Bake is easy layers of cinnamon toast with a crusty crumb top, and baked for that ultimate breakfast or brunch comfort food.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
