Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Printable)

A baked French toast with fresh strawberries and vanilla-infused custard, perfect for a spring brunch gathering.

# What You Need:

→ 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 and arrange bread cubes evenly. Scatter sliced strawberries over bread.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
03 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and strawberries. Gently press down to ensure all bread pieces absorb the custard thoroughly.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold cubed butter and work mixture with a pastry cutter or fingertips until it resembles 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, then dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's the rare breakfast that tastes indulgent but comes together in about 20 minutes of actual hands-on work.
  • You can assemble it the night before and sleep in, knowing warm, golden brunch is waiting in the oven.
  • Fresh strawberries and that buttery streusel topping make people think you spent hours in the kitchen when you absolutely didn't.
02 -
  • The bread absolutely must soak for a few minutes before baking, otherwise you'll have crunchy cubes floating in custard instead of a cohesive bake—press down gently but deliberately.
  • Brioche and challah are crucial here; regular sandwich bread lacks the richness and will become soggy and bland rather than custardy and delicious.
  • If you assemble this the night before, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate, then add about 5 extra minutes to the baking time since it starts cold.
03 -
  • Keep your butter in the freezer until you're ready to make the streusel; truly cold butter is what gives you those crunchy, distinct topping pieces rather than a dense, oily layer.
  • If your oven runs hot, tent the casserole loosely with foil halfway through baking so the top doesn't brown too fast while the center finishes cooking.
  • Leftover pieces keep beautifully in the refrigerator for three days, and they reheat gently in a 150°C oven for about 10 minutes, tasting almost as good as fresh.
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