Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Printable)

Baked French toast with fresh strawberries, custard, and vanilla for a vibrant spring brunch.

# What You'll 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, optional
15 - Maple syrup for serving

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You can assemble it the night before and bake it fresh in the morning, which means you're actually relaxed when guests arrive instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • It tastes like you spent hours fussing, but the whole thing comes together in under 20 minutes of hands-on time.
  • Fresh strawberries in that creamy custard hit different than syrup—there's a brightness that makes spring feel like it's actually happening.
02 -
  • If you use bread that's too fresh, it falls apart in the custard and becomes mushy mush instead of structured cubes—day-old really is better, or you can cube it and let it sit out for a few hours.
  • The custard needs actual time to soak in, so don't skip the gentle pressing step or rush to the oven, because the dry bread in the middle will disappoint you.
03 -
  • Use a 9x13 inch dish because it's wide enough that the top gets properly golden and the custard bakes evenly—a smaller dish will take longer and the edges will brown before the center sets.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, you can double the recipe and bake two casseroles side by side; they'll bake at the same rate and you'll be the hero of brunch.
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