Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake uses cubes of brioche soaked in an egg, milk, cream, and vanilla custard, with brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter tucked through the middle. Bake at 350°F until puffed and set, rest 10 minutes, then drizzle with vanilla glaze.

Jump to Recipe

French toast casserole gets into trouble when the custard is all on the bottom and the bread on top stays dry. The fix is layering: half the bread, half the cinnamon-butter mixture, the rest of the bread, then the custard slowly over everything. Press the bread down once so it actually drinks.

The cinnamon roll part comes from a concentrated brown-sugar swirl and a thin vanilla glaze, not from dumping canned rolls into a baking dish. Brioche gives the casserole enough richness on its own. The center should be soft and custardy but not wet; let the pan rest ten minutes after baking so the structure settles before you start scooping.

Prep20 minutes

Cook45 minutes

Total1 hr 15 min

Serves8 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

16 ounces day-old brioche or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2Whisk the eggs, 2 cups milk, heavy cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and salt until completely combined.
3In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter into a thick paste.
4Put half the bread cubes in the dish and dot with half the cinnamon mixture. Add the remaining bread and the rest of the cinnamon mixture.
5Pour the custard slowly over the bread. Press the bread down lightly so the top pieces absorb some custard. Let stand 10 minutes.
6Bake 40 to 45 minutes until puffed, golden at the edges, and the center no longer looks liquid. Rest 10 minutes.
7Whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until pourable. Drizzle over the warm casserole before serving.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 8 servings.

510Calories

13 gProtein

61 gCarbohydrates

24 gTotal Fat

13 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

36 gTotal Sugars

400 mgSodium

255 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Day-old bread absorbs custard without dissolving into paste.
Pour the custard slowly and press the top layer down once so there are no dry islands.
If the top browns before the center sets, tent the dish loosely with foil for the final minutes.

Substitutions

brioche or challah → sturdy French bread The result will be a little less rich but still absorbs the custard well.

whole milk and cream → half-and-half Use the same total volume for a simpler custard.

Storage Instructions

Cover and refrigerate leftovers after they cool. Reheat individual portions gently so the custard warms without drying at the edges.

Make Ahead

Assemble through the custard step, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bake straight from the refrigerator, allowing a little extra time if the center is very cold.