Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Printable Version)

Baked brioche with strawberries and custard topped with a buttery crumb for a festive 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish and scatter sliced strawberries over the bread.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and strawberries. Gently press down to ensure all bread pieces absorb the custard.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the casserole.
04 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.
05 - Allow the casserole to 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 just pop it in the oven, which means actual time to yourself on brunch day.
  • The custard soaks into every piece of bread while the strawberries stay bright and fresh, creating this perfect balance of soft and jammy.
  • One casserole feeds eight people, so whether it's a special occasion or you're feeding your hungover friends, you're covered.
02 -
  • Don't use fresh bread straight from the bakery; it will absorb all the custard and turn into bread pudding soup instead of staying slightly structured.
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble it in the evening, cover loosely with foil, refrigerate overnight, and add about 10 extra minutes to the baking time since it'll start cold.
03 -
  • Cut your bread the night before and let it sit out uncovered; slightly stale bread is actually what you want here because it holds its shape while soaking up custard.
  • If your streusel topping looks like it's browning too fast before the custard is set, loosely tent it with foil for the remaining baking time.
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