Overnight French Toast Casserole With Cinnamon Swirl
The holidays may be coming to an end, but the need for cozy food is not. Our Connecticut blogger friend Shay Lachendro of What The Fork Blog brings us this month’s recipe, which makes breakfast delicious, easy, and great for guests! Be sure to follow Shay on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Ingredients
Filling:
1 cup light brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted
For the toast (cut it in half for smaller appetites!)
- 15 slices of GF bread
- 1 cup milk or nondairy alternative
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup half & half or non-dairy alternative
- 2 T granulated sugar
- 1 T vanilla extract
- ¼ t salt
- ¼ t nutmeg
For the icing:
- 4 oz. cream cheese or non-dairy alternative, softened
- 4 T butter or non-dairy alternative, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ t vanilla extract
- 2-4 T milk or non-dairy alternative
How to do it
- For the filling, combine the light brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter and set aside.
- Grease a 9×13 inch dish, and arrange one layer of GF bread on the bottom of the dish. You may have to break some slices of bread in half to cover the space.
- Spread half of the cinnamon mixture over the bread, making sure to reach the edges of the pan, and covering the bread evenly.
- Add a second layer of bread to the pan, and spread the remaining cinnamon mixture over the top. Â Then add the last layer of bread.
- To make the custard, mix the eggs, milk, half & half, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and nutmeg until completely combined. Pour all of the custard over the top of the bread, ensuring that each piece is covered.
- Press down on the top layer of bread to help it soak up the liquid. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the pan from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temp while the over preheats to 350 degrees.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cinnamon is bubbling on the sides.
- While the casserole is baking, make the icing. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat again until smooth. Add more or less milk to reach desired consistency.
- Drizzle and serve!
Photo credit: Shay Lachendro
Shay’s Notes:
- I use Udi’s larger slices for this bread from the 24 oz. package. If your loaf is frozen, defrost 24 hours before using.
- For dairy free, use unsweetened coconut milk in place of the milk and half and half. Use the dairy-free cream cheese icing found here.
- Leftover casserole should be refrigerated and reheated before serving. You can also slice it into individual pieces to freeze.
