With all the flavor of french toast and one of the South’s most beloved desserts, bread pudding, this recipe is worthy of any special holiday celebration or lazy weekend mornings. Sweet, and slightly decadent, French Toast Bread Pudding is a make-ahead dish that will have your loved ones running to the table even before the alarm clock goes off!
If I had to make one breakfast casserole recipe for the rest of my life, this would be it! French Toast Bread Pudding is full of all the wonderful warm flavors of french toast with the rich baked custard of bread pudding.
It’s the perfect make-ahead recipe to serve for breakfast or brunch especially if you’re entertaining. Or, make it at the end of a busy week and pop it in the oven on the last weekend morning. Serve it with a side of bacon, warm maple syrup, and some fruit and you’ve got a glorious start to the day!
Ingredients Needed
- Day-old bread
- Cream Cheese
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Maple Syrup
- Melted Butter
Can This Recipe Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes, absolutely! As a matter of fact, that’s what I recommend. To make the recipe, all you need to do is assemble, store unbaked in the refrigerator overnight, then in the morning, bake it in the oven until it’s hot and golden brown.
PRO TIP: make sure to chill the casserole properly. The key is to let the bread soak up as much of the egg mixture as possible. A minimum of 4 hours is necessary but overnight is best.
What Is The Best Type Of Bread To Use For This Recipe?
For this casserole, I used dinner rolls that I had on hand but you can use almost any kind of bread. Keep in mind that the bread should be dried out or day-old. Here are a few suggestions:
- French Bread
- Croissants
- Bagels
- Cinnamon Bread
- Challah Bread
Add-ins To French Toast Bread Pudding
This recipe lends itself to all kinds of variations. It all depends on what you’re craving!
- add chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts for a bit of crunch.
- for a little sweetness, add golden raisins, dried cranberries, or cherries.
- take things to a whole new level by adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or caramel chips.
How To Store Leftovers
If you are lucky enough to have some French Toast Bread Pudding left over, you can store it in the refrigerator covered for up to 4 days.
What To Serve With French Toast Bread Pudding
- Fruit Salad
- Oven Cooked Bacon
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Waldorf Salad
- Peachy Rose Sangria
- Smoked Gouda Cheese Grits
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a rating. I always love hearing from you! Also, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram.
French Toast Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 8 “day old” dinner rolls or 1/2 loaf of french bread cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 block of cream cheese (4 oz) – cubed
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cup half & half or whole milk
- 4 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread half the bread cubes into dish.
- Sprinkle cream cheese over bread and layer with remaining bread cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add in maple syrup, vanilla, milk, and melted butter, whisking until well incorporated.
- Gently pour egg mixture over bread. Use a large spoon to press bread into egg mixture until covered.
- Cover dish with tin foil and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until top of bread pudding is golden brown.
- Heat additional maple syrup until warm to serve with bread pudding.
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