Overnight Cinnamon Baked French Toast with Crumb Topping
Make-ahead baked French toast with cubed bread soaked overnight in a cinnamon-egg custard, topped with a buttery cinnamon crumb mixture. Bake until golden and set through the middle for a crowd-pleasing breakfast that requires no stovetop frying.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg(optional)
- salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flourgluten-free flour blend1:1allergengluten-free
may require moisture adjustment
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- 1
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread cubed bread evenly across the bottom.
- 2
Whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg if using, and salt until fully combined.
- 3
Pour egg mixture evenly over bread cubes and gently press down to ensure soaking.
- 4
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- 5
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 6
Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg if using, and salt in a separate bowl. Add cold cubed butter and mix with a pastry cutter or fork until resembling coarse crumbs.
- 7
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over soaked bread.
- 8
Bake for 45-55 minutes until top is golden brown and French toast is set in the middle.
- 9
Cool for a few minutes before serving warm with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or powdered sugar.
Tips
Overnight soaking allows bread to fully absorb custard; do not skip refrigeration step.
For softer texture bake 45 minutes; for firmer texture bake full 55 minutes.
Use day-old or stale French bread to prevent mushiness.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking. Baked French toast keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat covered in 350°F oven until warmed through.
Assemble through step 4 up to 24 hours in advance. Prepare crumb topping up to 8 hours ahead and refrigerate separately.
Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or yogurt.
Common Mistakes
Use fresh soft bread to avoid mushiness; stale or day-old bread absorbs custard properly.
Do not skip overnight refrigeration to avoid undercooked center.
Do not overbake past 55 minutes to avoid dry, rubbery texture.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
may require moisture adjustment