Description

A stress-free, make-ahead holiday breakfast casserole featuring day-old bread soaked in a rich custard and topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. Perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying as a cozy weekend brunch.

Ingredients

Scale

1 loaf day-old French bread or brioche (about 12–14 cups cubed / 300-400g)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for greasing)
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
½ cup packed brown sugar (for streusel)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (for streusel)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Grease the dish generously with melted butter.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt until combined.
Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Gently press the bread down to ensure it is fully soaked.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
While the bread soaks, make the streusel by combining flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Add cold cubed butter and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the bread.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

Day-old bread is required for the best texture; fresh bread should be toasted first. Cold butter is essential for the streusel to remain crunchy. The casserole can be assembled the night before and refrigerated. Leftovers reheat best in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 square
Calories: 380
Sugar: 18
Sodium: 280
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 9
Carbohydrates: 45
Fiber: 2
Protein: 10

Keywords: french toast casserole, holiday breakfast, make ahead breakfast, cinnamon streusel, brioche, easy brunch, crowd pleaser