Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Print Version)

Baked French toast with fresh strawberries, creamy custard, and vanilla for a bright spring brunch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
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
15 - Maple syrup, for serving

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Arrange bread cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish. Scatter sliced strawberries over the bread layer.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over bread and strawberries. Gently press down with the back of a spoon to ensure all bread pieces absorb the custard.
05 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
06 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is set and the topping is golden brown.
07 - Let cool for 10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You can prep it the night before and simply bake in the morning, which means sleeping in and still impressing people with homemade brunch.
  • The crispy-buttery topping contrasts perfectly with the custardy center, so every bite feels intentional and composed.
  • Fresh strawberries keep the whole thing feeling light and spring-like, never heavy or one-note sweet.
02 -
  • Bread that's already slightly stale works better than super-fresh bread because it holds its shape during soaking rather than becoming mushy pudding.
  • Don't skip the pressing-down step; rushing past it means some bread pieces float on top and stay dry while others waterlog, and you lose that uniform texture.
  • If you assemble this the night before, the bread will soak overnight and become almost custard-like in texture—absolutely delicious, but different from baking the same day, so set expectations accordingly.
03 -
  • Let the bread cubes sit out uncovered for a few hours before assembling so they're slightly drier and absorb custard more evenly instead of immediately disintegrating.
  • If your berries are particularly juicy, drain them slightly before adding to the casserole, otherwise you'll end up with a custardy bottom layer and drier top.
  • The streusel topping is where you can hide a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom if you want to get fancy, and nobody will question it—it just tastes like spring had more flavor.
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