Spring Brunch Strawberry French Toast (Printable Version)

A baked dish with bread cubes, fresh strawberries, vanilla custard, and a cinnamon crumb topping for spring brunch.

# What You Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
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

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You prep it in 20 minutes and the oven does all the heavy lifting while you pour coffee and chat with guests.
  • Fresh strawberries stay juicy and bright instead of getting mushy like they do on the stovetop.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you're operating a short-order kitchen.
02 -
  • If the custard doesn't fully set, it's usually because the oven temperature was too low or you pulled it out too early—use an oven thermometer to be sure, and don't be afraid to give it another five minutes.
  • The magic happens when you let this sit overnight in the fridge before baking; the bread drinks in all that custard so it becomes almost creamy in the center, not soggy.
03 -
  • Cut your bread into even-sized cubes so they bake at the same rate and you don't end up with hard chunks next to mushy ones.
  • If your strawberries are large, slice them thin so they distribute better and cook through evenly instead of staying cold in the middle.
Go Back