This crowd-pleasing French toast bake is perfect for prepping ahead. Made with hearty, artisan grain bread and three types of berries, you simply prep the night before then pop in the oven when you’re ready for breakfast.
One of my biggest pieces of advice for healthy eating and cooking from scratch more often is to prepare meals that can be prepped in advance. Whether it’s a using a slow cooker recipe for a dinner party or making a big batch of soup to eat for lunch throughout the week, I am a huge fan of time-savers in the kitchen.
When it comes to prepping ahead breakfast, I love making overnight French toast bakes that can be prepared the evening before. This recipe is especially great for hosting out of town visitors or if you are looking for a breakfast recipe you can quickly reheat in the microwave during busy weekday mornings.
Are French toast bakes freezer friendly?
Yes! French toast bakes are very freezer friendly. I suggest you bake it off before you freeze it. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The recipe for a French toast bake is very customizable. To start, slice up any hearty bread you have on hand or find at the bakery. Pro Tip: This recipe is perfect for using leftover, stale bread. We love using hearty artisan whole wheat bread but use any bread you love most.
Next, you whisk together a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. This custard will soak into the toast as it sits, ideally overnight but as little as two hours works too. Two layers of mixed berries are added to the pan in between layers of bread but you can also use bananas, peaches or any fruit you have on hand.
When you’re ready to enjoy, simply pop into a 350-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with maple syrup and butter if you wish. And of course, don’t forget a cup of hot coffee.
Your fork is waiting.
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French Toast Bake with Berries
Ingredients
Instructions
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray and line the pan with a single layer of bread slices. Note: you may have to cut a slice in half to get most of the pan covered.
- Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large liquid measuring cup. Pour 1/3 of the total mixture on top of the first layer of bread. Top egg-soaked bread layer with half of the berries.
- Place the remaining bread slices on top then pour over the remaining egg mixture, making sure each slice is fully soaked. Sprinkle on remaining berries. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours.)
- When you're ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover from pan and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with maple syrup and butter if you wish.
Nutrition
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What is the weight of the bread you use (for 8 servings) ? It’s to get the same number of calories or that approaching :-)
Thank you !
It weighs about one pound!
Can this be made with gluten free bread?
Yes totally!
Can I prep this on Saturday afternoon and serve on Sunday morning? Or is that too long to leave it sit in the refrigerator?
Yes definitely!!!