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baked french toast on a plate with whipped cream and cranberry maple syrup

Baked French Toast with Streusel Topping and Cranberry Maple Syrup

Print Recipe
The perfect make-ahead breakfast for Christmas morning!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 501
Author Annalise

Ingredients

For the french toast:

  • 1 lb sliced bread , such as brioche, French or other artisan bread (455 grams)
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk (455 grams)
  • cup granulated sugar (66 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Whipped cream , for serving (optional)

For the streusel topping:

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 grams)
  • ¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (28 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes (56 grams)

For the cranberry maple syrup:

  • 12 oz pure maple syrup (312 grams)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (100 grams)
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  • Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter. Line the slices of bread in the pan.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Pour over the bread slices, making sure every slice is moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
  • When ready to bake the french toast, preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until they are the size of very small peas. (Note: this step can also be done the night before. Store topping in the fridge.)
  • Sprinkle the streusel topping over the bread slices. Bake until the topping is golden and the center is set, about 30-40 minutes (cover with foil if topping browns too quickly). Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

To make the cranberry maple syrup:

  • While the french toast is baking, make the syrup. Combine the maple syrup, cranberries and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat and let them cook slowly, stirring occasionally. You don't want the syrup to thicken at all, we're just infusing it with berry flavor. Some cranberries will pop and others will stay whole.
  • The syrup will keep in the fridge for at least 1 week. If made in advance, warm over the stove before serving.
  • Slice French toast and serve slices with whipped cream (if desired) and warm cranberry maple syrup.

Notes

  • I used a sliced loaf of brioche bread and cut slices into triangles before arranging in pan.
  • Other berries such as blueberries can be substituted for cranberries if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 3mg