Ingredients
Scale
- 1loaf French bread or thick Texas toast
- 8eggs
- 2 cupshalf and half
- 1/2 cupmilk
- 3 Tbspgranulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoonspure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1 1/2sticks butter, softened
- 1 cuplight brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsplight corn syrup (optional)
- 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish:Begin by preparing a 9″x13″ baking dish. Coat the entire inside with butter or cooking spray to ensure your French toast bake doesn’t stick. Set the dish aside.
- Slice and arrange the bread:Slice the French bread about 1-inch thick. Arrange the slices in the prepared baking dish in rows, allowing the slices to overlap slightly. Set aside.
- Prepare the custard:In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Soak the bread:Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices, making sure they are evenly coated. Spoon some of the mixture between the slices to ensure that all parts of the bread are fully covered. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight to allow the bread to soak up all the flavors.
- Preheat the oven:The next morning, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is heating, carefully flip each piece of bread over to ensure that all sides are well-coated with the egg mixture.
- Make the topping:In a medium bowl, combine all the topping ingredients—softened butter, brown sugar, corn syrup (if using), cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined. Spoon the topping over the bread slices, spreading it evenly like you would ice a cake. You can also spread some of the mixture between the slices for extra flavor.
- Bake:Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the French toast is puffed and lightly golden. There’s no need to cover it with foil during baking.
- Serve and enjoy:Once baked, let the French toast bake cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy it as is, or top with fresh berries, powdered sugar, or a drizzle of maple syrup.