If you're looking for a decadent breakfast, look no further than this sweet brioche baked French toast. It's the perfect breakfast to feed hungry bellies in the morning and you can even prepare it the night before.
This recipe is made up of basic ingredients that you can find at most grocery stores. It combines buttery gluten free brioche bread with a creamy, sweet egg mixture that's then topped with dollops of apple pie filling and a caramelized brown sugar and cinnamon topping.
While I love sweet breakfasts like grain free pancakes, a cinnamon roll mug cake, or oat flour waffles topped with syrup, this baked brioche french toast may be my all-time favorite!
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Why You 'll Love This Recipe
- Sweet Flavor - This baked French toast is the perfect warm, sweet start to the day.
- Make-Ahead - You can make this easy recipe the night before and pop it in the oven the next morning.
- Feeds a Crowd - Instead of standing in front of the stove making French toast for a weekend brunch, you can easily bake this and spend more time with guests and less time in the kitchen.
- Versatile - You can make this dish to settle down with on weekend mornings but it's also a great breakfast for a special occasion. Try making it for Mother's Day, Easter morning, Thanksgiving, or Christmas morning.
- Allergen Friendly - This recipe is gluten free, dairy free and nut free as written making it a great option for the whole family.
Ingredient Notes
- Day-old Gluten-Free Brioche Bread - For this recipe, I used a 2-pound loaf of homemade bread. However, if you use a store-bought gluten-free version, those tend to be smaller so you will need 2 loaves to make the recipe.
- Eggs - These help to give French toast its richness.
- Non-Dairy Milk - Use any kind that you prefer. Oat milk, soy milk, and almond milk will all work well. If you're not dairy free, use regular milk in the same measure.
- Vegan Cream - This helps to make the egg mixture creamy. I like the Silk brand of vegan cream. If you're not dairy free, use heavy cream in the same measure.
- Sugar - Sugar is the key sweetener in this French toast.
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract balances all of the flavors and gives it a warm aroma.
- Cinnamon - Cinnamon also contributes to the French toast’s warm fragrance and flavor.
- Salt - Salt enhances the sweetness as well as the flavors of vanilla and cinnamon. Kosher salt and table salt work well but any variety will do.
- Apple Pie Filling (optional) - This optional filling makes the French toast even more decadent. You can make your own homemade apple pie filling or buy it at the grocery store.
Topping:
- Light Brown Sugar - Light brown sugar caramelizes as it bakes, creating texture and imparting sweetness.
- Cinnamon - Cinnamon adds even more flavor to the topping.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Casserole - Slice the bread into 1-inch cubes before soaking and make this dish into a baked French toast casserole.
- Fruit - Use any type of fruit filling that you like. This is a great recipe to make seasonal by using berries in the summer and apples or pumpkin filling in the fall.
- Dairy - If you're not concerned about consuming dairy, you can use whole milk and heavy cream.
- Chocolate Chips - Add a sprinkle of chocolate chips before sprinkling the brown sugar topping over top.
How to Make Brioche Baked French Toast
Start by spraying a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP 1: Add eggs to a bowl that is wide enough to fit an entire slice of bread. Whisk the eggs until they are completely mixed.
STEP 2: Add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the eggs. Whisk together until well mixed.
STEP 3: Slice your bread into smaller pieces. I cut mine in half on the diagonal.
STEP 4: Dip each piece of bread into the egg mixture. Flip it over and coat both sides. Then place the slice of bread in the prepared baking dish.
STEP 5: Once all of the bread slices are in the baking dish, spoon the apples over the bread.
STEP 6: Pour the remaining egg mixture over the pan of french toast. Then sprinkle the brown sugar cinnamon over the top and bake!
Baking Tip
For picture perfect cookies, place a few extra chocolate chunks and chocolate chips on top of the cookies before you bake them.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, bread for French toast should be dry. You can achieve this by using day-old bread or by toasting it briefly if you don’t have time to wait.
French toast can become soggy if you've used too many eggs or milk in relation to the amount of bread. Also, using fresh bread instead of dry bread can cause the same problem.
Thick breads like brioche, French bread, or Challah are great options for the best French toast. For store bought gluten free breads, I like Canyon Bakehouse brand and usually get either Country White of Sweet Hawaiian bread for French toast.
The ratio of milk to eggs must be right for French toast to turn out right. To avoid a too-eggy French toast, measure precisely.
Other breakfast recipes to consider:
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Brioche Baked French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Day Old Gluten Free Brioche Bread see note below
- 6 Eggs
- 1 ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk
- ½ Cup Non-Dairy Cream
- 6 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Apple Pie Filling optional
Topping:
- 3 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.6 Eggs, 1 ½ Cup Non Dairy Milk, ½ Cup Non-Dairy Cream, 6 Tablespoons Sugar, 1 Tablespoon Vanilla, ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture and let it soak for a few seconds on each side. Place the soaked bread into your prepared baking dish.2 pounds Day Old Gluten Free Brioche Bread
- Once all of the bread has been fit into the dish, pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread.
- Dollop the apple pie filling over the bread.1 ½ Cups Apple Pie Filling
- Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon to make the topping. Sprinkle it over the bread.3 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Top with syrup or your favorite french toast toppings.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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