Wow your friends and family by serving this Gingerbread French Toast Bake for breakfast or brunch! In it, cubed brioche soaks up a brown sugar custard, gets drizzled with a gingerbread sugar topping and is baked until golden and crispy on top. Serve with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and drizzle of maple syrup!
Hooray it’s Friday! I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely ready for the weekend. I’m also equally excited to share this beautiful and deliciously brunchy French toast bake. As you probably know, breakfast and brunch is my favorite thing, especially served at dinnertime and/or around the holidays. Typically my idea of a holiday breakfast consists of fresh fruit, a casserole of some sort and a carafe of coffee. And when I say typically, I really mean mandatory because I’m always in the mood for a cozy breakfast casserole. And coffee. Always.
First, the most important ingredient in this French toast bake, is the bread (obviously). For this recipe, I use is brioche, which basically tastes like a doughnut. Yes! Doughnut bread that soaks up a brown sugar custard, then gets drizzle with a sweetened buttery gingerbread topping and baked until the top is golden and the inside custardy bread goodness. Only to be dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with real maple syrup.
So yes, basically it’s dessert for breakfast, but when it’s Christmastime anything goes, right?
And this goes well with coffee, my friends. Coffee and company. Two of the best things this time of year!
To Make This Gingerbread French Toast Bake You will need:
- brioche
- eggs
- dark brown sugar
- kosher salt
- vanilla
- half & half
- butter
- granulated sugar
- homemade gingerbread spice mix
Next cut 1 loaf (a little over 1 pound) brioche into cubes and place them into a 9×13 baking dish that has been sprayed with olive oil or coconut oil.
Then in a mixing bowl, combine the 6 eggs, with 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, a pinch (or 1/8 teaspoon) of kosher salt and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
Next pour in 2 cups of half & half and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Next, pour the brown sugar custard over top of the brioche. Then slip it into your fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Next preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
Meanwhile, make the gingerbread topping. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons (half a stick) of butter. Once melted, whisk in 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon gingerbread spice mix.
Allow this mixture to cool a bit before drizzling it over top of the chilled, custard-soaked brioche. Cover the French toast casserole with aluminum foil and bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Then uncover and continue to bake for 15 to 20 more or until the top is crisp and golden.
Allow the gingerbread French toast bake to cool for about 5 minutes before dusting it with powdered sugar.
To make it extra festive, I added some pomegranate arils. And if I was really on the top of my game, a sprig of mint as a garnish would’ve been a nice touch.
I didn’t even add extra butter to this because it’s that moist and delicious.
Just a little drizzle of maple syrup and fork is all you’ll need. However, a little butter never hurt anyone nor has it ruined French toast, so go ahead and add it if you want to.
If you were wondering what to make for breakfast on Christmas Day (or even on Christmas Eve morning), I’ve got you covered! Because not only does this gingerbread French toast bake serve a small crowd it is so easy and will fill your house up with the aroma of Christmas!
Enjoy! And if you give this Gingerbread French Toast Bake recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Gingerbread French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- olive oil or coconut spray
- 16 ounces brioche, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups half & half
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon gingerbread spice mix
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil and add in all of the cubed brioche.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and half and half. Then pour evenly over the brioche and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Next preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Remove off of the heat and stir in the sugar and gingerbread spice. Allow to cool slightly and then pour it over top of the chilled custard-soaked brioche.
- Cover the baking pan with foil and slide it onto the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil, rotate the pan and continue to bake for 15 to 20 minutes more or until the top is golden brown.
- A knife should come out clean after inserted.
- Allow the gingerbread French toast bake to cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.
Notes
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
THANK YOU in advance for your support!
So, so beautiful! And sounds incredible. Pinned!
Thank you so much, Jess! ❤️
Laurie,
How much, of any of this, do you think could be done the night before?
Hi Rachel! Sorry for the delay, I’ve been in full Christmas mode. Here’s what I would do: Since I have not tested out if the casserole would hold up if fully prepped the night before. My concern is that the brioche would fall dissolve or apart? Although I could be totally wrong here. However, if I was making this in advance, I would prep the brioche and place it in the baking dish (cover tightly) and then whisk up the wet ingredients (also covering tightly), and store them separately. Then pour the custard over top and let it sit while your oven preheats. I hope this helps and Merry Christmas!
Hi Laurie! Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes. I’ve made many of them and they’re always delicious. I made this once already and we loved it but I have a question: could I prepare some of this the day before and stick it in the oven the next morning? My dad proclaimed it the best brunch he ever had so I’ll be making it again on Christmas morning!
Hi Sara! Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment! I’m thrilled you are enjoying the recipes 🙂 I have not tested out if the casserole would hold up if fully prepped the night before. My concern is that the brioche would fall dissolve or apart? Although I could be totally wrong here. However, if I was making this in advance, I would prep the brioche and place it in the baking dish (cover tightly) and then whisk up the wet ingredients (also covering tightly), and store them separately. Then pour the custard over top and let it sit while your oven preheats. I hope this helps and Merry Christmas!
I made this today for a Christmas Eve brunch and it was delicious! I didn’t have the stuff to make the gingerbread seasoning so I used pumpkin pie spice and added a little more cinnamon and nutmeg. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so glad, Danielle!