Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Print Version)

Overnight French toast bake with cream cheese swirl, cinnamon, and banana flavors

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 18 ounces)
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1.5 cups whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
07 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
17 - 0.33 cup light brown sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the cubed bread evenly in the prepared dish.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour half of the custard mixture over the bread cubes, pressing gently to ensure thorough soaking.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
06 - Dollop the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls over the soaked bread layer.
07 - Top with remaining bread cubes, then pour the remaining custard over the top. Gently press to ensure all bread is fully moistened.
08 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then drizzle or dot evenly over the casserole.
09 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably 8 hours.
10 - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature while oven heats.
11 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden brown with a knife inserted in the center coming out clean.
12 - Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with optional maple syrup or powdered sugar dusting.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You assemble it the night before and wake up to the smell of something extraordinary, with zero stress on the morning of.
  • The cream cheese swirl creates these pockets of richness that feel indulgent without tasting overly heavy.
  • It feeds a crowd effortlessly, which means you actually get to sit down and enjoy your guests instead of flipping things on the stove.
02 -
  • Fresh bread will turn into mush, so use day-old or stale bread—this isn't something to fight, it's the secret to success.
  • Don't skip the overnight chill; rushing this by just a few hours will leave you with bread that's still slightly crispy inside instead of custardy throughout.
03 -
  • If your cream cheese is even slightly cold, it'll be lumpy—take the two minutes to let it soften at room temperature and your batter will thank you.
  • A 9x13-inch dish is specific for a reason; smaller dishes will overbake on the edges while the center stays custardy, so don't try to improvise the pan size.
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