This one-dish Baked French Toast Casserole with Cream Cheese and Raspberries is the ultimate make-ahead breakfast for entertaining. Soak brioche bread in a sweet custard with tangy raspberries and sweetened cream cheese the night before, then bake in the morning for an impressive, crowd-pleasing brunch.
One of the best brunch dishes around has got to be baked French toast. Call it what you will, bread pudding, breakfast casserole, sweet strata. It goes by many names and comes in almost as many variations.
What you should know first
This raspberry French toast bake is assembled the night before and baked fresh in the morning, making it one of the most stress-free brunch recipes you can make for a crowd. Find tips in the article for getting the soaking time right, achieving a golden crust, and knowing exactly when the casserole is done.
⏱ Prep Time: 30 minutes. Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes. 🍽 Serves: 6 to 8. 🧾 Ingredients: 8. 📊 Difficulty: Easy. 🥛 Dietary: Vegetarian.
- Use brioche or challah bread. Both are enriched with eggs and butter and hold up beautifully to an overnight soak in the custard.
- The bread needs a minimum of 2 hours to absorb the custard.
- Use fresh raspberries, not frozen. Frozen berries release too much liquid and can cause soggy spots.
- Dollop the cream cheese in small amounts throughout rather than in a single layer. This gives you little bursts of cheesecake flavor without making the dish too rich.
- The casserole is done when the edges are golden, the center is set, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
Make-ahead French toast bake worth waking up for
This raspberry French toast bake was originally created for the pages of Ladies' Home Journal magazine during my time there as Food Director, and it stands the test of time.
I've served it at showers, ladies brunches, and holiday occasions like Mother's Day, Christmas, and New Year's. It's always a crowd favorite just like my Apple Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast and Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding.
You'll want to make this for your next gathering and here's why:
- Made for easy entertaining: This sweet French toast recipe gets assembled the night before and goes straight into the oven in the morning, making it one of the most stress-free brunch recipes in my collection.
- One dish feeds a crowd: Everything bakes together in a single dish, which means less cleanup, easy serving, and more time enjoying the company of your guests.
- Impressive gourmet flavor: The dollops of sweetened cream cheese nestled into the custard and berries taste like little bites of cheesecake. Those flavorful bursts elevate the whole dish.
- Great way to use bread: Use fresh brioche or challah for an extra rich and tender bake, but don’t toss that loaf going stale on the counter. In true pain perdu spirit, day-old bread works beautifully too.
Jump to:
- What you should know first
- Make-ahead French toast bake worth waking up for
- Ingredients and variations
- What is pain perdu?
- How to make baked French toast with cream cheese
- Tara's tips for the best baked French toast
- Substitutions and variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- FAQ
- More easy breakfast recipes
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
This is incredible!!! I made this for a brunch family get together and it was a huge hit, even among the pickiest eaters! It was even great the next day as a leftover. So, SO good!!!
- Jenseena
Ingredients and variations
Brioche baked French toast is made with a short list of simple pantry ingredients. Here are a few things you should know before getting started. See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Large eggs
- Whole milk: The fat content in whole milk helps the French toast stay creamy on the inside and crisp on the outside.
- Granulated sugar
- Cream cheese: It's best to use room temperature full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. It holds up best while soaking in the custard.
- Butter: To grease the baking dish.
- Brioche bread: I usually make this recipe with brioche or challah because the bread is enriched with extra eggs and butter. The texture of enriched bread lends itself to soaking up the custard better than French bread or regular white bread.
- Fresh raspberries: Fresh raspberries are the best choice for your French toast bake. I offer the option to use frozen berries in a pinch, but I don't recommend it as they weep more and can cause soggy spots.
- Confectioners' sugar: For dusting before serving.
What is pain perdu?
Pain perdu is the French term for French Toast, and it literally means 'lost bread'. Traditionally, French toast was made with day-old or stale bread that might have been thrown out (lost) were it not for getting creative in the kitchen!
I like to make this raspberry French toast casserole with fresh enriched bread because it gives the bread pudding the richest, most tender texture. However, it's totally fine to use older bread. Just make sure to give it plenty of soaking time in the custard.
How to make baked French toast with cream cheese
Assemble your raspberry French toast the night before you need it in a few easy steps. See recipe card for comprehensive directions.
- Step 1: Make the custard by mixing the eggs, milk, and 4 tablespoons of sugar together.
- Step 2: In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
- Step 3: Butter your baking dish and then layer the bottom with overlapping pieces of brioche.
- Step 4: Dot the top of the bread with dollops of the cream cheese mixture. Use about half of the mixture.
- Step 5: Sprinkle half of the raspberries on top and drizzle everything with ⅓ of the custard.
- Step 6: Add a second layer of overlapping pieces of brioche.
- Step 7: Top with dollops of the remaining cream cheese mixture, the rest of the berries, and the last of the custard. Cover and let soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Step 8: Just before baking, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake uncovered until golden on top, about 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm dusted with confectioners' sugar on top.
Tara's tips for the best baked French toast
Don't skimp on the soaking: The bread needs a minimum of 2 hours to fully absorb the custard. If you don't let the casserole soak long enough, your bread pudding might have dry spots in it.
Bake uncovered: To achieve a crisp, golden exterior, it's best to bake your French toast uncovered. If it starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the last part of baking.
Don't overdo the cream cheese: I don't do an entire layer of cream cheese because I think it makes the French toast too rich. The little dollops throughout are perfect, and lend themselves well to sitting overnight in the custard mixture.
How to know when it's done baking: Your baked French toast is finished baking when the outside has puffed slightly and has golden, crisp edges. When tested with an instant-read thermometer the internal temperature should be 165ºF to 170ºF. You can also test for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center. It should come out mostly clean with only tiny crumbs attached to the outside. The liquid custard will be firm throughout (no pools of liquid custard remaining).
Substitutions and variations
Customize this recipe to your preferences with a few simple changes:
- Other fruits to use: You can use other berries in this raspberry overnight French toast. Try mixed berries, or just blackberries or blueberries. The tender berries hold up well while sitting in the custard and will soften quickly in the allotted baking time. You could also try soft diced peaches as they have a similar texture.
- Add nuts: If you'd like, add chopped pecans or almonds to your sweet strata recipe. You can layer them into the French toast with the raspberries before soaking and baking. Or, sprinkle a few on top before serving for added crunch.
- Dairy substitutions: I haven't tested this recipe with dairy-free cream cheese or milk. If you decide to give it a try, I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
- Make it gluten-free: I didn't test this recipe with gluten-free bread, but a sturdy gluten-free brioche-style loaf would be your best bet.
- Serving suggestions: I typically serve my French toast at breakfast or brunch with a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar or drizzle of maple syrup. It's also delicious for dessert! Try it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and raspberry sauce.
Equipment
You can use a standard glass 9-by-13-inch baking dish or an oval 9-by-13-inch (2.5 quart) baking dish, like I did.
Storage
Make-ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
Refrigerate: Leftover bread pudding can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Enjoy it cold or reheated.
Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or warm the whole dish covered with foil in a 325°F oven until heated through.
FAQ
For the best overall flavor, I use brioche or challah. Both breads are enriched with eggs and butter so their texture holds up well to a rich custard. You can find it at bakeries or your local grocery store. The loaves may come in different shapes, like braids or loaves, but either is fine. You can even cut brioche rolls into slices if that's all you can find.
Skipping or rushing the soaking step is the most common mistake with baked French toast. Without enough time to absorb the custard, the bread will stay dry in the center while the outside browns too quickly. The result is uneven baking with dry, rubbery pockets of bread surrounded by custard that pools and can burn or caramelize at the edges.
Sogginess is usually caused by one of three things: The casserole may have been underbaked. Make sure the center is fully set and a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean before taking it from the oven. The bread may not have been layered properly, leaving gaps where the custard pooled instead of absorbing into the bread. You might have used frozen berries which release significantly more liquid than fresh. For the best results, always use fresh raspberries and make sure the casserole bakes until fully set in the center.
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📖 Full Recipe
Baked French Toast with Cream Cheese and Raspberries
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs (beaten)
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 9 tablespoons granulated sugar (DIVIDED)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- Butter (for dish)
- ¾ loaf brioche or challah (sliced and slices quartered)
- 2 pints (12-ounces) fresh raspberries
- Confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Mix together the eggs, milk, and 4 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl combine cream cheese with 3 tablespoons sugar. Butter a 2½-quart baking dish (similar to a 9-by-13-inch dish).
- Arrange half of the brioche pieces in a slightly overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Divide the cream cheese mixture in half and drop spoonfuls of the first half over the bread. Top with half of the raspberries. Pour about ⅓ of the egg-milk mixture over this layer.
- Repeat layering process with remaining brioche, spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture, and raspberries. Pour remaining ⅔ egg mixture over the top, soaking all the top pieces of brioche. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle the top with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake strata until eggs are set, the outside has puffed slightly, and the top is golden, 50 to 55 minutes. An instant read thermometer should read 165ºF to 170ºF when it is done cooking. You can also test for doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with only a few crumbs attached to the outside. Tip: If the top is browning too quickly, you can cover the casserole with foil for the rest of the baking time.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Leftover bread pudding can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the microwave if desired to serve warm.
Notes
- Make this the night before to save time in the morning.
- If you can't find a loaf of brioche or challah, slice brioche buns and use the slices.
- You can use mixed berries or just blackberries or blueberries if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Laura says
We loved this! This will be going in our breakfast (and dinner) rotation.
Tara Teaspoon Admin says
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! It's total comfort food and should definitely make its appearance at dinner, lol! All the best to you.
Jenseena Cook says
This is incredible!!! I made this for a brunch family get together and it was a huge hit, even among the pickiest eaters! It was even great the next day as a leftover. So, SO good!!!
Mary Bench says
You are after my heart with this one! Glorious!
courtney says
What size casserole dish do you use?
Tara says
Hi Courtney! I used a 2 1/2 quart dish. Mine was rectangle, but you can use round, oval, anything you have or like. To measure the quart size of a baking dish or pan simply use a liquid measuring cup to pour liquid in a few cups at a time until it is full. My 2 1/2 quart dish is about 8-by-10 inches (and 2-inches deep).