Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Print Version)

Decadent overnight breakfast bake with cream cheese swirls, cinnamon, and banana-soaked brioche

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread (about 1 pound 2 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/4 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 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# How-To Steps:

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, 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 until smooth and creamy.
06 - Dollop cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls over the soaked bread, then top with remaining bread cubes.
07 - Pour remaining custard over the top layer of bread and gently press to ensure all bread is moistened.
08 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then drizzle or dot over the casserole surface.
09 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally 8 hours or overnight.
10 - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats.
11 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
12 - Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You make it the night before, which means morning stress melts away and you get to sleep in while it does the work.
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you spent 20 minutes prepping something that sits overnight.
  • The cream cheese swirl is subtle enough that even people who think they don't like cream cheese end up asking for seconds.
02 -
  • Day-old or slightly stale bread is non-negotiable because fresh bread absorbs too much liquid and turns mushy instead of custardy.
  • Don't skip the overnight rest no matter how hungry you are in the moment—this is what separates a decent French toast casserole from an exceptional one.
03 -
  • If your cream cheese swirl isn't distributed evenly after assembly, take a butter knife and swirl it through the layers gently—embrace the imperfection because that's where the pockets of richness hide.
  • Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts to avoid dragging the cream cheese around.
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