Strawberry French Toast Casserole – a delightful breakfast treat!
Strawberry French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients:
12 slices home-style white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups half-and-half
12 large eggs
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
For the Sauce:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
Prepare the Baking Dish: Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Layer Ingredients: Arrange half the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Evenly distribute cream cheese cubes over the bread cube layer; sprinkle 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries atop the cream cheese layer. Layer the remaining bread cubes over the strawberry layer.
Make the Egg Mixture: Pour half-and-half into a blender; pulse for a few seconds. Blend eggs into the half-and-half until fully incorporated. Add maple syrup and blend until smooth. Pour mixture evenly over the bread mixture. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Bake the Casserole: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator 45 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake the covered casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until French toast is puffed and golden brown, about 30 more minutes.
Prepare the Sauce: Stir sugar, water, and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in 1 cup sliced strawberries; cook and stir until strawberries have softened, about 10 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted.
Serve: Serve the casserole hot with the strawberry sauce drizzled over the top.
Enjoy this delicious and comforting Strawberry French Toast Casserole for a sweet start to your day!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 9 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 12