If you're looking for the perfect Christmas breakfast for two, you've found it here. The best part? This cinnamon raisin bread and cream cheese French toast casserole is as delicious as it is easy!
If you've been around XO&So for a while, you know I LOVE a French toast casserole. Well, breakfast casseroles in general. And this easy french toast casserole with cinnamon raisin bread and cream cheese has quickly worked its way to the top of my life of favorites!
This recipe is perfect for two people (hungry people). And I know a lot of Christmas celebrations will be on the smaller side this year, so I think this recipe will come in very handy for some!
Breakfast casseroles: a love story
Like I said, I love breakfast casseroles.
(You'll also want to see my favorite easy egg casserole recipe.) That's a savory recipe, but I love sweet French toast casseroles, too. They're practically bread pudding, and once you get syrup on top, you could easily pass this as a dessert if you want!
These are some of my other breakfast casserole/French toast bakes, in case you're interested:
- Savory Overnight French Toast Bake
- Easy Overnight Blueberry French Toast Bake
- Savory Goat Cheese Honey Bread Pudding
The perfect Christmas breakfast
On Christmas morning, there's a lot going on. When you know breakfast just needs to be popped in the oven, it can save you a lot of stress.
But even if you don't make this the night before, it takes about 7 minutes to throw it together. And yes, you really can just "throw" it together.
I love serving this with vegan sausages on the side. My two favorites are Hilary's Spicy Veggie Sausage and the Field Roast Apple Maple Breakfast Sausage.
Pro tip for eating vegan sausage (or any sausage really): put some maple syrup on them! It seriously makes them SOOOO much better, even when you've already found some that are great on their own, like the two I mentioned.
You can also do a side of fruit and you've got yourself the best Christmas breakfast ever!
How to make this easy French toast casserole
When you see how small the ingredient list is and how few steps it takes to make, you'll see why I call this an easy French toast casserole.
And why it's the ideal breakfast for a busy Christmas morning!
Instructions
- Start by heating your oven if you plan on cooking this right away, as opposed to refrigerating it overnight
- Slice the bread into slices (if not already sliced) and then cut the slices into small cubes. You can also tear the bread apart with your hands (like I do!), just keep the crusts on.
- Cut half a brick of cream cheese into small cubes. I recommend doing this when the cream cheese is nice and cold because it's easier to cut.
- Generously grease a standard loaf pan (8-½ x 4-½ x 2-½ inches) with butter, then add the cubed bread to the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the milk/cream and maple syrup and combine. Now, add the cream cheese and mix well — this is the custard mixture that makes French toast casseroles what they are!
- Pour the custard evenly over all the bread chunks. I use my hands to make sure all the pieces of cinnamon raisin bread get coated with the custard mixture evenly.
- Now the French casserole can be baked right away, or covered and refrigerated overnight.
- Bake the casserole until the casserole looks "set" and golden brown on top. You can also leave the casserole in the oven longer if you want the chunks of bread on the top to be crispier and browner.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!
Now, onto the nitty gritty...you know, ingredient amounts and all that.
Easy French Toast Casserole with Cinnamon Raisin Bread & Cream Cheese
Equipment
- a standard loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups cinnamon raisin bread cubed, good quality bread is highly recommended
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk/cream I use a mix of milk and cream
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 4 oz cream cheese cubed, half a brick
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) if making right away. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
- Slice the bread into slices (if not already sliced) and then cut the slices into approx. 1-inch cubes. You can also tear the bread apart with your hands. Keep the crusts on.Cut 4 oz. of cream cheese (half a brick) into small (approx. 1 cm) cubes.
- Lightly grease a standard loaf pan (8-½ x 4-½ x 2-½ inches) with butter. If you use a different size pan, cooking times will need to be adjusted. Add the cubed bread to the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the milk/cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon and mix well. Add the cream cheese and mix well. This is your custard mixture.Pour the custard evenly over all the bread chunks. You can use your hands to make sure all the pieces of cinnamon raisin bread get coated with the custard mixture.
- Now the French casserole can be baked right away (uncovered), or you can cover it and refrigerate it overnight.****
- Bake the casserole for about 35 minutes — until the casserole looks "set" and golden brown on top**. Leave the casserole in the oven longer if you want the chunks of bread on the top to be crispier and browner. ***
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Can't wait to hear what you think of this one! I'm VERY excited about how easy it is but also how delicious it is at the same time.
XO - C
Marlee
Such a brilliant recipe to make a little ahead and throw in the oven the morning of it just before your guests arrive.
Carley
Literally the most delicious recipe I have ever made!! Easily impress people without having to slave away in the kitchen for hours. 😍
chelseaxoandso
LOVE hearing that!!!! Thanks so much, Carley!
Nance in Reno
I made this casserole a few days ago and it was excellent. I made a few changes: instead of cubes of bread and cream cheese, I spread the cream cheese on one piece of bread and topped with another piece of bread and cubed the "sandwiches." I added vanilla to the egg/milk mixture and chopped ham to the casserole.
Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food
That sounds soooo good!!! I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Christy
I make this recipe often, my husband loves it! So easy and quick to put together and I almost always have the ingredients on hand (I keep raisin bread stocked in my freezer ☺️). The only thing I add is a couple of teaspoons vanilla extract. Thanks for an excellent recipe!
Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food
That's wonderful!!! Happy to hear you both love it.