🍓 Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
This Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole is a deliciously cozy breakfast that combines soft, custardy bread with sweet strawberries, creamy pockets of cheesecake-style filling, and a golden baked top. It’s easy enough for a weekend breakfast but beautiful enough for a special brunch.
The best part is that you can assemble it the night before, refrigerate it overnight, and simply bake it in the morning. The bread absorbs the rich vanilla custard while the strawberries add a bright, fruity flavor to every bite.
🥣 Ingredients
For the Casserole
- 1 large loaf brioche or French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the Topping
- ½ cup sliced strawberries
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ¼ cup chopped pecans, optional
- Powdered sugar, for serving
For Serving
- Maple syrup
- Fresh strawberries
- Whipped cream, optional
👩🍳 Directions
1. Prepare the baking dish
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Spread half of the cubed bread evenly across the bottom of the dish.
2. Prepare the cream cheese filling
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Drop small spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the bread.
Scatter about half of the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese layer.
3. Add the remaining bread
Place the remaining bread cubes over the strawberry and cream cheese layer.
Gently press the bread down with your hands so the casserole has an even surface.
Add the remaining strawberries over the top.
4. Make the custard
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest.
Whisk until everything is completely combined and the mixture looks smooth.
Slowly pour the custard evenly over the entire casserole, making sure the bread absorbs the liquid.
5. Let it soak
For the best texture, cover the baking dish and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
For an easy overnight breakfast, you can prepare the casserole the evening before and leave it refrigerated overnight.
6. Add the topping
Before baking, combine the melted butter and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Drizzle the mixture over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired.
7. Bake
Cover the casserole loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
The edges should be lightly crisp while the middle remains soft and creamy.
8. Rest and serve
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar and top with fresh strawberries.
Serve warm with maple syrup and whipped cream if desired.
⏱️ Prep Time
20 minutes
🍳 Cook Time
50–55 minutes
❄️ Chill Time
1 hour minimum, or overnight
⏰ Total Time
About 2 hours
🍴 Servings
10 servings
🔥 Calories
Approximately 390 calories per serving
Nutrition information is an estimate and can vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.