“Have everyone over for a holiday brunch,” they said! “It’ll be fun,” they said! Now you’re stressing out what you’re going to make and how you’re going to juggle all the little things that go into breakfast. The Holiday Host French Toast is here to take a load off your shoulders. This is a dish that you can start the night before and have hot and ready for the arrival of your beloved guests. And what a dish! Buttery French bread cubes sandwich a creamy, tangy, cranberry-packed filling. Notes of smoky sweet maple and fragrant cinnamon infuse each bite of the Holiday Host French Toast, and make your home smell extra welcoming! And who says hosting is hard?
Ingredients
- 12 ounces French bread, cubed
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, cubed
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 2 –Arrange 1/2 of the bread cubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Step 3 –Layer the bread cubes with the cream cheese and the cranberry sauce.
Step 4 –Top the cranberry layer with the remaining bread cubes.
Step 5 –In a large bowl, add the eggs, the milk, 1/3 cup of the syrup, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg and whisk until blended.
Step 6 –Pour the egg mixture over the casserole.
Step 7 –Cover the casserole and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
Step 8 –Transfer the casserole from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to baking.
Step 9 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 10 –Uncover and bake the casserole until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes-1 hour.
Step 11 –Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes.
Step 12 –Serve with the extra maple syrup.
