Caramel Cream Cheese French Toast (Printable Version)

Decadent overnight bake with brioche, cream cheese, and caramel layers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 5 large eggs
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Sugar & Flavorings

07 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
08 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Caramel Sauce

12 - 1 cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Spread half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish.
03 - In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
04 - Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the bread layer.
05 - Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the cream cheese and bread.
06 - Top with the remaining bread cubes.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, melted butter, remaining granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
08 - Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread layers, pressing down gently to soak.
09 - Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours.
10 - When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven preheats.
11 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the center. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
12 - Warm the remaining caramel sauce and drizzle over the casserole before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's made entirely the night before, so your morning stays calm while everyone else is scrambling.
  • The combination of creamy, caramel, and custardy brioche tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in your own kitchen.
  • You can feed a crowd without spending hours at the stove, which means you can actually enjoy your guests.
02 -
  • Day-old bread makes an enormous difference—fresh bread will turn to mush, but bread that's been sitting out absorbs the custard without losing structure.
  • Don't skip the overnight refrigeration, even if you're tempted; the casserole transforms during those hours and bakes more evenly because of it.
  • If your casserole is browning too quickly on top, loosely tent it with foil and it'll continue cooking gently underneath.
03 -
  • Slice the casserole with a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts—it keeps the pieces clean and beautiful on the plate.
  • If you're making caramel from scratch, remember that timing is everything; too light and it tastes thin, too dark and it turns bitter.
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