I really enjoy french toast, but I tend to be a bit picky about it as well. I don’t like it too “eggy” and definitely not soggy, plus I’m always wondering if it’s cooked enough in the middle. For this reason, the concept of a baked french toast has really appealed to me. My thinking was that if it’s baked in the oven, then for sure it would be cooked through. So after searching through probably 30 different french toast recipes online, I found one that accommodated my tastes.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

INGREDIENTS:

    • 1 16 oz. loaf of Italian bread
    • 6 eggs
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon
    • 1 T vanilla
    • 1/2 cup of butter, melted
    • 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed

Pecan topping

  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 T butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Caramel glaze (from Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2010)

  • 2 T butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 T skim milk
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Slice bread into 1 1/2 inch slices and lay them flat in a 9×13 inch casserole pan.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl and then pour the mixture over the bread slices.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

Cover and refrigerate. After a couple of hours flip the bread slices over so they will soak up the remaining egg mixture, then let sit over night or for at least four or so hours.
Now here is where I did things a little differently, I took the soaked slices out of the pan and stacked them on a plate while I washed and dried the pan (the reason I did this was because the first two times I made this, I ended up with a layer of egg on the bottom of the pan which I did not want).

Mix the melted butter and brown sugar together and pour into the bottom of the greased casserole dish, then lay your soaked bread slices back in on top of the mixture.

Mix pecans, melted butter and brown sugar together, and then dabble over the top of the French toast slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze

Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Serving Size 6

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. loaf of Italian bread
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1/2 cup of butter melted
  • 3/4 cup of brown sugar packed
  • Pecan topping
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 T butter melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • Caramel glaze:
  • 2 T butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 T milk
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

  • Slice bread into 1 1/2 inch slices and lay them flat in a 9×13 inch casserole pan.
  • Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl and then pour the mixture over the bread slices.
  • Cover and refrigerate. After a couple of hours flip the bread slices over so they will soak up the remaining egg mixture, then let sit over night or for at least four or so hours.
  • Now here is where I did things a little differently, I took the soaked slices out of the pan and stacked them on a plate while I washed and dried the pan (the reason I did this was because the first two times I made this, I ended up with a layer of egg on the bottom of the pan which I did not want).
  • Mix the melted butter and brown sugar together and pour into the bottom of the greased casserole dish, then lay your soaked bread slices back in on top of the mixture.
  • Mix pecans, melted butter and brown sugar together, and then dabble over the top of the french toast slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
  • To make the glaze, melt the butter in a little pan, and stir in the brown sugar. Heat to boiling while stirring, and boil for two minutes, and then stir in the milk and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and let cool, then stir in the powdered sugar. I had to add more than the 1 Tablespoon of milk to get a glazing consistency especially if it sits for a few minutes. When the french toast is done baking and you are ready to serve, drizzle the glaze over each slice.

To make the glaze, melt the butter in a little pan, and stir in the brown sugar. Heat to boiling while stirring, and boil for two minutes, and then stir in the milk and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and let cool, then stir in the powdered sugar.

I had to add more than the 1 Tablespoon of milk to get a glazing consistency especially if it sits for a few minutes. When the French toast is done baking and you are ready to serve, drizzle the glaze over each slice.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

This was so scrumptious, chewy and sweet on the bottom, and with the glaze on top there is no need for syrup. The pecans were toasted and crunchy,  just delicious.

baked french toast, Baked French Toast with Caramel Glaze, Joyful Homemaking

Hope you enjoy!

Modified from Southington Patch

40 Comments

  1. This looks delicious, although it’s also a form of torture with the whole “I gave up sweets for lent” thing. On my calendar, Easter breakfast. Done. Thanks!

    p.s.- found you from WFMW

  2. O my goodness! This looks amazing… My mouth is watering! I love baked french toast. I especially love french toast made from french bread instead of regular old, hum drum, everyday bread. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Just pinned it!
    Found you on Fabric Bows and More
    Visiting from Well Rounded, leahkoenig.blogspot.com

  3. WOW! This is my kind of French Toast! What a great Sunday Brunch – hearty, sweet and oh so tasty!

  4. I love french toast. I do it the easy way, let Crackle Barrel make. LOL. I pinned this recipe in case I get adventurous and decide to give it a try. Cause is sure looks better than anything CB’s ever made.

  5. Completely agree with the others on this one – Easter morning breakfast done! My husband has given up sweets for Lent, so I think this might be a nice little surprise for him. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions, too. Yum yum!

  6. Oh my goodness Margo,
    This is dessert right? Your Baked French Toast looks like a delicious treat for breakfast. Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    1. Thank you so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday and I hope you’ll stop back soon 🙂

  7. Wow, this looks so good, PINNING! I saw your share at Singing Three Little Birds/Inspire Me Monday link party. Glad I clicked on your share, new follower. Looking forward to making the French Toast soon! Cheers ~ Mary (SweetLittleBluebird.com)

  8. I feel the same way about French toast. I also bake mine because I think they cook through better. 🙂

  9. This looks so good. Ive been looking for a good French Toast recipe!
    Following you from “Melt in your Mouth” blog hop!

  10. wow, that looks amazing. For medical reasons my husband is vegan and so I keep the house fairly close to his diet requirements but how this makes me want to run over to a girlfriend’s for a treat!

  11. This looks amazing! I found you over at The Country Cook! Congratulations on being featured on The Weekend Potluck! What a wonderful site you have I look forward to reading more!

  12. We tried this a couple days ago – WOW! Delicious. Definately a keeper recipe for sure.

  13. Hi there!! This look SO good and I am actually getting ready to start making them for tomorrow morning.. one thing I notice is that your recipe calls for “French” bread and your picture actually shows “Italian” bread. I honestly haven’t read all the comments to see if someone else pointed that out but I am guessing Italian is right since French loaves are pretty skinny. Anyway, I thought I would say something! I am pretty excited to try these tomorrow!

  14. Yummy! I love French toast but it doesn’t look nearly as good as your pictures! Please come on over and link up at my party going on now, Sunday Blog Love. Have a super weekend!

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