Overnight French Toast Casserole with cinnamon, vanilla and a secret ingredient. As healthy as french toast can be while still being an easy and delicious breakfast to feed a crowd.
Ingredients
1 large loaf brioche bread (or challah bread)
6 large eggs
1 cup milk of your choice (I use almond milk with vanilla)
1/2 cup half and half (or more milk)
1/2 cup orange juice (I use Simply Orange with Mango*), no pulp
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, (optional if using almond milk with vanilla)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
maple syrup, for drizzling
Instructions
Tear bread into pieces, slightly larger than bite sized. Place in 9×13 or 3 quart casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, whip together eggs, milk, half and half, orange juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread pieces.
Cover and place in refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole for around 30-35 minutes until lightly browned if you prefer a softer texture, up to 45-50 minutes if you prefer crispier (but watch for burning!)
Remove from oven and drizzle maple syrup on top. Serve warm.
Notes
The bread I used was 12 thick slices of brioche sandwich bread.
Prep time does not include time in refrigerator.
*The orange juice with mango is my *secret* ingredient but orange juice in general will add the extra kick of sweetness!
