Is anyone else over the summer already? Maybe it’s just me, but something about the impending months of heat/humidity, along with a big desire to just take a breather (when it’s really hard to go anywhere right now) – I’m just ready for fall. At least fall has pumpkins?
I know that sounds a little glass half empty, but I am counting my blessings. My husband and I have been extremely lucky. We have not gotten ill – no one in our immediate families has fallen ill – and our jobs have been extremely accommodating to keep us safe during these hard times.
To keep the news off of the TV, I’ve tapped into my creative side a good bit. I’ve sewn 200+ fabric face masks, I’ve taken up knitting again & I’m cooking a LOT more. It feels good to be productive, I guess? My craft room is incredibly organized lately too – which is awesome.
When it comes to cooking, I thought I would use this time to get back into blogging regularly, but I’m a little late on that one. I figured a good way to ease back into it is to share some carb-y goodness, and who doesn’t love a good carb-y dish during brunch? That’s right, y’all – it’s BRUNCH WEEK!
Today, I’m sharing some simple, yet indulgent french toast with a dreamy, crunchy cinnamon topping. It’s so good – really adds some great texture to baked french toast! I purchased apple cinnamon brioche bread for the base for this french toast, but I have also made it with vanilla/plain brioche – either way is fantastic and tasty!
Cinnamon Crunch French Toast
Source: mildly adapted from Simply Recipes
Ingredients:
For the french toast/custard:
- 1 large loaf of brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
For the topping:
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter (melted)
- 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Directions:
- Place the oven rack in the center position of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish by lining it with butter or spraying a baking/cooking spray on the inside. Then, place the cubes of bread evenly in the baking dish.
- In a medium sized bowl, prepare the custard. First, whisk the eggs together, and then add the milk, dark brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. of salt. Whisk the mixture well, and pour the custard mixture over the bread, ensuring that there are no dry pieces of bread in the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix together the unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon and pinch of salt. Using a spoon, drizzle the butter mixture evenly over the bread chunks.
- Bake the french toast in the oven for 35-45 minutes. Allow the french toast to cool until warm (about 10-15 minutes) before serving. Enjoy!
Check out the other great recipes that the other Brunch Week bloggers are sharing today:
Beverages Recipes
- Easy Peach Frosé by Love & Confections
- Healthy Banana Smoothie by Simply Healthyish Recipes
Bread, Grains, and Cereal Recipes
- Blueberry Bread Pudding by Big Bears Wife
- Buttermilk Waffles by The Redhead Baker
- Chocolate Banana Muffins by The Mandatory Mooch
- Cinnamon Crunch French Toast by The Nifty Foodie
- Double Chocolate Banana Muffins by Family Around the Table
- Pear Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins by Caroline’s Cooking
- Sourdough Belgian-Style Waffles by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Vegan Anise French Toast by Happily Curated Chaos
Egg Recipes
- Bacon, Brie & Asparagus Quiche by Sweet Beginnings
- Breakfast Tostadas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Gyro Omelette by Cheese Curd In Paradise
Fruit and Veggie Recipes
- Duchess Potatoes by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Greek Broccoli Pasta Salad by Making Miracles
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Recipes
- Carolina Shrimp And Grits by Nik Snacks
- Everything Breakfast Pizza by The Spiffy Cookie
Dessert Recipes
- Keto Macarons by Keto Basic AF
- Lemon Macarons Recipe by April Golightly
- Pasta Frola (Argentinian Lattice Tart) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
- Sprinkle Biscotti by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Strawberry Scones by Kate’s Recipe Box
Such a wonderfully indulgent start to BrunchWeek! This French toast amazing with that crust.