Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake

This make-ahead breakfast casserole layers cubed bread with sweetened cream cheese and fresh strawberries, all soaked in vanilla custard and baked until golden and puffy.

Assemble it the night before and wake up to a Valentine’s breakfast that practically makes itself.

Why You’ll Love It

• Prep the night before — just bake in the morning
• Feeds a crowd from one dish
• Tastes like stuffed French toast without the fuss
• Fresh strawberries add natural sweetness
• Creamy pockets of cream cheese throughout
• No flipping individual slices at the stove

Ingredients

For the French toast bake:

• 1 loaf (12-14 oz) French bread or brioche, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

For the strawberry topping:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Maple syrup for serving

Steps

Prepare the cream cheese mixture:

1. Beat the cream cheese. In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth.
2. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined — set aside.

Assemble the bake:

3. Grease the dish. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish generously.
4. Layer half the bread. Spread half of the bread cubes evenly in the prepared dish.
5. Add cream cheese dollops. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the bread — about 12-14 small dollops scattered evenly.
6. Add strawberries. Scatter 2 cups sliced strawberries over the cream cheese layer.
7. Top with remaining bread. Add the rest of the bread cubes, pressing down gently to create an even layer.

Make the custard:

8. Whisk the eggs. In a large bowl or large measuring cup, whisk eggs until beaten.
9. Add remaining custard ingredients. Whisk in milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
10. Pour over bread. Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread layers, pressing bread down gently to help it absorb the liquid.
11. Cover and refrigerate. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours).

Bake and serve:

12. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove baking dish from refrigerator while oven preheats — about 20 minutes.
13. Bake covered. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Uncover and finish. Remove foil and bake an additional 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown and center is set — a knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
15. Prepare topping. While baking, toss remaining 2 cups strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and let sit to release juices.
16. Rest before serving. Let the bake cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
17. Top and serve. Dust with powdered sugar, spoon macerated strawberries over each portion, and serve with warm maple syrup.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

Use day-old bread. Slightly stale bread absorbs the custard better without getting too soggy — if your bread is fresh, cube it and let it sit out for a few hours or toast lightly.

Brioche makes it richer. French bread works great, but brioche or challah adds extra richness and a more tender texture.

Don’t skip the overnight soak. At minimum, refrigerate for 4 hours — overnight is ideal for the custard to fully absorb into every layer.

Swap the berries. Raspberries, blueberries, or a mixed berry blend all work beautifully in place of strawberries.

Make it lighter. Use reduced-fat cream cheese and substitute half the heavy cream with more milk — it won’t be quite as rich but still delicious.

Add a streusel topping. Mix 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons cold butter until crumbly — sprinkle over the top before the final uncovered baking.

Serving Ideas

Serve family-style straight from the baking dish set on a trivet.

Pair with crispy bacon or breakfast sausage for a complete meal.

Add a side of fresh fruit salad to balance the richness.

Serve with whipped cream and extra strawberries for a more indulgent presentation.

Drizzle with chocolate sauce for a Valentine’s Day twist.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Overnight assembly: Assemble completely the night before and refrigerate — this is actually the preferred method.

Refrigerator: Store baked leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or warm the whole dish covered with foil at 325°F for 15-20 minutes.

Freezer: Freeze baked and cooled portions wrapped tightly for up to 2 months — thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven.

Don’t freeze unbaked. The custard texture suffers when frozen raw — always bake first, then freeze.

Valentine’s Morning Made Easy

This French toast bake is the kind of breakfast that feels special without requiring you to stand at the stove all morning.

The cream cheese melts into creamy pockets, the strawberries add pops of freshness, and the whole thing puffs up beautifully in the oven.

Do the work the night before, then enjoy a leisurely Valentine’s morning.