Description
This Peach Cobbler French Toast Bake is a comforting and delicious breakfast casserole featuring layers of day-old bread and juicy sliced peaches soaked in a cinnamon-spiced custard. Baked to golden perfection, this dish combines the flavors of a traditional peach cobbler and classic French toast, making it an ideal treat for family brunches or holiday mornings. Versatile ingredient substitutions allow for vegan, lactose-free, and fruit variation options.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Fruit
- 1 loaf day-old bread, cubed
- 4 cups sliced peaches (can substitute with berries or apples)
Custard Mixture
- 6 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan option)
- 2 cups milk (use non-dairy for lactose-free)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (can substitute with maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (or nutmeg as spice substitute)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (vanilla bean paste can be used for richer flavor)
Additional
- 1/4 cup butter (coconut oil can be used as substitute)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure the French toast bake cooks evenly throughout.
- Prepare Baking Dish. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or a cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Layer Bread and Peaches. Place half of the cubed, day-old bread in an even layer at the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the 4 cups of sliced peaches evenly over the bread layer.
- Make Custard Mixture. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Soak Bread and Peaches. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and peach layers, pressing down lightly to help the bread absorb the custard.
- Add Remaining Bread and Butter. Sprinkle the remaining cubed bread over the top of the custard-soaked layers, and add dollops of butter (or coconut oil) if desired to enrich the bake.
- Bake. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is fully set.
- Cool and Serve. Remove from the oven and allow the bake to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting period helps the custard firm up for better slices.
Notes
- Day-old bread is ideal as it absorbs the custard better without becoming too soggy.
- For a vegan version, replace eggs with flax eggs and use non-dairy milk, and substitute butter with coconut oil.
- Try swapping peaches with other fruits such as berries or apples for variety.
- Maple syrup can be used instead of brown sugar for a different sweetness profile.
- Vanilla bean paste offers a more intense vanilla flavor if desired.
- Allow the dish to cool before slicing to ensure clean portions.
