“Cherry French Toast Bake”

Do you and your family love french toast? I love making french toast on the weekends and I especially love baking a big pan in oven instead of standing over the stove. Sometimes you just want to be lazy on the weekends. If you love cherries and cream cheese this you’ll love this Cherry French Toast Bake. Think of it as cheesecake in the form of an ooey-gooey, creamy casserole with cherries. Perfect for a family gathering or brunch and better yet no need to fuss over ingredients and long prep time. My favorite type of breakfast, easy and delicious and soon to be yours, too.

Most french toast bakes use dried bread and have to sit in the refrigerator overnight to absorb the egg mixture. You can prepare Cherry French Toast Bake first thing in the morning and have breakfast on the table in a couple of hours. Made with cubed french baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes which you can prep the night before, dollops of cream cheese, egg mixture, and topped with cherry pie filling. I do not use canned cherry pie filling often but in this case it is wonderful in this french toast casserole. You can serve right out of the oven and serving with syrup is optional. I found the bake sweet and moist enough that syrup is not necessary.

Cherry French Toast Bake

Whenever I make french toast I think of Saturday mornings when I was a kid. Mom would make her delicious french toast. I would eat it quite often without syrup because it was that good. So prepare Cherry French Toast Bake and create your own family breakfast memories one weekend soon. Your family will ask for Cherry French Toast Bake every chance they get and I wouldn’t blame them since it’s absolutely soul satisfying. Share your favorite family breakfast moments and if you make my french toast bake, give a shout. Have a great start to your week.

Cherry French Toast Bake

Cherry French Toast Bake

5 1/2 cups cubed French baguette

8 oz. container soft cream cheese

1 – 21 oz. can cherry pie filling

6 extra-large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half & half

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1 T. vanilla extract

Spray a 12 x 8 gratin baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place half of the bread in bottom of baking dish.

Dollop soft cream cheese over bread cubes and then spoon half of the pie filling over cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, half & half, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over bread layer. Press bread into egg mixture. Spoon on remaining pie filling.

Cover with foil and let sit to allow bread to soak up egg mixture. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes then remove foil and bake an additional 15 – 20 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes before serving with maple syrup if desired.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.momontimeout.com