Caramel Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole (Print)

Rich overnight breakfast with caramel, cream cheese, and buttery brioche baked until golden.

# Ingredients:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 1 loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 18 oz)
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1.5 cups whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - Pinch of salt

→ Caramel Sauce

10 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter
12 - 0.25 cup heavy cream

→ Topping

13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Instructions:

01 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt brown sugar and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbling, approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream until fully combined. Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange half of the bread cubes evenly over the caramel layer.
03 - In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese over the bread layer, spreading gently while leaving some dollops intact.
04 - Top with remaining bread cubes.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Pour evenly over the bread and cream cheese layers, pressing gently to ensure proper absorption.
06 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard mixture.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
08 - In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole surface.
09 - Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and set in the center. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
10 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with additional caramel sauce or fresh berries.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • Most of the work happens the night before, so you're genuinely relaxed when guests arrive instead of stressed and spatula-wielding.
  • That cream cheese layer creates pockets of sweet, tangy richness that feels decadent without tasting heavy or overdone.
  • The caramel on the bottom caramelizes further during baking, turning into this addictive, almost toffee-like crust that makes people ask for seconds immediately.
02 -
  • Stale bread is genuinely better here—fresh bread absorbs the custard too quickly and turns to mush, while day-old or two-day-old bread holds its structure and creates actual texture contrasts.
  • Don't skip the overnight refrigeration thinking you can bake it after a few hours; the bread needs time to truly soak, and the flavors need time to marry together into something more than just their separate components.
  • If your casserole is still jiggly in the very center when you pull it out, that's actually okay—it will continue setting as it cools, and you'd rather have it slightly underbaked than dry and rubbery.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is genuinely non-negotiable—cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly into the bread layer and you'll end up with dense pockets that never fully integrate.
  • If you're worried about the top browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil after about thirty minutes of baking, then uncover for the final ten minutes to restore that golden crunch.
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