Cream Cheese Swirl Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Printable)

Decadent overnight bake with cinnamon rolls, cream cheese swirl, and French toast flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread (about 18 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
17 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the cubed bread evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour half of the custard mixture over the bread cubes, pressing gently to ensure thorough soaking.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Dollop by spoonfuls over the soaked bread layer.
06 - Top with remaining bread cubes, then pour the remaining custard mixture over all. Gently press to ensure complete bread moistening.
07 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Drizzle or dot the mixture evenly over the casserole surface.
08 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight, minimum 6 hours, ideally 8 hours.
09 - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator to allow slight temperature adjustment while oven heats.
10 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
11 - Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with maple syrup or powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's mostly hands-off once you assemble it, which means you can actually sleep in on a special morning instead of standing at the stove.
  • That cream cheese swirl hidden inside creates pockets of richness that surprise you with every bite.
  • The banana-cinnamon combination tastes indulgent but still feels wholesome enough for a weekend gathering.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight chill—it's not just convenience, it's essential for the bread to fully absorb the custard so you get tender layers instead of dry spots surrounded by soggy ones.
  • That slight jiggle in the center when it comes out of the oven is perfect; overbaking makes it dry and rubbery, and the residual heat will continue cooking it as it cools.
03 -
  • Take the casserole out of the fridge while your oven preheats so it bakes evenly instead of baking the top while the center stays cold.
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
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