Cinnamon Roll Baked French Toast

Get the delicious flavor of cinnamon rolls in a whole new way! This simple Cinnamon Roll Baked French Toast recipe is ready in under an hour and with less effort than homemade cinnamon rolls. Topped with cream cheese icing and perfect for a holiday breakfast or a quiet weekend in!

There is nothing, and I mean nothing like waking up to freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

And sometimes, you really want cinnamon rolls but you do not want to put in the time or the effort to have the ooey gooey goodness all to yourself.

Look no further--this Cinnamon Roll Baked French Toast IS the answer when you really want a cinnamon roll but may be feeling a bit on the lazy side. And trust, me that is ok.

Why we love this cinnamon baked French Toast casserole so much:

1. 15 minutes of prep. Seriously. No kneading, no rolling, no waiting for anything to rise--none of that. Simple, no nonsense prep.
2. This cinnamon baked French toast seriously tastes just like a cinnamon roll! You will be so amazed by how incredible this is and how much it actually tastes like cinnamon rolls--only better if you ask me. A lot of similar recipes use actual refrigerated cinnamon roll dough. That is a bit too much for me. I love using brioche bread for a light, buttery flavor that gives you a cinnamon roll like texture.
3. Cream cheese icing. Everything is better with cream cheese. Everything. So easy to whip up while the French Toast is baking.
4. You can make this recipe in advance. If you don't want to do a lot of work the morning you are serving this dish, prepare it the night before. Allow the bread to soak in the egg mixture and absorb it overnight. Just add the butter and cinnamon brown sugar mixture before you bake.

Maybe you are heading into the holidays and want a new morning tradition with the family, or maybe its time! This Pumpkin French Toast Casserole should also be on your list!

What you will need:

• brioche bread: For best results, I recommend using sliced Brioche bread. Second, you want to make sure it is day old--as in let it sit out overnight. This will keep the bread from getting overly soggy when soaked in the egg mixture. Brioche bread, when baked in this recipe has more of the buttery pastry like texture to it you will find in a cinnamon roll. If you don't have any, then use a thicker sliced bread like Texas Toast.
• eggs: large eggs for this recipe
• milk: I recommend whole milk for this cinnamon roll French toast bake--you want the thick, full fat dairy for the richest flavor and texture.
• cream: heavy cream will also add a bit of richness and flavor
• vanilla: vanilla extract is ideal over imitation. You can use a bourbon vanilla extract for a different level of flavor.
• cinnamon: the star ingredient of course--use the kind you love best!
• brown sugar: I opt for light brown sugar but you can use dark if preferred

To make the frosting, you will need: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and on optional pinch of salt.

How to make the best cinnamon roll french toast bake:

To make the very best cinnamon French Toast bake, start out with stale, day old bread. That is the main thing you want to make sure you are using for best results.

Once the bread is cubed and dried out a bit, whisk together the egg mixture (eggs, milk, cream, vanilla) well. Pour it over the bread and gently toss to coat and allow the bread to absorb it as much as possible.

Transfer the egg soaked bread to well greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Arrange it into an even layer and pour over any excess egg from the bottom of the bowl.

From there, drizzle or brush the melted butter over top of the bread. Stir the cinnamon and brown sugar together and sprinkle it over top of the butter drizzled bread, gently pressing it into the bread to moisten it slightly. You can use as little or as much of this as you like--I like a VERY generous amount of the cinnamon and sugar!

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From there, bake the cinnamon French Toast for about 25 minutes or until the top is brown and crispy and the egg has been cooked and absorbed--there shouldn't be any wet spots in the dish.

While the French Toast bakes, use an electric mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and butter for the icing. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Add the vanilla and mix and then slowly mix in the powdered sugar until desired consistency. After removing the baked French Toast from the oven and allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes or, spread the icing over top.

Recipe Notes and Tips:

• The key to this recipe is thick brioche bread that has been sitting out overnight. If you don't have time to do so, bake the bread in the oven for about 30 minutes at 325°F to dry it out. Fresh bread will bread down and become very soggy.
• If you don't like the top of your French Toast too crispy, loosely cover the pan with foil while baking. This will extend the time to bake a bit, but the top will not become as browned. You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to allow it to brown a bit more.
• To store this baked French Toast casserole: Refrigerate leftovers for up to about 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes (if reheating just a couple of slices, not the entire dish.) I imagine it could be great to reheat in an air fryer as well!

Try these other breakfast recipes:

• Cinnamon Cheesecake Stuffed Crescent Wreath
• Blueberry Muffin Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Cinnamon Donuts with Apple Cider Glaze
• The Easiest Homemade Pop Tarts
• Maple Bacon French Toast Muffins

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Recipe Variation:

You can also make this without cutting the bread if preferred and make it using whole slices of bread by doing the following as shown in photos below: