Description
A rich and custardy breakfast casserole made with bread and topped with crunchy toasted pecans, perfect for gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 loaf of day-old brioche or challah, cubed
- 6–8 large eggs
- 3–4 cups milk or half-and-half
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Optional: 1 tablespoon bourbon or zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and toast pecans for 6-8 minutes until fragrant. Chop and set aside.
- Cube the bread and layer evenly in a 9×13 baking dish, pressing gently.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
- Pour custard over the bread and press down gently to soak. Soak for 30-45 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Mix toasted pecans with melted butter and brown sugar, then sprinkle over the soaked bread.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until the custard is set and the top is golden brown.
- Let the casserole rest for 10-15 minutes before serving with powdered sugar or syrup.
Notes
For best flavor, let the casserole soak overnight. Adjust baking time if using a different pan size.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 150mg