Delicious Baked Raspberry French Toast

If you ask me, baked French toast is one of the smartest breakfast moves you can make.

This make-ahead dish turns sweet Hawaiian bread and juicy raspberries into a morning treat that feels special but doesn’t require you to stand over the stove flipping slices. Cubes of soft bread soak up a custard made with eggs, cream, and warm spices like cinnamon and almond extract.

The raspberries get tucked throughout, bursting as everything bakes together in the oven. A dusting of powdered sugar and drizzle of maple syrup at the end brings it all home.

It’s perfect for feeding a crowd on weekend mornings, and you can prep it the night before.

What Kind of Bread Should I Use?

Hawaiian bread is the star of this recipe, and it’s what gives this French toast its slightly sweet, pillowy texture. You can find it in most grocery stores, usually in the bakery section – King’s Hawaiian is the most common brand and comes in a round loaf that’s perfect for slicing. If you can’t find Hawaiian bread, challah or brioche make great substitutes since they’re also rich and slightly sweet. Just make sure whatever bread you choose is a day or two old rather than fresh from the bakery – slightly stale bread actually soaks up the custard mixture better without falling apart.

Options for Substitutions

This baked french toast is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Hawaiian bread: If you can’t find Hawaiian bread, try brioche, challah, or even thick-sliced white bread. The key is using something slightly sweet and sturdy enough to soak up the custard without falling apart.
• Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half for a lighter version, or mix whole milk with a few tablespoons of melted butter. The texture will be slightly less rich but still tasty.
• Fresh raspberries: Frozen raspberries work great here – just don’t thaw them first or they’ll get mushy. You can also swap in blueberries, blackberries, or sliced strawberries.
• Orange zest: No orange? Lemon zest gives a nice citrus note too, or you can leave it out and add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
• Light brown sugar: Regular granulated sugar works fine if that’s all you have. You’ll lose a tiny bit of that caramel flavor, but it won’t make a huge difference.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with baked French toast is rushing the soaking time – your bread needs at least 20-30 minutes to absorb the custard mixture, or the center will turn out dry while the edges get overcooked.

Be gentle when adding the raspberries between the bread layers, as pressing down too hard will crush them and create a mushy texture instead of pockets of fruit throughout.

Watch your baking time carefully and tent the casserole with foil if the top starts browning too quickly, since Hawaiian bread has a higher sugar content than regular bread and can burn before the inside is fully set.

To check for doneness, insert a knife in the center – it should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, and the internal temperature should reach 160°F for a perfectly cooked, custardy result.

What to Serve With Baked Raspberry French Toast?

This baked french toast is pretty filling on its own, but I love adding some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage on the side for a sweet and savory combo. A simple fruit salad with melon, grapes, and berries is always a good choice if you want to keep things fresh and light. If you’re feeding a crowd for brunch, consider setting out some Greek yogurt and extra maple syrup so everyone can customize their plates. Coffee, fresh orange juice, or mimosas round out the meal perfectly and make it feel like a special occasion.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover baked French toast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The raspberries will soften a bit more over time, but it still tastes great. I like to cut it into individual portions before storing so it’s easy to grab for breakfast throughout the week.

Freeze: This freezes surprisingly well for up to 2 months. Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Just know that the raspberries might release a bit more juice when thawed, but the flavor is still there.

Reheat: Warm it up in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes if it’s from the fridge, or 20-25 minutes if frozen. You can also microwave individual portions for about a minute, though the oven keeps it from getting too soggy. Add fresh powdered sugar and maple syrup right before serving since they don’t reheat well.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4100-4400
• Protein: 90-105 g
• Fat: 195-215 g
• Carbohydrates: 500-540 g

Ingredients

For the french toast:

• 1 loaf hawaiian bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 10 eggs
• 2.75 cups heavy cream
• 12 oz raspberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed tightly)
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

For serving:

• powdered sugar (sifted)
• maple syrup

Step 1: Prepare the Dish and Preheat

• 1 loaf hawaiian bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

While it heats, generously grease a 9×13 inch baking dish (or similar size) with butter or cooking spray.

Cut the Hawaiian bread into 1-inch cubes—you want pieces substantial enough to soak up the custard without falling apart.

Set the prepared dish and bread aside.

Step 2: Build the Custard Base

• 10 eggs
• 2.75 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the 10 eggs, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth.

I like to zest the orange directly into the wet ingredients so the oils distribute evenly throughout—this gives you more bright citrus flavor in every bite.

Let the mixture sit for a minute so the sugar can begin to dissolve.

Step 3: Layer the Bread and Raspberries

• bread cubes from Step 1
• 12 oz raspberries

Spread half of the bread cubes evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish.

Scatter the raspberries over this layer, then top with the remaining bread cubes, distributing them so the berries are nestled throughout.

This layering technique ensures every bite has pockets of fruit rather than all the raspberries sinking to the bottom.

Step 4: Soak the Bread and Assemble for Baking

• custard mixture from Step 2

Pour the custard mixture from Step 2 evenly over the layered bread and raspberries.

Using the back of a spatula or large spoon, gently press down on the bread to help it absorb the liquid—work carefully to avoid crushing the raspberries.

Let the dish sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, occasionally pressing down gently, until the bread has absorbed most of the custard and feels softened when you poke it.

This soaking time is crucial; it transforms the bread into a custardy, French toast-like texture rather than a soggy mess.

Step 5: Top and Bake

• 1/3 cup sugar

Sprinkle the bread evenly with the 1/3 cup of sugar—this will create a light caramelized crust as it bakes.

Transfer the dish to your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (it’s okay if a little custard clings to it).

The center should be set but still have a slight jiggle to it—it will continue to set as it cools.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• powdered sugar
• maple syrup

Remove the baked French toast from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes—I find this helps it hold together when cutting and serving.

Dust generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving to create a beautiful presentation.

Cut into portions and serve warm with maple syrup drizzled on top or on the side for dipping.

Delicious Baked Raspberry French Toast

Delicious Delicious Baked Raspberry French Toast recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 4250

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the french toast

• 1 loaf hawaiian bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 10 eggs
• 2.75 cups heavy cream
• 12 oz raspberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed tightly)
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

For serving

• powdered sugar (sifted)
• maple syrup

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size) with butter or cooking spray. Cut the Hawaiian bread into 1-inch cubes—you want pieces substantial enough to soak up the custard without falling apart. Set the prepared dish and bread aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the 10 eggs, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and smooth. I like to zest the orange directly into the wet ingredients so the oils distribute evenly throughout—this gives you more bright citrus flavor in every bite. Let the mixture sit for a minute so the sugar can begin to dissolve.
3. Spread half of the bread cubes evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Scatter the raspberries over this layer, then top with the remaining bread cubes, distributing them so the berries are nestled throughout. This layering technique ensures every bite has pockets of fruit rather than all the raspberries sinking to the bottom.
4. Pour the custard mixture from Step 2 evenly over the layered bread and raspberries. Using the back of a spatula or large spoon, gently press down on the bread to help it absorb the liquid—work carefully to avoid crushing the raspberries. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, occasionally pressing down gently, until the bread has absorbed most of the custard and feels softened when you poke it. This soaking time is crucial; it transforms the bread into a custardy, French toast-like texture rather than a soggy mess.
5. Sprinkle the bread evenly with the 1/3 cup of sugar—this will create a light caramelized crust as it bakes. Transfer the dish to your preheated 350°F oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean (it's okay if a little custard clings to it). The center should be set but still have a slight jiggle to it—it will continue to set as it cools.
6. Remove the baked French toast from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes—I find this helps it hold together when cutting and serving. Dust generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving to create a beautiful presentation. Cut into portions and serve warm with maple syrup drizzled on top or on the side for dipping.