Vegetarian Recipes

Baked French Toast

It’s my professional opinion that whenever you dust a baked good with powdered sugar, it becomes instantly classy. So, while you can find all the ingredients needed for my decadent Baked French Toast at your local grocery store, I promise you someone will say “Oooh! Fancy” when you serve it. And you didn’t even need to stand over a hot stove to make it! Instead, it’s baked effortlessly in the oven until soft, custardy, and delicious. You can even prep it the night before and have it ready to go the next morning! I love serving this breakfast casserole with fresh berries for the ultimate breakfast treat.

What is Baked French Toast?

My family loves French toast, but I don’t always love standing at the stove flipping slices of bread. So, I came up with this baked version that’s just as delicious and even easier to make! My baked French toast casserole is similar to bread pudding, but the slices are kept whole. I make it from brioche bread, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and other simple ingredients, then top it with a super easy homemade caramel sauce. It’s the perfect treat for lazy Sunday mornings with the family, potluck brunches, or special occasions like the holiday season or even baby showers!

Here’s what you’ll need to make the BEST baked French toast recipe:

Brioche Loaf: I love the buttery, sweet richness of brioche bread in this recipe. It adds the most decadent flavor and texture. However, other sturdy bread options like challah, sourdough, or French bread will work too! Just note the flavor and texture may vary slightly.
Eggs: Adds a custard-like texture and richness to this oven baked French toast. I specifically use large eggs.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: This is my secret ingredient for making the most indulgent and delicious breakfast treat. It’s super creamy, sweet, and makes each bite even more irresistible!
Milk: Add this to the egg mixture to create a silky smooth custard. It thins out the eggs and sweetened condensed milk, making it easier to soak in the bread.
Cinnamon: My favorite spice for adding warmth and cozy flavor to any recipe. Just a sprinkle into the eggy custard mixture will do the trick!
Caramel Sauce: I make an easy caramel sauce by melting salted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Pour it over the unbaked casserole and watch it transform into a gooey caramel topping in the oven. Trust me, this is the cherry on top of an already delicious dish!
For Serving: I like garnishing this dish with powdered sugar and fresh (or frozen!) berries. The powdered sugar makes it look pretty, and the berries add a little tartness to balance out the sweetness!

Topping & Serving Ideas

If it’s just my family enjoying this dish, I usually keep things simple with powdered sugar and berries. However, if I’m hosting guests or feeling fancy, here are some extra special topping and serving ideas I like to use:

A drizzle of maple syrup (for anyone with a MAJOR sweet tooth)
Topped with any fruit preserves, compotes, or sauces instead of fresh berries, like a homemade strawberry jam or pumpkin butter
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top (breakfast for dessert vibes!)
Chocolate chips or chopped nuts layered between the bread slices
Add blueberries and a streusel topping before baking for a blueberry muffin flavor twist!
Sprinkle over toasted shredded coconut before serving
Serve it alongside air fryer bacon, eggs (any type), and/or breakfast potatoes for a complete brunch spread!

Recipe Success Tips!

Dip, don’t pour! I dip each individual bread slice into the egg mix before layering it in my baking dish. Please don’t pour all the egg mixture on top of the slices at once—it won’t soak through evenly, and you’ll end up with some dry spots!
Make sure your egg and milk mixture is thoroughly combined. Like I suggest in my scrambled eggs recipe, we don’t want to see any streaks or globs of egg whites! Otherwise, you could end up with bits of egg white in your final dish.
Gently heat your caramel sauce until creamy. It only takes about 6-8 minutes to do this; anything longer, and there’s a good chance the caramel will harden up, and we don’t want that.
Don’t worry if your baked French toast doesn’t layer exactly like mine! Just try to stagger the pieces so they overlap slightly while filling the dish as evenly as possible. I actually readjusted my slices about halfway through to better fit my dish—no stress here!
Be sure to use LARGE eggs. I discovered while testing this recipe that 4 large eggs created the perfect ratio of eggs to milk. Anything smaller can make your breakfast casserole soggy as it won’t set up as well.

This recipe for baked French toast can easily be made ahead of time! I’d assemble everything as directed but leave off the caramel sauce until just before baking. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. I’d add a few minutes to the baking time to ensure everything cooks through, as the bread slices and egg mixture will be chilled.

Storing Leftovers

Lucky enough to have some leftovers? Well, I’ve got good news for you! The leftovers are absolutely delicious when warmed up or eaten cold. I’d keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days until you’re ready to enjoy them again. To reheat this breakfast casserole, pop it in the oven at 350F or microwave individual servings until heated through.

Side view of a slice of baked french toast on a white plate.

Baked French Toast Recipe

This easy Baked French Toast recipe is perfectly sweet, with a custardy middle and a gooey caramel sauce topping. So simple, but so delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($11.95 recipe / $1.49 serving)

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 38

Cool Time 10

Total Time 1 3

Servings slices

Calories 689kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Equipment

8×10 Baking Dish

Ingredients

French Toast Ingredients

4 large eggs $1.24
1 can sweetened condensed milk $2.23
½ cup milk $0.09
½ tsp cinnamon $0.04
1 brioche loaf, sliced $3.42

Sauce Ingredients

¾ cup salted butter $1.59
1 ¼ cup brown sugar $1.02
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47

To Garnish

2 Tbsp powdered sugar $0.06
1 cup mixed berries (frozen or fresh!) $1.79

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and butter an 8×10 casserole or baking dish. Whisk together eggs, sweetened condensed milk, milk, and cinnamon.
Gently dip a slice of brioche bread in the egg mixture. I find that brioche absorbs the egg mixture very fast compared to sourdough, so you don’t want it to sit in the mixture; just a quick dip to make sure it’s covered, and then transfer it to a greased 8×10 baking dish.* (Important: See note.)
In a small saucepan, add sauce ingredients: butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and melt over medium heat until creamy and just a little bubbly, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t cook for too long, or it will turn into a tacky caramel instead of a sauce.
Pour warm sauce over the top of dipped and arranged brioche.
Bake uncovered** for 30 min with the 8×10 baking dish on top of a cookie sheet! You may experience some bubbles that run off the side, and you don’t want this delicious breakfast to make a mess in your oven.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, top with powdered sugar and mixed berries.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

* As you’re staggering the slices of bread, you may find it’s easiest to start at the back of the dish and move towards you. Don’t fret too much if you have to readjust the slices. Even if they fall apart, this will all turn into one delicious custard-like loaf once it goes in the oven! (You’ll see from the step photos I readjusted my bread slices about halfway through.)

** If you notice an edge starting to burn or get too dark for your liking, snip off a little piece of tinfoil to cover it while it finishes baking so it doesn’t burn.

Nutrition

Side view of baked french toast, topped with powdered sugar and fresh berries in a casserole dish.

how to make Baked French Toast – step by step photos

Cinnamon, eggs, milk, and condensed milk in a mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 350F and butter an 8×10 casserole or baking dish. Whisk together 4 large eggs, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup milk, and ½ tsp cinnamon.

A hand dipping a slice of brioche into a bowl of egg mixture, next to a casserole dish with slices of dipped bread layered in.

Gently dip a slice of brioche bread in the egg mixture. I find that brioche absorbs the egg mixture very fast compared to sourdough, so you don’t want it to sit in the mixture; just a quick dip to make sure it’s covered, and then transfer it to a greased 8×10 baking dish (Important: See note.)

In a small saucepan, add sauce ingredients: ¾ cup salted butter, 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and melt over medium heat until creamy and just a little bubbly, about 6-8 minutes. Don’t cook for too long, or it will turn into a tacky caramel instead of a sauce.

A hand spooning caramel sauce over the arrange slices of bread in a casserole dish for baked french toast.

Pour warm sauce over the top of dipped and arranged brioche.

Bake uncovered** for 30 min with the 8×10 baking dish on top of a cookie sheet! You may experience some bubbles that run off the side, and you don’t want this delicious breakfast to make a mess in your oven.

A hand sprinkling powdered sugar over baked fresh toast and berries in a casserole dish.

Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, top with 2 Tbsp powdered sugar and 1 cup mixed berries.

Overhead view of a slice of baked french toast on a white plate, drizzled with maple syrup.

This indulgent baked brioche French toast recipe means you can feed a crowd without spending all morning in the kitchen. It’s seriously easy to make, and you can even prepare it ahead of time!

Coffee Cake

$6.31 recipe / $0.70 serving

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

$4.22 recipe / $1.06 serving

Overhead view of overnight oats with various toppings

Overnight Oats (Base Recipe plus Variations)

$1.07 serving

Granola Bars

$7.42 recipe / $0.74 serving

The post Baked French Toast appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Vegetarian Recipes

How to Make Crispy Hash Browns

Potatoes are THE budget-friendly kitchen staple. They’re cheap and can be used in about a bazillion different ways. When I was asked for a tutorial on How to Make Crispy Hash Browns almost 9(!) years ago, I jumped on it. And all these years later, I still use this same method to get perfectly golden, crispy hash browns every time. I love making an indulgent breakfast on the weekends, and this recipe makes the perfect base for what I like to call my ultimate hash browns. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see what I topped them with to take them to the next level. 😉

Overhead view of hashbrowns in a skillet.

“Just made these with frozen hashbrowns. My husband took one bite and asked “Wow, what’s the secret to making them crispy?” I replied with “Beth.” 😂”

Erin

Easy Recipe for Crispy Hash Browns

Just like any breakfast potatoes, I’m sure everyone makes their hash browns differently. BUT, there are three things that I’ve found to be key to making really great golden brown hash browns: rinsing the starch off the potatoes, drying the potatoes well, and using an adequate amount of oil. Yes, that’s right, OIL! If you don’t use enough oil, the potatoes will dry and tend to go from white to burnt. Use enough, and you’ll get crispy yet moist potatoes with a beautiful spectrum of golden brown color.

This recipe only uses 3 simple ingredients (potatoes, oil, and seasoning salt), so each ingredient really matters! That’s why I like to keep things simple and focus on technique. And I’m happy to say this easy recipe has never failed me yet. 😁

Side view close up of crispy hashbrowns cooking in a skillet.

Crispy Hash Browns Recipe

In just a few simple steps, you can learn How to Make Crispy Hash Browns at home. Follow my tricks to make them perfectly crisp and delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost $1.97 recipe / $0.49 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings (1 cup each)

Calories 303kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)* $1.76
4 Tbsp cooking oil, or as needed** $0.16
Seasoning salt to taste $0.05

Instructions

Peel the potatoes, if desired. Use a large-holed cheese grater or food processor to shred the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse well, or until the water runs clear. Let the potatoes drain.
Squeeze the potatoes of their excess water by pressing against the side of the colander or squeezing in your fist. Or, place the potatoes in a clean, lint-free dish towel, roll them up, then press to remove excess moisture.
Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat***. Once hot, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Tilt the skillet to spread the oil over the surface. Add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the surface of the skillet in a solid, yet thin layer (1/2 inch thick or so). Let the potatoes fry, without disturbing, until deeply golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Season lightly with seasoning salt.
Flip the potatoes, and drizzle with additional oil if needed. Let the potatoes cook on the second side without disturbing until golden brown and crispy again. Season lightly on the second side.
If needed, flip and cook one more time to achieve the ratio of brown to white that you like. Repeat the process until all of the potatoes are cooked. Serve hot.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*I use Russet potatoes because they crisp up great in the skillet due to their texture and composition. You can certainly try another type of potato, but just keep in mind waxier varieties might not crisp up the same.

**You must use an oil with a high smoke point, like canola, corn, peanut, or sunflower oil. Butter obviously gives amazing flavor, but the butter solids tend to burn, so you’ll want to use clarified butter or ghee instead. I didn’t have the patience to clarify any butter, so I just used canola oil.

***I always use my 10″ cast iron skillet because it offers non-stick protection while giving really even heat and a nice surface for crisping. While stainless steel is also great for crisping, starchy foods (like potatoes) tend to stick a lot more on stainless, so it can be tricky. If you’re not well practiced with keeping food from sticking on stainless steel, I’d suggest either cast iron or a non-stick skillet.

Nutrition

How to Make Hash Browns step-by-step photos

Clean the potatoes: Start with two russet potatoes (about 2 lbs). You can either scrub them clean and leave the skin on or peel them. Gather the other ingredients.

Shred the potatoes: Use a large-holed cheese grater or a food processor to shred the potatoes. I found that the potatoes shredded fairly easily with the cheese grater, so it wasn’t worth cleaning out the food processor.

Rinse the shredded potatoes: Place the shredded potatoes in a colander and rinse them really, really, really well. The water running from the colander should be clear. Then, let them drain.

Dry the shredded potatoes: Making sure the potatoes are as dry as possible is my secret to keeping them crispy. If they have too much water on them, that water will turn to steam while they cook, which basically steams the potatoes and makes them soft. So, you can either let them drain a long time in the colander, squeeze them dry with your hands, or roll them up in a clean, lint-free towel and press them dry. I chose the towel method.

A hand holding a pot of tony chachere creole seasoning.

Make the hash browns: Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add about a tablespoon of oil. Spread the oil over the surface of the skillet, then add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the bottom of the skillet in a solid but thin layer (only about 1/2 inch thick). You’re shooting for maximum surface contact here, so if they’re packed in there too thick, some won’t touch the skillet…and they’ll generate steam again and make everything mushy.

While the potatoes are cooking, sprinkle on a little seasoning salt. This is the kind I use, but you can use whatever brand you like. I love the little bit of extra flavor and kick that seasoning salt adds to the crispy hash browns compared to just plain salt and pepper.

Hashbrowns cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Now, the key here is to not touch them long enough for them to get really nice and brown and crispy. If you mess around with them, stirring or flipping too often, they won’t form a nice crust, and the long strands will kind of break down. So, LEAVE THEM BE. 😊 Then, once they’re very golden, flip them. You might need to drizzle on a little more oil at this point to help the second side crisp up.

Then, LET THE SECOND SIDE BE until it’s also golden and crispy. Now, depending on how many potatoes you have in the skillet, you may want to flip and cook one last time to get most of the potatoes crispy, but that’s up to you. Some people like a 50/50 ratio of crispy to soft, some people like almost all crispy. Repeat the process a couple more times or until you’ve cooked all the potatoes.

Overhead view of homemade hash browns on a plate, topped with a fried egg, sour cream, avocado, diced tomato, and sliced jalapeño,

These crispy hash browns are great on their own and all, but why not make them ULTIMATE by adding lots of yummy toppings? I did a fried egg, some avocado slices, diced tomato, sliced jalapeño, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream. Waffle House ain’t got nuthin’ on my hash browns.

Serving Suggestions

On those days when I don’t want to add any toppings, I like to serve these homemade hash browns with something equally delicious to make it a complete breakfast! I love piling them up alongside candied bacon for the perfect sweet-and-savory combo. Air fryer hard-boiled eggs are also great because they’re hands-off and cook themselves while I tend to the potatoes! But if I’m feeding a crowd, I’d go for something like a frittata or sheet pan pancakes since they’re both easy to make and can serve a lot of people at once.

Storage & Reheating

Let your leftovers cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil or in the air fryer to crisp them back up again!