you're making mealtime meaningful.
Of all the sweet breakfast options out there, french toast is probably my favorite. Really, any opportunity to drench my food in maple syrup is going to be a win in my book, but there’s just something about the silky, eggy texture of french toast that I love. The classic skillet french toast truly is a work of culinary art, there’s just one thing I don’t love about it– standing over the stove all morning.
If you’ve got a house full of guests, making french toast for everyone can be a real endeavor. And often one that results in you being the last to eat. We’ve got a delicious solution to that problem: our Hawaiian French Toast Bake.
This make-ahead breakfast bake has made our life a whole lot easier! Going all in on the Hawaiian theme, we start things out with everyone’s favorite: King’s sweet rolls. Stale bread always works best for french toast so feel free to leave them out for a few hours before you start in on the recipe.
When you’re ready for preparation, cut or tear the rolls into small pieces and arrange half of them in the bottom of a casserole dish. You’re then going to load the dish up with crushed pineapple and shredded coconut. Spread the rest of the bread on top, then pour a mixture of eggs, milk, and vanilla over everything. At this point, you’ll want to refrigerate the casserole overnight, or for at least 5 hours.
When morning rolls around, all you have to do is make up a quick streusel topping (which could also be made the night before), and pop this beauty in the oven for about 40 minutes. If the top is getting a little too crispy for your liking, I suggest covering it with tinfoil for the last 10-15 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the center is set and no longer jiggles.
Voilá, breakfast is served! Whipped cream, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and additional pineapple and coconut all make for tasty toppings. Breakfast for a crowd has never been easier!
Hawaiian French Toast Bake
Yield(s): Serves 10-12
20m prep time
40m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 package Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 1 20oz can crushed pineapple with juices
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: additional pineapple and coconut, whipped cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar
Topping
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), chilled and cubed
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Preparation
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Cut or tear the Hawaiian rolls into small pieces. Line the bottom off the baking dish with roughly half of the bread.
- Top the layer of bread with the crushed pineapple and coconut.
- Spread the rest of the bread pieces across the top of the dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the casserole and refrigerate overnight, or a minimum of 5 hours.
- When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the flour, brown sugar, butter, and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Use a fork or your hands to cut the mixture together until it’s crumbly in texture.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the dish and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center no longer jiggles.
- Serve warm with desired toppings.
Recipe Adapted from Alattefood.com