What do you feed a crowd of hungry holiday guests? The question is a common one around here, and often times the answer lies in a big breakfast or brunch with all of the familiar players: hearty egg dishes, fresh fruit smoothies, crispy bacon, and the real star of the show, French toast.
 My favorite breakfast carb is taking on a citrusy twist with this quick and easy recipe for Orange Baked French Toast featuring your diced bread of choice (Hint: Stale bread works best!) soaked in an orange juice custard flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. And I’ve partnered with the team from not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Orange Juice to bring this recipe from the grocery aisles to your home kitchen.
I’ve swapped my usual custard base of heavy cream for Florida’s Natural Orange Juice, which is made from one single ingredient: oranges! Because it’s made from 100 percent real Florida oranges, the bread soaks up an intensely rich citrus flavor. Best of all, this baked French toast can be prepared up to a night in advance, which takes the stress out of entertaining any size crowd. When you’re ready to dig in, simply pop it into the oven, grab a mimosa, and watch the French toast bake to bubbly perfection before topping it with sliced oranges, a drizzle of maple syrup and a shower of powdered sugar.
Feel free to get creative with the type of bread, opting for anything from a sourdough loaf or French baguette to buttery croissants or whole-wheat boule. And for a kid-friendly spin, divide the bread mixture into muffin tin cups to transform this year-round favorite into the ultimate meal on-the-go!
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Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Florida’s Natural for an exclusive endorsement of not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Orange Juice. This blog post is sponsored by Florida’s Natural®. All opinions are my own.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, for greasing
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh orange zest
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 12 cups of 1-inch bread cubes
- Orange segments, for serving
- Maple syrup, for serving
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with the butter and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add the bread cubes and stir until the bread is well soaked. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, including any remaining liquids, and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake the French toast for 30 to 40 minutes until the custard is fully cooked and the top begins to crisp slightly. Remove the French toast from the oven and top it with the orange segments, maple syrup and powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
Kelly’s Note:
- This French toast can be made, up until the baking point, one day in advance. Cover it securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. When ready to serve, preheat the oven and remove the French toast from the refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap and bake it until it is cooked through.
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Florida’s Natural for an exclusive endorsement of not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Orange Juice. This blog post is sponsored by Florida’s Natural®. All opinions are my own.
Oranges! My most fav fruit! The dish looks so yummy should give a try this week. A Healthy recipe for good vision.
Loved the combination of orange, cinnamon and vanilla. Perfect dish for weekend brunches – thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Patti!