Cream Cheese Swirl Cinnamon Roll French Toast (Printable version)

Decadent overnight bake combining French toast, cinnamon roll flavors, and creamy cheesecake swirls with banana undertones

# What you need:

→ Bread & Fruit

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (approximately 1 pound)
02 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed

→ Custard

03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 2 cups whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

11 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 large egg yolk
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Topping

15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Steps to follow:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt. Stir in mashed bananas until well combined.
03 - Add bread cubes to the custard mixture and gently toss until all pieces are coated. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow bread to absorb the custard.
04 - In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
05 - Pour half of the soaked bread mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Drop half the cream cheese mixture in dollops over the bread layer. Repeat with remaining bread and cream cheese mixture. Swirl gently with a knife to create a marbled effect.
06 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle or sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
07 - Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
08 - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven preheats.
09 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the center.
10 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • You prep it the night before, which means your morning involves zero stress and maximum deliciousness.
  • It tastes like three different desserts at once—cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, and banana bread all having a party on your plate.
  • One pan feeds a crowd, so hosting brunch suddenly feels manageable instead of chaotic.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight chilling; I made this once for brunch and only let it chill for 2 hours, and the result was watery and fell apart—the bread needs time to fully absorb that custard.
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable; I learned this the hard way when cold cream cheese created lumpy swirls that looked intentional but tasted separate from everything else.
  • The egg yolk in the cream cheese layer is what keeps it creamy after baking; using a whole egg makes it too fluffy and it separates, which sounds fancy but tastes wrong.
03 -
  • If you want extra banana flavor without making the custard too wet, layer thin banana slices between the bread cubes before adding the cream cheese—they stay intact and visible.
  • Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to swirl the cream cheese for cleaner ribbons; cold knives drag and tear instead of cutting smoothly.
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