French Toast Bake
Bread cubes soaked in a cinnamon egg custard and baked until puffed — breakfast for dinner at well under $5 total.
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) baking dish.
Tear or cut the bread into rough 2–3 cm cubes and spread them in the baking dish.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until combined.
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Press down gently with a spatula so all the bread absorbs the custard.
Let it soak 5 minutes while the oven finishes preheating.
Drizzle the top with maple syrup or sprinkle with a little extra brown sugar if using.
Bake 30–35 minutes until the top is golden and the center is set. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Cut into portions directly in the pan.
No Name white bread at $2.48 makes this one of the cheapest recipes on the site. The whole loaf goes in.
- Six eggs is a lot, but it is what makes the custard generous enough to soak a full loaf. Do not cut it to four.
- 250 mL is just over a cup of milk — about one-sixteenth of a 4L jug ($5.98). Use whatever is in the fridge.
- Serve with whatever is cheap — extra brown sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon, jam, or nothing. It works.
Estimated values per serving.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.
- Replace white sandwich bread with gluten-free sandwich bread (same weight) (GF bread typically $6–8 per loaf, which would push this over budget. Best to skip.)
This recipe depends entirely on bread, so a GF version is not practical at this price point.