Baked Cinnamon French Toast

Pretty close to 364 days a year I have oatmeal for breakfast. I know I'm boring, but I {heart} oatmeal, for realz! I make my daughter pancakes, but I never eat them.  I couldn't cheat on my steel cut oats :)

This year I am breaking bad and making this during the holidays.  I made it this summer and my daughter really liked it. My in-laws are coming to visit for Christmas and I think they will love this Baked French Toast.  I can be all sneaky and make it the night before, when no one is looking and they'll be so impressed the next morning. Shhh - we'll never tell them how easy it is.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast
recipe from The Pioneer Woman

French Toast:
1 loaf crusty sourdough or french bread

8 whole eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3/4 cups sugar

2 T vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, cut into pieces

Grease a 9 x 13 inch bake dish with butter.  Cut bread into cubes and evenly distribute in the bake dish.  Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla.  Pour evenly over bread.  Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Add butter pieces and cut into dry mixture with a pastry cutter until it resembles tiny pebbles.  Store in a plastic baggie in the fridge.  When you are ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of bread pieces and bake for one hour or until firm.  Spoon out individual portions and top with butter and syrup.