Pull-Apart French Toast with Fresh Berries

Pull Apart French Toast is everything you want for a cozy brunch! Made with a whole loaf of French bread, it's golden and crisp on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, and infused with an incredible sweet cinnamon flavor.

Every piece of the French toast pulls apart into sweet, custardy perfection!

Whether it's a lazy Sunday or a special occasion brunch, this dish will wow everyone.

And the bonus is that about 90% of it is made the night before, so in the morning you can get the coffee going, relax, and fully enjoy your time with family and friends. (Brunch should never be rushed!)

Ingredient Notes

• whole round loaf of French bread - Use a one pound loaf of crusty bread that has NOT been sliced.
• unsalted butter - The butter is drizzled between every crack of the bread, and brushed on top for extra crispness.
• eggs - If possible, for the best flavor and texture, I recommend using pasture-raised eggs — they're an ethical choice, too
• sugar - It's French toast, after all. And yes, it can double as dessert.
• half and half and low-fat milk - I use a mixture of these two, and it's deliciously rich. For an even richer result, use all half and half or whole milk.
• cinnamon and pure vanilla extract - The earthy, warm flavor of the cinnamon and the sweet, floral flavor of the vanilla are infused into every bite.
• kosher salt - I cook and bake with kosher salt - I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half of the amount.)
• fresh berries - Half of the berries bake with the French toast and half are for garnish. Use any fresh berries you like.
• powdered sugar - This recipe is sweet enough without this, but dusting it with the powdered sugar is very pretty.
• maple syrup - This is up to you. While the French toast is already sweet, the touch of maple flavor is lovely.

My Pull-Apart French Toast Method

- In a small to medium-sized saucepan, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt until smooth. Then add the vanilla and cinnamon and whisk. Finally, pour in the milk and half and half and whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over low-medium heat and whisk gently while warming it just enough to dissolve the sugar. This should only take a couple of minutes.

Recipe Tip: Do not use high heat to dissolve the sugar. We don't want to heat this mixture too long or over heat that’s too high, or the eggs will begin to cook.

- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into approximately 1-inch squares, going almost to the bottom, but do not cut all the way through the bread. (For the 1-pound loaf, you'll make about 6 slices in each direction.) Place it in a casserole dish as close to the size of the loaf as possible.

- Use your fingers or a dull knife to pry open each crack and drizzle in the melted butter. Use the entire ½ cup portion here, drizzling very slowly so it makes its way between all of the cracks, and be sure it coats the surface of the soft crumb, and isn't going straight to the bottom.

- Now, about ⅓ cup at a time, pour in the egg mixture in exactly the same way. Wait for it to be soaked up by the bread each time before adding more. Once you've used it all, use a spoon to repeat this with any of the mixture that has leaked out into the pan. Keep doing this until it has all been soaked into the bread.

Recipe Tip: For the most ease, both the melted butter and the egg mixture should be poured from a glass or plastic measuring cup with a spout.

Do not rush this process, as getting all of the inside of the bread soaked is key to the deliciousness of this recipe. It's absolutely worth every minute!

- Cover the pan with foil and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and ideally overnight.

- Preheat the oven to 350°F.

- After the bread has soaked, carefully place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. It will have spread open a bit. Then, cover it with foil, gently moving the pieces and shaping it back into its original form.

- Place in the 350°F preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

- Remove the foil and add about half of the berries between the cracks, as evenly as possible. Then use a pastry brush to coat the crust with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter.

- Return it to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 25 minutes. When it's done, it should be golden on top and you shouldn't see any uncooked egg.

- Place on a platter, drizzle with maple syrup and dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Variations

• Fruit options. Feel free to make this with or without the fruit. It's also delicious with sliced bananas on top with the maple syrup.
• Breads. Pull apart French toast is also fantastic with sourdough bread, which you can also usually get in 1-pound whole loaves. I've also made it with Challah bread, which makes for a gorgeous presentation - it's excellent, though the texture is quite different since it's a much softer bread. (If you choose to do this, only soak it for 2 hours.)

Making it Ahead and Storage

• You can prep this entire recipe a day ahead of time, and bake it about an hour before serving time. I don't recommend baking it ahead, as it's especially scrumptious right out of the oven.
• Leftovers (which are unlikely!) should be stored in an airtight container and reheated in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Make Pull-Apart French Toast with Berries for Brunch and serve it with an easy fruit dish and a make-ahead savory casserole. Below are delicious ideas:

• Grapefruit Brûlée
• Rosemary Marinated Oranges
• Poblano Egg Sausage Casserole
• Potato and Egg Florentine Casserole

Other Must-Try Unique French Toast Recipes

I hope you love this as much as my family and I do!