Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast

For the ultimate crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch dish, check out this Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast. Made with thick slices of French bread, a creamy layer of sweetened cream cheese, and juicy fresh strawberries, it’s everything you love about strawberry cheesecake—baked into a warm, delicious French toast casserole. Best part? You make it the night before so that all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven.

This recipe is perfect for planning a holiday brunch, a family gathering, or for when you want to treat yourself to something special on the weekend. Like my Baked French Toast, this make-ahead breakfast casserole feeds a crowd, comes together easily in a 13 x 9” baking dish, and is bursting with flavor in every bite.

It’s also super easy to reduce by half into a 9 x 9″ baking dish, like I did in the photos. Just go to the recipe card and change the servings from 12 to 6.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Make-Ahead Friendly – Assemble the night before and bake in the morning.
• Perfect for a Crowd – Serves a lot of people easily in a 13 x 9” baking dish.
• Strawberry Cheesecake Vibes – Creamy, fruity, and indulgent.
• Simple Ingredients – No hard-to-find items; just fresh, classic flavors.

Making Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast

Decide how much you want to make — the full recipe fills a 13 x 9″ baking dish and feeds anywhere from 12 – 18 people depending.

Shown in the pictures, I cut it in half, which fits perfectly in a 9 x 9″ baking dish. This size feeds 4 – 6 people.

As I mentioned, to cut the recipe in half, just go to the recipe card and change the servings from 12 to 6.

Ok, then…onto the recipe.

Grease the bottom and sides of your baking dish.

Next, make the cheesecake layer by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar, just one of the eggs, and the lemon juice. Once combined, set aside for now.

Then, in another bowl, mix the remaining eggs, milk, cream, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon until well combined. Set that one aside, too.

Moving onto the bread. Cut the bread into 1-inch thick slices and layer the bottom of the dish. It doesn’t have to be super tight, but there shouldn’t be any gaps either.

Then, spread half the cheesecake layer over the top of the bread, then add half the sliced strawberries. Repeat these layers of bread, cheesecake, then strawberries.

Pour the egg mixture over the top and cover with foil. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, overnight is best.

When you’re ready to bake it, take the Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast out of the refrigerator while the oven is preheating. Leave the foil on for the first 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes.

Serve your French toast with some maple syrup and optional powdered sugar sprinkled over the top.

Tips for Success

• Use day-old bread: Slightly stale French bread absorbs the egg mixture better without becoming mushy.
• Fresh strawberries are best, but you can use frozen (thawed and drained) in a pinch.
• Chill at least 8 hours for the best texture—overnight is ideal.
• Add-ins? A handful of white chocolate chips or a few dollops of strawberry jam add even more decadence.

Make It Your Own

This Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast is easy to customize. Try swapping strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or even peaches for a seasonal twist. You can also use brioche or challah bread for an extra rich version. My favorite is to add more cinnamon between the layers. Yum!

Bring on Breakfast

Whether it’s breakfast in bed or a fancy brunch with family, it’s nice to start the day with something delicious. Check out these recipes that should make you smile:

• Baked French Toast (with a buttery brown sugar crumble on top)
• Strawberry Scones
• Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
• Pineapple Cream Cheese Bites
• Spiked Cinnamon Rolls

Or, just click on “Breakfast” under the “Recipes” tab at the top. That should really make you smile.

If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.

Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast

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In the meantime, I hope you have yourself a blessed day.