This French toast bake is everything you crave in a cozy, indulgent breakfast – soft, custardy layers of flakey, buttery croissant bread soaked in a fragrant blend of cardamom, banana, and sweet citrus, all topped with crunchy walnuts and toasted coconut. The hint of maple syrup adds warmth, while an optional dusting of confectioner’s sugar makes it feel extra special.

Perfect for a weekend brunch or a make-ahead breakfast, this dish is as quick to pull together as it is delicious. Just prep it the night before, let the flavors mingle, and bake it to golden perfection in the morning. Serve it warm with a drizzle of extra maple syrup and a hot cuppa for the ultimate treat.

I choose clementines for this recipe because they have a sweeter, milder citrus flavor with less acidity than oranges. They also blend smoothly into the custard, adding a delicate brightness without overpowering the other warm flavors like cardamom and banana.

If you want a stronger citrus note, you could use an orange (or even zest some of the peel for an extra burst of flavor). But if you’re looking for a subtle, naturally sweet citrus touch, stick with clementines.

Ingredients:
12 slices thick cut bread, cut into quarters to make triangles (I used croissant bread)
1C milk
1/2C maple syrup
6 large eggs
4oz. cream cheese
1 banana
1 sweet clementine, peeled
1T vanilla
1t powdered cardamom
½C walnuts, chopped
¼-½C unsweetened coconut flakes
optional: 3T non-melting confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:
Lightly toast the walnuts and set aside.

Cut bread into 4 triangles. Stand bread quarters tip up in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top. The bread doesn’t need to be perfectly placed; you’re looking to create peaks where the tops will get nice and toasty and valleys where the walnuts will settle in.

Put all ingredients – except the optional confectioner’s sugar – into a blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour mixture over bread a third at a time to allow the liquid to absorb a bit in between. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350° and butter a 9×9” baking tin or dish. If using a different dish size you will need to adjust your time accordingly. Right before popping it in the oven, top with ¼ – ½C unsweetened flaked coconut. Bake for 40 minutes until toasty on top.

Serve warm. Sprinkle top with confectioner’s sugar if desired.