This luscious Strawberry French Toast Bake is an easy make-ahead breakfast that features soft and fluffy french toast, a crispy cinnamon streusel topping with sweet strawberries to finish it off. Regular old French toast has got nothing on this french toast casserole! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free with low carb, paleo, keto, vegan and grain-free options.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Set aside in the fridge.
Lightly grease a 9x9-inch square baking dish or 2.5-quart casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup. Arrange half of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the softened cream cheese over the bread and top with half of the berries.
Layer with remaining bread cubes on top.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, maple syrup (add brown sugar here if using) and vanilla.
Pour evenly over bread cubes. Press the bread cubes slightly down to absorb the milk/egg mixture.
Top evenly with remaining berries. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the berries. Cover pan with foil. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight.
When ready to bake, remove french toast from the fridge. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 23-26 minutes or until fluffy and golden.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with syrup and additional toppings if desired.