Monkey Bread French Toast (Kneaders Chunky French Toast Copycat) Recipe (2024)

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If you love French toast, you’ll flip over this recipe for chunky, overnight, baked French Toast! This is the superhero version of your favorite breakfast toast made with THICK slices of monkey bread, delicious cinnamon and brown sugar swirled throughout, and an unbelievable caramel syrup to top it off.

Monkey Bread French Toast (Kneaders Chunky French Toast Copycat) Recipe (1)

If you’ve never had Kneader’s Bottomless French Toast, then you haven’t lived! It’s only the all-time best breakfast food to ever grace the planet. And I’m not exaggerating.

Basically, what you’re looking at here is the thickest EVER French toast. And it’s not made out of regular slices of “thick” bread.Oh no. This French toast is made out of big, thick, fresh slices ofmonkey bread.

You know what I’m talking about right? If you’ve never had monkey bread, check out my Cinnabon Monkey Bread and then get right back here. Because if you think monkey bread is good, BUCKLE UP– this Monkey Bread French Toast is going to blow. your. mind.

Monkey Bread French Toast (Kneaders Chunky French Toast Copycat) Recipe (2)

With French toast this thick, you can’t simply dunk it in a milk-egg mixture and plop it on a frying pan. You’d end up with an egg-y, undercooked mess! Instead, we’re going to simplypour the milk-egg mixture over the bread and let it soak overnight before baking it.

Essentially what I’m saying is: not only does this French toast taste better than any other French toast you’ve ever had in your life– it’s actually EASIER to make too!

I adore overnight French toast. It’s easy, it’s classy for a crowd, and it always melts right in your mouth (this Overnight Blueberry French ToastOMG).

Monkey Bread French Toast (Kneaders Chunky French Toast Copycat) Recipe (3)

If you’ve had the privilege of eating Kneader’s French Toast, then you know it absolutely must be served withhomemade whipped cream, a sliced strawberry, and their signature caramel syrup.

Promise meyou won’t make this French toast only to top it with maple syrup and canned whip cream. Promise me!! If you’re going to the effort of making the monkey bread from scratch (which we are), waiting overnight for the bread to soak (which we are), then you have to, have to,have to get the full experience and eat it with the whipped cream, the strawberry, and the caramel syrup.

It’s just so, SO worth it.

Monkey Bread French Toast

Yield: 8 thick slices

If you love French toast, you'll flip over this recipe for chunky, overnight, baked French Toast! This is the superhero version of your favorite breakfast toast made with THICK slices of monkey bread, delicious cinnamon and brown sugar swirled throughout, and an unbelievable caramel syrup to top it off.

Ingredients

For the Bread Dough:

1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (think warm bath water)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups flour

For the Monkey Bread Coating:

1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon

For the French Toast:

6 eggs
2-1/2 cups milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter, cubed

Caramel Syrup:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Make the Monkey Bread Loaf:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Proof the yeastusing the oil and sugar.
Mix the salt into the flour in a stand mixer bowl.
After the yeast has proofed, add the yeast mixture to the flour. Knead with bread hook until a dough forms, and then continue kneading for an additional 5-6 minutes until dough is elastic.
Cover and let rise for about 10 minutes. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying generously with nonstick cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper.
Divide dough into 32 small pieces. Dip each piece into the melted butter, and then roll the buttered piece of dough in the cinnamon sugar before placing it in the prepared loaf pan. Repeat with all the remaining dough.
Bake loaf for 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and feels set in the middle.
Let cool COMPLETELY before slicing into 8 slices.

Prepare the Baked French Toast:

Generously spray a 10x15 baking dish with cooking spray and layer with parchment paper. Layer the 8 slices of bread into the prepared dish.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pour mixture over the bread slices.
Layer the cubes of butter over the slices of bread. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours or overnight until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the bread.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown.

Make the Caramel Syrup:

Over medium-high heat, whisk together the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat immediately and serve over French toast.