This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Danone and The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

Winter is upon us, in all its crisp, cold glory. These are the days that begin by hiding under duvets for a few (or more) extra minutes before we brave wood floors with bare feet, before we tiptoe into slippers and wool socks before we brew our favorite coffee with heightened eagerness to wrap our fingers around warm mugs. These are the days we crave all things cozy, especially a breakfast that promises to warm from within.

Whether it’s an easy breakfast that feeds our family for days, or the perfect prep-ahead brunch when entertaining or hosting house guests, this Baked Brioche French Toast is a nod at winter’s arrival, a simple, yet comforting breakfast that will keep you and yours snug, giving you back morning minutes to savor with those around you, guaranteed to make your home smell like the holidays.

This recipe is simple and will satisfy those gathered around your table. The brioche adds an eggy sweetness to this recipe (hence, I only used 1/8 cup sugar in the recipe), but could easily be replaced with your favorite loaf bread (add additional sugar to your liking). French toast is a homemade breakfast that’s halfway cheating since you don’t [usually] make your own bread. But it’s just as satisfying as a 100% from-scratch recipe. A win-win, and perfect for when you want to spend quality time with friends and family.

You can assemble this recipe ahead of time, and simply refrigerate it uncooked & covered overnight. It needs to be chilled for at least two hours, so unless you want to wake up super early, I recommend the overnight refrigeration. 

When you serve this Baked Brioche French Toast, make sure you brew a cuppa hot coffee. Our favorite from Target right now is this 1850™ Medium Roast Pioneer Blend Whole Bean Coffee, served with Horizon Organic Half & Half, with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. And, by the way, you can save up to 20% on participating coffee & creamer products with the Cartwheel app until 12/22!

Happy holiday baking & sipping!

Baked Brioche French Toast
adapted from Martha Stewart
serves 4-6

Ingredients
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
¾ cup Horizon Organic Half & Half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ cup sugar
1 tsp butter, for coating baking dish
12 slices brioche, sliced about a ¾ inch thick, either day-old or dried out in the oven

Directions
Start with day-old brioche, or dry it out in the oven for 15 minutes on 200 degrees.

Beat eggs in medium-sized mixing bowl. Add milk, half and half, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar, and mix completely.

Coat 9″ x 13″ baking dish with butter, then gently soak each slice of brioche in the custard mixture. Layer in the pan. Cover with foil, then refrigerate for at least two hours, up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Tightly cover baking dish with foil, then bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve with real maple syrup and a piping hot cuppa 1850™ Medium Roast Pioneer Blend Whole Bean Coffee with Horizon Organic Half & Half, the perfect combination for a wintry morning.

Sponsor Note: Although this post was sponsored by Danone and The J.M. Smucker Company, all content, words, and ideas are my own. Thanks for supporting the partnerships that help keep this blog running.