Pantry Challenged: CINNAMON ROLL CASSEROLE
This is a GREAT assemble-the-night-before dish to pop in the oven first thing in the morning. Don’t feel obligated to these exact amounts: meaning if you’ve got only 7 or 8 eggs to spare, up the milk a little, or use less bread. You can substitute half and half or cream for milk, use any sugar or sweetener like honey or maple syrup in the bread mixture, or use salted butter if that’s what you’ve got. While I think the ratios below work the best, this recipe is one of the most “forgiving” when it comes to baking.
CINNAMON ROLL CASSEROLE
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For Bread Mixture:
10 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 cups stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used Ciabatta but French or Challah work great also. You can also use English muffins, bagels, hot dog buns…ANY bread will do!)
For Cinnamon Sauce:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
For Glaze:
3 Tablespoons cream cheese (you can sub with butter for a total of 6 Tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 Tablespoons milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Add cut up bread cubes and combine until fully coated in liquid. Pour into greased baking dish. At this point, continue on, or you can cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
In a small bowl, make Cinnamon Sauce by combining all ingredients, mix well and drizzle evenly over bread mixture.
Bake casserole for 35-40 minutes until top is a light golden brown and the center is set and not jiggly.
While casserole is baking, make glaze using a stand or hand mixer and beat cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar together. (I recommend sifting the powdered sugar to prevent lumps.) Once combined, add vanilla and use just enough milk that glaze is not stiff and can be easily drizzled. .
Drizzle glaze over bread casserole using a spoon or you can put glaze in a plastic baggie, cut a tiny corner off and drizzle over entire casserole.
Serve warm.
