Elevate Your French Toast Bakes With These Unexpected Mix-Ins

Picture this: it's a nice, cozy Sunday morning. You got to sleep in a bit and you have a fresh pot of coffee brewing. You're still in your pajamas and plan to snuggle up under a big, fluffy blanket with a new book. But before that, you want to make a delicious breakfast. You find some nice, crusty bread on the counter to make a French toast bake — but what should you mix into the recipe? The options are seemingly limitless, so to make it easier just ask the expert! Kyle Mendenhall, the Senior Director of Culinary Innovation at Snooze A.M. Eatery has some ideas starting with the soak itself.

"I love to use cardamom and nutmeg in my custard soak (along with cinnamon)," Mendenhall told The Takeout. It's a great suggestion because the combination really adds some warmth to the flavors mixed into the whole casserole and the cardamom in particular adds an unexpected minty and citrusy punch. You can also add a splash of vanilla or almond extract to elevate the dish further. If you're really getting creative, you can also add in a splash of bourbon or some brown sugar for more depth in the actual soak for the bread. You might even try adding some vanilla pudding mix to your custard. Heck, why not try it all and report back?

Kyle Mendenhall, who knows a thing or two about creating outstanding breakfast dishes, also has ideas for more substantial mix-ins for your next French toast bake. He suggests adding some chocolate chips for extra sweetness. To that end, we'd also recommend adding any combination of your favorite berries or bananas. You can even add a little fall inspiration by swapping out berries for some thinly sliced apples, or even some pumpkin puree and sugar-coated pecans. Any sort of nut or seed could be a nice addition here as well.

While it may seem especially unexpected, your French toast bake doesn't need to lean sweet. If you're more of a savory person, Mendenhall recommends adding some bacon bits into the mix to make it feel more like a full meal. Keep in mind, though, that making your own bacon and crumbling it up into bits will always taste superior to jarred bacon bits, even if they're real bacon. The same could be said for any type of breakfast sausage, chorizo, or veggie sausage, as long as you cut it up into bite-sized pieces and thoroughly mix it into the casserole before baking it. And we saved Mendenhall's most unique idea for last! Try adding in some chili crunch to up the spicy level and the texture of your cozy breakfast meal.