Cream Cheese Swirl Cinnamon Roll (Printable)

Rich overnight breakfast casserole with cream cheese swirl and cinnamon sugar topping

# What Goes In:

→ Bread Base

01 - 1 large loaf brioche or challah bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
03 - 6 large eggs
04 - 1.5 cups whole milk
05 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
06 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar
07 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Cream Cheese Swirl

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 large egg yolk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping

16 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
17 - 0.33 cup light brown sugar
18 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# How to Make It:

01 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Arrange half of the cubed bread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
04 - Pour half of the custard mixture over the bread cubes, pressing gently to ensure thorough soaking.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Dollop by spoonfuls over the soaked bread.
06 - Top with remaining bread cubes, then pour the remaining custard over top. Gently press to ensure all bread is thoroughly moistened.
07 - Mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle or dot evenly over the casserole.
08 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, ideally 8 hours overnight.
09 - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats.
10 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
11 - Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with maple syrup or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It does all the heavy lifting the night before, so you're basically just baking breakfast at a civilized hour.
  • That cream cheese swirl hidden in the middle feels fancy but tastes like pure comfort, no fancy technique required.
  • One casserole feeds a crowd, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying actual food with people you like.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight chill because bread needs time to absorb the custard fully, otherwise you'll bite into dry corners no matter how much filling you used.
  • Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable because cold cream cheese won't blend smoothly and you'll end up with grainy pockets instead of creamy swirls.
  • If your knife comes out wet with custard rather than moist with crumbs, give it another 5 minutes because underbaked eggs in the center are a food safety issue worth avoiding.
03 -
  • Let your cream cheese and eggs sit at room temperature before mixing because cold ingredients make lumpy sauces and nobody wants that in their breakfast.
  • If you're short on time, the minimum chill is 6 hours, but overnight really does make a measurable difference in how the bread absorbs the custard and how cohesive the whole thing feels when you slice it.
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