Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast

PinSaveJUMP to RECIPE

This post may contain affiliate links.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French ToastThe smell of maple syrup, bananas, and bread baking is almost as good as the way the French toast tastes.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

Hawaiian Bread is one of my favorite breads. Lightly sweetened and so light and soft.

And I can now definitively say, it makes stellar French toast.

My grandma used to buy Hawaiian bread and I remember being a kid and pulling off hunks from the round loaves and enjoying the extreme fluffiness. No butter, no jelly, just super soft bread. I used to squish it into bread marbles and toss my marbles into the air and try to catch them in my mouth. I wasn’t ever very successful but the three-second rule applied.

Some people suggest making French toast or bread pudding with stale or at least day-old bread, but I’m not so sure. I dislike anything that’s hard, dry, or tough and starting with something dried out and old doesn’t give me warm and fuzzy feelings. The exception is for overnight breakfast bakes, when using a firmer bread is advantageous so it stands up to an all night marinating session.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

For this French toast, I started out with a soft, fresh 0ne-pound round of King’s Hawaiian Original Sweet Round Bread. I diced it into chunky cubes, one to two inches each. You could tear if that’s faster for you. The soft, tender bread is like a little sponge, perfect for soaking up the sweet, buttery marinade.

To make the marinade, melt one stick of butter, add two eggs, milk, maple syrup, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, optional salt, and whisk. I love recipes where you just pile everything into a bowl and whisk it up quickly, and this is that kind. I was happy to keep the egg count to only two. Two eggs in an entire batch of French Toast is pretty impressive and compared to bread pudding, or other baked French toast recipes I’ve seen, some easily approach a half dozen or more.

The milk can be regular, coconut, cashew, almond, soy; or half-and-half or cream if you want to splurge. If you don’t keep certain spices on hand, or would prefer pumpkin pie spice, more cloves or ginger (allspice has traces), feel free to mix and match. Going on the heavier-handed side with the spices is a good idea because this is a pound of neutral-flavored bread, and it needs to be properly spiced so the French toast isn’t bland.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

After whisking together the batter mixture, add the sliced bread and diced banana pieces. I diced two medium, ripe bananas into small pieces and folded them in while folding in the bread. At this time, feel free to fold in optional ingredients like raisins, coconut flakes, blueberries (fresh or frozen), or another favorite fruit like diced apples, peaches, or mango.

Toss the bread and bananas gently to coat them evenly before transferring the saucy mixture into a foil-lined prepared pan. It’s amazing that in just a matter of minutes, the bread soaks up all that marinade. It’s very thirsty.

Lightly smooth and press the mixture down into the pan. I don’t compact it (that’s bread pudding) and keep it looser, like pull-apart French toast. However, make sure not to leave any bread corners or pieces jutting up because they’ll be prone to burning.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

You can make this recipe as a make-ahead/overnight option and place the assembled pan in the refrigerator overnight. However, assembly comes together in literally 5 minutes. If you’re doing it as a make-ahead option, use a crusty, heartier bread that won’t disintegrate overnight, like a French baguette.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and set. Because the recipe begins using cooked bread and all you’re doing is baking in those comforting flavors, don’t overbake. It’ill firm up as it cools and I prefer to preserve the Hawaiian bread softness. Baking times will vary based on the absorbancy of your bread, oven variance, and personal preference. Making sure it’s set and not sloppy in the middle of the pan is the goal.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

I sliced the French toast into 9 very generous pieces, or just scoop it out with a spoon. I served it with slightly warmed maple syrup and Vanilla Maple Butter, which is heavenly.So many people thought it was orange juice in my last post about it so I didn’t showcase it here in the photos, but it’s highly recommended. I love syrup, and sauces of any kind, and although there’s some baked into it, a little extra on top never hurt.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

I am not normally much of a breakfast person. Okay, let’s rephrase; I’m not a breakfast in the morning person, but breakfast-for-dinner is great. I served this as brinner (breakfast-for-dinner), along with eggs for Scott and Skylar, and it was met with rave reviews. I sprinkled a little salt on the eggs and on the French toast. That hint of salt, contrasted with the sweet of the maple and the bananas, was the perfect salty-and-sweet vibe. There’s a reason salty bacon, sausage and eggs are served with sweet pancakes and French toast. The combo works.

While baking, the sugars in the marinade caramelized around the edges and on the sides of the bread, adding both flavor and texture. There’s a softly-crusted exterior, while the soft, fluffy Hawaiian bread interior is retained. The maple flavor intensified, and the cinnamon and spices, not only flavor the bread, but perfumed the house while it baked. There is nothing quite like luscious smell of maple syrup, cinnamon, bananas, and bread baking. It’s the holy grail of Good House Smells.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

The sweetness of the bananas intensified while baking and their texture morphed into little banana nuggets with much more texture and chewiness. Nothing like what happens to bananas in banana bread where they are soft and mushy.The bananas here were almost like Dehydrated Bananas and remind me of what happens to bananas that are laid to bake on the top of bread, like in this Strawberry Banana Bread or Peanut Butter Banana Bread.

The leftover French toast squares can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days, like you’d store muffins, banana bread, or coffee cake. After cooling, I was pleasantly surprised how it turned more bar-like rather than a messy casserole, making it easy to wrap up like a muffin, and toss into lunch pails. The sticky factor diminished as the days passed and the sauciness soaked in. I’m sure it would freeze well, wrapped individually in plasticwrap, like pancakes and loaves of bread freeze well. It would sure beat a frozen Pop-Tart.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

Although it’s filling, it’s not as heavy as you’d imagine, thanks to the lightness of the Hawaiian bread. And it sure is comforting and satisfying.

Please pass the syrup.

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast averiecooks.com

Pin This Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Hawaiian Bread and Maple Banana Baked French Toast

By Averie Sunshine
Assembly takes just 5 minutes, but French toast can be prepared as a make-ahead/overnight recipe if desired. Hawaiian Bread is so light, soft, and fluffy, and is the perfect sponge to soak up a sweet, buttery marinade. The marinade contains brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and spices, and gently and warmly flavors the bread and the diced banana bits. While baking, the bread caramelizes, and develops a slightly crusted exterior, yet retains a soft, tender interior. The bananas turn extra chewy and their flavor intensifies and takes on hints of maple. The smell of maple syrup, bananas, and bread baking is almost as good as the way the French toast tastes.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 9
Save this recipe to your email
Enter your email and we’ll send it to you!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk or cream, regular, soy, almond, cashew, etc.
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • â…“ cup maple syrup - heaping
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
  • optionally add: about 1/2 cup raisins, blueberries (fresh or frozen), diced apples, peaches, or mangoes; coconut flakes
  • 1 pound Hawaiian Bread, diced in 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces, see substitutions below
  • 2 medium ripe bananas, diced small (about 1 1/2 cups loosely measured banana bits)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute (or use browned butter. Allow the butter to cool momentarily so you don't curdle the milk or scramble the eggs.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to the butter, except for the bread and bananas, and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the bread cubes, bananas, and toss gently to coat.
  • Transfer mixture to baking pan, pressing it down just slightly with a spatula to even and smooth it, but I leave it fairly loosely piled (unlike bread pudding which is packed down). Push down any bread corners or sides that are jutting up so they don't burn. Scrape out any marinade in the bottom of the bowl and pour that over the bread.
  • Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and browned, and the marinade has dried out some, taking care not to overbake as you want this moist. The coating does not have to be bone dry on all pieces. Serve immediately by slicing into pieces (I made 9 generous squares) or scoop with a serving spoon.
  • Serve with Vanilla Maple Butter, warm maple syrup, a dusting of confectioners' sugar, a sprinkle of salt (my husband loved the salty-and-sweet) or plain. Store extra French Toast in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, reheating gently in the microwave prior to serving with a drizzle of syrup; or freeze for up to 2 months. French toast becomes less sticky as the days pass, making it easy to wrap up like muffin for a portable snack.
  • If making this as a make-ahead/overnight option, assemble, cover pan with foil, and refrigerate for up to 16 hours before baking. Remove foil, and bake as directed, possibly extending baking time past what's suggest (30 to 35 minutes) since pan and contents are starting out cold from the fridge.

Notes

You can use Challah bread as a Hawaiian bread Substitute
If making this as an overnight/make-ahead option, use French bread, a French Baguette, or a crusty and hearty bread that can stand up to overnight soaking without disintegrating

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 116mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 44g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Related Recipes:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Overnight Pull-Apart French Toast with Vanilla Maple Butter – A make-ahead version of today’s recipe, robustly flavored with pumpkin, maple, cinnamon. Robustly flavored, very comforting, and for me, pumpkin knows no seasons

Pumpkin Cinnamon Overnight Pull-Apart French Toast with Vanilla Maple Butter

Challah – I cannot say enough good things about this bread. It’s so easy to make, it’s no-knead, you can make it up to 1 week in advance, baking off only what you need at any time. It turns out so soft, fluffy, light, and almost croissant-like. Highly recommended

Challah bread

Overnight Buttermilk Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting – The softest, fluffiest, and best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had, with a make-ahead option so you don’t have to get up at 5am to start them

Overnight Buttermilk Soft and Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Butter – Make your own English muffins in this foolproof, no-knead, easy yeast bread that’s great for beginners and first-time breadmakers. You’ll never go back to storebought English muffins and the worst that can happen is you use the leftovers for French toast

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Butter

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Glaze – I’ll never tire of pumpkin recipes and this one pairs pumpkin bread with banana bread for a soft, tender loaf that’s pumpkin, maple, and molasses-flavored

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Glaze

Honey Dinner Rolls – My favorite recipe for dinner rolls. They’re soft, fluffy yet chewy, buttery, and sweetened with honey. Easy to make and always a hit

Honey Dinner Rolls

Brown Sugar Maple Cookies – If you like maple, brown sugar, and rich and warming flavors, these are the soft, dense and chewy cookies for you. No chocolate or peanut butter, just pure maple-brown sugar flavors shining

Brown Sugar Maple Cookies

30 Favorite Banana Bread and Banana Recipes – For those who can’t get enough banana bread and banana recipes, from breads to smoothies to bars

30 Favorite Banana Bread and Banana Recipes collage

Do you like Hawaiian Bread? French Toast? Banana Bread?

Feel free to share your favorite recipe links.

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

Get the latest recipes via email!

Leave a Comment

Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I made this for my husband and myself this morning and it was delicious. I used home made Hawaiian bread and a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar. Loved the addition of bananas. Very easy to put together, will definitely be preparing this French toast again! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Thanks for LKM you tried it, Julie, and that you both loved it and will make it again! I am impressed you used homemade Hawaiian Bread! It’s on my bucket list of recipes to tackle and have read a few online and can’t decide which to use. If you have a particular recipe you use, I’d love to hear about it! Thanks again for trying this recipe!

      1. Hey Averie, it was my first time making the Hawaiian bread. Like you, I found several different recipes online. The one I tried was pretty simple, some recipes include instant potato flakes which would be interesting. Good luck! And if you find a keeper, please post!

  2. Love, love, LOVE me some hawaiian bread. And this baked french toast is just what I need before going to work!

  3. I just had a tooth pulled so looking at this is torture! (I can’t have solid foods for another day or so.) Boy would I love to have this for my first meal. :D

    P.S. I just pre-ordered your cookbook! xo

    1. Thanks for the preorder and ouch!! on that tooth! I hope you have a good weekend and heal up fast!

  4. I’ve never had Hawaiian bread but I am never one to turn down french toast! I love the idea of overnight breakfasts. I’m not a big breakfast person but mostly because I hate getting up and cooking first thing. It just throws off my morning schedule, especially if I want to get some exercise in first! Looks delicious!

    1. And trust me, this is a weekend thing for us. On school/weekday mornings with a family to get out the door, this is soooo far off the radar screen. Unless we’re talking reheating the leftovers :)

  5. Oh my word. French toast is totally my fave, taking precedence over pancakes and waffles any day. I love it! And I like mine super thick and totally smothered in butter and syrup… or looking identical to this! I love that you paired maple and banana with the Hawaiian bread — so tropical and it sounds so sweet and delicious. And I’m also stupid-jealous that you have those cute little syrup shot pourers–haha they’re so cute!!

    1. cute little syrup shot pourers = shot glasses I found at the thrift store for I think 25 cents or 50 cents each!

  6. We’d always have Hawaiian bread with spinach dip at family get-togethers when I was a kid. That was definitely my favorite appetizer. :) Using Hawaiian bread for French toast sounds absolutely heavenly!

    1. Hawaiian bread with spinach dip sounds awesome – I love spin dip and spin/artichoke dip, HUGELY! My fave dips of all time!

  7. Hawaiian bread french toast … I’m trying to process it… OH.MY.GAH!! That’s brilliant, Averie! I love it! And then there’s those bananas and maple syrup… goodness, I’m about to drool.

  8. Holy cow that looks amazing!!! I love the unique idea of the hawaiian bread to spice things up. Nice recipe.

  9. I’m definitely a proponent of Hawaiian bread French toasts–I’m so glad we agree! I had *the* best French toast in Hawaii made with Hawaiian sweet bread, and I think that’s how it all should be made from now on ;) thanks for sharing, Averie!

  10. Averie, this looks decadent! I have never heard of Hawaiian bread before but it sounds delicious. Coincidentally, I’m going to Hawaii in about 6 weeks for a much-needed holiday and escape from our cold winter. Dumb question, but do they serve Hawaiian bread in Hawaii?!

    1. They sure do serve it there! Ironically a friend of mine who lived there (and commented earlier on this post) said she preferred the King’s Hawaiian which is the brand I linked/used in this post compared to the ‘local’ brands. So you may not even need to go to Hawaii for the bread :) But for all other reasons, I wish I was going to Hawaii. have fun!!!

  11. This looks like some serious comfort food! I love that Hawaiian bread and it’s sweetness must be perfect for this french toast!

  12. I have always had a serious obsession with Hawaiian bread–the soft, fluffy, sweet rolls….uuuuggghhhh and then you made an even more delicious French toast with it??? You are so creative Averie!

  13. One thing I have never made and would love to is baked french toast. My family is not a bread lover like me, nor do they like breakfast, so I’m out! But I want to try your recipe, so I think this weekend, I’m going to try to modify it down to one serving and make it just for me! It sounds amazing and your pictures are just beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Thanks for the compliments and you can make as the full batch, freeze the leftover squares, and heat them up in the micro like you’d heat up any other frozen bread…that’s what I would do. Pre-made breakfasts on ice for those crazy mornings when you need a timesaver!

  14. Averie I have to hand it to you, you’ve got the whole foodporn thing down. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, you come in with an extra punch. Those chunks of maple banana are killer!

    1. Well thank you! I take that as a high compliment! It’s realllllllly hard to try to make french toast look new and not played out; so I thought long and hard about what to do to this one :)

  15. I love Hawaiian bread. It’s one of my favorites. I just finished eating a roll, in fact. What a great french toast recipe!