Sticky bun strata is a fabulous dish for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch! It combines the classic ingredients of sticky buns – cinnamon, nuts, and an ooey, gooey filling – in an easy, layered casserole. And without all the work of making a yeast dough from scratch.
I love strata recipes, which basically means “layered.” In this brunch recipe, you layer cubes of slightly stale bread in a casserole dish. It’s topped with a gooey sticky-bun topping, chopped walnuts or pecans, and a little bit of cream cheese if you wish. Then another layer of bread cubes tops it off, and the entire strata gets drenched in a mixture of eggs, milk, and spices.
It’s a no-fuss way of creating that classic sticky bun taste, and it’s put together the day before serving. (Which takes some of the pressure off of hosting a brunch!) When baked, the strata will puff up slightly due to the eggs in the milk mixture. This results in a light, fluffy (and sweet!) brunch dish. It makes a nice contrast to all the savory things that are usually served at a brunch or luncheon.
How to Make Sticky Bun Strata
You’ll need to get this started the day before you plan to serve it. First, you’ll need to artificially stale the bread a little to help it absorb the egg/milk mixture more easily. The bread is important here – you want a substantial bread like a French or Italian baguette or round. Slice about 12 ounces of bread into half-inch slices, then cut crosswise into half-inch cubes. Spread the cubes out onto a sheet pan or other surface and allow them to dry for a few hours, tossing at least once.
Just before you assemble the sticky bun strata, make the filling and chop the nuts. Spray a 2½-quart casserole with cooking spray and add not quite half the bread cubes. Try to make sure the cubes completely cover the bottom of the casserole. Then dollop on the filling (it should almost completely cover the tops of the bread cubes). Distribute the chopped nuts, and optionally cube or pull off small bits of cream cheese to scatter over it all.
Next, spread the rest of the bread cubes evenly over the top. In a medium to large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and seasonings together. Carefully pour the mixture over the assembled strata as evenly as you can.
The final (almost) part is to press down on it to ensure the egg/milk mixture gets absorbed evenly. I use a piece of plastic wrap for this, but you could use foil or even waxed paper if you prefer.
As you can see, I press down pretty firmly to make sure that all of the bread cubes get some of the liquid into them. If you don’t do this, any unmoistened cubes will come out very hard and dry when you bake them! Finish by weighing down the strata with bags of rice, pasta, or other heavy dry goods. Basically, anything that can fit inside the casserole. This helps ensure the bread stays under the liquid mixture as it rests in the refrigerator overnight.
The Next Day – Baking the Strata
About an hour before you plan to serve this sticky bun strata, bring it out of the fridge. Remove whatever you’ve used to weigh it down as well as the plastic wrap, foil, or waxed paper. Start preheating the oven to 400°F. Once the oven reaches 400°F, bake the strata on the middle rack for 45 to 55 minutes. It should be golden brown and set in the middle when done.
Sticky Bun Strata
Sticky bun strata is a fabulous dish for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch! It combines the classic ingredients of sticky buns – cinnamon, nuts, and an ooey, gooey filling – in an easy, layered casserole. And without all the work of making a yeast dough from scratch.
- Prep Time: 160
- Cook Time: 55
- Total Time: About 8 -10 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
12 ounces French or Italian bread (about 3/4 of loaf)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons maple syrup, honey or corn syrup (light or dark)
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 ounces cream cheese (not non-fat) in small cubes, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use
4 large eggs
1 cup milk (not skim)
2 tablespoons granulated (white) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
The day before you plan to serve this recipe, cut the bread into 1/2″ cubes. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and set it on the counter for an hour to stale; toss the cubes and let dry for another hour.
When the bread cubes are dry to the touch on the surface, stir together the melted butter or margarine, brown sugar, syrup or honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Spread about half the bread cubes in a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole. Drop the brown sugar mixture by teaspoons over the bread cubes, covering them completely. Sprinkle with the cream cheese (optional), then chopped pecans or walnuts, and spread the rest of the bread cubes in an even layer over top.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes and place a piece of plastic wrap over the entire casserole. Use your hands to press down on the strata and ensure that the egg/milk mixture is absorbed into all the bread cubes. Weight the strata down with a bag (or two) of rice, beans, or pasta to ensure the bread cubes stay submerged in the bread/milk mixture. Refrigerate the weighted casserole dish overnight.
The next morning, take the casserole out of the refrigerator, remove the weights and plastic wrap, and set it on a counter to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for 45 to 55 min. or until golden brown and set in the middle. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional butter and maple or pancake syrup if desired.
Notes
Inspired by a recipe from Nichols Career Center, Jefferson City MO, as featured in Rural Missouri magazine April 2020.