This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Ube French toast bake is the kind of brunch recipe that makes you look like you tried way harder than you did. It uses a package of King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls, a coconut milk custard, a splash of ube extract for that gorgeous purple color, and a buttery almond topping that goes golden and crackly in the oven.
You can throw it together in about 10 minutes, soak it overnight, and bake it the next morning. It pulls double duty as Easter brunch, a Mother’s Day breakfast, or honestly just a Saturday morning when you want something a little extra without standing at the stove flipping French toast slice by slice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a one-pan, mostly hands-off brunch that you can prep the night before and bake in the morning, just like my croissant French toast bake.
- The ube and coconut combo is unreal. Sweet, faintly nutty, slightly tropical, and naturally a stunning shade of purple. If you love coconut as much as I do, my coconut white chocolate cookies are next on your list.
- King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls do the heavy lifting. They’re already enriched and slightly sweet, so the custard soaks in beautifully. If you want the stovetop version instead of a bake, the same rolls turn into pan fried pumpkin French toast bites in about a third of the time.
- The almond topping toasts up golden and crunchy and gives every bite a little texture against the soft custardy bread.
Let’s Chit Chat
I bought a pack of the King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls on a whim and I just knew I wanted to bake them into something. Slicing them into French toast was the obvious move, but standing at the stove flipping a dozen little rolls one by one sounded miserable. So I cubed them, soaked them in a coconut milk custard with a few drops of ube extract from the Asian market, and called it a French toast bake.
The first test was honestly close to perfect. The bread is already sweet and tender, so the custard just slides in. The coconut milk makes the inside taste almost like a baked tres leches cake situation, and a quick glaze on top after baking pulls everything together visually. If you have ube extract sitting around, this is exactly the kind of recipe to use it on.
Key Ingredients
- King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls. One 12-pack package is exactly right for an 8×8 pan. If you can’t find them, regular King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls plus an extra splash of ube extract will get you close. Plain sweet rolls are also what I use for my Hawaiian roll French toast.
- Full-fat coconut milk. Use canned, not the carton kind. Shake the can well before opening so the cream and liquid blend back together.
- Whole milk. Cuts the coconut milk just enough to keep the custard from getting heavy or breaking. Half and half also works if you want it richer.
- Ube extract. The little bottle from the Asian market. It’s potent, so start with a teaspoon and add more if you want a deeper purple. Most brands are mostly for color and a faint vanilla-coconut-y flavor.
- Eggs. Four large eggs give the custard structure without making it eggy.
- Brown sugar. Adds a soft caramel note that plays beautifully with coconut. Light or dark both work.
- Sliced almonds. Tossed with a little melted butter and sugar so they candy slightly while baking.
- Optional ube glaze. Powdered sugar, a splash of coconut milk, and a tiny drop of ube extract. Drizzle after baking for that purple-on-purple Pinterest moment.
How to Make Ube French Toast Bake
- Cube the rolls. Slice each ube coconut roll into about 6 cubes. You want roughly 6 cups of cubed bread. Spread them in a buttered 8×8 baking dish.
- Add the custard ingredients. Add the coconut milk, whole milk, eggs, brown sugar, ube extract, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl.
- Whisk. Whisk until the custard is smooth and an even shade of purple.
- Soak. Pour the custard evenly over the cubed bread and press down gently with a spatula so every piece gets coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best texture.
- Add the almond topping. Toss the sliced almonds with melted butter and a spoonful of sugar, then sprinkle them evenly over the soaked bread right before baking.
- Bake. Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center. If the almonds start browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Glaze and serve. Let it rest for about 10 minutes, then drizzle with the ube glaze or dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm.
Tips for the Best Ube French Toast Bake
- Soak it overnight. The Hawaiian rolls have a tight crumb, so they really benefit from a long soak. Overnight gives you the most custardy interior, the same trick I use for my brioche French toast casserole.
- Start with less ube extract. It’s strong, and the color deepens as it bakes. A teaspoon is usually plenty.
- Don’t skip the salt. Even a small pinch makes the coconut and brown sugar pop. Without it, the bake can taste flat.
- Watch the almonds. They go from golden to too dark fast. If they brown before the custard is set, lay a piece of foil loosely on top.
- Test the center. The custard should be just set, not jiggly. A knife inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean.
Storage and Reheating
Cover leftovers tightly and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or warm the whole pan, covered with foil, in a 325F oven for 15 minutes. The almond topping stays crisp surprisingly well. Craving sweet and salty next time? My pretzel French toast bake reheats the exact same way.
Ube French Toast Bake FAQs
You can, it just won’t have the purple color or that signature ube flavor. The ube coconut rolls already have some ube in them, so the bake will still taste lightly of ube even without the extract.
Yes. Use the original sweet rolls and add an extra half teaspoon of ube extract to the custard to make up for the missing ube flavor in the bread. Brioche works too, the same bread I use for my brioche French toast.
Double the recipe for a 9×13. You’ll need two packages of rolls and roughly double the custard. Bake time stays close to 45 minutes since the depth is similar.
Maple syrup, more coconut glaze, fresh berries, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re leaning dessert. A side of crispy bacon or sausage balances the sweetness for brunch.
Yes. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 325F oven until warmed through.
More French Toast Recipes
If you made this ube French toast bake, I want to see that purple! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below, and tell me if you went with the ube glaze or powdered sugar. Happy brunching!!
Ube French Toast Bake
Ingredients
For the bake
- 1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls (about 12 oz) cubed
- 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoons ube extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Butter for greasing the pan
For the almond topping:
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the optional ube glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- ⅛ teaspoon ube extract
Instructions
- Butter an 8×8 baking dish. Slice each ube coconut roll into about 6 cubes and spread them evenly in the pan.1 12-count package King’s Hawaiian Ube Coconut rolls (about 12 oz), Butter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, whole milk, eggs, brown sugar, ube extract, vanilla, and salt until smooth and an even purple color.13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk, ¼ cup whole milk, 4 large eggs, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoons ube extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pour the custard evenly over the cubed bread. Press the cubes down gently with a spatula so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best texture.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Toss the sliced almonds with the melted butter and granulated sugar, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the soaked bread.⅓ cup sliced almonds, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center. If the almonds start to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Let the bake rest for about 10 minutes. Optional– Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth, adjusting the coconut milk for a drizzle-able consistency, then drizzle over the top. Serve warm.¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut milk, ⅛ teaspoon ube extract
Notes
Ube extract strength varies by brand. Start at 1 teaspoon and adjust up if you want a deeper purple.
To double for a 9×13 pan, use 2 packages of rolls and double the custard and topping. Bake time stays around 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I used ube coffee creamer for the icing since I couldn’t find ube flavoring in my area. I just replaced it for the coconut milk. It turned out great.
Ube coffee creamer in the icing is such a smart swap! Thanks for sharing, this will help anyone who can’t find ube extract 🙂
Overnight soak is really key here, not just an option. The custard needs time to actually work its way into those Hawaiian rolls, and if you rush it with just the 30-minute minimum, you’ll get soggy spots next to dry centers instead of that even, custardy texture all the way through.
Watch your ube extract too, brands are all over the place on strength. Start with 1 teaspoon like the recipe says, then taste the custard before it goes over the bread. You can always add more but you can’t take it out.