By Christmas 2024. Des Moines. Cinnamon rolls, extra frosting. Noah home. Emma home. Jack in the greenhouse at seven AM on Christmas morning because Jack's priorities are agricultural and holidays don't change the inspection schedule.
Kevin's father Dale is declining. Seventy-seven. Newton. His back worse. The Holloway side entering its season. Kevin processes in the garage with a wrench. I cook. Our grief languages are different. The love is the same.
Roger in the guest room, waking to cinnamon. Eating a roll. The same. Always the same. The same is the miracle. The same is the thing that holds when everything else shifts. The cinnamon roll is the same. The frosting is extra. The recipe is Marlene's. The hands are mine. The same.
Marlene’s cinnamon rolls are the heart of Christmas morning in this house, but the table doesn’t stop there — and with Roger in the guest room and Kevin needing something to eat before he found his way back in from the garage, I wanted something I could pull together ahead of time, something golden and warm that said the same thing the rolls were already saying. This Orange Marmalade Breakfast Bake has become that second anchor: bright with citrus, sweet without being fussy, and forgiving enough that I can have it ready before Jack even finishes his greenhouse rounds. It’s the kind of recipe that holds the morning open a little longer, and this year, that was exactly what we needed.
Orange Marmalade Breakfast Bake
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 16 oz) day-old French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Whipped cream or maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Spread the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
- Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, 1/2 cup orange marmalade, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Soak the bread. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, pressing down gently so every piece absorbs the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for best results.
- Preheat and top. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dish from the refrigerator. Dot the top with the butter pieces and drop the remaining 2 tablespoons of marmalade in small spoonfuls across the surface.
- Bake until set. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set in the center. A knife inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean.
- Rest and serve. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve warm with whipped cream or a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 320mg