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French Toast Casserole is the answer to a cozy, no-stress brunch, with cubes of crusty bread soaked in a vanilla-cinnamon custard and baked until golden and custardy. I assemble it the night before a holiday morning, so all I do is bake it while the kids open presents. It is the make-ahead breakfast that feels like a hug, right next to our savory breakfast casserole.
Soak cubed French bread in a rich custard overnight, then bake it with a buttery brown sugar topping for the easiest crowd-pleasing brunch.
French Toast Casserole Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour
- ⏳ Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 359kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, custardy french toast with warm cinnamon
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy and make-ahead, like our cinnamon rolls
Quick Answer
Cube crusty French bread into a greased 9×13 dish. Whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, then pour it over the bread and press it down to soak. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. In the morning, drizzle on a butter and brown sugar topping and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about an hour.
Jump to:
- French Toast Casserole Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- French Toast Casserole FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- You make it ahead. Assemble it the night before and the morning is just preheat and bake, no measuring or mixing when everyone is hungry.
- It feeds a crowd. One 9×13 pan serves about twelve, so it is perfect for holidays, sleepovers, and weekend guests.
- Custardy center, crisp top. The bread soaks up a rich custard, then bakes with a crackly brown sugar topping for the best of both textures.
- It uses up bread. Crusty or day-old French bread is exactly what you want, so nothing goes to waste.
- That caramelized topping. Melted butter and brown sugar bake into a sweet, crackly crust that tastes like the best part of french toast.
- It is a holiday hero. A hands-off, make-ahead breakfast means you can enjoy the morning instead of standing at the stove flipping toast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You do all the work the night before, so the morning is just preheat and bake.
- It feeds a whole crowd from one pan, which makes it perfect for holidays and weekend guests.
- It is custardy in the middle with a crisp, caramelized top, like a giant baked piece of french toast, right next to our overnight breakfast casserole.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into this make-ahead overnight french toast casserole.
- French Bread: a sturdy, crusty loaf cubed up. It soaks in the custard without turning to mush, and day-old bread works even better.
- Eggs: the structure of the custard. They set as the casserole bakes for that classic french toast texture.
- Milk and Heavy Cream: the rich, creamy base of the custard that soaks into every cube of bread.
- Granulated and Brown Sugar: granulated sweetens the custard while brown sugar adds caramel depth to both the custard and the topping.
- Vanilla and Cinnamon: the warm, cozy flavors that make it taste just like french toast.
- Butter Topping: melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon drizzled on top bake into a crackly, caramelized crust.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This french toast casserole is easy to dress up.
- Add fruit: scatter blueberries, sliced apples, or bananas between the bread cubes before soaking.
- Make it nutty: stir chopped pecans into the brown sugar topping for extra crunch.
- Use other bread: brioche, challah, or Texas toast all soak up the custard beautifully.
- Add cream cheese: tuck cubes of cream cheese between the bread for a stuffed french toast feel.
- Top it your way: finish with our fried apples, fresh berries, or extra maple syrup.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and add the cubed French bread in an even layer.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, both sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the custard over the bread and press the cubes down so they soak it up. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- In the morning, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a smooth topping and drizzle it all over the casserole.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until golden and set in the center.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup or your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use crusty or day-old bread; fresh, soft bread soaks up too much custard and turns soggy.
- Press the bread down into the custard so every cube soaks evenly while it chills.
- Soak at least 6 hours; overnight gives the most custardy, french-toast texture.
- Cover with foil first so the top does not brown before the center has time to set.
- Check the center with a knife; it should come out clean with no wet custard.
- Let it rest 15 minutes before slicing so it holds together neatly.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Overnight french toast casserole is brunch made easy. Dust each serving with powdered sugar and pour on warm maple syrup for the full french toast experience.
Pile on fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, or a spoonful of our fried apples. It makes a sweet centerpiece for a holiday breakfast spread.
Round out the table with our savory overnight breakfast casserole, soft cinnamon rolls, and banana nut muffins so there is something for everyone. Leftovers reheat beautifully.
French Toast Casserole FAQs
Yes, that is the whole point. Assemble the casserole, cover it, and refrigerate it for at least 6 hours or overnight. The bread soaks up the custard as it sits, giving you the best texture. In the morning, just add the topping and bake.
A sturdy, crusty bread like a French loaf works best because it soaks up the custard without falling apart. Brioche, challah, and Texas toast are also excellent. Slightly stale or day-old bread holds up even better than fresh.
Soggy casserole usually means the bread was too soft or fresh, or it did not bake long enough. Use crusty, day-old bread and bake until a knife in the center comes out clean. Letting it rest 15 minutes after baking also helps it set.
Yes. You can freeze it baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked, assemble it without the topping, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the topping, and bake. Baked leftovers also freeze well in individual portions.
It is done when the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, with no wet custard. This usually takes about an hour, baking covered then uncovered. If the center still jiggles, give it a few more minutes.
Powdered sugar and maple syrup are classic. Fresh berries, sliced bananas, whipped cream, fried apples, chopped pecans, or a caramel drizzle are all delicious. The buttery brown sugar topping baked on top means it is sweet enough to enjoy on its own, too.
Hosting brunch? Make our savory overnight breakfast casserole alongside it so you have sweet and savory covered.
homemade sandwich bread
Add our light and fluffy ricotta pancakes to your weekend breakfast lineup.
Craving something sweet for brunch? Our Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast tastes like dessert for breakfast.
For a fall morning treat, make our Apple Pancakes that taste just like apple pie.
Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces crusty French bread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs well beaten
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- powdered sugar to serve
- maple syrup to serve
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place the cubed bread into the baking dish, set aside.16 ounces crusty French bread
- Place the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together well until combined. Some of the cinnamon may float on top, that’s okay.8 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pour the custard over the bread cubes. Take a large spoon and press the bread into the custard so it starts to soak it up. Cover the dish and place it in the fridge to soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle this all over the top of the casserole.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 15 minutes, slice and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.powdered sugar, maple syrup
Notes
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes for even soaking.
- Make sure to push the bread down into the egg mixture so every piece is soaked.
- For a crispy top, sprinkle a little granulated sugar or coarse on top before baking.
- Let the casserole sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
- Bake until golden brown for that perfect crunch.
- Serve with a cup of coffee or orange juice for a complete breakfast experience.
Nutrition
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