One of my favorite holiday breakfasts, French toast casserole, has a crisp, cinnamon sugar top that gives way to soft, custard-soaked bread. If you want to make French toast for a crowd, this is the way to do it. Just assemble the French toast bake, and let your oven do the rest. It’s a great hands-off recipe for holiday gatherings when you want to spend time with your loved ones instead of in the kitchen.
This baked French toast casserole is never soggy, thanks to sturdy French bread. In fact, if you have stale bread lying around, this is the perfect way to use it! Stale, slightly dry bread absorbs the rich egg custard better and becomes soft and velvety. Your family will be begging you to make more! Need another delicious breakfast recipe for weekend brunch or the holidays? Try my Fluffy Pancakes, Easy Waffles, or Cinnamon Roll recipes.
Ingredients For French Toast Casserole
Eggs — you need 6 large eggs to form the base of the rich custard filling.
Milk — I used whole milk, but you can use 2% milk if that’s what you have on hand. Whole milk will result in a more decadent custard.
Sugar — brown sugar adds caramel notes and sweetness to the egg custard.
Vanilla — high-quality store-bought or homemade vanilla extract makes this breakfast casserole so rich in flavor.
Cinnamon — ground cinnamon adds cozy flavor to the filling and topping. You can also add a little freshly grated nutmeg if you’d like.
Salt — salt enhances the other flavors in the casserole.
Bread — slightly stale French bread is key for the best French toast casserole. Cut the loaf into 1-inch cubes. See below for other types of bread that work well in this recipe.
Topping — for the crisp topping, you need brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter.
How To Make French Toast Casserole
1. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
2. Add the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl.
3. Whisk to combine.
4. Make the topping in a small bowl by whisking together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside for the moment.
5. Stir the bread cubes into the egg custard mixture until fully coated. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter. Spoon the soaked bread into the prepared baking dish.
6. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the bread mixture.
7. Dot the top with cold cubes of butter.
8. Bake French toast casserole at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup (lots of different serving ideas below!).
What Type Of Bread Is Best?
The best bread for a soft, never-soggy French toast casserole is sturdy bread that has a slightly dense crumb but a light texture, such as French bread (my personal favorite), brioche bread, challah bread, or sourdough bread. It should be slightly stale and dry so it soaks up the custard without becoming soggy.
Fresh bread will absorb too much egg mixture and turn out mushy. If you only have fresh, soft bread on hand and want to make French toast as soon as possible, cut the bread into cubes and toast it in the oven for a few minutes to dry it out.
Can I Add Chopped Fruit To The Casserole?
Yes, you can add fruit! Add 1 cup on top of the bread mixture before topping with cinnamon sugar. You can use your favorite berries (such as sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries), diced apples, or chopped peaches.
What To Serve With French Toast Casserole
French toast casserole pairs so well with a variety of sides or toppings for added flavor. You can lean into the sweetness of the breakfast casserole or serve it with something savory. Here are some ideas:
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
- Whipped cream and sliced fresh berries or other fresh fruit
- A scoop of jam, like strawberry jam
- Drizzle of maple syrup, caramel sauce, or the vanilla sauce from my Easy Bread Pudding
- Crispy air fryer bacon or candied bacon
- Scrambled eggs and air fryer hash browns
How To Store Leftovers
While French toast casserole is best enjoyed fresh from the oven, leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave for a minute or in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- For a richer custard filling: Substitute half and half for the milk, or use 1 cup of milk and ¾ cup of heavy cream.
- If the casserole browns too quickly in the oven: Tent the pan with aluminum foil.
- Switch up the spices: For a more seasonal touch, you can add different spices, such as pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, to the custard or topping.
- Add nuts: For a crunchy element, add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping.
- Top with streusel: Skip the cinnamon sugar and top your French toast casserole with a crisp streusel topping instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To make overnight French toast casserole, assemble the casserole (minus the topping), cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The next morning, add the quick cinnamon sugar topping and bake as directed. I love doing this as an easy Christmas morning breakfast!
You can also freeze the French toast bake before baking to make it well in advance. To freeze the French toast casserole before baking, assemble the casserole (minus the topping) in a disposable aluminum baking pan. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before adding the topping and baking as directed.
To freeze it after baking, first ensure it is in a freezer-safe casserole dish or transfer it to one. Cool the casserole to room temperature, then wrap the cooled casserole well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for approximately 24 hours in the refrigerator before reheating at 350°F until warmed through.
If you have a lot of leftovers, the best way to reheat them is in the oven at 350°F until the casserole is warm. If you want to reheat small portions, the microwave is your best bet.
Using the wrong type of bread will cause this breakfast casserole to become soggy. Very soft bread, like sliced sandwich bread, will become soggy and mushy. Be sure to use a sturdy bread like French bread that is a bit stale and dry for the best results.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this French Toast Casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 13×9 inch baking pan
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 large eggs
- 1¾ cups whole milk (370mL)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55g)
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large loaf French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (about 14 to 16-oz.)
For the Topping:
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55g)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold butter diced (57g)
To Serve
- maple syrup
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter.
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the bread until fully coated. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
For the Topping:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture and the butter evenly over the bread mixture.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
- For a richer custard filling: Substitute half and half for the milk, or use 1 cup of milk and ¾ cup of heavy cream.
- If the casserole browns too quickly in the oven: Tent the pan with aluminum foil.
- Switch up the spices: For a more seasonal touch, you can add different spices, such as pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice, to the custard or topping.
- Add nuts: For a crunchy element, add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the topping.
- Top with streusel: Skip the cinnamon sugar and top your French toast casserole with a crisp streusel topping instead.
