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This best-loved French toast casserole is perfect for making ahead of time! It’s perfect for holidays and gatherings and is delicious.
This French toast casserole is by far my most popular, but people also love our Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake, and for a savory casserole – Sausage Breakfast Casserole.
WE Love it + You Will too!
We love breakfast foods. I could eat it any time of the day, and it’s fairly common to come over to the Merkley home on an evening and find us eating Belgian Waffles or this French Toast Casserole, which we LOVE.
Here is why you’ll love it too:
- CASSEROLE OF A CLASSIC. Everyone loves French Toast and this casserole version is even better, especially served with Buttermilk Syrup.
- MAKE AHEAD. This recipe is best when made the day before but also makes crazy days even more simple.
- HOLIDAY + SPECIAL DAY FAVORITE. It’s a great recipe for special days but since it’s made ahead of time, it makes cooking for holidays (like Christmas) so much easier!
It’s also great for brunch and baby showers. 😉
Best Bread TO USE?
This oven French toast bake calls for sourdough bread, which is my personal favorite.
The main idea is that you want the bread to be sturdy enough that the bread cubes will hold up after being combined with the egg mixture.
Here are some other options:
- Brioche
- Challah
- Pullman Loaf
- French Bread
PRO TIP: For any of these breads, you can slice and toast or let slices sit out for 24 hours to make them more stale and sturdy.
How to make French Toast Casserole
This baked French toast takes a few steps but is quite simple.
- BREAD. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and scatter evenly in a greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- EGG MIXTURE. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar together, then pour evenly over the bread.
- CHILL. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- TOPPING. Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter into this mixture until crumbly. Place the topping in a small resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight as well.
- BAKE. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Unwrap the baking dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the bread. Bake, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes, depending on how soft you like it.
SeRVING TIP
This French toast bake is delicious when drizzled in maple syrup, but here are a few more tasty ideas.
- Buttermilk Syrup
- Cinnamon Buttermilk Syrup
- Whipped Cream and sliced strawberries
French Toast Bake Recipe Tips
This baked French toast casserole should be soft on the bottom and crisp on the top.
Too soggy. If your casserole comes out too soggy try some of these tips:
- Soak the bread in a separate bowl. If there’s too much egg in the pan it may be left a little soggy. One way around this is to store your bread mixture overnight in a bowl. In the morning, transfer the bread to the baking dish leaving behind the extra liquid.
- Not soaking the bread long enough. You want the egg mixture to seep deep into the bread for a soft custardy center. If the mixture doesn’t have time to soak into the bread it may end up creating a soggy mess.
Variations
Change up your French toast casserole recipe with these delicious twists:
- For a more savory casserole: ham and cheese, chorizo, green chiles, sausage, or crumbled bacon.
- For a sweet casserole: thinly sliced apple, orange zest, sliced apricots, sliced pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, and chopped pecans.
- You can also swap ingredients, like milk for almond milk, cinnamon for nutmeg and more!
Be sure to also check out our: Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole, Blueberry French Toast Casserole and our Pumpkin French Toast Casserole.
How TO Store French Toast Casserole
- FREEZE. Freeze this easy French toast casserole before or after baking. Wrap the dish with plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- When you’re ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping, and bake.
- If it has been prebaked, cook it at 350°F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to the recipe directions.
- STORE. If you have any leftover baked French toast casserole, cover the pan with plastic or divide it into individual airtight containers. Keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
More French Toast Recipes:
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 loaf sourdough bread (or brioche, challah or French bread)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and scatter evenly in a greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar together, then pour evenly over bread.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- To make the topping, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter into this mixture until crumbly. Place the topping in a small resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight as well.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Unwrap the baking dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the bread.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, depending on how soft you like it.
Video
Notes
Variations.
o For a more savory casserole, add ham and cheese, chorizo, green chilies, sausage, or crumbled bacon.
o For a sweet casserole, add thinly sliced apple, orange zest, sliced apricots, sliced pineapple, blueberries, or chopped pecans.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe from Mormon Mavens in the Kitchen.
I saw another person ask how many oz bread you use, and you said 24oz. Is that accurate? because I got two loaves 12 oz each, and did not have enough egg mixture, and half the bread did not get soaked
It typically is 24 oz. How long did you let it soak?
Love this recipe! My family devoured it! Can I bake this and then reheat after traveling 2 hours to destination? Concerned about lack of oven space for full baking time on Easter. Making double batch. Thank you!
I am so happy they loved it! I would bake it, then maybe stick it in a warm oven for a little bit, when you get there, just to warm it up.
Hi, Im making this for a tteam dinner. Suggesting for making a batch three times the size? I know it is not triple all ingredients and am thinking fewer eggs and less milk cream and sugar.
Or making three separate batches. Any feedback would be great!
I would probably do three different batches, just so I knew it would come out perfectly, without guessing on the baking time. Hope it’s a hit!
Elegant n simple.
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for sharing that!
Fantastic recipe! We use brioche and mini choc chips, everyone loves it. Easily customizable to add fruit, nuts etc.
Great idea!! Thanks for sharing that!
This has become an Easter tradition. I have made it for Easter for at least a few years now and my oldest daughter requests it for her birthday breakfast. I reduce the sugar a bit.
Love hearing that!! It’s my favorite! Thank you!
This casserole quickly became a family favorite! Our Christmas morning staple every year!!
Yay, I love to hear that!! Thank you!
I’ve made this several times. My family asks for it when they come to stay overnight. I was low on milk and had no heavy cream on one of these occasions. I substituted Half and Half for both items and found it to be even better. So simple and easy and best of all, DELICIOUS!
Awesome delicious making again for the third time thank you for the recipe
Absolutely scrumptious! I am making this for the second time this evening and I can’t wait for my husband to try it. Sooo good!
I love it it has just enough flavor and taste we have made it so many times.
first time making this for brunch and it was a huge hit….came out perfect!!!
Thank you
This was just WAY too sweet for me! If I made again I would cut topping in half at least or not even use
almost sorry i made it; family won’t stop requesting- DAMN GOOD recipe
Yum, Yum! The first time I tried this recipe it came out soggy. I then tried it a second time soaking the egg and bread mixture separately. It came out perfectly!
My son absolutely loved this recipe for Christmas breakfast. He is not a huge french toast kid but loved it and has me to make it again twice now. The flavors were great without being soggy.
This one is it! After trying so many French Toast Casserole recipes from so many chefs and recipe sites, I am thrilled to say this is the PERFECT ONE! No more testing and rating. I’ve found the one my family loves—LOVES! Cinnamon Roll Heaven! Two of these casseroles made Christmas morning breakfast even more beautiful.
Oh this makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you love the recipe!
Love this casserole. I made it for my Sunday School class and they loved it. I brought Maple Syrup to go with it and it was a hit. I had several ladies ask me for the recipe and I told them about your website and all the great food on here. I told them that I made at least one dish from your website each week. There were easy , go-to recipes, or new dishes that I wanted to try. Hopefully , you will have new people trying your food.
An easy, delicious, family favorite recipe!
This was very easy and absolutely delicious 😋 I made it for church and it was a big hit!
I made this today and it was fantastic!
One question, would Egg Beaters (egg substitute) work in this recipe as a substitute for the 8 eggs.
Delicious!! I use 1 1/4 loaves (1 lb each) of Cinnamon Brioche Bread and add a little cinnamon to the egg mixture. Instead of the recipie’s topping, I lightly cover with sifted powdered sugar and raspberries – as beautiful as it is yummy! Thank you for the recipe!
Great
Could this be made with cubed croissants & still be as delicious?
I’ve been using Costco croissants which are amazingly inexpensive and the results are fantastic
I cut the tips off and then cut the croissant in ¼s as evenly as possible. 6 croissants fit in a lasagna pan, put the tips in at the end
I love it with hazelnuts and/or pecans and sliced apples under the topping, I finish with powdered sugar after baking and a nice dollop of hand whipped cream
Gail I just tried to reply to your question but my reply got posted as a new comment
Delicious! I made this for a Saturday breakfast for family and everyone loved it. I made no changes to the recipe. For the bread, I make my own bread with fresh milled flour. When it’s two days old I cube and freeze it. This is what I used for bread.
I make this often if done correctly it comes out amazing..thank you so much for sharing
Loaves of bread come in lots of sizes. What weight do you recommend???
I typically use a 24 oz loaf and it fills the pan great!
I made this for brunch and it was a hit. It was soft inside and had a nice crunch on top. Everybody loved it, the whole pan was gone very fast!
Size of bread loafs vary, would anyone be able to share a weight of the loafs they use? I make my own bread and my loafs are smaller than store bought. Any insight would be appreciated.
Thank you
I used Brioche bread. The loaf was 17.5 oz.
I’ve been making this French toast casserole for years. I have never changed anything except once when I used half and half because I didn’t have heavy cream. Just used more half and half and less milk. I always get raves from everyone. I just prepared one tonight ; baking it in the morning, and bring it to church for our coffee hour. Thank you so much for this easy, delicious recipe!
This casserole was so easy to prepare. I did it the day before and it was a hit of our brunch.
Thank you. I am trying to make this ahead for my daughter’s next day wedding brunch.
Appreciate you responding so soon.
This will now forever be served on Christmas morning at my home.
Can this be made in a slow cooker and if so, can you provide how long to cook for?
I froze mine after assembling and thawed it the night before, turned out great. Will be my go to brunch casserole. Thank you for sharing all the tips as well. Do you think I could freeze the topping in a separate bag and thaw the same way?
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I’m sure you could!
Great flavors. I will make this again with some adjustments.
1 or 2 less eggs and bake at least 50minutes.
I have tried other French toast casseroles and they were always dry. I like the eggy-ness of a custard type food and found this cooked up nicely. I cut the recipe into 1/3 (eg. 3 eggs and adjusted other measures as best as I could) as there are only two of us. I did cut the sugar in the custard back a bit. It turned out well and took about 40 minutes in a glass 8″x 8″ pan. We each had two medium slices. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Tried and true! I’ve made this several times, each time it turns out great and my kids, all love it!
Absolutely delicious!!!
Question though, my pan was very hard to clean, any suggestions?
This was gross. Too many eggs. I should have known not to make this when it lists 8 eggs. This was mushy throughout and crispy on top.
This recipe is the absolute best. Made it for Christmas and my family loved it!
This recipe is the greatest! I’ve made it multiple times. Even leftovers are great to snack on!
So good!! Made this for New Year’s Day breakfast using a cinnamon brown sugar SD loaf. This recipe makes a ton! Definitely meant for a crowd.
Made this for brunch with my cranberry orange sourdough. Did alter the recipe a bit. Added a little less sugar ( about 1/2 cup) in the base due to some of the other reviews. Substituted the juice of one orange for some of the milk. Did not add cinnamon to the topping as one of my guest cannot eat cinnamon. I also sprinkled the top with chopped pecans. It was delicious! Will definitely be making this again.
Made this for New Years Day breakfast, was delicious, I added about a cup of Oatmeal to the crumb mix, was a big hit! Will definitely make it again
SUPER SWEET! I have reduced all the sugar by more than half and it is so much better.
Love the recipe, but this is more of a dessert than a breakfast.
It’s great! I make large quantities for our church breakfast and every one wants seconds.
They like that it does not require a knife. Thanks
I love a good French toast casserole and have made many over the years, but this recipe is my favorite by far. Other recipes I’ve tried use cream cheese which I never really got right … This tastes exactly like the French toast my grandma used to make, the sturdy sourdough and the buttery crumb topping just push this into First Place… Soo good! Came out perfect ..Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I made this for Christmas Eve brunch and we reheated it for Christmas breakfast. It was SO good (fresh and reheated)! Everyone raved about it.
We are French Toast, bread pudding, and Flan enthusiasts so this casserole made our hearts and tummies happy! 😋
I used a Tuscan style bread from Aldi and couldn’t use the whole 24 ozs. It was about 2/3 of the loaf. The only modification I made was farm fresh eggs and I added 1 extra egg.
1 note: with the topping, it is sweet enough not to need any syrup or sweetener. We did still drizzle a little on top, but it wasn’t needed.
Next time we are going to do 1/2 with the topping and 1/2 without for those who love syrup and powdered sugar.
I would give this 10 stars if possible, and we will be making this a breakfast tradition.
Thanks for sharing what you did with the recipe! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the casserole!!
Turned out delicious! I made a orange vanilla sourdough loaf to put in it and it was the perfect addition to this French toast bake!
I made this for Christmas morning and everyone absolutely loved it! I added chopped walnuts to the streusel which was incredible. Will definitely be making it again and again.
Easy and delicious! I cut up a French loaf, added a hearty shake of cinnamon and nutmeg to the egg mixture: cause we love spice, and added a cup of rough chopped pecans to the topping… turned out perfect! Everyone loved it! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Incredible recipe! I made it exactly as written and also made a dairy free version using only oat milk and dairy free butter. Raspberries were added to both. Panera’s sour dough bread worked perfectly – I used about 2/3 loaf for each (weighing about 24 oz on a kitchen scale). I stirred the bread cubes after adding the egg mixture to make sure all pieces were soaked through. This hearty bread was ideal for this recipe as it held its shape and the crust crisped up in the oven creating a wonderful texture. Serving this casserole along side your favorite breakfast meats on Christmas morning was easy and stress-free! Everyone wanted seconds!!
It bubbled out of the 9×13….I used glass was this a poor choice? So my oven got smoky. It still was not done at all, very soggy. So having to bake longer. Smells good. I should not of tried this for family gathering for the first time making.
Disappointing. Just an overly sweet bread pudding. Does not taste like French toast. Would be ok if it was advertised as a bread pudding dessert and maybe add some apples and salt to balance the flavors. Not good as a French toast.
This was a hit. I used my homemade artisan sourdough loaf and just diced until the pan was nearly full. I also hand mixed the pour-over mixture with the bread to make sure it was all evenly coated. Might reduce egg amount to 6-7 instead of 8. But I’ve made this twice now and everyone LOVED it!
SO GOOD!!!! If your looking for French toast casserole that isn’t too sweet. This is perfect! Plus the sourdough was delicious. If I didn’t know it was sourdough I would of thought it was just regular French bread. Whole family like it!
I used a full 1-lb loaf of sourdough which I kept in the refrigerator for 3 days prior to using. I took a suggestion from another reviewer and soaked the bread cubes overnight in a bowl. Prior to baking, I pulled them out of the eggs wash and spread them in the buttered 9×13 pan. The baked up perfectly…. not soggy at all. (I discarded the remaining egg mix.
Great recipe. It will remain a Christmas morning staple as of 2024.
Absolutely amazing. I made a double batch for a large Christmas gathering. Followed the directions as written, baked for 1 hour. Everyone raved over it and every bit was eaten. I will definitely make it again.
Made 2024 for the first time. Used 24 oz loaf and it turned out perfectly. Yummy but rich and very sweet! We felt fresh apples or oranges served to the side would be good as well as something salty like ham. Will definitely make again!
I made it with egg nog and it adds all the right spice to the French toast. I also get the maple candies and chop them up and put them in for a burst of maple sugar.
I am enjoying this recipe as I write this! It is absolutely amazing! I was first concerned about the type of bread but happy about it at the same time.Because I just so happened to have a loaf of this in my house. I cooked mine for forty five minutes and added the extra fifteen, which it came out perfect! I happen to add sliced in chunks of apples; unbelievable!!
The one thing I would look to change is how to add the topping.. i prepared it the night before and put it in the. Refrigerator but when it came time to put it on top, it was solidified, and I had to put it in the microwave and then crumble it on top, and it all was a little painful, but still delicious.
Fabulous beyond belief!!!!!!
My mother made me a French toast bake that was mushy decades ago. I did not ever think that I would try doing it myself, but I have found Lil’ Luna. Her recipes all rock. As per other comments, you will not even need syrup. Thank you for the recipe!!!
I made this for Christmas morning and it’s delicious! What a perfect and easy recipe for a holiday breakfast!
This has become a Christmas morning breakfast tradition in our home. My girls love it. Thank you
I made this for Christmas Eve Day brunch and it was a hit. This recipe is definitely a keeper and I look forward to more.
We loved it!!!
Has anyone tried this with egg nog instead of heavy cream? I’m trying it now… will let you know tomorrow.
Second year making and literally thought of doing this tonight! Please let me know how it turns out
I made a 9×13 and a 7×11. When I cook them at the same time is it still the same amount of time 45 to an hour?
Can I put this in the fridge at 12 and leave it till tomorrow morning around 9 then cook it?
Yes!! That’s what I’m doing. And have done before.
Making this right now and unless I missed the answer, I am also wondering how big of a loaf? I got a pre-cut loaf that is 24 oz and my 13 x 9 pan is pretty full with four slices still left so just wondering what others have used. Thanks!!
Looks like a great recipe but I almost gave up because of the ad-lard factor. Really, it’s just too much, especially the sneaky ones where it’s next to impossible to tap or print without diversion. If you would test your own content, you might be willling to pull back just a bit when you see what we have to navigate. Thank you for considering this.
Very easy to follow and everyone loved it. I’m also not a great cook, so I feel like anyone could make this.
We love this and I make it for my family every Christmas
geez! the comments are full of dumb questions.
Beyond!!! It’s scary.
Do you mean a loaf of sourdough as in a sliced loaf in the bread aisle near all the other bagged breads? Or do you mean a fresh loaf from the bakery section? The only 24 oz bags I see are the ones from the bread aisle. Thank you
Hi! I went to the grocery store to buy the sourdough bread, but it was already pre-sliced. Will this affect the way it soaks overnight? I guess I could stack it? Thank you!
I’ve made this recipe half a dozen times – pre sliced bread is no problem. I didn’t even bother cutting it; I just tore the bread into bite size pieces and tossed it all into the casserole pan. Hope you enjoy!
This is probably a little late, but no, sliced bread works fine. Cut it into pieces and let it dry out, or throw it in the oven at 250 deg F for 30-40 minutes (shaking up the tray every 10 minutes or so) until the bread is decently dried out (like croutons). I made this last year and was very pleased with the results! Enjoy!
This is the exact recipe I was looking for! It’s a huge hit with my boys.
How big is “one loaf” of bread? Thanks!
How many cups of cubed bread? A “loaf” is not very precise. I have frozen cubed bread left over from Thanksgiving- for stuffing. Don’t know if it’s one loaf or 1/2 or 2 loafs
A standard Walmart bakery loaf will work. Fill your dish full but not packed.
So how many ounces of bread to 2 cups milk/8 eggs? Thanks.
Hey Jenn!
When buying the sourdough bread how large of a loaf will this recipe need? Will 1- 24oz bag weight 680g be enough for this recipe?
Can this be made in a crockpot? I love this recipe and was requested to make it that way.
Hi, can this French toast bake be made the night before? I’m planning on having this for Christmas Brunch.
Yes! I make and refrigerate overnight; I sprinkle the topping on right before baking. I have made several times (including 3 trays for my daughter’s 3rd birthday!)
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This might sound like a silly question – but all breads come in different sizes… How many oz per loaf?
That is not a silly question at all. This recipe is horribly written.
We’d love any feedback on how you think we could improve the recipe to make it easier to read or navigate. Thanks!
Great question! 24 oz seems to be just the right amount to fill the pan.
Have you ever tried to half this receipe? And what pan size would you recommend if doing so?
You could half the recipe in an 8×8 or a 9×9 pan.
Have you ever soaked longer (up to 72 hours) and then baked? Would it be ok? Worried it might get too soggy. I don’t have time to freeze and defrost but need to make 3 days in advance. Thanks!
I’m planning on making this for our Christmas morning breakfast buffet this year. I’m thinking of making one with apples and some extra spices and nuts, and one with frozen mixed berries and orange zest. When adding these, are they mixed in before soaking, added after soaking, or just put on as a topping?
I can’t wait to try this!
Those sound delicious!! You could honestly add them at any of those stages. If you like the apples and nuts baked in, I would probably add them either with the bread cubes or on top with the crumble right before baking. Same with the fruit and orange zest. You can always serve any extras as toppings too.
I seen if you variation section that you said you could swap the milk with Almond Milk. I used unsweetened original. Would I also use 2 cups of that like with the milk?
I swapped it with equal parts and it turned out fine.
Yes!
Best French toast casserole there is. My whole family loves it!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!
Question…. I always make French toast with Hawaiian bread ….whatcha think? I think it would be wonderful!
Ooh yes, I say go for it! And then let us know how it turns out. 🙂
I MAKE THIS FOR MY OFFICE EVERY YEAR AND IT IS EATEN UP EVERYTIME. THEY RAVE ABOUT ALL THE TIME. ONE THAT HAS BECOME A STAPLER FOR MY CHRISTMAS MORNING.
Could I double this recipe and bake in a larger rectangular pan to feed a crowd? If so would you change the cooking time or temperature?
Yes, you could! I would keep the temp the same, but you’ll probably want to increase the baking time. You’ll just need to keep an eye on it.
How many oz of bread actually need. Each loaf is different in oz?
Great question! 24 oz seems to be just the right amount to fill the pan.
Oh you mean bread pudding?
What kind of milk is recommended for this recipe? Thank you!
How many ounces of bread do you recommend? There is a big difference between french, challah, sour dough and brioche at my Shoprite. French loaf = 12oz while sour dough is 24 oz.
Good
Absolutely delicious!!! I added 1 tablespoon of cinnamon instead of 1 teaspoon and it was fantastic. I also made this just before putting in the oven for a total of 60 minutes and it came out perfect. Even my pickiest eater gobbled this up so fast! This will now be our official Thanksgiving breakfast. 😌
Can you make this with regular sandwich white bread? Thank you!
Yes, you can. I typically like using a thicker bread that soaks up the custard mixture more (my favorite bread to use is sourdough) so there isn’t a chance it will be soggy. You could even leave the bread out and let it dry out/get a little stale. That could help with the sandwich bread not getting too soggy.
This casserole is perfect to make early and make the morning it’s needed. Leftovers heat up nicely too!
Have made this multiple times. Absolutely love it! Highly recommend
Can you leave it in the refrigerator for longer than 12 hours? Like around 16-18?
The longer you cook, the softer it gets or the other way around? Thanks
Had some family and friends over acouple weeks ago to help with ahouse project, so we made this for everyone for brunch and it was a big hit! Didn’t need much syrup with how sweet it was. Going to try with blueberries next.
When making double the amount, do you increase the pan size? Or split between two 9 × 13
You can do either.
If your larger pans dimensions make it skinnier and thicker make sure to adjust your cook time obviously.
Bread pudding is done when it reaches a temp of 160f
Hello, can this be cooked in a crockpot?
Yes it can. Do all the steps through step 4. Then you’ll add it to the crock pot and cook on a high setting for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or on the low setting for 4 to 5 hours. The casserole will be done when it is puffy and set in the center. Not soggy and jiggly. Hope that helps!
I’m going
Great recipe! Simple ingredients and easy to follow instructions. I did not have time to soak it overnight and it still came out perfect! My family loved it and had already requested to have it again.
I’m in the same boat. Just made and don’t have time to soak it all day. How many hours did you refrigerate? I have about 2 before I need to cook it.
Thanks
This was easy and one of the best overnights I’ve made! The family LOVED it!
Loved this recipe!!! Big hit!
What is the best way to reheat leftovers
I usually just reheat in the microwave.
This recipe came out phenomenal! I didn’t have access to my normal recipe for over night French toast so after reading a million and one comments by y reviewers I decided on this one. I’m SO glad I did. I used 1.5 sour dough baguettes (great choice!) And added fat blue berries with a sweetened cream cheese. Everything came out perfectly. I’m going to replace my old recipe with this one! Thank you.
I LOVE this recipe! I always make it the night before. It is so simple! I’ve made the recipe as is, and I’ve made it with modifications. I’ve e subbed out the cream for more milk and cut back the sugar and it was still wonderful! I’ve also subbed out part of the dairy milk for oat milk and it was still delicious!
This was a winner, great texture and sweetpp
What is the ounce of French bread loaf needed?
I used 20 oz.
Great recipe! Easy to make and everyone loves it.
This recipe was excellent! Had family visiting for Labor Day and picked this because it was super easy to make. Added blueberries just before putting into the oven, Half way through the added chopped pecans on half of casserole. I knew some family members did not like them, so it made it easy for them to avoid. All in all, the reviews were voices of so delicious Meemaw!!!
Best French Toast of my life. A few subs tho. We had no milk or cream. But I did have unsweetened coconut milk and french vanilla creamer and it was smashing! Everyone loved it. Next time I will use the correct ingredients. No doubt I will still call this recipe #1. We baked ours for 55 minutes and toasted our bread in the oven first then let cool before adding the liquid mix. It was gooey and chewy and delish. NO SOGGINESS whatsoever. Thanks for the recipe!
The original recipe is wonderful. Always a crowd favorite. For the savory version , are you just leaving the sugar out of the milk and cream mixture? It adding anything there. Otherwise I’m assuming the ham and cheese go on the topping, but I could see mixing those in the with the milk batter, and save with the fruit.
This is a family favorite and I’ve made it several time! I was wondering about freezing it. Could it be frozen and should it be baked, then frozen?? If frozen should thaw completely first before baking or could it go from freezer to oven? If cooked frozen how long!?
Agh so many questions!!
Thanks!!
These are great questions! We do expound a bit more on how to freeze in the post, but in a nutshell, you can bake and freeze OR you can freeze before baking. You’ll want to wrap the dish with plastic wrap then foil and freeze. When you’re ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping, and bake. If it has been prebaked, cook it at 350°F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to the recipe directions. Hope that helps!
I do not like it when people leave reviews, but they alter the recipe as written. It is necessary in our home, however, due to lactose intolerance. This may help others with dairy issues. I make tons of different breakfast casseroles; this one blew all of the others out of the park!!!!! I had to substitute soy milk (sweetened) for the milk and cream. I added no additional sugar. I used 14 oz. Of French bread and felt like we needed more eggs in the dish. I used twelve. I am also being overwhelmed with eggs right now as we raise chickens. My precious Lord, this was divine……… – no additional syrup needed.
Oh thank you for taking the time to review and share how you made it for your family. I’m so glad that you loved the recipe!!
Huge hit when I made it for a Father’s Day brunch and now I’ve made it for a second time this weekend (just a half casserole since it’s just for two of us and the whole thing seemed a bit unnecessary). Turned out great both times and will definitely keep in the rotation.
Yay! So glad to hear that. And that’s a great idea to just make half the recipe to just serve the two of you. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe gets 5 stars not just for the taste, which is fabulous, but for the ease of preparation, the ability to make ahead either baked or unbaked, and for the detailed instructions and notes.
I pre-made this and then froze it without cooking, then baked it later. It was wonderful and got rave reviews. Thank you for sharing.
Could I use “Texas Toast” bread? And what about bananas? Thanks! Cannot wait to try it!
Yes! I have used Texas toast and it turns out great, but it is funny because I was thinking, just like you, about using bananas. I think it would be delicious with bananas! (and nuts!)
Oh no- I forgot to grease the foil pan I put it in- how much trouble am I in?
You may just have to scrape the bottoms and sides a bit more?? Hopefully it still turned out just fine!
I read this recipe through and it didn’t sound fantastic to me. But the reviews were amazing, so I gave it a try (the only slight change was that I made homemade French bread and toasted it.). I made two separate batches of it, as I normally Cook 6 pounds of meat for my family of 8–we eat a LOT!! But Not even one Pan of this was gone. It was very bland (I even added cinnamon to the eggs) and way too much flour in the crumble. Everyone said it was ok, and I’m sure the rest will get eaten as leftovers. But not something I’m going to make again—although I will look for another similar recipe, I think, as it was so easy to put together ahead of time. 3 stars bc of ease, and that her sour dough would have given it slightly more flavor, although not all of my kids would have approved of sour dough.
great
What is the ounce of French bread loaf needed? I’m seeing between 14oz and 24oz available. Thanks!
Love this recipe! Was a great hit and was one food prep less to worry about for our brunch.
How would temperature or timing need to be adjusted if cutting recipe in half?
The temperature would stay the same. The timing may be shorter since there isn’t as much. I’d say cut the time in half and then just keep an eye on it. If it seems a little underdone, leave it in longer.
I added some chopped ham and cut the sugar in half for the egg mixture and to the topping I added chopped pecans and increased brown sugar a hair. Delish
Yummy!!
Love this!
Wow, such magical dish. I made 3 little ones instead of one large and they came out beautifully. Thank you! I followed the recipe exactly using the challah bread drying it cut in cubes for 6 hours while doing other stuff then pored the egg mix on. Turning it once before bed and soaked (all together) overnight. Then separated into 3 small 4by7 foil pans and cooked the full hour for a welldone middle and crip topping.
So yummy.
Ok wow! This is the BEST French toast casserole I’ve ever made and will definitely be a keeper in regular rotation. I didn’t have enough bread so I adjusted the amount of eggs and milk. So easy to put together, easy to bake and delicious. We didn’t need any syrup at all. Thank you!
Anyone unprepared like me and not do the soaking overnight or for 4 hours and have it more like 30 min and have it still turn out okay?
We love this recipe so much!!! Does anyone have experience using gluten free bread???
I made a few for the freezer (first French toast casseroles I’ve ever made lol) for postpartum meals and we just pulled one and ate it! It is great! I purchased a few loaves of GF sourdough from a local baker.
I have also made similar things in the past using canyon bakehouse hawaiian bread which have also turned out well!
Everyone Loves this recipe. I make it for all overnight guests and for Holidays. It is always requested when they return. Super easy and great to not have to do anything in the morning besides make coffee!!
I’m don’t have 4 hrs either. Dying to know how it turned out with less soak time. I have 2 hrs.
Made this for the first time today. It came out absolutely amazing and delicious!! I used half and half instead of heavy cream. I used sourdough bread and I let it soak overnight. I brought it to a ladies brunch this morning and everyone loved it!! I had to leave a 5 star review cause it was that good!
Because of time and resource constraints, I ended up using about 3/4 of a loaf of denser white bread and let the egg mixture soak on top for maybe 5 minutes before throwing it in the oven. I am here to say… it was AMAZING! I’ve never seen a casserole go so fast. It was such a hit! Thank you!
I don’t like to use heavy cream in anything. Can I substitute it for half and half or anything else? Thank you.
I have made this recipe so many times and it’s always great. I never have heavy so I cut the amount of sugar and then substitute the cream for coffee creamer. It adds a new flavor profile and always comes out great.
That sounds tasty! Thanks for sharing what you do.
Yes you can! Lots of people have shared in the comments different things they have used that have turned out too, if you need any other ideas.
Does anyone have any experience with freezing this recipe? Was it better frozen before baking or after baking? THANKS!!!!
For 9-10 people is one recipe enough? Will also serve with yogurt and berries and adding bacon to recipe. TY!
Loved this and so did my guests. I was pretty cynical of the ratings but wow! I used a loaf of potato bread. As it’s very soft, I cubed and let sit out for 6 hours before assembling. Yum!
OMG Made this for my girls trip to the beach and boy, did we chow down. Excellent breakfast casserole!
This is the requested breakfast every single weekend and even more requested when it is sleepovers at our house! All the kiddos love it as well as the adults and it’s so easy to do!
Just made this for my family this weekend. So easy and so yummy. Will definitely be making again.
Had this at my daughter’s. absolutely the best! Great for family breakfast gathering. We look forward to having it again soon!
I am going to make this for the first time. We are hosting a brunch for 20. Can I double the recipe or should I just make two pans?
I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Thanks!
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out. I would probably just make two pans. But if you have a dish large enough to hold the doubled amount, you can try it!
It turned out so delicious. Everyone loved it and went back for seconds.
Just a note:
I originally was going to make two pans but decided to make it all in one pan. It was great!
Thanks so much for the great recipe!!
Hi Bernadette,
I’m planning to double this recipe, I’m glad to read you had success with this. Did you have to increase your cook time? And what size pan did you use?
Thanks!
Added nutmeg to mine because that’s how I make my French toast. Also added cinnamon and nutmeg into the milk & egg mixture. Tasted like exactly what the recipe sounds like…a French toast bread pudding. I think next time I’ll try with another layer of the topping in the middle.
I made this last weekend with a loaf of Brioche bread from Aldi. The whole family raved about it. I loved being able to wake up and just stick it in the oven. I cooked for 50 minutes and thought the edges were great but put the rest back in the oven for the extra 10 minutes. Feels special without all the work. Served with fresh fruit and sausage links for anyone interested. Will make again and again!
The best ever – so many compliments
I made this for our Bible study group which meets at 11 am Sunday morning. Everyone just raved, I added some crumbled up bacon and used maple syrup instead of the buttermilk syrup. Definitely a keeper recipe.
The French Toast Casserole started out as a Christmas morning favorite and now is a family requested favorite year-round. I usually serve it with warm syrup and blueberries, but have been known to serve it with sliced strawberries and whipped cream or sliced peaches drizzled with honey. Yummm!!!
This was so easy to make ahead of time and bake the next morning! I served it to my church group for our monthly meeting and everyone loved it and requested that I make it again. I also shared the recipe! Thank you!
Can I prep this in the morning and refrigerate until the following morning or is that too long to let it si before cooking? Will it all be soggy?
I think you should be fine. I wouldn’t go longer than 24 hours though.
Tried this out the first time for a birthday brunch, and it was such a hit! Do you really don’t need syrup with it. It’s an amazing recipe and easy to make great for a potluck event too.
I would like to make this for Mother’s Day. Will a 14.5 ounce loaf of brioche suffice or should I use two loaves. Thank you.
That should work!! Hope you enjoy!
I made this for my daughter’s baby shower brunch. I put out strawberries and blueberries and cheesecake fruit dip as a topping for it along with the strudel. It was a huge success easiest brunch idea to make and everyone loved it have been asking me for the recipe. Thank you!
I’ve made before and everyone loves this. I’ve always prepped it the evening before, would making this 2 days prior to baking be alright or make everything too mushy?
Been waiting for an occasion to make for a crowd. Made for Easter brunch and it was easy and delicious. Wouldn’t change a thing . Will definitely make again . Got lots of raves thank you
It was soo good! I found a cinnamon brioche at my Walmart I made this as part of a big Easter Breakfast and it was a hit! Will for sure make it again. Thanks!
Amazing recipe!! I used vanilla brioche (1.5 loaves) and added cinnamon and nutmeg to the egg mixture. We also have to keep our meals dairy free, so rather than regular milk and heavy cream, I just used all vanilla oat milk. I’ll be making this often!
This is absolutely delicious! Made it for a family brunch and everyone raved! My only negative remark is that I’m pretty sure a serving size is more than 1 gram. Especially considering there’s 15 grams of protein in 1 serving…..I would love to know what the actually serving size is for calorie counting
How many ounces of bread? There are so many different size loaves. Thanks
If I bake 2 in the oven at the same time,do I need to adjust the time I spend cooking it?
Incredibly amazing!! Made with GF bread toasted to dry out a bit before using it in the recipe. Will definitely be making this again! Thank you!
What is the best GF bread to use?
Sam E flax and millet sourdough bread
This is by far my kids favorite breakfast. They request it at least every other week.
This is one of my family favorites.
My family loves this recipe! It is SO good, and easy!!!
The French Toast Casserole and it was very easy to make and tasted fabulous.
One of our family favorites and so easy! Yum!
I have made this recipe several times and it comes out perfect each time! I’m always asked for the recipe!
I made the French toast casserole with brioche hamburger buns that I had on hand. I cut the recipe in half because there are just two of us, and it was delectable!! The casserole tasted like a fine custard pudding bake and I was testing for our Easter brunch menu. Thank you Krysten, absolutely amazing recipe, I like that it sits overnight for a bake the next day !
My family loves this french toast casserole. It’s a staple for Christmas morning and I love that I can prep it the day before and just pop in the oven while we’re opening presents!
This is so easy and delicious!! I made it for Christmas brunch and it was a hit! I wasn’t stressed at all because I prepped it the night before. Definitely will make it again 😊
One of our favorite breakfast meals. Easy to make the night before and just pop it in the oven.
This casserole is sooo good and my kids eat it up. I love to add chopped pecans, it gives it an extra crunch! Plus you can make it the night before, definitely a time saver on those special occasions.
This French toast casserole is a holiday and birthday breakfast favorite.
I appreciate make ahead recipes.
French toast bake is amazing!
This is the best! My family loves it! Especially my very picky 23 yr old daughter. It’s so easy to make and put in fridge overnight and bake in the morning. Family Favorite!
One of our family favorites!!
I made this with brioche for Christmas morning one year! Delicious and easy!
I made this for Sunday school breakfast and it was a huge hit! I used 1.5 loafs of Walmart bakery French bread, changed the sugar to 1/2 cup, 1 1/2 cup milk, and 1 cup heavy cream because I like heavy cream more than milk. Also changed the amount to 1 cup brown sugar.
Also the website is awful, too many ads and videos to get the to recipe.
I’m glad to hear the recipe was a hit! The ads on the site allow us to provide these recipes for free. Thanks for understanding and for giving the recipe a try!
In your recipe I do not see any mention of how many people this casserole will serve. I realize that is relative, but an estimate would be helpful. I want to make this for a small group (4-5 people) along with other breakfast foods. Will this recipe work if I cut everything in half?
If you click on “jump to recipe” it will take you to the recipe card and that shows the number of servings. Hope that helps for future recipes. 🙂
But for this one, it serves about 8. So yes, you could cut the recipe in half. This recipe also stores well in either the fridge or you can wrap it and freeze and then reheat later. So if you do end up making the full recipe, you can have the leftovers another time!
Didn’t have heavy cream so replaced it with condensed milk also added cranberries for holidays – delicious!!
My family loved this French toast recipe – I added cranberries on top as we made it Christmas morning. 🎄 ♥️
Oh that’s so beautiful and festive! So glad to hear your family enjoyed the french toast!
I first made this for my family for our Christmas breakfast, and everyone loved it. Then my job had a Valentine’s day brunch, and I decided to make it again. Once again it was a hit!! Everyone wanted the recipe! I used Hawaiian Sweet rolls – Butter flavored, so good!!
I used Challah bread,1/2 cup of sugar in the mix instead of 3/4 and I added raisins to the egg mixture. For the topping, I added pecans. I baked for 60 minutes. It was delicious.
Sounds tasty!! Thanks for sharing what you did.
I made this for a brunch I had. The only mistake I made was that I should have made two because this recipe was a HIT!
I added bacon and made a blueberry compote to put on top instead of maple syrup
I was reluctant to write a review because it aggravates me that everyone wants your email address. That you can’t just write a review. I hope I don’t Start receiving a bunch of emails from this site now that I left a review
This was a great recipe. Being a diabetic the next time I do it, I will modify it slightly. I will use Splenda instead of sugar and see how it goes. My wife and I loved this for breakfast. Plan to do it again sometime soon.
This is a great recipe! I only had cinnamon raisin bread so that is what I used. I made this for Christmas brunch. It has been requested once a week since! Thank you for sharing what has quickly become a new family & friends favorite!
We love this recipe! May I suggest adding flavorful Panettone bread with citron to your bread options? I also like to add sliced almonds on top of the casserole, covered by the butter/sugar crumble to keep them from burning. Thanks for sharing this recipe
You’re welcome! That bread and the almonds sound like they would be fabulous options too. Thanks for sharing!
This is one of my families favorites. It’s also a great go-to to bless others. I typically split this into 2 8×8 aluminum pans. I’ve blessed friends who just had surgeries, a baby, etc, and then my family has the second for breakfast that weekend. I will say though, the 8×8 is probably perfect for a family of 3. It used to be fine for my family of 4, but as my kids are becoming teenagers, I’m finding after we cut it in 4… they are asking for more. Lol. I like my original plan, so we might just start making bacon too go with it. 🥰
Lastly, it’s great to have an extra in the freezer for days like today, where I am sick, but my husband or kids can just pop out in the oven! 💞
Thanks for sharing! That’s a great idea to split into two smaller pans to give away to smaller families. And we like to have one on hand in the freezer too or those pinch hit moments. Hope you get feeling better! So glad to hear that this recipe is a hit with your family.
Loved this recipe!! I added a little maple syrup to the egg mix and use Splenda for the sugars. I had leftover toasted French bread and it was sooo good!!
Loved it! Added a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the egg mixture and cut back on the sugar in the egg mixture. Made it the night before, and followed the recipe to the letter, it was moist and delicious! The family loved it and I am pretty sure it is going to make a regular appearance at family breakfasts!
Such a delicious casserole. The entire pan was eaten by all. Thank you. Quick Question: there are various bread types and weights. What weight do you suggest the bread should be. Again, thank you for the most wonderful casserole
I don’t know that I have ever weighed the bread for this recipe. But you’ll want the bread to be sturdy enough that the bread cubes will hold up after being combined with the egg mixture. So my top choice is sourdough bread, but challah, french, or brioche are all great options too. Hope that helps!
This was delicious! I made it for a preschool potluck and all the parents and staff raved about it. I did toast my bread in the oven but other than that, I followed the recipe to a T. Thank you for this delicious casserole!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
It was a good French toast bake, but I do have to agree with other comments that it was VERY sweet. I’ve made other recipes, and they did not call for added sugar into the mixture. I would make this recipe again, and omit the sugar.
For others who are gluten free, I used gluten free bread and it turned out perfect! I also used oatmilk and did not have any problems!
Thanks for the feedback! That’s great to know about the gluten free bread and oatmilk. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Made this for New Year’s Day Brunch! Fantastic!
I made this for my New Years Breakfast for a bunch of teenage boys and my husband. We all loved it.
Oh I’m so glad to hear that!!
This was yummy…a little cinnamon in the egg mixture. I halved the recipe and it was perfect!! Thanks for the wonderful breakfast recipe!
This was delicious! I read many reviews before making this and made a few changes after seeing some of the suggestions. I used 6 eggs (probably could have used 7), let it sit overnight but also gave it a mix in the morning and let it sit for another 3 hours before cooking. I think making sure the bread really soaked everything up helped quite a bit. I also only used 1/4 cup sugar and added a couple dashes of cinnamon to the egg mixture. Got lots of compliments on how good it was! Will definitely be making this again.
Do you think this recipe would work using Hawaiian Rolls?
My family loves this French Toast Bake. It is our go-to Christmas morning breakfast. It bakes while the kids go through their stockings and open Santa gifts.
This recipe is really yummy.
Question … while baking the casserole is nice and puffy. Why does it collapse after removed from oven ?
Super easy and absolutely delicious for Christmas morning.
Made in the evening with Brioche and cinnamon raisin bread, omitted the cream and sugar. In the morning flipped the bread pieces over to soak up the rest of the liquid. Topping followed the directions as is. Baked for the full 60mins. Cooled for 30mins. Was so amazingly good. We knew we wanted to top with maple syrup, so that is why we omitted the sugar in the egg mixture. This is now a new family favourite!!
INCREDIBLE! I did a combo of brioche, sourdough and French breads for a Christmas brunch dish. We loved it I would definitely serve again. I did make a bit extra of the topping also.
I have been making the sausage egg casserole for years (very popular with my family) and added the French toast casserole for the first time this Christmas 2023. It was a huge hit, delicious, not too sweet at all, just right. These casseroles are so easy to put together, serve for a brunch/bunch or any family gathering.
My first time making a French toast casserole. Made one for my neighbor and one for me and my husband for Christmas morning breakfast. I used French bread and it was absolutely delicious! My neighbor said they had this for breakfast AND dinner the second day because it was so good. Definitely makes a nice gift. Thank you
What a great way to use up all my sourdough that got put in the freezer. I was giving it away on Christmas morning to my neighbors.
Very good. And easy. I used brioche bread slice cut in half and dried. Great flavor. Just a bit too eggy in a 9×13. But it’s my new favorite.
Could this be cut in half and baked in an 8×8 pan 🤔
As a Single Senior a 9×13 size would be way too much 😒
You could always freeze the other half for later 🙂
Made it for Christmas morning and it was a huge hit! Super easy! So amazing with some fruit and maple syrup – the whole family loved it!
Way, way, way too sweet, but otherwise good.The sugar in the custard only needs to be a Tablespoon or two. I ended up serving it with some mixed berries on top to help cut the sweetness.
Excellent Christmas morning casserole
Prepped last night and made this morning for Christmas. AMAZING!!! I LITERALLY just threw this together because we have a ton of sourdough bread leftover from my bread making attempts. VERY imperfect bread made a PERFECT casserole!!!
Perfect for Christmas morning!
My crumble turned into paste. 😩 I was scarred after the first failure, so I tried a different crumble recipe the second time (which worked).
I cut out all the sugar from the custard (you don’t need sugar when you’re serving with syrup) and used a gingerbread flavored creamer (which is admittedly sweet) in lieu of the milk. I do that for reg French toast too, great flavor hack! Perfection!
I have yet to find ingredients w measurements. I guess I’ll just ad lib.
Btw the nutrition lists a 1g serving w 500+ calories. I’m Pretty sure that’s not just inaccurate but flat out Wrong. Thanks. I hope the other recipes are better.
well then you’re obviously not bright enough to use your brain. there are measurements on the page you old fart.
I’m currently debating if I need to make the brown sugar crumble topping. I made a coconut lemon yogurt glaze and don’t want the crumble. But im afraid when I bake it tomorrow without the crumble it might be too dry or hard on the top. Can I get away from making the crumble topping? Or is it a vital step for the moisture of the dish? Help & Happy Holidays!
Could I substitute the bread and flour for gluten free since I have celiac disease and canot have gluten? Thank you
Love this recipe but despise that even your print page has ads.
Great recipe! How do I keep the casserole from deflating? I made a test run and plan to make it again for xmas.
I want to make this for Christmas morning ! Recipe calls for a loaf of bread but loaves are all sorts of sizes . How many ounces ? Thanks so much
I have the exact same question.
Same here! What size loaf??
Me too! I got the Pepperidge Farm farmhouse sourdough but it would help to know the oz weight.
A loaf of french bread, or brioche are pretty much the same size everywhere. This is a super easy dish to make on xmas eve. Just get a loaf and throw it together.
This has become a tradition I make it every Christmas morning. I just fill a 9×13 glass dish. I used a full loaf a few years ago & it was way too much bread. I just make sure it is not over the top of the pan.
Best Overnight French Toast, I add nuts (walnuts or pecans) & raisins. Yummy….A Christmas Morning tradition.
Everyone at the party went nuts and wanted the recipe.
This is my go-to recipe for Christmas morning and Easter. I use Challah bread and I dry out the bread cubes a bit in the oven on low heat so it’s not too soggy.
Truly delicious! Don’t skip the topping… made a nice sugary amazing crunch on top. I will probably not ever buy bread just to make this casserole, I use bits and pieces of raisin cinnamon bread, cinnamon rolls etc that get stashed away in the freezer. That being said, I wish the recipe had a measurement for bread other than oz. I used about 9 cups of bread cubes but ended up adding about 4-5 slices raisin bread more when it didn’t fill the dish significantly. I also didn’t measure out sugar into the eggs….I did sprinkle in a modest amount of cinnamon sugar mix and some other spices like cloves. The consistency turned out perfect and we will certainly be making this again! Thank you
My son loved it so much he has asked I make it again for Christmas morning 😍🎄I have made other varieties over the years and this one is his favorite.
I’ve eaten this bake on two different occasions when someone brought it to a get together and both times I felt absolutely horrible afterwards. Now I know why! It has 38g of sugar in a single serving.
This recipe was great, my 4 kids loved it but all had the same comment … too sweet and too soggy. I will try it again with 5 eggs and half the sugar. Otherwise, great beginning!
Okay, so I used 5 eggs 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup milk, 1 cup heavy whipping cream. More heavy whipping cream makes the egg mixture more like a custard, next time I might get rid of the milk altogether. I also used brioche loaf from trader joe’s as I’m not a fan of sourdough. Great recipe!
If I were to triple this, what would the bake time be in a large catering pan? I’d like to make this for a Christmas party and this sounds AMAZING!
I just need to say if you haven’t added apples, sausage, and bacon to your casserole recipe yet your missing out! It was the best flavor combo I’ve had in a long time. Thank you for your recipe, it’s the first time I’ve tried a french toast bake recipe that didn’t come out soggy in the middle!
Is there somewhere to watch the video, it is not on the page anymore. Please and thank you.
Nevermind, I went onto another browser and was able to see it 🙂
We’ve made this recipe at least 20 times! I make it twice a week it’s our favorite for our large family!!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this!! So glad this recipe has become a family favorite.
I used two gluten free French bread baguettes and 6 egg. Tasted amazing. However it was very soggy/soft and didn’t harden up. What could have happened? I specifically spooned out the bread mixture from the bowl.
How long did you leave it to soak? You want the egg mixture to seep deep into the bread for a soft custardy center. If the mixture doesn’t have time to soak into the bread it may end up creating a soggy mess. I’d say minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best! Another tip is to use stale bread. So you can leave the bread out for 24 hours to make them stale and more sturdy.
Try leaving your bread on the counter for the day after cutting into cubes. I make my own French bread and had two less than ½ stale loaves I cut into one inch cubes (give or take) and cut it down to 4-5 eggs and 1½c milk since I didn’t have a whole loaf. I left my bread on the counter through the afternoon and while I made supper, occasionally giving them a stir. They were pretty stale by the time I added the liquid but not hard.
If I’m doubling this and cooking in 2 9×13’s, how would you change the bake time?
The bake time would remain the same. If you are using 2 9×13 pans.
I made this for Thanksgiving, but with a twist. I had some egg nog I needed to use so I used it. It was delicious!!
Put this together last night and baked it this morning. Yummy!!! My husband loved it. Once baked, how long will this keep in the fridge? There’s just the 2 of us and I’m wanting to freeze the leftovers but husband says not to and that he’ll eat it daily for breakfast.
So glad you loved it! I’d say it lasts pretty well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Hi Kristyn! I can’t figure out how to watch the video since I don’t see a link to it, just the word Video.
Can you help? Thanks so much, and I’m loving your recipes!
Yes! If you click on “jump to video” it’ll scroll you to the bottom of the post where the video is. You can also scroll through the page and the video should show up in the post too. Hope that helps!! So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipes!
Unfortunately, that doesn’t work. It only takes me to the word “video” in the post, which is located after step 7 and before Notes.
Strange, it is showing up/playing the video for us in that same location on the page. Perhaps you could try in a different internet browser?
Absolutely wonderful!!! I used a dense loaf of cinnamon bread and 1/2 cup of sugar in the egg mixture instead of 3/4 and it came out amazing!! I will keep this one forever, it was a hit!
Made this for thanksgiving brunch, served with scrambled eggs and sausage and it turned out great! I cut the white sugar in half because I knew my kids would load on the syrup 🙂 even without the syrup for me, I thought it was plenty sweet! ty for the recipe
Thanks for sharing what you did! Glad to hear the casserole was a hit!
I want to make this but can’t find the maximum time to let it sit? If I make it at 3p and cook at 10a, will it be ok?
I used 7 eggs and made the rest of the recipe as is. Also used brioche bread and left it refrigerated overnight for 8 hours. The flavor was great but too soggy.
Can I cover this with aluminum foil instead.
Before baking or afterward to store it?
“This is possibly the best thing you’ve ever made.”
My husband generally dislikes french toast. But I made this for a brunch and he went head over heels for it. It’s definitely going to become a staple for us!
With some of the comments about it being “eggy,” I decided to use only 7 eggs. I also opted for a loaf of brioche bread that I let sit out for a couple hours before cutting it up. In the morning it looked like there was still some of the egg mixture to soak up so I tossed the bread a bit and let sit another hour before I put it in the oven.
Thanks for sharing what you did! I love that your husband was a fan of the recipe too. So glad it was a hit!
quick question. I think I’ll need to put this together Friday night and bake it on Sunday morning…too long to let it sit in the fridge before baking?
It’s impossible to print the French Toast casserole. I’ve tried multiple times, but when I hit “print” all the cussed ads pop up and no printing occurs. Very frustrating.
Best oven French toast recipe I’ve tried. It’s very rich so I omitted the topping and it was delicious plain. Kudos
Too eggy for our liking. Wondering if it would work with less eggs?
I haven’t tried with less eggs, but you could get it a try. If you do, you’ll have to let us know how it turns out.
Made this for my family this weekend and they loved it! The perfect fall weekend breakfast. I loved the prep the night before, so it was super easy to throw in the oven the next morning. We served bacon and strawberries with it.
This was insanely good. It didn’t even need maple syrup! Was delicious hot or cold and it was just as great the next day.
This was so good! I doubled the recipe for our women’s retreat, it was a big hit, and what was better still was cutting the leftovers into nice big squares, wrapping each one in plastic wrap, and then piling them in the fridge. The next morning we had a grab and go breakfast and they were delicious cold with nothing on them; we just ate them sandwich-style. This recipe is a 5-star keeper for sure.
If I wanted to make this with eggnog which liquid would I replace the milk or the cream? And should I also skip the sugar?
Hey! I’m just making this (I just put it in the oven) and I was wondering if you don’t have to the seasoning in the fridge or if it is a need to put in the fridge?
I cook at 350 degrees. Thanks for the recipe.
Can’t wait to try this.
Hi! I’m making this for a meal train at church. I know I can swap the milk and cream for a nut milk, any suggestions for replacing the butter with a dairy free alternative?
I haven’t tried this yet and was wondering how many cups of cubed bread one loaf comes out to be. Thanks in advance 🙂
Anybody make this two days in advance? Headed to a cabin this weekend with friends and not sure if we will do brunch in sat or Sunday.
You would probably be fine. I wouldn’t recommend going longer than that though. Some other options that might work: You can prepare through step 4 and then freeze. You’d store the topping separately and add it once the casserole is thawed. So when you are ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then bake according to the directions.
Does not work well with brioche. I followed all the measurements and left it in the fridge covered over night. The bread under the crunchy delicious topping is so soggy.
When doubling or tripling the recipe the baking dish size never changes and suggestions on what do to or do u just make three 9×13 pans?
Other than that my house loves this recipe and I’ve rushed making it and let it soak up to 20 hours the longer the soak the better I believe it’s more custard like. We make this in my house at least once a week I’ve also shared the recipe with everyone I know that likes to bake and cook. Great job!!
I would recommend doing it in multiple 9×13 pans. But if you have a pan large enough to triple it in one, you could give it a try!
My neighbor’s freshly baked sourdough bread made this recipe go to another level!
Great recipe that I have made two times.
First in a traditional pan and the second time in a muffin tin!
Yummy beyond words.
Yes, next level for sure!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Ever make the caramel sauce bottom with this? Like in the creme brulee french toast?
This was such a DELICIOUS recipe! I didn’t follow it 100%, but it goes to the recipe’s versatility with whatever you have in your fridge. I used a loaf of Trader Joe’s Pumpkin brioche. I dried it in the oven before adding the custard mix. I didn’t have milk, but I had half-and-half and cashew milk. I used a cup of each. I mixed it in a bowl and stored it in the fridge overnight uncovered. I worried that the dryer bits on top were mixed with the soggy bits, but it came out nice and crusty after I baked it for 55 minutes. The only other thing I didn’t do was add the crumbly topping because I didn’t want the extra sugar since I was going to add maple syrup. I will absolutely make this again. I’ll just halve the recipe because it’s only me eating it.
Mmmm I bet it was so tasty with the Pumpkin brioche. Thanks for sharing what you did/used and for giving the recipe a try!! Glad to hear it was a hit!
Excited to try this as it sounds delicious! Will it work if I don’t soak for at least 4 hours? I was searching the comments, but don’t see anyone that has tried this. Have you ever tried only 2 hours for example?
You could try! The only thing is if the mixture doesn’t have time to soak into the bread it may end up creating a soggy mess. So, I would say at least 2 hours. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out!!
Making this for our October fest/Fall get together with friends and family camping out at our home…soo excited, always wanted to try a French toast casserole and with all the rave reviews we are using this recipe…will update afterwards on results!! Has anyone ever added bacon bits? For the savory?
Can’t wait to hear how it turned out. The bacon bits in it are fantastic, if you like that maple/bacon flavor combo!
We LOVED this recipe!!
Has anyone put chopped nuts in the crumble topping? I’m going to try pecans!
That will be amazing!!
I made a trial run of this recipe to see if I wanted to include it on a brunch buffet we’re hosting in a few weeks. I used Costco’s seasonal Cinnamon Raisin boule bread 😋 which gave a wonderful texture to the finished dish. I only used 6 eggs (I saw reviews for similar recipes that commented on a distracting eggy flavor) and used a combo of 1 c of coconut milk and 1 c of dairy milk for an added flavor boost – we thought it came out great. Agree with another reviewer that mixing the custard and bread cubes several times before refrigerating and then again before baking leads to zero sogginess. Final test will be how does it taste at room temp …
Thanks for sharing what you did. The flavors sounded exciting and delicious!
Can I cook this in the crockpot?
Yes you can! Crockpot instructions are included in the recipe post.
Great recipe!
4 stars only due to the Blog having so many ads that it makes it difficult to get to the recipe. Continually jumps the page around.
Thanks for the feedback. The ads allow us to keep all of our content on the site free! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
My secret to avoid all the jumping around due to the ads is click on the jump to recipe button and once there, click on the print recipe option. That will take you to a new screen of no ads, just the recipe. So much easier to deal with!!!
Really good. Like that its a casserole make overnight. Read through all tips and decided to make as is. It was NOT overly soggy , but it was too soggy for us on bottom. There was not leftover marinade. Wondering how best to fix this. I will try cooking 50-60 m instead of 40. Hope it works.
One thing- I turned the bread in the milk marinade before leaving overnight because not all were coated. I highly recommend that.
Hope we fix the soggy parts. We plan to make again for Christmas.
We have lots of tips in the post to help ensure it doesn’t turn out soggy. Hopefully some of those can help too as you try it again! Thanks for giving the recipe a try.
This recipe is hands down delicious. I followed the recipe from start to finish exactly and it came out so well I’m ready to make a gluten free version with coconut or date sugar.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
This recipe looks so tasty! I’m planning on trying a savory version of this but does anyone have suggestions for cutting the amount of sugar down in this version? Any tips are appreciated! 🙂👍🏻
Made 3 times over the last few years, simple, delicious and always leftovers. We serve with fresh fruit or compote depending on seasons and availability. Thanks for the deliciousness.
I love this and made it for my daughters baby shower brunch. I also used my homemade vanilla bean paste and vanilla infused sugar which gives it even more flavor. In addition, I made homemade whipped cream and topped it with fresh berries. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I wish you could save your recipes to Pinterest.
You can. The push pin symbol next to the print button takes you to Pinterest.
You should be able to! If you click “jump to recipe”, it will take you to the recipe card which has a button you can click to pin the recipe.
Wow this was amazing! I like this better than traditional French toast. This recipe is a keeper.
Kids’ cousins were here last weekend overnight so I prepared this easy French Toast Casserole. They had so much fun that there were no leftovers!
Love to hear that!! So glad it was a hit!
I didn’t think I could love French toast any more, but this recipe is amazing! I love that I can feed the whole crew without having to stand over the skillet for ages. And my whole family loves it!
I have made the overnight French casserole a few times now using Challah from our Shabbat bread and it’s a favorite breakfast dish. Perfect with coffee and family Many thanks We love it!
You’re welcome! So glad this recipe is a favorite!
I’ve made this French Toast times for family and guest and have had raves on how good it was.
I used the Crockpot method but prefer to do the baked version. When i do this recipe there are no left overs and have shared the recipe with family and friends.
Made this with a loaf of french bread. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for an easy and tasty recipe.
I loved the idea of making this the day before and leaving in refrig over night!! I have made this before and the family loved, loved this the next morning. I was able to get breakfast on the table without much effort.
Looks like a new and easier way to make French Toast. Can’t wait to try it in the near future. If I win, I would like the vegie slicer please. Thank you.
I have a blueberry cream cheese french toast casserole that we enjoy but cinnamon and sugar are my first love. Also I am hopefully baking a loaf of sourdough bread this week so I think I have to try this. It looks so good and I can’t wait to try it. I’m sure that it will be loved. Your recipes always turn out great.
The idea of making tis savory with ham and cheese sounds like a great idea. Would it be best to eliminate all the sugar in the custard?
Thank you I did the recipe with crescent rolls that went stale that we bought from Sam’s club I used 1 less egg and and no heavy cream because I didn’t have either on hand so I added 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the milk mixture and it turned out great but I think the recipe if followed 100% would be way better because it would be more custard-like those who had theirs turn soggy must have used fresh bread that’s super soft to touch this recipe needs a stale bread or it needs a hearty loaf like the ones listed for the recipe they don’t just suggest it for no reason. If you don’t have stale bread and it’s the softer type you’ll have to do one more step so after it’s cubed place ona tray and pop in oven to toast the bread until it’s dry kinda like your making croutons then follow recipe it’ll turn out then.
Very good and easy to follow recipe!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
I was kinda nervous to make when I saw a few reviews saying their’s turned out soggy but it was perfect! I followed the recipe exactly. I used a loaf of Panera sourdough I picked up from my grocery store. It was so good! My husband and daughter devoured it. Thank you so much for this recipe! We will be making it every holiday (and probably every weekend lol)
Oh I’m so glad you gave the recipe a try and it was a success! Thanks for sharing!
This french toast recipe is my go to plan for company and special occassions. Its deliciousness and easy to make. It always gets a rave review!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear!
This has quickly become a favorite with my family! It is perfect, delicious, and so easy to prep the night before.
Do you think I could double or even triple this recipe and bake it in a toaster?
And by toaster I mean roaster 🤦🏽♀️
You could definitely try! You’d need to adjust the baking time if doubling/tripling. You’ll have to let us know how it turns out!
Very easy and tasted scrumptious!!!! A++++!!!!
I love your recipe. it’s fantastic. I just wanted to let you know that at the beginning your article after you describe how eating breakfast at your home at dinner time is a great thing that you guys enjoy doing following that it speaks of how to make the recipe and you have plastic warp rather than plastic wrap I just thought I would let you know everythinholly g else about your recipe is fantastic family loves it and I enjoy making it it’s easy and so yummy to eat!
I’m so glad you loved the recipe! And thanks for catching that. We got it updated! 🙂
This was absolutely fantastic! So easy to make and so good. There wasn’t any left.
A friend Made this for a weekend getaway so I stole the idea- it was so easy to prep (bought a disposable pan) baked at our destination. Everyone loved it and I didn’t have a big mess!
Best French toast bake ever! 5* rated by all my guests
Can I use artisan/Texas toast type bread for this recipe? I have so much of it and don’t want to buy more bread lol
Yes you could!
Made this over July 4th for a big family get together. After I took out of the oven, I topped with blueberries, chopped strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar. *Chef’s kiss, there was none left and everyone asked for the recipe.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing!
If leave it in refrigerator for 24 hours soaking is that too long?
It should still turn out fine. I wouldn’t soak much longer than that though.
I made two of these recently, one for Father’s Day brunch and at the last minute, a second one to take to a neighbor after her father had passed away. I ended up buying one of Aldi’s sliced Specially Selected Sourdough Square Loaf (24-oz.) and a second loaf of unsliced, fresh-baked Italian bread from another grocery store’s bakery. After cubing the bread loaves, I decided to use half of each loaf in both casserole dishes so that each pan had a little sourdough and a little Italian. These were a big hit and so delicious! I served mine with strawberries on the side, whipped cream, maple syrup and powdered sugar and let my guests doctor their’s up however they wanted. I’ve already passed the recipe onto friends and can’t wait to make it again!! It’s a definite winning recipe and a keeper in my book!!
This is my go to recipe whenever I go to a breakfast brunch. I’ve used various substitutions when I find I don’t have all of the regular ingredients. Salted butter when I’m out of unsalted ( just didn’t add the 1/4 tsp of salt)almond milk( for whole milk) and all half and half when I don’t have heavy. All came out delicious ! Love oh I use challah bread or sour dough
Made this using one can of unsweetened coconut milk and added a little bit of water instead of the milk and heavy cream for some with milk allergies. Everything else was just as the recipe called for, including the topping. Baked it about 55 mins. Turned out wonderful and received many compliments.
Your receipes are so delicious. Can’t wait to try some of them.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is a staple for every holiday brunch I host. Every single time, my guests RAVE about this recipe! It’s always the show-stopper and I have yet to have any leftovers remaining. It is absolutely delicious!!!
Delicious!!!!! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe:)
Absolutely love this dish! So easy to make the night before and everyone I’ve served it to wants the recipe.
I am wondering if it’s possible to do with almond milk? I have a brunch coming up and the host is dairy free.
I doubled this recipe and served it at a bridal shower this past weekend. It was a big hit! I can see this becoming a regular feature on our family gatherings. The overnight casserole is such a time saver in the morning as well.
Hi! What kind of bread did you use? Any changes to the recipe? This is a great idea for a bridal shower!
My husband and I loved, loved, loved this recipe. I don’t like dry French Toast, so baking it for 45 minutes produced a soft, eggy result that reminded me of bread pudding. The vanilla in the custard, and the cinnamon crumble on top gave it the perfect layers of flavor and contrasting textures. Fantastic!
I used a large loaf of Italian bread from a local bakery, and because the dry cubes filled the 15″x 10″ Pyrex glass baking pan
I increased the amount of ingredients to make 10 servings instead of the 8 in the original recipe. Perfection!
It was delicious. Tasted just like a really good french toast. No syrup needed as it’s very sweet already!
I let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for two days without cooking it. Is it still ok to add the topping and bake??
You should give it a try and see! I haven’t ever left it that long, so I’m not totally sure. You’ll have to let us know.
I have made this several time for family brunch and everyone always raves about it.
What is the size (oz) of the sourdough bread loaf that you use?
I usually use a 24 oz loaf, but it can be a little more/less, give or take.
Huge hit at the family brunch. Will be making it again!!
This French toast bake was SO delicious! I love that I can make it ahead. This will be a regular on my menu! Everybody LOVED it!
Yay! So glad to hear it was a hit!
I make this recipe for a community breakfast our chuch has every month. Of course I double the recipe and since I don’t like sourdough break….I use three different kinds of loaf bread that the bakery has. I have had so many compliments on this everytime I make it. They all said how delicious it is and I hope you make it next month so it has become a staple at free community church breakfast.
Oh that is amazing!! I’m so glad the recipe is a hit with your community too. Thanks for sharing that!
Everytime I make it, it disappears. Made it at work and get asked to make it there all the time now. Sometimes use cinnamon bread. Yum!
Oh yes, cinnamon bread is delicious! I’m so glad this recipe is a favorite!!
Hello!
Can you prep it 2 days in advance & bake it on 2nd day?
I don’t think I have left it to soak for 2 days. I typically would recommend within 4-24 hour window. However, if you did need it made in advance, it can be prepared through step 4 and frozen; store the topping separately and add it once the bake is thawed. It can also be frozen after baking. Wrap the dish with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you are ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Remove all the wrapping and bake at 350°F. If it had been prebaked, bake for 20 minutes; if not, bake according to the recipe directions above.
I made this recipe many years and learned ve t! Thank a time after I made & spread topping to bake I added real bacon bits to topping and it was so… good with the addition of sausage links on the side! We also had it for dinner instead of breakfast!!!
Hi! what is the max time I can have the bread soak for overnight? I need my dish ready by 11am following day and between cooking time and marinate for at least 4 hours, I would have to make this starting at 6am. Thank you!
I would say don’t let it soak for more than 24 hours max. But if you made it the night before, it’d be just fine!
This was okay. It was a bit on the sweet side. That’s my only complaint. My family probably won’t ask for this meal again.
Thanks for the feedback and giving the recipe a try!
Rachel – I cut both amounts of sugar in half. It was delicious. Please consider trying it again and reducing the sugar. It was yummy and the people I made it for agreed!
Outstanding. Made it for the first time for a baby sprinkle. Rave reviews.
I’m 76. My husband is a handsome, lovely 88. Our granddaughter, Abby, brought her new husband, Zack, over for our first brunch together. This casserole was perfect and will, I believe, become a new tradition.We had it with thick pepper, hickory smoked bacon, mixed fresh fruit and Mimosas with classic jazz on the veranda. Fabulous, festive, delicious and beyond easy.
That whole brunch sounds incredible! I’m so glad you were able to use the recipe!
Loved it! Family says 5 out of 5! Made it for Easter. Will definitely make again.
We made this for brunch on Easter Sunday. A complete hit!
Followed the recipe exactly. This was fantastic!!! Served it for an Easter brunch. Everyone loved it!!!!
I haven’t actually made it yet, but prepared at 7am, I thought this wasn’t an overnight version. It is Easter morning, we had a late Easter Vigil last night so my fam are sleeping in. When they wake up, I’ll pull out and bake. Sooo, , it may only be in fridge for about 2 to 3 hours. We will see how that does and I’ll add to my comments or make a new one. I am confident it will be amazing. I can’t wait to see! Thank you for this recipe.
Sounds delish. I made this often years back….I need to make again.😊. It is a good dish to make over the weekend
Good recipe…we love it. We used Italian panetone bread. Usually available around Christmas time.
Sounds delicious!!
This is by far our favorite French toast bake recipe! I never thought I would find a recipe better than my mom’s but this is it! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Super yummy, and super easy to double! Made this for a church breakfast, and now I am being begged to make it again. The topping is awesome!
Wonderful grandkids will love them
this is just beyond delicious and a family favorite that doesn’t even need syrup. Deliciousness at its best!
I’ve made this a few times and it’s amazing. I’ve used sourdough everytime except once I bought maple brown sugar loaf turned out wonder. Does anyone know how long it can soak in the fridge?
I wouldn’t recommend letting it sit in the fridge for more than 24 hours. If you need to make it even more in advance, you can prepare through Step 4 and frozen Just store the topping separately and add it once the bake is thawed. It can also be frozen after baking. There are tips for this in the post if you decide you want to do that!
This was SO delicious! I followed directions as written. It didn’t even need syrup. I will be making this over and over again!
This looks delicious. I love French toast. I will be planning to serve this for our Easter breakfast.
Yay! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This is my go to breakfast casserole for company and holidays! It’s easy to put together yet quite impressive.
That’s why I make it a lot! Thanks for sharing that!
Looks delicious. I personally don’t care for sourdough bread, so I would substitute a loaf of Italian. That touch of vanilla makes all the difference.
Perfect!! Lots of great options!! Enjoy!!
Made this for Breakfast Club. It was a big hit. Thanks!
Glad it was a hit!! Thanks so much for sharing!
What size sourdough bread is actually needed? The stores around here have sourdough sliced loaves 24oz and they have sourdough loaves unsliced 10oz.
I like the unsliced, that way I can cut bigger pieces. The 10 ounce should be fine 🙂
Super yummy!
My family loved this receipe so much, I had to make it the next day too!!
Thank you,
I made this for Christmas morning — put it together the night before and brought it to my daughter’s house before heating it. It was delicious. I almost wish I had made two of them, there was nothing left in the dish!
This casserole was a hit with my family. We did add a little more cinnamon as we do like the spice a lot. It’s very easy and tastes great, It’s very easy and tastes great if you have not tried it, please give it a chance, and you will fall in love with it just like we did.
The more cinnamon the better!! Glad it was a hit!! Thank you!
One of our favorite. Easy to make and like the idea of making ahead of the crowd.
I love make ahead meals! Glad you like this one! Thank you!
This is the best and easiest French toast bake. I first had it at a brunch baby shower and fell in love with it. SO good!
It’s my favorite!! I am glad you like it! Thank you!
fantastic recipe, Have made it many times now for our family’s Sunday Brunch. So easy and always turns out.
Happy to hear that!! Thank you so much!!
I make this every time my grandkids come and they love it thank you!!
Kids seem to love this recipe! Glad your grandkids do! Thank you!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the French Toast Casserole! I had a large family gathering and served breakfast for dinner and this was a huge hit!
Yay!! It’s one of our favorites!! Thank you!
Looking forward to making this to take to my sisters for Easter..it looks yummy!! Will let you know how it turns out🙏 thank you😊
Yes, I would love to know!! Hope everyone loves it!
This French Toast Bake looks absolutely divine!!
My husband LOVES french toast and I am going to surprise him Easter morning with this fantastic recipe!!
Thank you for all your other great recipes and ideas!!
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying them!
This is recipe is fabulous and so so easy, my breakfast buddies from church loved it. Just had some fruit and powdered sugar on top!! AMAZING!!!!
This looks so good and looks very easy to make. Will be trying here soon. One thing I’ll do is add some fruit to it. More filler.
I made this when family visited for holiday and it got rave reviews! Will definitely make this again! It wasn’t too sweet but can be sweeter with more syrup.
This is such a great recipe!! You get the deliciousness of French toast and you can make it ahead of time!! That way you don’t have to be making slice by slice and it’s delicious!! Prep ahead, put in the oven and done!!
This is one of the best breakfast dishes we have had! It’s super easy and so delicious, it’s become a regular addition to weekends and our holiday menus. I love that you can use just about any bread on hand, I’ve used cinnamon bread as well as sour dough and it turns out delicious every time. We love it with fresh berries and yummy butter syrup, and don’t forget the whipped cream!
I like to try this.it looks yummy
Looks soooo good. I love French Toast. This is definitely going in my recipe box!
This recipe is so delicious! It is sweet, but I don’t mind. I have made it 3-4 times and it is always a hit!
This is absolutely perfect for a weekday breakfast for us. The days my husband doesn’t play golf and is home for breakfast, this hits the spot for a family breakfast. I can add raspberries to it and it is delicious.
Thanks for a great get together for us.
I made this, this morning and I love it ❤️
Made this for Spring Brunch. It was nice because it was make-ahead. People are it up quick!
I like this recipe better than mine. The bread is in chunks and the topping is not at the bottom where it can burn. Excellent!
Now I like French Toast! This recipe is easy to size down for fewer servings or to make extra for more servings. Thank you for a new breakfast idea that is easy to make. This is also a great recipe to use while on vacation.
Made this for the girls in my church group. So yummy! Definitely going to be a repeat.
Love this recipe, I am expecting family in for Easter and was wanting something I could put in the oven when their plane lands and will be ready when they arrive at my home. This sounds like the perfect thing to have hot and waiting for them when they arrive.
I love this sort of breakfast for special mornings or holidays with my kids! Thanks for adding so many variations as well – I found some new ideas to try!
Since I share the love of breakfast food, I have to say this is amazing and easy enough for a myself! Thank you
I love make-ahead breakfasts! And this one is sweet deliciousness!
My kids love this breakfast casserole. They request it weekly. I can’t wait to try the cinnamon version.
I have been looking for a recipe like this. I had one years ago, but lost it. This is SO good! It’s great also because you don’t have to stand there making individual toast! Love it!
This is one of my favorite recipes! Easy but so yummy! Everyone loves it! I put it together to sit overnight to cook in the morning for breakfast or brunch. Or put it together in the morning and have a delicious breakfast for dinner. Everyone loves it! Super yummy with buttermilk syrup and fresh berries on top. And for even more fun add some whipped cream!
Follow this recipe exactly! This is a breakfast casserole that you never need to worry if you’ll have leftovers;) Family favorite!!!
Made this casserole for my daughter and her husband. I actually made my own bread for it because my grandson has a soy allergy. (You won’t believe how many brands of bread have soy in them!) Anyway, I made the bread and cubed it one day. Let it dry overnight and made the casserole the next day. I also added some chopped apples sprinkled in cinnamon sugar, can’t have too much cinnamon sugar, can you? LOL The nice thing about this casserole is that you can put it in the refrigerator overnight and it’s all ready to put in the oven in the morning! Then you can eat it for breakfast with a little warm maple syrup. Everybody loved it and it wasn’t just for breakfast, if you know what I mean?!
Highly recommended, AND easy for beginners. Also a great basic recipe that you can make “your own” by adding chopped fruit such as apples or blueberries, or even raisins, or chopped nuts!
I love French toast, but this sounds even better and so easy!
I can’t wait to try this one! It looks so good!
I recently made the French Toast Bake and my family loved it. Leftovers (if there are any) are delicious warmed up.
Made this with company in town and it was a HIT!!
We love this dish!
This one is phenomenal….Smells heavenly and nothing like the sugar rush! Better than donuts any day.
I used regular grocery store made french bread
The best! We have made this a staple for breakfast on holidays!
AMAZING – I made it this weekend as a dry run for Easter and it’s a winner with no substitutions or changes. Can’t wait to make it again next month.
This recipe is my go-to for our family’s Christmas morning breakfast! So simple to make and It’s always a huge hit 🥰
I have made this delicious casserole for the family and received so many rave reviews. I loved making it the night before so all I had to do it pop it in oven in the morning. The aroma of this baking seemed to wake everyone up and rush down for breakfast.
Thank you!!
This was obsoletely delish. Can’t wait to make it again
Great casserole for large crowds or just a nice breakfast for 2
Haven’t tried it yet. Will pin for later!
Can you substitute the sourdough bread in the french toast bake? I live in Rural area and that is not always an option.
You definitely could. You could use whatever you like 🙂
I took this to a church gathering and several people asked for the recipe. So easy and delicious! We all felt it was sweet enough without the syrup so next time I will skip putting it out.
Delicious for dessert but way too sweet for a breakfast or brunch. I will make it again without adding sugar to the custard mixture, and cut the streusel by 3/4.
I dried my sourdough bread out, increased the eggs, milk, cream and vanilla by half and it was so light, fluffy and perfectly baked. Just WAY TOO SWEET!
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
If making ahead, should I leave streusel topping off until I reheat and then add it?
Yes that’s what I would do. I would add it right before baking.
So delicious
How big of a loaf are you using?
I’d say 16-20 oz. I know there are different sizes… the more bread, the drier it’ll be, so it also depends on how soft you like your french toast. But like a standard “Pepperidge Farm Sourdough” loaf size works great.
It was a hit a our family brunch get together! My nephew asked for this recipe.
Always come back this one!
I plan on making this in a 9 inch heart shaped cake pan, how do I cut the ingredients and how long would I bake this? Btw looks absolutely amazing and delicious cannot wait to try it
Oh how fun! I’d guess that you could half the recipe since a 9×13 can split into two 9 inch pans. So I’d suggest that and then for baking time, it will be less since. Maybe start by cutting the time in half and then keep an eye on it. There may be a range in the baking time depending on how soft you would prefer your bread. Hope you enjoy the French Toast Bake!
I finally tried this recipe! I made it into 2 baking containers! It was easy & perfect!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad I tried this recipe – easy to make and delicious- I didn’t have the kind of bread recipe called for so I used King Hawaiian Rolls cubed up and added a few blueberries and pecans I had on hand. Wish I could post a picture of baked casserole – not only did it taste good a picture tells the story
Make this!!
Had some leftover French & sourdough bread so gave this a try. I also tossed in some blueberries and added a pinch of cloves and some grated nutmeg to the topping. SO delicious!! Definitely a keeper. Thanks for this one:)
Excellent recipe! Better than any restaurant french toast! I used a leftover loaf of French bread that I had made and it all turned out so divine. My whole family loved it! Thank you for this recipe!
I made this casserole for 8 young men who had hearty appetites. I actually made a double batch. There was bit even a crumb left, and a couple of them even asked for the recipe. Now I am making it again to serve in the morning to my husband’s daughter and her family. It is the first time they have stayed with us and I wanted a special, but easy, breakfast. This is tried and true. Thank you very much for sharing it.
I love adding fruit. The recipe can be adapted to your creativity level and pantry items. Looking forward to cooking a savory version.
OMG, yes thats the first thing that comes to mind when describing this dish to a coworker this morning. I made this dish over the weekend. It was a hit. Everyone went back for seconds. I have saved this to my go to recipes for sure! Thank you for sharing. It was delicious. I did use the sourdough as you suggested…..it was fantastic. I have now shared with 3 coworkers!! Thanks again!! Happy New Year!!!
I’m making this for the second time–first was for Thanksgiving–and thought it might be helpful to mention to others what my husband discovered.
In the morning, before we bake it, we added the step of stirring the casserole to get all of the bread coated in the egg mixture. THEN we add the topping. It makes it perfect!
Easiest best tasting French Toast bake! It was a hit for Christmas Eve and will be our tradition from here out. Followed the recipe as written with sour sour bread and prepared the night before – it was perfection.
I make this often. Add apple pices, blueberries, raspberries and cream cheese dices all around. Make some whipped cream with a good brandy and this is DELICIOUS!
This is a delicious recipe which I have made several times now. I’d like to know if it can be prepared and left in fridge for two nights prior to baking?
When I took it out at 45 min the enter was very raised and jiggled. I put it back in the oven for 15 min. Unfortunately, this made the topping very very hard. I gave it 5 stars because EVERYONE {from the 5 yr old to the 75 yr old} loved it!! Made the night before. This is a keeper!!!!
This is my go-to large brunch meal for a larger crowd or to bring to a potluck. I initially made it to drop off to some friends prior to trying it myself — they absolutely raved about it and told me I needed to make it so I could try it. I’ve now made it at least 5 times, including making some and freezing it ahead of time. If you live in Ontario, Canada, then Farmboy’s Organic Sourdough Boule Bread (450g) works perfectly with this recipe!
Thank you Kristyn for the delicious recipe!
What is the actual serving size? It can’t be 1 gram. By the way, this bake is delicious
Oh my so yummy.
This is DELICIOUS! I made this Christmas morning and it will be one of our new morning traditions! Prepped it the night before and threw it the oven to bake while the kids opened gifts. I used French bread, crunchy crust and all… (our local grocery bakery was out of sourdough)… it worked perfectly and tasted like dessert lol
This is DELICIOUS! I made this Christmas morning and it will be one of our new morning traditions! Prepped it the night before and threw it the oven to bake while the kids opened gifts. I used French bread, crunchy crust and all… (our local grocery bakery was out of sourdough)… it worked perfectly and tasted like dessert lol
I doubled this recipe in one dish…actually x2, how long to cook?
This recipe was amazing! And so easy! I used Sara Lee Artesano Cinnamon bread. I took out about 3-4 slices. After baking we added some pecans, a little butter and a drizzle of syrup to kind of candy the pecans. Amazing!
Everyone raved about this casserole! Some went back for seconds despite having lots of other good to choose from. Turned out perfect – not soggy, not too sweet – just perfection. Recipe was asked for and passed on. Thank you for this delicious dish. Very much appreciated!
Very yummy! I made dairy free version and Used 2- 1lb loaves Sourdough(unsliced)-12 eggs,3&3/4 cups dairy free (ripple brand) 1/2&1/2, 1 cup sugar, 2TBLSPS vanilla and doubled the topping using plant based butter (earth blalnce) Used a 16×10 pyrex dish to refrigerate overnight and bake in. It came out very very good will definitely make again, it was requested that I do.
I got all of the ingredients to try this and then it dawned on me that there will be a person with a cinnamon allergy at the gathering. Do you think leaving out cinnamon will be ok?
Outstanding! My family LOVED it! It’s our new Christmas breakfast tradition!!
We had this for Christmas breakfast today. Wow! It was so good. I will never stand at the griddle flipping bread ever again. BTW I did the soak in a bowl overnight and transferred into the pan in the AM because I was not sure how big a “loaf” was. So maybe it would help others to add how many cups of cubes is in a loaf.
This has just become a new family tradition for Christmas morning. It was delish!
Delicious Xmas morning bkfst! I added fresh berries and used brioche bread. Soaked overnight and then put topping on prior to baking. Everyone loved it! Thank you for sharing.
Merry Christmas 🎄 ❤️ Just came out of the oven! Smells an looks delicious!! Serving this with some bacon. An my family has this wonderful so easy to make breakfast!! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the recipe!
Something is off with your topping measurements. It does not come out crumbly, but a thick mass of sugary butter. The butter either needs to be cut in half or the dry ingredients doubled or something. Not sure if anyone’s said something similar, but you might want to double check the amounts or retest. Thanks.
Hi there! I made this several times a few years ago and I am making tmrw for Xmas brunch but I am having holiday brain fart lol
I have a loaf of challah that is about 550 grams or 19.4 oz. Do you think that is too much or will that amount due? Thank you!
I have been making a variation of this for 20 years now. It’s a family favorite for Christmas morning. I basically use the same ingredients, but the topping is made by using softened butter mixed with Brown Sugar then spread on top of the bread mixture before baking. I use 1-2 sticks of butter. Depending on how many people and much bread I use. A co-worker told me this recipe a long time ago and now it’s so popular everywhere. I don’t know why flour is added to the topping. Can you tell me why and what difference it makes? Thank you everyone and Merry Christmas!
I have been a variation of this for 20 years now. It’s a family favorite for Christmas morning. I basically use the same ingredients, but the topping is made by using softened butter mixed with Brown Sugar then spread on top of the bread mixture. I use 1-2 sticks of butter. Depending on how many people and much bread I use. A co-worker told.me this recipe a long time ago and now it’s so popular everywhere. I don’t know why flour is added to the topping. Can you tell me why and what difference it makes? Thank you everyone and Merry Christmas!
My hubby came home with a round loaf of bread from the bakery rather than an a loaf of sliced bread. Will this work?
Absolutely. Tear the loaf into bite size pieces, then proceed with the recipe.
So easy and so good!
I’m making this for the first time on Christmas morning. I have some pecan pieces that I’d love to sprinkle in.. Has any one tried that and if so when did you add them? Thanks, looking forward to this!
Yes, mix it in with the topping. I have added diced apple as well.
Approximately how many cups of cubed bread does this call for?
I’d like to know how much bread as well. All I could find was a 24oz loaf
Can I use light cream instead ?
Yes, you can. Will still work great. 🙂
Yes you could!
I am not sure how big a loaf of sourdough bread to use. The only thing my store had was a 14 oz loaf. Is that enough for this recipe?
That should be fine!
This looks so good! I want to make it for Christmas brunch. Just wondering if it is really “eggy”? My daughter is not a big fan of eggs.
It’s not! The bread soaks up the egg just perfect making it not too eggy or soggy. Hope you enjoy!!
Can it be refrigerated for 12 hours?
Yes. I have refrigerated it for that long. It will be fine.
I make it every Christmas. So easy and delicious. Thank you
I was making my food list for Christmas and realized I needed to rate this recipe because it has been such a hit over the last few years. It is so easy to prep. I serve it with a toppings bar of berries, whipped cream and syrup. Perfect!
I’m so scared to put a cold glass dish in a hot oven! Should I let it come to room temperature after refrigerating over night?
Made this last weekend, but used some leftover bread I had in the freezer. It was a big hit, my husband and toddler both went back for seconds!
Easy to make, delicious flavors, and a family favorite for all!! Thanks so much!!🙌🏻☺️✨
I’d love to make this and freeze it how do you suggest doing that??
Kristyn, I’m such a fan of EVERYTHING you make. I do have a question. I want to bring this recipe to my cousins house. We will be leaving around 12:00 p.m. on a Friday (which I’ll make it right before we go)…but we won’t be eating this until 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Is this too long of a time to make ahead? What are your thoughts?
This was a big hit for our Thanksgiving breakfast! Best French Toast casserole recipe- perfect !
Easy @ delicious. Big hit with the whole family! Just don’t forget the overnight setting!
I have made this many times. It’s delicious and a hit every time. Makes well with a French loaf. I add pecans and always extra cinnamon on top before placing in the fridge over night.
When you say french loaf, do you mean a regular sized baguette?
I want to make this for a guest who cannot have any dairy. I’ve read soy milk is a good milk substitute but can that work for heavy cream too? I was going to try oat butter instead of regular butter.
How about dairy free coffee creamer?
I also like the earth balance for df butter. Just an idea.
Delicious:-)
I usually make this recipe when I have leftover French bread or the like. We eat gluten free so I had some that is awesome. The bread was already cooked and a couple days old which made it perfect because it soaks up all the eggy goodness. I use can coconut milk for the heavy cream and also oat milk for the other. Cassava flour subbing for flour and away we went. Made it this morning. Rainy day here and windy. Perfect for staying in and enjoying comfort food.
If not overnight what’s the minimum time to soak in the fridge
Excellent
I was looking for a recipe so I could use up a whole loaf of bread and this did not disappoint. In fact, this was a huge hit! I did substitute out the heavy whipping cream for cream cheese. It made the custard rich and creamy. I didn’t get a chance to refrigerate this overnight either, but the custard mixture soaked all the way through probably since the bread loaf I had wasn’t sourdough. I also added oatmeal to the stresel on top and it gave it a breakfast on the grandparents farm nostalgic taste. I will definitely be making this again!
very nice
I just prepared this for my daughter’s birthday Brinner! I usually make a different French toast bake recipe that calls for a full stick of melted butter and 1/4 C of brown sugar mixed together and spread on the bottom of the pan before layering the slices of bread. But I like the idea of cutting bread into cubes like monkey bread and your egg batter mixture has more to it than the other recipe. So I took the caramel bottom idea from the one recipe and combined it with everything else from your recipe. I think this is going to be a huge hit! The bottom turns to caramel while baking and the whole thing tastes like Werther’s toffee in French toast form! YUM!!! I also decided to use cinnamon swirl brioche bread. This will be dessert for dinner for sure. ♥️🤤🎉
Yummy! That sounds absolutely delicious! Definitely dessert for dinner. 🙂
Had this for Brunch,delicious! Ladies were very happy 😊
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that!
This was SO good!! It’s tedious work but SO worth it. I was nervous to use sourdough but I’m very glad I did use it. You couldn’t taste sourdough at all. And because it’s a denser bread… it turned out perfect.. not to hard and not smooshy gooshy! I turned off the oven at 45 mins and just let it stay warm in the oven for a while because it didn’t look browned yet. By the time we were all ready to eat, it was perfectly browned. I will definitely make again!
Thanks for sharing what you did! The sourdough in this recipe is really good. So glad you all enjoyed the dish!
I made this with a few substitutions. I didn’t have heavy cream so I used french vanilla coffee creamer and used just a drop of vanilla extract. I added a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg and used ten eggs.For the bread I used half a loaf of Hawaiian sweet bread and four brioche rolls. I also didn’t leave it sit in the fridge overnight as I didn’t have time. It came out absolutely delicious and was gone in a few hours.
Oh I’m so happy to hear it turned out yummy and everyone loved it! Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing what you did.
Made this a few times now and we all love it! I would like to make a pan to freeze and I am aware you can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
My question is would you make it, leave overnight in the fridge for the mixture to soak in the bread and in the morning put the topping on then freeze or do you make it completely add topping and put it directly in the freezer without leaving in fridge overnight? I plan on not pre-bake it.
I would probably let it soak overnight just to make sure it gets soaked into the bread before freezing.
First how many ounces or grams is your sourdough loaf?
Second could you use rye, whole wheat or whatever?
Thirdly, is it ok to use regular milk?
I use the 24 oz loaf of sourdough typically. I have not used rye or whole wheat. I like to use bread that is light and spongey that will soak up the custard well, not making it soggy. I’m not sure how well a rye or whole wheat would do that? I haven’t tried. And I use regular milk along with the heavy whipping cream. You could also use half and half, but I always use milk/heavy whipping cream and it turns out 100%!
I have made this countless times and it is amazing!!!!! I haven’t made it for a while though and I forgot if the brown sugar should be packed or not? Thanks! This is such a delicious recipe!!!
I’m so glad that you love the recipe!! It is one of our favs too. I don’t usually pack the brown sugar. But honestly, either way it would still turn out just fine I think.
I used pumpkin pie creamer and added some pumpkin pie spice, and a cinnamon brioche bread, was a touch more bread pudding-ish, but it was delicious
I’ve made this once before and it turned out amazing! This time around I don’t have heavy cream, can I use half and half instead?
Christmas morning-worthy! My husband and sons gobbled this down! I drizzled real maple syrup over a generous piece of this and added fresh berries on the side! Fantastic!
Mmmm that sounds delicious! I’m so glad you all loved the French toast bake!
Easy to make. Extremely sweet for our taste though.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
Has anyone tried to make thus recipe with chocolate chips and pecans?? Just wondering if I should wait to add the pecans until just before baking?
Truly the best recipe! I’ve made this countless times for my family as well as gifted it to friends and everyone loves it! I use French bread with the recipe and it’s never soggy.
Sooo good!!! Will definitely make again 😊
Hi i have a question- I forgot to leave the mixture topping overnight (tired mom brain) – will a few hours before I cook it be okay?
It should still be fine!
Can you leave this in the fridge lo get them overnight ? Could it be made Friday and baked on a Sunday morning for example ?
I haven’t let mine sit that long before so I don’t know. I would probably prep each part… cut up the bread, mix the egg mixture, make the streusel topping and then do a quick assembly the night before. If you end up letting it sit for a few days before baking, you’ll have to let us know how it turns out. You can also make it and freeze before baking too. Freezing instructions are in the post.
just want to check, if im freezing this do i have to let the bread sit with the egg mixture in the fridge for a bit first then put in the freezer or just assemble everything and pop it right in the freezer? im making this tonight to bring up to my families cabin tomorrow and we will eat it sunday most likely! so would like to have it frozen and just be able to pop it in the oven in the morning
This is the best of this type recipe I’ve tried. I used my homemade wholegrain sourdough bread and added a lot of blueberries. Followed the recipe exactly.
Yummy! Sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing what you did!
I made this using a multigrain bread. (Franz San Juan Nine Grain) since it’s what I always have in hand. I don’t generally have dairy milk in my fridge so I swapped the milk/cream for a can of coconut milk and added almond milk until I reached the total amount of liquid called for. (I got the idea for coconut milk instead of cream from another recipe) Even with the exchanges I made the recipe worked well and turned out tasty!
I’m so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing what you did.
Each time I make this for friends and family I get asked for the recipe and it always turns out perfect! I’ve had success prepping overnight as well as an hour or so before baking, just mixing around the bread in the egg mixture a second time before putting in oven to make sure it is all nice and saturated. Thank you for sharing this! We don’t even need syrup with it. Perfect as is!
Made this for Mother’s Day Brunch
It was fantastic
I used cinnamon bread
There were no leftovers
My family loved it
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for giving the recipe a try.
I made this for Mother’s Day and it was a hit! I used 1 loaf of Brioche bread from Fresh Market and halved the liquids, so 4 eggs, 1 cup of whole milk and no heavy cream. I used all of the other ingredients as listed. Let soak overnight. In the morning, baked with the foil on for 30 minutes and foil off for 20 minutes. It was perfect and not soggy at all! My husband, whom doesn’t not like french toast, told me it was delicious!
Yay!! I’m so glad that the recipe was a hit! Thanks for sharing what you did. Glad your hubby enjoyed it too!
I double the topping but this is a family favorite!
Oh so happy to hear that! That topping is yummy… don’t blame you for doubling it. 😉
I am pinning all these recipes! They look delicious and easy to make! I have a “Breakfast Club” where friends meet and we have a treat with our coffee,! These fill the bill! I have made the French toast casserole and have added blueberries or peaches too. Thank you so much!
How fun is that?! I love that idea. So glad you can use some of these recipes for that group!
An absolute winner!
Thank you!!
Made this today on a campers weekend. I used Hawaii bread, in place of milk used sweet cream coffee creamer and cut back a little on sugar. Every one was very happy, enjoyed it for breakfast. Then lunch and snacks. Will do again
Yum! Thanks for sharing what you did!! Glad to hear it turned out well!
made this today, eating right now.. DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe (did forget the vanilla though)
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the French toast bake!! Thanks for giving it a try!!
I made this for Easter brunch last Sunday and it was a big hit! We have gluten allergies in the family so I substituted with GF ingredients and it worked out just fine. Everyone wanted the recipe! This one is a keeper!
I’m so happy to hear it! And that it worked well with GF options too. Thanks for sharing!
I was skeptical never made anything like this before and all I can say is OMG it was so good. I used French bread and it turned out good. Now I did cut down on one egg only cause mine were extra large eggs. I just printed this and it will be my go too from now on.
Yay!! So happy to hear that! Thanks for giving it a try. Glad to hear it was a hit.
When you say french bread, do you mean a regular sized baguette?
I used some leftover whole wheat bread and sprinkled in some pecans. It gave it a very wholesome flavor and was SO very delicious! We will definitely be using this recipe more often. I can relate to the morning rush! We also enjoy breakfast foods at dinner.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing what you did.
In case someone wants a 2022 comment ❤️ Just made this, used one French baguette from Publix (the long ones) and halved the egg mixture to avoid sogginess, and put it in a round 10-12 in cake pan to avoid sogginess and help keep it even. I put it in for 30 mins and monitoring it, added another 10 mins just to crisp it! I didn’t want to make too much in case my kids put their nose up to it 😜 but it is delicious!
Thanks for sharing what you did! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Tried this for Easter breakfast and loved it! Making four 9×13’s for a work breakfast tomorrow!. Going to try adding apples 🤷🏼♀️😂
Thank you for a great recipe! 😘
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for your Easter breakfast. Hope it was a hit for your work breakfast too!
This is a really good French toast casserole.
Made this today for my family Easter Brunch! It was delicious & everyone wanted the recipe!
Just cut down the sugar, because I paired it with my vanilla butter syrup! Will make again & again!
This was the best one i have tried i actually did 2 different recipes of a French toast casserole and this one was finished and enjoyed by my company on Easter
Thank you! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit for your family this Easter!
I always add crushed pineapple and 2 diced apples. So yummy!
Sounds tasty!!
Making it now. It doesn’t say whether to grease the pan or what the bake time or oven temp should be.
Hi Lisa! Hope the bake turned out well. We have all of that info (a greased pan, bake time of 45 minutes and oven temp at 350) listed in the recipe card on that post. So it is there, just at the bottom or where you can click “Jump to recipe”. Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
This is in my refrigerator ready to bake in the morning…fingers crossed that it turns out delicious!! I did forget to add salt to the crumble topping, will add that before baking!! Will try to remember to post how it went!!🐣❤️🐰🐣❤️🐰
Thanks for sharing!! Can’t wait to hear how it turned out.
I Made this for Easter brunch with my family & it was so delicious, everyone raved about it, pan was empty, so sadly, no leftovers!! Definitely a keeper recipe! Thanks
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear the recipe was a hit with your family!
I would also like to know what size loaf of bread to use. Thank you!
I was wondering if you could tell me about how much bread you actually use in cups. I’m afraid if I use too much it will be dry and too little will be soggy. Thank you so much!
Has anyone make it in the crock pot? I am curious when to add the toppings and how did it turn out.
TIA
This recipe is so good! I made it for my nieces baby shower, she loves breakfast foods. It was a huge hit, everyone loved it. Made for a Christmas bunch, and now Easter brunch. I know it will go in a flash! Thank you for a great recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you all enjoy the recipe and are able to use it for lots of occasions too!
I hosted my daughter’s baby shower this weekend and this was a HUGE hit. I tripled the recipe, yes tripled the recipe! I used almost two large french loaves that I bought a day before prep day and arranged it all in a large disposable aluminum pan (from Costco). I also made the Pillsbury Overnight Egg Bake which I tripled as well. At 350, they both took 2 1/2 hours to cook through. I am making copies of your recipe now because I have had so many requests since then. It’s going to be on everyone’s Easter menu! Thank you!!!
Oh you’re welcome! Thank you for the awesome review! I’m so glad to hear the recipe was a hit. I love hearing that the recipe turned out so well being tripled too!
Did you happen to use the french baguette from costo?
I made this for a brunch with friends and they loved it! I used brioche bread and added some meyor lemon zest the egg mixture! So good!
Thanks for sharing what you did. Sounds delicious! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a hit!
My family loves this .I use Brioche ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yay! So glad to hear that this is a family favorite!
Just so you know – I am not a confident baker at all! But this recipe was so easy and everyone loved it. There was not one piece left over!! Do exactly what the recipe calls – I used challah bread and transferred from a bowl to the baking dish (recommended) and baked for 55 minutes. Guests put syrup on it and devoured it 😊
Oh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing and I’m glad that the recipe was a hit!
I followed this recipe to a T, but somehow my bread ended up soggy on the bottom and altogether, not much flavor. I tasted the cinnamon on the top, but the middle and bottom, kind of bland. Not sure what all the hype is about.
Sorry to hear you didn’t love the recipe. But thank you for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
My family loves this French toast bake! Easy to make.
Yay! So happy to hear you all enjoy the recipe!
I used extra thick sliced brioche bread. I brought it over to a friend’s house for brunch. There were four of us. They all went back for seconds. I went home with an empty 9X 13 casserole dish. The couple hosting asked to keep some, and another friend took the rest of it. That’s how you know something you’ve made is good for sure!
Yes! That is so awesome. So glad to hear the recipe was a hit!
Cathy I’m making this for Easter morning! Can’t wait to try it
This was so yummy! I used leftover Irish Soda Bread. It turned out amazing and we all loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome!! So happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
My 3 to granddaughter and I made this for a surprise breakfast for our family. I couldn’t find sourdough bread so I used French bread. This is the best recipe I’ve used to make this. The whole family loves it. My granddaughter was all smiles watching it disappear. Only recipe I’ll use from now on. Thank you.
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad the recipe was a winner for your family. Thanks for sharing!
I’m making this for Bible study this evening we’re doing breakfast foods. I made a homemade strawberry 🍓 syrup for it and homemade whipped cream as well. I can’t wait to try it. I put mine in the crockpot after letting it set all evening. It’s afternoonish and I put it in crockpot on low. I figured I could keep it warm that way. Hoping I did everything right and it turns out okay. Thanks for the recipe. I will follow up.
Yes, please! We’d love to hear how it turned out. The strawberry syrup and whipped cream sound amazing. Hope the recipe was a hit!
Do you have any recommendations for making this in a slow cooker/
Yes! Make according to the recipe directions. Refrigerate for 6-10 hours in the ceramic crock pot. Place the ceramic pot into the heating base, cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
This is a great recipe! My family enjoyed it very much. I used a loaf of stale baguette and a loaf gluten-free bread that was also slightly stale. It turned out fantastic anyway! Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear your family loved it!! Thanks for sharing what you did.
Do you need to bake with foil over dish first??
Nope, you can bake uncovered!
Had this at a girlfriends luncheon absolutely delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! This is one of my favorite go-to recipes to feed a crowd.
Great make ahead for a teen brunch! I used a loaf of homemade GF bread and GF flour and you couldn’t tell the difference. My overnight cooks fast and it took a full hour for this to bake. I keep it covered the first 20 min and was glad because the top did not get too dried out.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe AND that it works well with GF ingredients too! That is so good to know Thanks so much for sharing what you did!
Made this French toast casserole for my daughters birthday breakfast! Everyone loved it! I did sprinkle some plump blueberries on top before the brown sugar and butter topping then baked. So very good with some warm maple syrup and a squirt of whipped cream!
Those blueberries and extra toppings sound heavenly! I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Good flavor. It got rave reviews! ! Next time I’d like to add some nutmeg.
How could I avoid the egg custard consistency at the bottom. Store it in a bowl overnight, don’t pour it into the pan until the morning? Anyone elses’ bake look like that? Thanks again for sharing. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed the bake! Nutmeg would be a yummy addition. You can definitely store it in a bowl until the morning then pour into the pan just before baking.
I use a mixture of brioche bread and blueberry English muffins. Then I toss some blueberries over it before the streusel topping. To DIE for! Always get rave reviews. Thank you!
YUM! Sounds delicious! So glad you enjoy the recipe.
This is a true 5-star recipe!!!
So much so, that I’m taking the time to leave a big THANK YOU to Kristyn. No exaggeration: this was The Best overnight French toast I have ever made and one of the best dishes I have ever made. The flavours, the textures, everything came together beautifully.
Followed the recipe to an S: used a trio of different bakery items that were on the verge of dumpation. One even had plum jam. I dont know if that will need to be a secret ingredient in future reincarnations of the recipe.
In short: loved it!
(And it tastes great reheated too.)
Thank you SO much!! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the recipe!!
I have made so many different French toast casserole recipes through the years, and this is now my favorite. Thanks fir sharing. It is so good!!!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you found the recipe and enjoy it!
Hi! What size loaf of sourdough do you use in oz?
Thanks!
Mikaela
I’d say a 16-24 oz. loaf would work great!
Is it possible to make this with less egg? I was thinking half (like 4). My youngest son has an egg allergy and can only take small amounts at a time if it’s mixed into a recipe. I’m scared to use 8 eggs!
I haven’t tried it with less eggs than the recipe calls for… so I’m not totally sure how well it will stay together and what the texture would be like. You can certainly give it at try and see though! You’ll have to let us know if it still turns out well with less eggs.
This recipe is great! I’ve made it several times using both challah and sourdough bread.
Mmm I bet they both turned out delicious!! Thanks for sharing. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you for this recipe it’s a perfect snowy winter morning brunch my whole family loves it! I’ve made it several times using kings Hawaiian rolls and it comes out fantastic everytime. I used the suggestion of soaking the mixture in a separate bowl and straining spoon and transferring into my baking dish the next morning and I’ve have had great results time and time again. You will not be disappointed, it’s amazing definitely a must try!
Sounds tasty too! Thanks for sharing what you do.
Always a hit when I make it. Can you make it and freeze for another time or something to take to someone?
Yes! You can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
Made this recipe for a family gathering, it is amazing.
Thank you!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Second time making this French toast, the favorite of my whole family with the exception of one son who likes one with cream cheese mixed in (the others hate that of course). The first time I used sourdough as recommended, and this time I used a loaf of ciabatta that I had sitting around for too long. Both very tasty but the textures very different. The ciabatta version ended up looking almost like a coffee cake, with the consistency of bread pudding. Now we have mixed reviews on which was better, but we all enjoyed both. Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome!! Glad that you and your family enjoyed the bake!!
Made this casserole for a pot luck brunch. It was a huge hit. Everyone went back for seconds and wanted the recipe! I tweeked the recipe a bit though. I added almond extract and cinnamon to the egg mixture.
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Thanks for sharing what you did. 🙂
Delicious!!!! I cubed and toasted a loaf challah bread and added fresh raspberries!! It was a hit with the family 🙂 thank you for sharing this amazing recipe !
Mmmmm sounds amazing! So glad you loved the recipe!
I made this for Christmas and it was devoured, I should have made two pans! This will be a holiday favorite for my family!
Outstanding! Love that I can prep the night before and just pop it in the oven. I added orange zest. We did not have any heavy cream, so I subbed milk and it turned out fantastic. Cooked it for 55 minutes. The cinnamon crumble on top was absolutely delicious.
I made this for the first time 4 years ago and every year since then it is a must to bring on Christmas morning. I use St Pierre Brioche Cinnamon and Vanilla loaf bread and make the recipe using 2 loaves. If you whip the eggs extra the bread mixtures puffs up like a soufflé and when you cut into it the steam escapes and it is wonderful. Just don’t over cook it if you do it this way.
Ahhh-MAZING! My family loved it. I forgot to add the crumble mixture until the last 20 minutes the casserole was in the oven. Added it until the timer went off then used broil for a few minutes. It turned into this beautiful crunchy top overtop the soft casserole. Yummy!
Absolutely delicious. I used 1 1/2 loaves of Texas toast and doubled the recipe and made it in a large aluminum baking pan. Cooked it for 55 min. The only thing I would add next time, is some cinnamon to the egg mixture to add even more flavor to the bread part. But that’s just me. It was addicting. Great, easy recipe.
Delicious!! Easy to prep then make in the morning! It’s pretty fool proof with lots of tweaks possible! Thank you – this is a keeper!!
Looks yummy. I want to make this this weekend and bring to my sister’s house for brunch. Can you serve this with maple syrup?
Our favourite for Christmas morning. Today we’”” have for New Year’s Brunch! I half the topping recipe but otherwise follow and bake for 45 minutes.
Yes, you absolutely can!
I want to make this for dinner. When do I put in fridge? Night before or first thing in morning? Or for best results, how long should it be refrigerated?
If you are serving it for dinner, you could do either. It should be refrigerated for 6-10 hours but can be refrigerated for a little longer if needed and should still be fine!
This made for the perfect Christmas breakfast. Super easy & delicious
My family LOVED this recipe!
Very easy and delicious. I made it for the 1st time for Christmas breakfast and it was a hit with everyone.
Made this for the first time this morning. Grocery was out of sourdough so I got a big round Italian loaf. Cubed it the day before to dry out a bit. Let it soak overnight in a big bag with the eggs, etc. Super easy this morning pouring into pan and sprinkling topping over. Baked 50 min and it was delicious. Top parts were a little crispy. Most was yummy and custardy.
Easy topping prep: I cut a cold stick of butter into small pieces and froze. Put in my mini food processer w/ other toppings ingred and pulsed.
Thanks for the delicious recipe!
We make this yearly for Christmas Day brunch. We have used Pepperidge Farm sourdough loaf, homemade sourdough loaf, and brioche over the years. ALL are good! We have added eggnog in place of the milk sometimes. Any way you make this is is great.
Holy molee! Made this for Christmas brunch 2021 and was told by the fam this recipe needs to go in the recipe box!
I substituted leftover Belgian waffles for the bread, prepped everything the night before and assembled it the morning. I let it sit with the egg mix 15 mins then in the oven for 40 mins. I did not do the overnight egg soak because I thought it would be too soggy with the waffle substitute, and I was right!
I will try this with brioche bread and sourdough in the future, but I will DEFINITELY be making this again! 5 stars well-earned!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed the recipe!! Thanks for sharing what you did. Sounds delish!
Made this with a loaf of cinnamon raisin brioche bread. Used half and half instead of milk and heavy cream. Coconut sugar instead of white. Sprinkled the flour, sugar, cinnamon over the top, then dotted with pats of butter. It was a hit with my family.
my crumble didn’t turn out as a crumble it’s more like a paste. what did i do wrong ?
Mine too! The butter has to be incorrect but n the ingredient list…that is a LOT of butter for a crumble!
Your butter has to be cold. If it’s too warm it will turn into paste
I love this recipe. It would be helpful if you included approximately how many cups of cubed bread. Sourdough comes in different size loaves and it would also be helpful if I am using a different kind (or kinds) of bread.
Thanks for the feedback!! So glad to hear you enjoy the recipe!
I put my butter in the freezer while I prepare everything else, about 20 minutes or so, and cut with a very sharp knife. Works perfect!
The only thing I can think is perhaps the butter was too soft. You’ll want to make sure to use cold butter.
I make this every year for Christmas morning! My absolute favorite!!
made this with cinnamon brioche bread. Fabulous
A friend made this for us once and it was amazing! One question now that we will make ourselves- Salted or unsalted butter?
I’m not 100% sure, but I would say unsalted butter because it says to use 1/4tsp of salt in the topping portion of the recipe
Yes, I usually use unsalted butter.
This was excellent! Made it for my family this morning. Did not soak overnight, but it was fine. Just reduce milk a little. Added apples. Yum!
Can you use extra milk if I don’t have heavy cream?
Wow! This recipe made the perfect French toast bake!! My husband hasn’t stopped raving about it, and I thought it was so much better than regular French toast! Thanks so much for the recipe. This will be a regularly added item to our holiday and special occasion menus!
can you make this the night before or will it come out soggy?
Making the dish and sitting overnight is actually preferred and in the recipe. So it should turn out great!
For anyone who is wondering if this is okay to bake without leaving it sit in the fridge overnight;
I wouldn’t suggest this unless you’re okay with it being soggy. It’s basically the texture of bread pudding. It still tastes good, and is great for my 1 year old to eat without worrying about her choking. But I would recommend following this exactly as it says and letting it sit in the fridge overnight.
I’ll definitely be making this again exactly how it says to.
Do you have to use heavy cream? What can I use instead to cut the fat/dairy?
I have always used heavy cream for the recipe. I suppose a dairy free alternative may work too, but I haven’t tried any before. You’ll have to let us know if you use one and how the recipe turns out! 🙂
I substituted dairy free heavy cream and dairy free butter and coconut milk as my kiddo has a diary allergy- turned out great
Great for breakfast or dinner
This was so easy and delicious! I didn’t need the whole topping and it was still plenty sweet!
I love French toast and I Love making this for Christmas morning. So easy to prep the night before and bake while Christmas mornings are so busy.
Great for Christmas morning!!
Yummy!!
I made this over Thanksgiving with so many relatives. It was an easy breakfast. We made a few and had them come out at different times so people could eat when they were ready. Highly recommend this!
How does it change the cooking time if my baking dish is room temperature?
It shouldn’t change too much. We list the baking time as 45 minutes – 1 hour depending, so it would probably still be somewhere in that range, depending on how soft you like it.
My go to breakfast for the holidays. So easy to make and very good.
THIS. This was AMAZING.
This is my first ever French Toast Casserole. Made it for church as a side dish to our monthly biscuits and gravy get-together.
It was easy. It allowed me to flub up (I not only put the vanilla in the egg mixture but accidentally in the topping “cinnamon” mixture as well.) I couldn’t believe how high this “fluffed up” – it came down by the time I served it. (I did let it sit overnight in the refrig)
Seriously. People said I rocked this dish. As a grandmother, I’m teaching this to my 3 tween grandchildren next week. (One will be responsible for the egg part, one for cutting up the bread and one for the topping)
Thank you for a fabulous recipe!!!!
I made this for a brunch this morning and everyone asked for the recipe. It’s a keeper. Can’t believe how easy it was to make.
Can you use half n half instead of cream?
Yes, you could!
Hello! Should I take out the casserole and let it come to room temperature first? Or bake straight from the fridge? Thank you!!
Just made this on Thanksgiving. Delicious!
This recipe is SO yummy! It’s easy to put together and tastes delicious! It’s one of my favorites too make for guests.
We made this for Christmas last year and will make it again this year! 😊
This is my go-to apple pie! It never disappoints and both looks and tastes great!
Whoops! Wrong recipe though we really love the French toast bake, too! It’s probably my 4-year-old’s most requested breakfast. It smells and tastes like Christmas morning! I made it for Thanksgiving breakfast this year and it was a hit with family. I use sourdough bread and usually cook it on the higher end since my husband prefers it on the drier side. It doesn’t really need anything but every once in a while I’ll do a little drizzle of syruo or even butter syrup. Soo good!
Every year for my entire life we have a french toast casserole for Christmas morning. I found this one a few years ago and it blew my childhood favorite out of the water! It is my new go-to for Christmas breakfast because I can make it the night before and pop it in the oven before presents begin. I have converted all of my siblings to this recipe as well. It is the perfect amount of sweet, without being soggy. Try it! I am sure you will LOVE it!
If we’re freezing, do we let it soak overnight first then freeze? Or do we just assemble and then throw it right in the freezer?
You can assemble and put it in the freezer. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
A fave! ❤️
My kids loved this!!
Made this for a family brunch and it was a huge hit! Because of a dairy allergy, I substituted the heavy cream for canned coconut milk, the milk for cashew milk, and the butter for a vegan butter. It was delicious!
I love this recipe. I make these every year for Christmas breakfast. My kids actually like something I make. 😆
What’s the longest amount of time that you would recommend letting the bread soak in the egg mixture before baking? Is it something like 6-8 hours or is it OK to leave it up to 12 hours or even 24 hours? I want to make this for a brunch but don’t want to be mixing ingredients at midnight or at 5 am either.
I probably wouldn’t soak it for longer than 24 hours. Ideally over night is best, but if you have dense enough bread, you can soak it a little longer and it should still turn out just fine! I don’t blame you for not wanting to be making it super early or super late. You should be fine to go a little longer than 6-8 hours. 🙂
GREAT RECIPE!! this was super delicious, I prepared it for an assisted living community and the residents loved it. I used regular white bread and soaked it for only an hour and was perfection.
Oh what a great way to use the recipe. Thanks for sharing what you did!! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
This is my favorite French toast bake! We make it regularly at our house. Especially good with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
So delicious! Best French dip recipe I’ve ever made!
Madd this multiple times! Turns out every time!
My kids always request this. It is so yummy!! The crumble top is *chef kiss*!!
Was a hit with my family. I will definitely make this again soon.
Yay!! So happy to hear! I’m glad everyone loved the recipe. 🙂
This was so easy n great tasting. Made for Thanksgiving morning.
Yay!! It’s a great one for holiday mornings. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This was delicious! I used challah bread which to me was perfect to soak up the egg mixture. I did stir the mixture 2 times throughout the soaking process to mix it around. Once I cut off a piece I sprinkled a little confections sugar, maple syrup & chopped pecans.
Mmmm that all sounds incredible! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Do you have to soak it overnight?
Served my bridge group, all requested the recipe. I never thought of putting crumb topping on this.
Ooh it’s yummy with that crumb topping! Hope it was enjoyed by all. 🙂
So for the crumble, mine came out like dough. Did I put too much butter? Should I remake it?
I imagine your butter may have been a little too soft/warm? I’d suggest using cold butter to cut into the crumble topping. You may have put too much in if it wasn’t the amount listed in the recipe card. It should still taste yummy (I’m sure the flavor would still be great) but the texture would obviously be a little different. So I’m not sure? I’d probably just whip up another batch of the crumble if you have the ingredients. You’ll have to let us know what you ended up doing and how it turned out!
Just saying the total time is not one hour it’s 7 hours. That is misleading.
You would only need 7 hours if doing the crock pot method. The oven method takes 1 hour.
Thanks for the feedback!
Can you make this two days in advance? Or will it get too soggy. I basically want to make it tonight for thanksgiving morning. Thanks!
You should be fine. I wouldn’t suggest making it too far in advance, but if you are worried about it being soggy, you could bake it as the instructions direct and then just store the baked French Toast in the fridge and reheat in the oven on low Thanksgiving morning. You’ll have to let us know what you end up doing and how it turns out. 🙂
I made 1/2 the recipe and turned out so yummy! It did really stick to the glass pan I used. Any suggestions?
Making this full recipe for Thanksgiving brunch.
Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! What did you use to grease the pan? I typically use PAM and it works well, but you could grease with butter or oil as well.
Awesome
Thank you!!
Since Instant Pots are all the rage. Has anyone tried cooking this recipe for French Toast that way?
Ooh we haven’t tried it in the Instant Pot, but that’s a great idea. We have tried a crock pot before. You follow the recipe instructions, then refrigerate for 6-10 hours in the ceramic crock pot. Then place the ceramic pot into the heating base, cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Perhaps that’s helpful when tweaking for the IP too? We’d love to hear if anyone has tried this recipe in the IP too!
Do I cover it with foil paper when putting in the oven?
Nope, you can bake uncovered!
What size loaf do you use for this recipe?
I use a 9×13 pan for the full recipe.
If I wanted to double this in a big lasagna pan would I need to adjust the baking time??
You may need to bake a little longer than the time listed. I’d keep an eye on it and check for doneness. Depending on how soft you like the bread will depend how long you bake it as well. 🙂
45 min is way too long to cook this. It dries out as it cools down so best served immediately after taking out of over. Not a good casserole for potlucks. This looked beautiful out of over but was embarrassing when served an hour later. Cook 30 min and check doneness with toothpick. DONT OVERBAKE !
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
I made this for a Holiday potluck and it turned out great. For traveling I covered it in foil then laid it it a box on top of towel then wrapped the rest of the towel over it. Our commute was 45 minutes and it was still warm and was devoured!
I like to use Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl bread and add cubed cream cheese! I love this recipe!
Mmmm sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing what you do.
My whole family loved this. Thank you.
You’re welcome! So glad to hear your family enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Okay, no one is going to put baked French toast in the “super healthy” breakfast list but in order to make it a little less unhealthy 😆 I halved the sugar in the egg mix and halved the topping and I’m here to report it was still incredibly delicious and sweet. Huge hit in our house. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing what you did! I’m glad it still tasted delicious and was a hit for your family! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
I made two of these for my nieces baby shower and it was delicious!! I froze two ziploc bags and took them out the day before and put them in the frig over night. The next morning baked at 350 for one hour and it was perfect. Thank you for a lovely recipe. Everyone should try this recipe, it is so good!!
Thank you so much for your kind words. I love that you were able to make this beforehand and that it was a success for the baby shower!! So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is amazing. I use French bread.
Thank you!! French bread is a great choice for this recipe. So glad you love it!
Hi there- I want to make this for my postpartum meal prep. Should I prep the casserole as stated in the directions and then put in an aluminum foil pan until I am ready to use? I see that it lasts for 2 months in the freezer, but I am unsure if I should completely prep it before freezing. Thanks for your help!
Oh good luck with the meal prep and congratulations! To freeze, wrap the dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. So yes, you can prep it fully before freezing.
Absolutely fantastic recipe. Easy to make.
Thank you!! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Do I freeze with the crumble topping on it or add after I defrost and before baking?
You can do it either way and you should still get a delicious French Toast Bake!
Planning on freezing. Do I add the topping mixture then freeze, or put it on after it’s thawed and ready to bake?
Either way!! It should turn out delicious either way to decide to freeze it. 🙂
Love this recipe so much!!! Made it 3 times! Soooo easy so good
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that! Glad you love the recipe.
Made this recipe without the cream but substituted French vanilla sugar free Coffee Mate creamer liquid. I halved the vanilla because of the Coffee Mate flavor. I also used a loaf of French bread. Excellent flavor and whole family had seconds.
Mmmm the substitutions sound tasty! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
This is seriously AMAZING!!! I was on a girl’s trip recently, and one of my friends made it for breakfast…I immediately asked for the recipe, it was a hit! I made it tonight to share with my family tomorrow morning. Can’t wait to indulge!
Oh yay!! I’m so glad you have the recipe now. Hope your family enjoyed the recipe too. 🙂
AMAZING!!!! I make this for our hired help on the ranch. I use farm fresh eggs, and I substitute almond milk and almond flour! They beg for it every time they come to help! It’s such an easy go to! Thank you for the delicious easy recipe! 🙂
Oh how fun! Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad that it’s a hit…. and with those farm fresh eggs too! Ooh yummy!
So easy. So flavorful. Added extra vanilla and also used cinnamon sugar.
Yummy!! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This recipe is so delicious! I used Arteasano. Made it while we were camping at a freinds place. They allthought it was soo good. Will make this more often. Would be gret to have Christmasn morning when all the kids come home.
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! It is a great one for Christmas morning, for sure!
Baked one hour. I added blueberries. No syrup needed. My son ate two large servings.!! Definitely a keeper recipe.
Hooray!! So glad to hear that. The addition of the blueberries sounds tasty too!
I’m going to the store to get the ingredients. Does anyone add pecans to this
I have added pecans in the past and it’s delicious!
This is so Delish! I added walnuts and my family loved it! We didn’t even need syrup
Made this recipe with day old bagels (3). Absolutely delicious recipe and a great use of farm fresh eggs.
Thanks for sharing what you did! I haven’t tried it with bagels. Glad to hear it was delicious!!
Absolutely fantastic recipe. Easy to make.
This was easy and delicious. I did make a few changes – like I used baguettes instead of sourdough and I added cinnamon to the breading mixture not just the topping. It was a hit at our team gathering. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Glad you were able to tweak it to what you enjoyed. And I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe!
This was easy to make, and great taste! It was a little dry and I think it would have turned out better with less bread. The recipe didn’t specify what size loaf. The one I bought was over a pound, so I’d say if you buy sourdough keep it a pound or less.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe overall. Thanks for your feedback!
I make this for holiday breakfasts and special breakfast days. My family love this casserole!
Yay! It’s a favorite over here too. Thanks for sharing!
Totally Awesome crowd pleaser. Even my mom who is not a fan of french toast or sweet morning food, LOVED this. I only made a half batch for 3 people and it turned out perfectly. I baked almost an hour for the crispy top. Super delighted with Lil’ Luna’s recipes!! Thanks!!
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that it was a hit! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This recipe had great reviews and most of the comments were very positive – so I felt pretty confident in making it! I originally intended to make my own loaf of brioche bread (as I’d seen several other casserole recipes recommending it and I’m not a huge fan of sourdough) but ran out of time, so we picked up a pack of 8 brioche rolls at the local grocery store. I sliced them into cubes and tossed them into the casserole dish, assuming that it was approximately the right amount as it filled my casserole dish about as much as the one in Lil Luna’s photos.
I made the custard and crumble, placed the custard/bread mix and crumble in the fridge overnight, and baked the casserole the next morning. I put the dish in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees, as I prefer firmer french toast.
Towards the end of the baking, it started to smell a bit burnt, so I figured I’d pull it out just in case. However, upon opening the oven I was met with a face full of smoke and we spent several minutes extracting the casserole and opening windows. Unfortunately, due to how high the casserole raised over the side of the dish, at some point during the baking it overflowed and some of the custard (or crumble) fell to the bottom of the oven and began to burn. I always place a pan on the rack under cakes and cupcakes for this reason, but never for casseroles. Clearly, I should have. Now my oven is a mess and will have to be cleaned later after it cools down.
Now onto the casserole itself… It was just okay. Unfortunately even an hour didn’t cook it as firm as I would prefer, and it was still VERY soft and a bit soggy all throughout the middle of the casserole. The flavor is fairly mild – most of the flavor honestly comes from the crumble on top, not from the mixture added to the casserole. It’s still somewhat eggy tasting, though it’s not overwhelming.
On the whole… I would MUCH rather just make french toast than this casserole. It would probably be faster (since the casserole has to sit overnight AND still requires an hour plus of cook time) and it will definitely be more flavorful. Additionally, it won’t be 600 calories a serving.
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try. Also, the calorie amount is for the full casserole, which brings the calorie count down quite a bit per serving. 🙂
I tried this for the first time for Christmas morning breakfast. It was super easy to make and was baking while the gifts were being opened. My family loved it! I have made it several times since and it is my go to recipe for breakfast/brunch.
I highly recommend it!
Thank you!! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoying it and it’s now a go to! Yay!! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe turns out delicious! Very easy to play around with the type of bread and amount of mixture (if you want it more eggy/custard like vs. crisp)
Weight of bread: her recipe calls for one loaf of bread (based on comment sleuthing she used Pepperidge Farm sliced sourdough) I looked this up and that means…
One loaf = 1.5 lbs / 24 oz / 680 g
Hope this helps!
I have made many French toast casseroles over the years for church brunch pot lucks, especially. This was by far the easiest yet most elegant recipe. I might suggest adding the crumbly mixture the last 30 minutes as it could get burnt, but it was delicious, nonetheless. I made it the night before and refrigerated it, warmed it up just prior to leaving.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the French toast. A streusel/crumbly mixture on top would be a tasty addition. Thanks for sharing!
Hello, I’m excited to try this! Can I use artisano bread instead? Thank you!
I have never tried it with artisano bread, but I imagine it would work! If you give it a try, you’ll have to let us know how it turns out.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It was a big hit at my “Just for girls “ gathering. I used French Bread. 1 long loaf. It did take the full hour to bake but I had other items in the oven as well. No syrup needed. When I reheated it the next day I did it in a frying pan with a little butter just to brown it up a little. I think this is better then a microwave reheat. It’s a keeper 🙌
Oh I’m so glad the recipe was a hit! And what a tasty way to reheat it too. Thanks for sharing!!
I made this with regular French bread as I already had some. It was a hit at our brunch yesterday! People commented that it was just right and not too sweet. I would like to try pecan bits in the topping next time. I have another loaf of French that I will cube up & freeze for next time. Can’t wait!
Ooh the pecan bits sound heavenly! Good idea. I’m so glad the recipe was a hit!
This delicious French toast bake got rave reviews when I made it for our Mother’s Day brunch. It was easy to put together and so nice to prep the night before, leaving me plenty of time to get ready. I used brioche bread and accidentally put an additional 1/4 cup of heavy cream in, but it still came out beautifully.
I have a feeling this will be a go-to for holidays for years to come.
Thank you for sharing! I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This is amazing!!!!!Had a mothers day brunch it got rave reviews if you want to wow them make this!!!So good!Easy to throw together!
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m glad to hear you loved the breakfast!
Excellent recipe! And so easy! I only refrigerated for 4 hours before baking, but it turned out perfectly- thank you!
You’re welcome!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Just fantastic! Made this for Mother’s Day, followed the recipe as written and it turned out perfect. I used Challah bread, as that was available in the store. Family raved and had seconds and thirds. Great easy to make ahead of time recipe. Saved to favorites!
Yay! I’m so glad that you and your family enjoyed the recipe! It is a favorite over here too. 🙂
I just made this yesterday for a mother’s day brunch I was hosting and everyone loved it. It was absolutely perfect and didn’t even require any syrup or anything. I wound up adding chopped apples to the bread mix and pecans to the streusel topping….omg soo good!! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definitely be making this again.
I have made this for two years now and LOVE it. Just wondering, can I prep this two days in advance?
Yes, you should be able to. You can also freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
breads come in many size packages. could you perhaps tell what size package you used of sourdough, thanks
oops read other comments and see answer, thanks. We are going to a local pizza/winery establishment to eat on Saturday for Mothers Day and I thought I would fix this for breakfast the next morning for whomever can attend.
Glad you were able to find the answer in the comments. That sounds like a lovely breakfast for Sunday morning!
Have you tried to make this for people who are lactose intolerant? What size loaf of bread?
I haven’t tried making this for anyone who is lactose intolerant, but I imagine you could substitute the cream with a lactose free option. Perhaps the Silk dairy free heavy whipping cream.
Amazing! I don’t even like French toast and I loved this.
Yay! That’s great to hear. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
i used thiuis recipe. tasted fabulous. i used your custard recipe, but added fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream cheese to each portion before baking. when it furst came out of the oven it was super fluffy and beautiful! but within 30 minutes fell flat.(still tasted awesome!) do you know what i can do to keep it fluffy?
OMG! This was amazing! Kiddos ate three plates full. I cubed the bread and toasted it in the oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes to dry the bread completely. I put the bread in a gallon ziplock and poured the custard straight into the bag and refrigerated overnight.
Thank you!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This was FAB! I toasted (in the oven) the sourdough bread first because that’s what every other French toast recipe calls for and then followed the rest do the recipe exactly. Everyone loved it! There really is no need for syrup. The topping gave it plenty of sweetness.
I’m so happy you liked it so much! Toasting the sourdough bread first sounds like a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
A most requested breakfast meal. My family and friends love it!
That makes me so happy that your family and friends love it so much!
Super easy and everyone loved it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love the easy peasy recipes too!
This was amazing. Not overly sweet either. I realized I didn’t have any whipping cream or vanilla so I substituted thawed vanilla ice cream for these two times and decreased sugar by 1/3. Loved it so much so I will do this every time now. Yummy
That substitution sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I made this for Easter morning and it turned out good. I have made french toast casseroles in the past that turned out soggy so this time used a French loaf and let it soak in a separate dish than I cooked in. I cut the recipe in half as it was just three of us. It cooked through quite well but the brown sugar topping did not come out well so I would leave that out next time and just use maple syrup for added sweetness. It made for an easy breakfast and I’d make it again!
I’m happy you liked it! Thanks so much for trying it!
Made this for the first time for Easter breakfast…what a hit with everyone! I used 2 Sourdough baguettes and it was perfect! Definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad your Easter breakfast turned out so well! Thanks so much for sharing!
Made this recipe for Easter brunch. Easy to prepare tastes great
I’m so glad you liked it!
Fantastic! Made it for Easter breakfast this morning & it was a hit!
I added 1 cup fresh blueberries. Will make again!
I love it with blueberries too! I’m so happy it was a hit with everyone!
This is delicious. I made it for my family and for work. Everyone loved it.
I’m so happy everyone loved it so much! Thanks for letting me know!
My second time making it. Tastes great!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this several times now (including this morning for Easter Brunch) and everyone always loves it. We like to experiment with fun flavors of brioche bread from Aldi. Delish!
I’m so glad you and everyone else loved it! That makes me so happy to hear!
Hello! I’m looking to make this for Easter tomorrow. My in laws will be here around 1. Since you said overnight, what would you recommend in terms of timing for refrigeration so it doesnt get soggy?
Thank you!
You would be fine to make it the night before and let it refrigerate until you are ready to bake it around noon or so the next day. I hope it turned out okay!
This doesn’t specify how big the loaf of sourdough is do you have any suggestions for ounces?
I usually use a 9×5 size loaf that I buy from the store. It has 16 slices in it. I hope this helps!
hi! I’m thinking about making this for our Easter brunch! We are traveling for it and I need to make ahead, would it be best to prep tonight, bake tomorrrow, and then freeze until Sunday or would it be okay just refrigerated for a few days?
Thanks!
You could leave it refrigerated for a couple days or you can freeze it. To freeze: wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. Hope this helps and that you have a wonderful Easter brunch!
This is our family MUST have for our large extended family Polar Express pajama Christmas white elephant party. It’s such a great easy to put together beforehand dish that is loved by everyone! I don’t do well with gluten or a lot of sugar so I always make one pan with my sourdough start and use coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar, and only 1/2 cup of and sugar in the egg mixture along with a little nutmeg and rum extract. For the topping to make it gluten free I’ll use gluten free flour or arrowroot powder and 1/2 cup or more chopped pecans. We love to top it off with our warm homemade coconut syrup! 🤤This is such a yummy wonderful recipe! We also use it a lot for baby & bridal shower brunches. But right now I’m thinking I need to do this for Easter Sunday brunch next week!
I’m so glad you and your family like it so much! That makes me so happy to hear! And thank you for sharing your gluten free tips for making this breakfast. I appreciate it!
Last time my French toast casserole was burnt on the bottom. I greases the pan. Any idea why?
I’m not quite sure why it turned out burnt on the bottom. It could be the type of pan you were using. You could try using a lipped cookie sheet instead of a 9×13 baking dish. You will have to adjust the bake time and watch carefully though. I hope this helps! Thanks for trying it!
This dish has been a hit with my family for the last few years at our Christmas brunch! I want to bring this to my upcoming book club brunch but was thinking about splitting it into two 8×8 dishes so I can leave some with my hubby! Do you have any recommendations for adjusting the cooking time or heat?
I’m so glad you and your family like it as much as we do! You can keep the heat the same for baking it in an 8×8 dish but you will need to adjust the baking time. There is no hard and fast rule for calculating how long to bake when changing the size of a pan but I would lessen the baking time by at least 15 minutes (so for this recipe I would check it at the 30 minute mark) and then check for doneness every 5 minutes or so. It’s just one of those things you have to check every few minutes to see when it looks done. Hope this helps!
Hi,
I have a question on the sour dough bread. You mention Brioche, Challah, etc, but are these sour dough types? Would it be best to say I could get my sour dough bread at a Bakery for the denseness needed? It looks awesome! I cannot wait to make it for my grandchildren
Thank you!!!
Brioche is a type of French bread and Challah is a Kosher loaf of braided bread. Both of these breads are more dense so they would work well with this recipe. Getting your sourdough bread at a bakery is a great idea. There are also sourdough loaves I have used from the regular bread aisle in the grocery store that have worked great as well. Hope this helps!
Can this sit in the fridge for closer to 24 hours?
Yes it sure can. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi just confused on the type of bread. You mention “sour dough”, but you give examples of Brioche, Challah, etc. Those are not sour dough, though, right? would it be correct to get sour dough from a Bakery for the denseness needed? It looks awesome! So anxious to try it with my grandchildren!
Thank you!
A keeper. Made Sunday added raisins to bread and pecans in the topping . Leftovers heated up well
Raisins and pecans sound heavenly! Thanks for sharing what you do! So glad you liked it!
this recipe is the bomb
Thanks so much for trying it!
Delicious!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I don’t understand why there is no amount listed for the bread as cubed (ie: 6 or 8 cups). There are many different sizes of loaves! Hate to make a whole recipe and have it come out too wet or too dry after having to guess amounts.
The sourdough loaf of bread I use is a fairly standard size and usually yields about 10-12 cups of cubed bread depending on how small I cube the bread. I hope this helps!
So so good! The crumble on top really elevates this recipe from others!
So glad you liked it! The crumble is my favorite part. 😉
I’ve been making overnight french toast for years (twenty plus) and my family looks forward to it at least twice a year. I recommend it very highly,
So happy you and your family likes it! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Have you ever tried it with blueberries?
Yes – I just sprinkle some fresh blueberries throughout. They make a great addition!
What size bread loaf? The recipe does not specify. Thanks.
All ingredients are placed in a 9 x 13 pan. Hope you enjoy it!
How many would this serve ? Guesstimate 🙄👍
It usually serves around 8. Hope this helps! 🙂
I made the french toast bake using brioche bread and it was amazing. I used a cream cheese icing drizzle over the top of it as well. Definitely a keeper recipe!!
Yum! Glad you like it! Thank you!
I see that this calls for a loaf of sourdough. but in my stores, they seem to vary. Do you know about how many cups would need to be used for the recipe? Thanks! Looking forward to making it…it looks delicious!
I don’t. They seem to usually be around the same size. There isn’t a wrong amount. It’s a few cups at least, maybe 4-5.
This tastes like a little bit of heaven on earth! That was with well over double the prep time and 1 hour of baking. Hopefully I’ll get faster at the prep and will try 5 minutes less baking time next time and keep that up until I find the shortest baking time that will still work perfectly for my oven.
Glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
I made this twice now and both times have been successful. Most recently, I made it with croissants (stale). It was perfect. We all especially love the topping.
Perfect!! Thank you for sharing what you did!
This was beyond my wildest expectations! I’ve been making brunch casseroles on the weekends when I have the chance so my husband and I can eat from them for a few days and this was the first sweet casserole/bake I’ve made. I usually prefer savory but this is going in my permanent rotation! The only thing I did different was to reduce the white sugar to 1/2 cup and may try 1/3 cup next time because it’s plenty sweet. But I’ve been telling friends about this recipe because it’s SO DARN GOOD! The custard formation is amazing and is still absolutely delicious over the next few days and doesn’t get soggy. Thank you!!
You are so welcome!! I love hearing this! Thank you for sharing what you did!
I’ve made this recipe several times. I use 4-6 UN frosted cinnamon buns instead of bread. Decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup. OMG good!
Sounds perfect! Thank you for sharing that!
Made this for breakfast this morning. I cooked mine for 1 hour 15 minutes and it was perfect!! It was a huge hit. I used brioche bread as well as cinnamon raisin bread. Will definitely make again. The topping was AWESOME!!
Glad to hear!! Thank you for sharing that!
This is by far the best overnight French Toast casserole recipe. It’s not too eggy and does not come out soggy. I’ve made this multiple times and it is always fantastic!!
Thank you for saying that!! Glad you like it!
Have had this before and it is mmm mmm good
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!
Made this for Christmas morning—the boys loved it! How long would you bake it in individual ramekins?
Happy to hear that!! I have not tried that, so I am not sure about the time. Definitely not as long. Maybe 30 min?
Would pannetone work for the bread? I got a loaf of it for Christmas and I’ve never eaten it before so I don’t know how dense it is
I haven’t tried using that, but I am sure it would be ok 🙂
Made this for Christmas morning and it was a slam dunk!! I used brioche bread and added a tsp. of cinnamon to the custard mixture. I’ve made baked French toast before but none tasted as good as this one! I think the brioche put it over the top. I baked it for an hour and 15 minutes, but I baked it alongside an egg/sausage casserole and let it sit for about 15 minutes. No sogginess at all. Served with fresh berries and whipped cream on the side. And I made it on Christmas Eve with my grandson. He’s 10 years old and made most of it on his own. He was so proud that “his dish” was the most popular. Thanks for the great recipe!
Awe, I love that! Sounds like you had a delicious breakfast! Thank you!
This recipe is easy and so good!! I make my own sour dough bread so when I have an abundance, I use the bread and make this recipe. I’ve brought it to work and my colleagues loved it that now they have started making it too.
That’s so great! I am so glad everyone likes it! Thank you so much!!
Made the French Toast Bake for a New Year’s Brunch. Substituted raisin cinnamon bread instead of the sourdough because of availability due to Covid. Was absolutely delish. Would like to try with the sourdough bread as well. Recipe is a keeper.
That is a great option! So happy you like it! Thank you so much!
It was delicious. Exactly what I was looking for. Traditional cinnamon French toast flavors but with delicious crumble on the top!
Happy you found it! Thank you for letting me know!
A great hit for Christmas brunch! Very sweet but so delicious and easy!!
It sure is!! Thank you for trying it 🙂
Amazing!!! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect.
Yay!! Thank you!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it was just amazing. I’m used to putting maple syrup French toast casseroles, but this one didn’t need it – it was both sweet enough and moist enough without it. I would consider adding some cinnamon and nutmeg to the custard mixture before adding it to the bread for a little extra spice but it certainly wasn’t “missing” anything without it. We liked it so much that I’m going to make it again for New Years Day breakfast too and I expect it’s going to become a regular around here! Thanks so much!!
Yay!! I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing that!
Delicious! Made it for the 1st time last night for my Friendsgiving Brunch today. Not to sweet. I thought the mixture was too much but it was perfect. Definitely recommend it. For the comment about the topping not being to crumbly, did you let it sit overnight in the fridge with the French toast?
If too soggy she may have not taken the cover off!
I wish my family loved French toast as much as I do! I would eat this every day. I used a local bakery sourdough loaf and it had a lot of crunch from the thick crust, I also let it dry out most of the day. It is a super easy recipe that a french toast lover should try!
More for you 🙂 Thank you for sharing that!
Yay!! I am so glad you tried it! Thank you!
My family loves this recipe!
I am so glad they do!! Thank you!
I just made this for breakfast/ brunch. Soo amazing!
SAME DAY
1) I Heated the oven to 350, cut the bread into pieces and placed them on a cookie sheet to lightly toast it.
2) while preparing the egg mixture I turned the oven down to 170, what this is doing is drying out the bread.
3)I put the bread pieces in the egg mixture and placed it in the freezer for about a hour.
4) cooked it on 350° for 1 hour. No sogginess whatsoever.
We enjoyed every bite!
Thank you
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing what you did!
Ok i made this last night for Christmas brunch. It was easy and everyone raved about it. I am a believer
Glad to hear that! Thank you!
My crumble wasn’t crumbly at all – do you know why this could be?
Was your butter cold?
Delicious! I cut used homemade challah and cut my prices in half rather than small cubes. Added some pecans and served with fresh blueberries. Turned out amazing, perfect for our Christmas morning. Will definitely be keeping this recipe for special occasions. Thanks!
You are so welcome! I am so glad it was a hit! Thank you!
I’ve been making this for about a year now. I tweak it slightly, adding cinnamon to the egg mix. I’ve also done pumpkin purée and spice (lowering the milk slightly) and it’s amazing.
This will also work just fine if your forget to make it the night before and throw it all in the pan in the morning.
Christmas mornings is going in the oven now!
Thank you for sharing what you did! Sounds great!
Light and very tasty would definitely make again!
Glad you will 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Love this! We make it for Christmas moring every year. Easy subs to make it GF and DF. Everyone who tries it is always so impressed. Soft inside, crunchy outside. Thank you for the excellent and simple recipe!
You are so welcome! Thank you!
I just mixed this up and placed it in the fridge for our Christmas morning. Can’t wait! I think we have a new tradition!
Yay!! Thank you!
My family loves this…perfect for Christmas morning or Sunday mornings before church since it all gets put together the night before!
That’s when we make it 🙂 Thank you!
So simple and delicious!
Thanks for saying that!!
For the loaf, it’s sliced bread not baguette style right?
Never mind, dug through the the comments & found an answer to my question 🙂 can’t wait to make this Christmas morning!!
Correct 🙂 Enjoy!
So easy and so yummy!!! I love letting it get a little crisp for that yummy crunch with all the soft yumminess under. So good!
This is my go to holiday morning Breakfast! Will be having this on Christmas morning! I love that it’s a one dish meal and easy!
Love this easy & tasty recipe! It is always a hit! I make it for breakfast for dinners, brunches, potlucks…always a favorite. It has been at plenty of holiday brunches!
Have made this a TON and is always a family favorite
I make this one every year! Love that I can make it the night before! Add a few sprinkles of pecans and we love it!
Love the French toast..
This French toast bake is theee best. Made it for Christmas last year and bought all the ingredients to make it for Christmas morning this year. We love it!!
My family loved it
Looks so go! Putting this one on my Christmas morning menu.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
This recipe yields such a great taste for very little effort. And the whole house smells so good while it is baking. Frequently requested for breakfast!
One of our favorites!!
Love this! And so easy to whip up for a tasty breakfast.
This is a favorite at our house. It’s something we often make for holidays and special occasions. I love that you do all the prep the night before. This makes it perfect for Easter and Christmas morning, when id rather be spending time with family than cooking.
Yes, yes, yes! You better believe we are making this on Christmas Eve for Christmas morning.
Delicious! Family loves it!
Best christmas breakfast!!
If you love French toast, you will love this easy recipe. Delicious and simple. A family fave!
This recipe was delish! It was perfect for a lazy Saturday morning when we had no where to be and nothing to do!
We love making it on the weekends for that reason! Thank you!
This is literally the easiest breakfast to make for any time of the year. It’s so delicious and great for the whole family.
Glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know!
This has Christmas morning written all over it!! I think I’m going to mane it!
It’s our favorite Christmas morning breakfast! Thank you!
This is an easy and great recipe when I have family in town. Very yummy and my guests always enjoy! I plan to make this for Christmas morning!
Love making it for guests! Thank you!
Great for family brunches!
I have used this recipe for several years and has always been delicious. I was wondering how I could add frozen fresh peaches into this. How would you incorporate them into the French toast casserole?
I would probably thaw them, drain, & put them on before the streusel. That would be so good!
We make this every Christmas morning. The flavors are incredible. I can’t get enough
This was amazing and easy! Definitely will make again.
Yum
This is a yummy and delicious go to easy recipe. Everybody loves it it’s so easy to put together and then pop it in the oven before you’re ready to eat!
Delicious,!
This recipe is so delicious! Definitely my go to christmas morning breakfast! Big hit in my family ❤
This recipe is so easy to make and my family loves it. It’s delicious!
French toast is a total favorite in our family! And this recipe is to die for!! Yummy!!!
My family loves this! I usually have it ready for after church on Sundays.
This is our go to recipe for Brunch. We love it and use it often for a big crowd. It’s a winner every time
I love this variation on traditional french toast! It is a great way to use up extra bread scraps or old rolls and the fact that you don’t have to stand at the stove forever is a definite mom win!
This has become a extended family holiday favorite! So yummy and so easy to put together the night before, love it!
I use my sourdough and make my own French bread to make it more gluten tolerant! So good!
Yummy!
Delicious!
This one of my favorites.
One of my favorite “quick” breakfasts for holidays! Love it!
my daughter’s all time favorite recipe. dessert for a meal!
Good recipe for Christmas morning!!
Looks heavenly!
Delicious!! My family loves it
We love this recipe! It’s the perfect breakfast for those special occasions where you can prep the night before and bake it the morning of. It’s sooo good!
This recipe was delicious. It did take a lot longer to bake than suggested but I am in a northern climate so maybe that made the difference.
So yummy!! I’m a nanny and even the boys I take care of (who are extremely picky) loved it!!
This is our Christmas morning tradition. We LOVE it! Takes the stress out of breakfast on such a busy morning.
This is delicious! Easy to make as well
My mom always made French toast casserole for us and so I love to make it for my family now. This looks like a delicious way to make it that I need to try!
This is our Christmas morning tradition. LOVE this recipe! You make it the night before and pop it in the oven the next morning. So good!
Making this for Christmas!!
This recipe is so good. Even better that you leave it overnight to soak up all the goodness!
This recipe is so delicious and so easy! My family loves it!
So delicious and easy!
Easy and delicious
I love to make this in the morning that way I can just throw it in the oven for dinner on all those crazy busy nights. Everyone in my family will eat it and there is plenty of leftovers which taste just as good!
OMG, this looks amazing!! I’m adding your link to my weekly round up.
DELICIOUS!! I used a loaf of pepperidge farms cinnamon swirl bread. YUM!!
Great idea!! I will have to try 🙂 Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this!! For a special Christmassy treat can I substitute the milk or the heavy cream (one or the other) with egg nog?
You sure could 🙂 Enjoy!!
i’m not sure if this is an odd question but, will baking it for an hour cause it to be softer or harder?
I feel like it gets softer, but the edges might get crispier. Hopefully, that makes sense. Depending on your oven, just keep an eye, so it doesn’t burn.
Awesome!!!
Thank you for saying that!
This is amazing! It’s perfect! Yum
I am so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you so much!
How much sourdough bread?
What kind of milk do you need?
Does this work with sugar substitute?
Thanks
I don’t have one on hand to check the ounces, but one loaf (round) from the grocery store is what you need. I use 1% or 2% milk, whatever I have on hand & I haven’t tried using a sugar substitute, but that should be fine 🙂
Is it possible to do this in muffin tins instead of a large dish? I’m guessing the cook time might be shorter as well.
Trying to find a covid friendly option.
U have this recipe you could try…https://lilluna.com/french-toast-muffins/. Let me know what you think, if you try them 🙂
Made this so many times and everyone has loved it! Though next weekend, I am going on a trip and was wondering is it better to pre-bake then freeze or freeze straight away and then bake it when needed?
Happy they do!! Yes, you can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
My friend made this with Gluten Free bread for Thanksgiving morning! Not a crumb left behind!
Good to know! Thank you for sharing that!
When I made this for my wife’s birthday it came out fantastic, and I should say I: Only soaked bread cubes 2 hours ahead, I buttered the bottom and sides of a lasagna pan for it, Packed the 1/2cup brown sugar, and Precut my 1 stock butter into 1/2” cubes. The end result after 55 mins was excellent, as it was crispy-ish on the bottom and sides, and custardy in The middle.
Yay! Glad to hear that!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Made it today for a Thanksgiving brunch. Loved it. I will definitely make this again, especially when we have overnight company for the weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for trying it!! I am glad to share! Happy you loved it!
Fantastic!!!!!! I’ve made this about 6 times now!
This is an amazing recipe. OMG it’s so yummy! Entire family loved it.
This was delicious HOWEVER, It tasted more like a moist coffee cake then any French toast I’ve ever had. I would try this again just half the size or for a holiday brunch with friends and family once we are all able to be together again!
Thank you for trying it & letting me know 🙂
Hi! Would i be able to use brioche instead of sourdough?
You sure could! Enjoy 🙂
I made this tonight. cut the recipe in half and i used the $1 french bread loaf from walmart. was amazing and i’ll be making this again. thank you
That is a great option!! So happy you liked it! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Do you cover this with foil while baking? I’ve made this several times and I use foil until the last 15 mins and take it off. I was just wondering what you do. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it’s become one of my families favorites!
I personally do not, but you totally can 🙂 I am glad to share! Thank you!
Cant wait to make it. QuesTion. Dud you put sugar power at the end On top?? LoOks white like it has sOme ?
I do like to sprinkle some on top 🙂
Hi, i was wondering if there is a good sub for thr heavy creAm? Could i use whole milk? Thanks!
I haven’t substituted the heavy cream, so I haven’t tried the whole milk. That could work or I would google some suggestions.
It was delicious, my family enjoy it very much!
i decide to mix both regular & almond milk And use just brown sugar
Glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing what you did!
I’ve made a lot of different overnight casseroles and this one is our absolute favorite. So easy and so delicious! Thanks
Glad it is! It’s ours too! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner, and it was really good. I used french bread and I thought it came out perfect. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
You are welcome 🙂 Glad you tried it!! Thank you!
This is our family’S favorite breakfast dish. I first made it as a special breakfast for lake weekends. Now its anytime! The night before prep makes it So much quicker in the morning. Thank you so much for sharIng!!
You are welcome! I am glad to share 🙂 Love hearing that! Thank you!
Hi! Can you tell me what size of sourdough loaf or somehow be specific on amount of bread for this French Toast Casserole. Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🍂
I usually find ones that are around a pound at the store 😉
How many OUNCES oF bread? 16oz loaf or 24oz? Our store has both.
I would just use the 24 ounce. If you feel like it’s too much bread or over-flowing, you can just leave some off.
Do you have to prepare this overnight? Or can it be made and then baked and served?
The longer it sits, the bread soaks up the liquid on the bottom. I haven’t tried making it, then baking right away, but I am sure you can.
Amazing!!! I put chocolate chips in ours and make a simple vanilla sauce to go with it. It’s requested for all holidays. Can’t say enough good things about this receipe. I did bake our sin a separate dish from the one it soaked in so it wouldn’t get soggy but I didn’t even need to.
Adding chocolate chips is a great idea! And, that vanilla sauce sounds good! Thank you for sharing that!
Wow! I subbed a little maple extract in for some of the vanilla and I’m so glad I did. I also made a half recipe in a 7X11 and baked for 45 minutes. But I accidentally prepared a full recipe of topping! What a happy accident! It was super duper rich but with the butter in the topping and the maple in the egg mixture it didn’t need anything on top. That didn’t stop me from a small drizzle of salted caramel I recently made though.
Thank you for the recipe!
LOL..love that!! That wouldn’t bother me, either! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Made this for father’s day brunch for a crowd and omg it was delicious! I Used challah because Thats all my bakery had left for the day and it worked Perfect. This Recipe is definitely a keeper and was so easy to make!
So happy you tried it! Thanks for sharing what you used!
I MADE THis for a father’s day brunch. Only change: i used ciabatta bread. this is absolutely delish!
Great option! Happy you liked it! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
The tips and tricks are key. After letting it sit over Night, i TRANSFERRED it to a bowl, then back Into the casserole dish. I think otherwise, i would have had some soggy pieces On bottom and dry pieces on top. I used challah bread, absolutely delicious. DefiniTely my new go to recipe for family brunches!
Thank you for sharing that! Glad it’s your go-to!
Did you use light or dark brown sugar?
I like to use light brown sugar 🙂
Inlove to bake and this looked so delicious. I made it exactly like the recipe says to. The bottom is so soggy:/. I kept baking but then the top got too hard and bottom stayed soggy. Do you have a suggestion to help it cook through?
Try some of these tips…Soak the bread in a separate bowl: If there’s too much egg in the pan it may be left a little soggy. One way around this is to store your bread mixture overnight in a bowl. In the morning transfer the bread to the baking dish leaving behind the extra liquid.
Choose the correct bread: choose a dense bread such as Brioche, Challah, Pullman Loaf, or French Bread.
Use a lipped cookie sheet instead of a 9×13 baking dish. You will have to adjust the bake time and watch carefully.
Not soaking the bread long enough: You want the egg mixture to seep deep into the bread for a soft custardy center. If the mixture doesn’t have time to soak into the bread it may end up creating a soggy mess.
can you freeze this prior to baking?
Yes, you can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
This was FANTASTIC! Followed the tips and TRANSFERRED the soaked bread into another dish prior to baking. French toast WAS very fluffy, did not need syrup at all and the perfect consistency. Definitely making again!
Yay!! Glad you will 🙂 Thank you so much!
If i add berries do i do it before or after baking? and do i add it to the mixture or on top?
I would add them right on top, before eating 🙂 Enjoy!
Do you think this can be baked and Reheated?
Yes, you could bake it at 350 for 20 minutes 🙂
This was delicious thank you so much!
I Made this during the pandemic and I have been adamant about not wasting food, so i have been saving bread loaf ends in A bag in the freezer and this is what i used. it tasted wOnderful! I will do this from now on. I didn’t use the heavy cream, just 2% lactose-free milk and it set jUst fine.
My husband suggested adding fresh blueberries next time.
Great options! I am so glad you liked it! Thank you!
Fabulous RECIPE! Made it for Family and co-worKers. Everyone asked for the RECIPE. I did double the topping though to make it even more decadeNt!
Would love to know if i make ahead abd freeze It how i should cook it a month later?
Awe, thank you for sharing the recipe! Yes, you can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
This was amazing! Followed recipe exactly but did oat milk instead of dairy. Wont do the sugar in egg mixture next time as i didn’t think it needed to be quite as sweet. Best overnight french toast ive tried!
Thank you for sharing what you did! I am so glad you liked it 🙂
quick question so im making this recipe with a serving size of 16 how long should i bake it for please if u anyone can respond quickly cuz im about to bake it
I would double into two pans or an 11×17. I haven’t doubled it, but it will need more time, if it’s in one pan. You can check it at the 45 minutes, then I would maybe every 5 min or so, until it’s the way you want it.
a delicious and easy breakfast! I was looking for a simple french toast casserole recipe and so many of them had so much sugar and corn syrup and just seemed too heavy and rich for dessert. this recipe proved that you don’t need all of that! i made it for an easter brunch and it was a hit with my family. i didn’t realize that you are supposed to refrigerate the topping overnight as well so i just made it before i put it in the oven and it still came out great. thanks for the recipe! i will definitely be making again.
You are so welcome!! I am glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing that!
Amazing to hear from you. I never had french toasts like this, its really amazing. I have tried it and my family makes it my duty to make it regularly for breakfast.
Looking forward to read more tasty RECIPES.
Best Regards
I hope you like other ones you try! Happy it was a hit!
Our family and all of our neighbors that we gave it too absolutely loved it! It also was very easy and gave us some lovely warm french toast! We even put some maple syrup on it and loved it like that as well!
I am so happy!! Thank you for sharing with your neighbors 🙂
i need some advice im doubling the portion size but do i dbl all ingredients for it im in need of quick feed back if possible thanks
Yes, you would double the ingredients 🙂 Enjoy!!
This is happening in my house tomorrow for sure! Thanks to you we are trying lots of new recipes lately… and really enjoying them.
Just made the french toadt casserole….it was awesome! Custard like on the bottom and crunchy in top. I Used 1/2&1/2 instead of heavy cream it was what i had on hand. Iuse to make Paula Dean’s french toast cassserole but not any more. Thsnks for a great Sunday breakfast
You are so welcome! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you 🙂
I was looking to make this ahead of time. If i made it the night before and then reheated it in the morning would it still be good or should i make it the morning of?
I haven’t made it, completely, then re-heated next day. But, it is an over-night recipe. You will prepare the mixture & prepare the streusel separately, then in the morning, add the streusel on top & bake. Hope that helps!
I would like to make this for my daughters shower, but we are having about 20-25 people. Will it be ok to double and use a larger pan? Also, I’d like to had some chopped pecans to topping. Any suggestions?
Yes, you can for sure double the recipe & adding pecans would be a great addition! Yes, maybe an 11×17 or two 9×13 would work. Have fun!
Does this haveto be made in a glass 9 x 13?
No, but I wouldn’t recommend a smaller one, unless you halved the recipe. You just want to make sure it fits 🙂
Made with brioche. Replaced milk and cream with 2 cups of butter pecan coffee creamer….yummy!
Sounds great! Glad you liked it 🙂 Thank you for sharing that!
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. WHEN I MAKW THE CRUMBLE TOPPING, IT IS NEVE CRUMBLY. ANY TIPS?
I wish I knew. Are you using cold butter?
What size loaf of bread?
My grOcery has anywhere from 12-24 oZ size
I would say closer to the 24 ounce size 🙂 Hope you like it!
This was a great recipe To make! It turned out wonderful and huge hit for the christmas breakfast. IS the calories 570 for one serving?
I will tell you Christmas morning
Can I make this two nights in advance??
I personally have not, but you sure could 🙂 I sure hope you like it!
It is a great recipe!
What size lOaf should be used? I bought an uncut loaf that is 10 oz and seEms sMall??
Hmmm…I usually only see the one size. Some might a little bigger or smaller, but they should be about the same. If it seems small, you may want to get another one. You don’t have to use the whole thing, but you could use what you need.
I made thIs For a family brunch And every loved it. This onE is a keeper. I think next time i make it i might layer the topping
So glad everyone loved it! Thank you so much1
Love this recipe! Always a big hit
Glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know!
This is a family favorite!! We cook it every year at Christmas and on family vacations!!
Yay!! It’s our favorite too! Thank you!
Have made this BEFORE with french breaD, was DELICIOUS. But fogot what size loaf of french bRead to get an want yo make it for thanksgiving. Any idea???
I usually only see it in one size at the store. It’s a pretty big size.
Has anyone made this in crockpot? If so, how did it turn out and hints?
Do yiu mean 2 Tablespoons of vanilla or 2 Teaspoons? I havent tried this yet, but will latwe this week- lots if great reviews!
When living in the south growing up many mother’s would make their french toast with stale bread…. They would say this helped with soaking up the egg mixture better. Is there any truth to that and would you recommend it?
Hmm..I have no idea! I need to find out! Though, there is nothing wrong with using stale bread. I like using it!
easy to make, very yummy
It could be halved easily
Thank you so much for sharing that!! Glad you liked it!
Absolutely delicious! I made a regular batch and a pumpkin batch. I had to substitute the milk for coffee creamer because I ran out, lol but it worked.
Glad it worked!! And, I am so glad you liked it! Thank you!
Just wanted to letyou know how EXCITED i am to try this recipe. That being said i did make a few additions to spice it up a little. First i rehydrated some raiSins i haD. I added cinnamon to the egg and milk miXture. Second i had a block of cream cheese to whick i added brown sugar to. I am Using brioche bread. Ill top it with the cinnamon CRUMB TOPPING and i may add some nUts for some crunch. Ill let you know how it turns out.
That all sounds delicious!! I hope you like it! Let me know what you think 🙂
How well does it hold up after baking and freezing? I want to make this in advance for when we have company and freeze serving sizes for easy access.
This is delicious!!! A coworker made it for a staff breakfast and everyone went home with the recipe. I could drink the buttermilk syrup!
That makes me so happy to hear!! so, glad it was a hit! Thank you for letting me know!
We loved this! We had never had a French toast bake before and my husband is saying it needs to go in our rotation! My toddler devoured hers as well! Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome!! I am happy to know it made the rotation!! Thank you!
You guys. This as phenomenal!! For personal preference, I didn’t use Cinnamon, but otherwise I followed the recipe and IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! will definitely be making again!
Thank you so much for sharing that!! I am so glad you like it, as much as we do!
it look good and delicious
Thank you so much!! It really is! Hope you try it!
Has anyone tried DRIZZLING top with powd sugar icing?
That would be so good!
this was Goo It’s my third time making it but this time i uSed anzio & sons bakery club rolls and it was delicious
I am so glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know & that sounds great!
This recipe is nothing short of amazing! JuSt wow! Definitely a go-to from now on! Good call on the sourdough bread!
Awe, I am so happy you liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
Just made this last week with challah bread(store was out of soursough) and it was easy to make, and tasted amazing!
Perfect! I am glad you liked it! Thank you!
This was a perfect fathers day Breakfast. Being able to prepare it the night before saved me. My husband is an early riser (and im not) so this was a great fit for me. I got up, popped it in the oven, snoozed on the couch until ready – and got to be the hero! I made it exactly as written and baked for 45 minutes. I used a large bakery lof of sourdough bread that i cubed up, then baked for about 15 minutes in the oven to make it ‘stale’. I Did preare it in a bowl, just in case there was extra liquid, but there wasnt. It all absorbed into the bread. Hubby loved it! Thanks for sharing ♥️
Glad you got to be the hero!! Thank you for letting me know!
A total Hit with my family 🙂
I am glad it was!! Thank you for letting me know!!
Perect every time. Always a big hit wiTh the family.
It sure is!! Thank you!!
This was the most delicious!!! Will repeat this recipe. Its outstanding!
Yay!! Love to hear that! Thank you for trying it!
Fantastic Recipe and so delicIous!!!
Awe, thank you so much for sharing that!!
French Toast is my favorite dish, I love collecting recipes for it. It’s fun to visit your blog and know more interesting repice
Thank you so much for saying that! I am glad you like visiting it!
thanks for french toast bake recipe .we used challah bread and 1/2 cup sugar followed recipe baked for about 10 minutes longer.oh boy tasty and filling.this recipe makes plenty of good large slices.dipped mine in maple syrup.this recipe is nice for any day or a holiday or to bring to a friend.really enjoyed!
Sounds perfect!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 Glad you liked it!
This frEnch toast casserole looks amazing. I am going to give it a try this weekend!
Hope it’s a hit!! Thank you for being willing to give it a try!
I’ve made this twice now and it tastes DELICIOUS!
However, mine always burns a little on the bottom. 🙁 Has anyone else had this problem? How do i avoid that? I want to make it again for this easter!
hI, can i use almond milk instead of WHOLE MILK?
I personally haven’t tried, but you sure could 🙂
I have never eaten bread like this, very different from what I imagined. I really want to enjoy this dish
I hope you did enjoy!
thank u kristyn
You are so welcome 😉
This was a very easy dish to make and a favorite in my house. I used regular white bread for this recipe and I didn’t soak my French toast overnight. It turned out very good! I will definitely make this again.
Thanks for the recipe
Glad you liked it!! Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
yeah really easy dish
I had this at my daughters house the past two christmases. it is wonderful! I plan to make it for a send off for a co-worker. do you think it would work in a crockpot?
It should 🙂 I haven’t personally tried, but I don’t see why not 🙂 I am so glad you like it!
Made this for Sunday breakfast. Sooo good!
Glad you liked it!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
I made This last week and it was a big hit for us!!! It was like a meal prep meal on sunday, i put it in the oven Monday morning! The kids anD i had breakfast for a few Days!
That is why we love it! It’s ready for me to bake in the morning. I am so glad it was a hit!
This is Delicious! Brought it to a work bruNch and eVeryone loved it. Definitely making again. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
My topping isn’t crumbly, it’s one solid chunk… Can I fix it?
Family loved it. Making to take on trip to mountains and wanting to make ahead of time do i freeze before i cook it or after cooking it to take with us.
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I would think before cooking would be ok 🙂 Have fun!
Looks great, but I am trying to stay away from all the sugar and fatting breads
Thank you & I know what you mean!
I love french toast and this was delicious! I baked it for 1 hour because i like french toast well done. The lefTovers were Good heaTed In the microwave. I am planning to make this the next time family comes To visit.
Glad it was a hit! I hope your family will love it, too! Thank you for letting me know!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
I haven’t tried, but I am sure you could 🙂
This was a hit!
So glad to hear!! Thank you for trying it!
It was for christmas breakfast, and came out great! My family lovrd it!
Perfect for Christmas morning! Thank you so much!
I made this with cinnamon brioche twist and it was amazing!!! this was for a weekend retreat. what little there was left over reheated well and the primarily male group loved it.
That is good to hear!! Sounds yum with that bread! Thank you for sharing!
I have made this recipe twice and it was DELICIOUS . Everyone loved it. I used the sour dough bread, and I added CINNAMON to the egg MIXTURE as well. Great for anytime of year.
Sounds perfect!! Yes, It’s great all year long!
My family said this is the best French toast I ever made! Thank you!!!
Yay!! I am so happy they liked it! Thank you!
Awesome! This was the first time we’ve ever tried making a french toast bake and this was so delicious 🙂 thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome!! I am so glad you tried it & liked it! Thank you!
i made this for christmas morning breakfast and everyone loved it!!! it was gone in a flash! my kids want me to make this regularly not just for holidays. thank you so much!
That’s what I love to hear! Thank you!
Love this recipe! My family asks for it every holiday. What i love is that u can make breakfast the night before and then just pop it in the oven in the mornin and sit back and drink your coffee!
That’s what I love too!! I am so happy your family loves it!
YUM…BEST make ahead baked french toast recipe!!!
Thank you for saying that!!
one of my family’s favorites. when i asked what they wanted christmas morning for breakfast this is what they chose!
I am glad they did!! Thank you so much!
I have been making this Recipe for more than three years, the whole family loves it! I have to say I don’t think I have ever made it with traditional bread. We always try to find interesting breads to use. One you my sister found apricot bread, it was full of dried apricots and we used vanilla egg nog with it that year. This recipe never fails me. This Christmas we used Madagascar bourbon vanilla bread and new England Blueberry (two separate days), again everyone loved it! Thanks for the great recipe. Oh yeah, this works out great for our family vacations as well.
Great ideas!! Thank you for trying it & for sharing what you do!
I Have been Making this for aboit 2 YEars now !:) i always make it for My overnight guests ans its a huge hit everytime!:) its so good! I make it exactly like the recipe Says to. and it turns out peRfect everytime!:)
Oh, I am so glad!! Thank you for sharing that 🙂
Made this for christmas morning. can we say yummy! Family loved it! very simple to make ahead. Our store was out of sourdough bread so we used brioche. Will definitely have again.
I am glad that you tried it & that it was a hit 🙂 Thank you so much!
Made it with Texas toast and came out awesome! Deliscious
Perfect!! Glad it did 🙂 Thank you!
Extremely delicious!!!!!
Does anyone know if its *SAFE* to make andceat a couple days ahead of TimE? Not—does it tastE well—but is it *safe* tO eat if I Made it a few Days ahead of time? (I.e., the eggs)
Thanks!
Since, it gets baked, it will be ok 🙂
I used french bread baggette bread because It was all i could find. It was hard and i was concer but it came out abso delicious! Every enjoyed it!
Yay!! I am so glad it turned out 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I make A French A French toast casserole every year for Christmas , DeDecided to give your recipe a try so i made this recipe with Pepperidge Farm baked apple with Carmel bread .. have used other Pepperidge farm breD and it works well with this recipe the topping made this , it was amazing I would definitely will make this again!
I am happy to hear that!! That sounds great! I will have to try with that bread! Thank you!
Made the French toast bake! So good! I used Brioche bread!
Sounds perfect!! Thank you for letting me know!
Made Christmas eve for christmas morning breakfast! Delicious and fed 8-10.
Thank you for trying it!! I am glad you liked it!
deliSh!! I used stuffing bread as i it left over from Thanksgiving. I Also Screwed up my topping and ended up with a paste. So in the MORNING i used my cheese grater and grated it on top! Baked 350 covered for 45 Min and at 400 UNCOVERED for 15! Awesome!!!
Glad it turned out!! Thank you for sharing that 🙂
I made this with Gluten Free Bread. It turned out awesome! Everyone enjoyed it for Christmas breakfast.
Perfect 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know! Glad it was a hit!
Love This! I used a whole grain skinny French bread instead. I also added some small cubes of cream cheese. My mom makes a French toast casserole and my husband doesn’t like the texture because it gets soggy. The skinny loaf stayed firm and everyone loved it! I’ll definitely be making this again!
Sounds great!! I will have to try! Thank you for sharing that!
I Made this for our Christmas Morning, used King’s Hawaiian Bread. I think I’ll bake it 60 minutes next time instead of 52. But it is delicious!
Glad you liked it! Thank you so much 🙂
This recipe Tastes so amazing and turns out PERFECTLY every time!
I give this recipe 5 stars because of ease and taste!
Yay!! I love hearing that 🙂 Thank you so much!
Made this for a family Christmas brunch and it was a big hit. I had to make this for someone lactose intolerant so substituted coconut milk and coconut cream. I doubled the brown sugar and cinnamon in the topping and added cinnamon to the egg mixture as well. plenty sweet and no need for syrup.
That sounds perfect! I am so glad it was a hit. Thank you for sharing that!
We love this recipe and have used it many times! We have varied it just a little and love this addition….would love to know what you think 🙂 We make the recipe as per the directions, and then in the morning, we dump two cans of apple pie filling into a 9X13 (or larger) baking dish, then dump the soaked french toast on the top, add the butter cinnamon crumble and bake. We love this and have called it “Apple Fritter Breakfast Cassarole”
That sounds delicious!! Thank you for sharing that. I will have to try!
I’ve actually made this with Sweet Bread loaf. the bread is drier and took less time for it to be on the stale side. Cut back some on the sugar also. I used a bit of maple syrup added to the egg mix. comes out perfect every time. I bring it to work on Christmas eve for our crew and bake it while we work. its a tradition now…Thanks so much for sharing. its always a big hit!! oh, using maple syrup in the mix eliminated the need to use it after its baked.
Thanks for sharing what you did!! Sounds great! I am glad it is a hit!
I like this recipe a lot more than Paula Deen’s Praline french toast. I had a smaller loaf so I didn’t use all of the egg or butter/sugar mixture. Even then, I would’ve lightly drained it because I like a drier french toast. Not a huge fan of the bread pudding consistency that so many baked french toast recipes yield. This is perfect. Not too sweet and not too dry. My french bread was so stale i could hardly cut it with my serrated knife lol. I think this made a difference as to how firm the whole thing got. thank you for sharing! This is now going in the recipe box. 🙂
You are so welcome! Thank you for sharing that! You made my day 🙂
i accidently used 12 eggs instead of 8. I didn’t pay attention. it was so delicious! Also, I made homemade blueberries on the side because it has bread pudding flavor to it. i drizzled it with syrup. It is a big hit in our house. thank you!
Yum! Lol..I am so glad you liked it! Thank you!
Can this be par cooked ?
I personally haven’t tried?
Di you think i gould use sourdough english muffinS vrojen into pieces For this? My lical grocery stire doesnt carry souRdough bread.
I have never tried. It really isn’t a doughy bread, so I am not sure how it would turn out.
I noticed once your bread was all cubed up in the pan, it looks yellow. There are some plain pieces iN there that seemed Untouched But mOst all in the video the bread is yellow. Did you butter the bread as it sits overnight?
In step two, you will pour a few things over the bread & let sit overnight 🙂
This was awesome! I modified based on what I had on hand and time: loaf of french bread that I left out for about a day; all 2% milk with No cream; and only had it refrigerate for about 3 hours. It took about a full hour to cook through. I have 6 kids – all loved it, no leftovers. I will make this again and again – thank you!
Yay!! Kids love this stuff! I am glad yours did! Thank you so much!
Looks amazing… I can’t wait to try iT! One question: do you think I can double the recipe and bake it in a large lasagna pan?
You sure could 😉 Enjoy!
I made this today for a breakfast my husband had with his networking group. My house smells amazing and The casserole tastes delicious! It was so easy and so delicious. I’ll definitely be making this for our Christmas morning brunch!
Yay!! I am so glad you gave it a try & like it!! Thank you so much!
This casserole is so delicious! I baked mine 1 hour, because we like it crunchy. I will definitely make it again soon and share the recipe with my friends. It’s perfect for busy morning. The only thing I will change cut back on the white sugar.
Thank you so much for sharing that!! Glad you liked it!
Awesome! So glad to have this made ahead breakfast recipe on hand just in time for the busy holidays schedule!
Thank you!! Yes, it comes on very handy!
I can’t say enough nice things about this recipe. I just bought my first home with my boyfriend and we had my family over for brunch and to see the place. normally my family is not a sweet breakfast type, however, I presented this as a “side dish” (we are Italian, most of our side dishes are normally the main dish size) and they loved it. My ma has raved about it for days now. The best part was getting to do this the night before and the day of I just had to pop in the oven. Bravo to this recipe!
Love this! I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for giving it a try & congrats on the new house!
I made this for thanks morning! My famiky cane from california and i wanted to make them something super yummy. I picked the french toast bake and everyone loved it. I will for sure be making this again real soon. Probably christmas morning. ??
I am so glad everyone loved it! Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
Can your French toast bake recipe be made ahead of time and frozen before baking?
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it should be ok 🙂
I would love to make this with eggnog. Would that substitute some of the MILK or the heavy cream
I personally haven’t tried, maybe for the cream, since it is thicker than milk & more like cream.
Hoping to make this for brunch in a few weeks. I might do a trial run, if i wanted a half barch do yiu think its safe to just half All the ingredients?
Thanks!
Yes, it should be 🙂 Hope it’s a hit!
so easy and super delicious!
I am so happy that you think that! Thank you so much!
I used a round sourdough loaf and worked out fine. Everyone lIked it and asked for the recipe. I served with berries and whipping cream. Thank you for the easy recipe. I had most ingredients on hand.
Perfect!! I am glad you liked it! Thank you so much!
Great recipe!
I am thinking that you meant 2 teaspoons of vanilla, not 2 tablespoons right?
This French toast bake was a hit with my family. I loved that it was ready for me, come time to bake. It tasted so delicious, with the perfect amount of cinnamon! I can’t wait to make this for my extended family.
Omg – died and went to heaven!
Simple, delicious, and so very tasty. Will be making this often!
Yay!! I am so glad you think so! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’ve had great experience using the croissant rolls from Sam’s Club Bakery. Half of a pack (6) is the perfect amount for one loaf of bread. Then i can use the other half for sandwiches or a savory Breakfast casserole.
That is a great option for sure!! Thank you for sharing that!
WouLd it be ok to make this 2 nIghtS prior to use rather than just 1 night prior to usE?
It should be ok 🙂 I haven’t tried, but it should.
I made this recipe for a breakfast for a family brunch. Everyone lived it. I used a Challa loaf aNd it was awesome. Will def make again.
I am so glad to hear that!! That sounds yummy! Thank you so much!
It it was pretty good. Ha had it for Thanksgiving brunch and everyone loved it. I did use sourdough bread but it was fresh so I cut it into bite-size pieces and I put it in the oven at 350 Fo for about 15 minutes just to get the bread toasted. I c I cooked as directed in about 15 minutes came out perfect. Co could not have been easier. Will probably make for our Christmas brunch because it such a hit.
Great idea about baking it a little first. Thank you so much for letting me know. Glad you liked it 🙂
This is also great if you Use gluten free flour and Gluten Free bread. I do not soak the gluten Free bread overnight because it gets way too soggy and doesnt hold up. You can toast the gluten Free bread a bit before you toss it with the egg MIXTURE. I add the egg mixture about 10 minutes before I cook it. It turns out great and no one knew it was Gluten free. Just make sure you use gluten free flour and vanilla extract.
Thanks so much for sharing that!! Hopefully, that will help anyone with gluten needs 🙂
if i make a double batch does the bake time also double? thank you!
No, but it may need to be in a little longer. Check it at normal time, then you may need to keep adding a few min at a time, until it looks done.
I made this recipe according to the instructions. I used a loaf of La Brea sourdough bread. It turned out divine and was a hit at the party I where I shared it. I served it with buttermilk syrup (my own recipe).
I am glad it was a hit!! Thank you for giving it a try!
This looks Amazing and I plan to make it tomorrow for our work potluck! Cant Wait! One question THough, what kind of milk did you use? I See a lot of COMments mentioning buttermilk but I just want To make Sure so I dont mess it up! Thank you!
Just regular milk, like 2% or whatever you have 🙂
How mAny cups of cubed bread?
I’m not sure how many cups it is, but it is the whole loaf of sourdough bread. It makes at least a few cups.
I love french toast or french bread. Thank’s for sharing
Then you will love this!! I hope you try it 🙂 Thank you!
Could i cut the refrigeration time down? Id like to make this now and cook for dinner, would 3-4 hours be enough?
It should be ok, though I haven’t tried. Hope you like it!
I made this for my son and his wife which they loved. So I made them another one that they could cook in the morning. However they did not make it and it is now a day later. Will it still be okay to eat.
It should be ok 🙂
I love Make ahead dishes and we love breakfast for dinner. I used the round sourdough loaf, cubed it and put it all together. It has a crunchy sweet topping that really makes for a good french toaSt bake!
I bought a loaf of uncut sourdough bread from thR bakery- NOT thinking it called fir sluced bread. Do yOu think that will work? Or will it be too crusty?
Yes, it will work 🙂 Enjoy!!
I like the convenience of this make ahead casserole. It was good but i will add some cinnamon to the bread and egg mixture as well as doubling the cinnamon in the topping next time. Just because we like cinnamon a lot. It presented well. I served it with breakfast sausages and a frUit plate.
That would work 🙂 Thank you so much for giving it a try! I am so glad you liked it!
This recipe has been a go-to for our family since I discovered it!
Some alterations we have tried are:
-Adding cinnamon OR APPLE PIE SPICE to taste TO the egg mixture
-adding a POUND of cooked breakfast sausage and increase eggs by 2
-adding 2 cups of frozen BLUEBERRIES and increase eggs by 2 (this is our family’s FAVORITE!!!)
That all sounds wonderful! Thank you for sharing that! I’ll have to try 🙂
I cooked this recipe for a bRunch i had at my house. I used cinnamon chip bread from a local bakerY. There was zero leftovers and is now a staple for brunch from now on.
Great idea! I am glad it was a hit 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
I made this the other night with some leftover dinner rolls (from the big costco bag). It was the perfect bread consistency (a few days old) and soaked up the egg mixture so nicely. I layered some cooked cinnamon apples in between layers and cooked for 1 hour in the oven. I only made an 8×8 pan and there was definitely too much egg mixture left over, so if i repeated i’d definitely reduce to no more than 2 cups of liquid and just 5 eggs. perfectly delicious, especially paired with an apple cider syrup and bacon.
Yum!! Sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing!
I’m Making this for tomorrow’s breakfast! Love how easy it is and i’ll leave a comment tomorrOw after my husband and kids try it! Wish me luck!!
I plan on making this for a baby shower. Wondering What the easiest way wpuld be yo double the recipe or cook two at once?
I would probably cook two at once, side by side 🙂 Hope it’s a hit!!
I love the easy fast recipes for after work meals. After a long day, it’s nice to have a good meal that fast easy and not a lot ingredients.
I so agree with you!! Thank you so much!
Will almond milk work as a good substitute for the milk??? Thanks! 🙂
I haven’t tried, but I am sure it would 🙂 Enjoy!
Can i use french bread baguette? Has anyone used this bread?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried. Hopefully someone has & will share 🙂 I bet it would be good 🙂
French toast is my favorite & I love how this can be made the night before. It made the morning so easy, knowing breakfast is made. It made the house smell so good & my whole family loved it!
We have guests in our home frequently, and this and your coffee cake recipe have been a life saver. It feeds a lot and is soooo delicious. Thank you for making my life easier!
I first had this recipe at a baby shower. It was to die for! I’ve since made it several times. It’s the perfect breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning.
This is my go to recipe for family brunches and it’s always a hit! Love that I can do the prep work the night before. SO good!!
That’s what I love about it, too!! Thank you for letting me know!
This will be perfect for Sunday morning! Waking up knowing breakfast is waiting will be such a treat!
It is nice knowing it’s ready for you! I sure hope you like it!
This looks so yummy! I love the idea of using sourdough bread. I bet it is a nice balance to the sweetness. Can’t wait to give it a try!
It sure is!! I hope you like it, as much as we do!! Thanks Kara!
Oh my goodness- I HAVE to try this!
I sure hope you do!! It’s one of my favorites!!
Such a great weekend recipe!
Agreed 🙂 Thank you so much!
Oh my, this look and sounds incredible!! Can’t wait to try it!
Can’t wait for you to try it 🙂 Hope you like it!!
SO delicious and perfect to make for brunch on the weekends!
Agreed 🙂 Thank you so much!!
This is my all-time favorite breakfast dish for large groups. Its so easy to searve and feed lots of people. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome!! And, I agree! It’s the perfect dish for company & groups! Thank you!
The French Toast Bake is amazing. The first time I had it a friend made for us while we were on a girls retreat and I loved it. I made it this morning and I used challah instead of sourdough bread, I don’t think there was any difference in consistency or taste. My husband loved it!
I am so glad it was shared 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing that!
Just curious, could you leave this in fridge longer than overnight. Thinking of making it Friday afternoon for an event I have Sunday morning, just don’t have time on Saturday to do it.
Oops, I read other comments after I posted my question and got my answer. Sorry, should have read thise first ???? Excited to try it out.
NO worries!! I hope you like it 🙂
Is there a substitution for the milk and the cream
I haven’t tried making it without it or substituted it. I would look online for good substitutions, since I am not sure. I hope you find what you need.
I made this with Brioche bread and it was delicious!!! Everyone has been giving it rave reviews! Thanks so much for the recipe!!! <3
You are so welcome!!! I am glad it was a hit 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Does anyone know if I can leave it in the refrigerator for longer than 6 hours?
Yes, it will be good 🙂
yes, that will be good. You won’t face any issue.
Yum!!! Made it this morning and it was fabulous! The only thing I did different per another comment – pulled the pan out of the fridge and let it sit out about an hour and a half, and once it was ready, I let it sit for about 15 minutes. I also let it sit under the broiler for extra crunch. Thank you for sharing this. I will be sure to make it again! BTW, I made this with 1.5 loaves of French bread ( not baguette) that I had purchased the same day I prepped it (yesterday), and it was excellent!
Woohoo!! Sounds great! Thank you so much for letting me know. I am so glad you liked it!
Why so much butter? I can’t get the crumble to crumble.
Did you use cold butter? It should crumble..I wish I knew why it isn’t. Since, it’s spread over the whole pan, you need that much to cover it. You could add less, if you’d like. I wish I could be more help.
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to give it a try! Just wondering, is the heavy cream mandatory? Or will more milk suffice? Thanks!! 🙂
It is so delicious!! I haven’t tried leaving out the cream, but milk should still work. Though, I do not know if the outcome will be the exact same.
OMG awesome recipe!!!! I made this for the kids last night and they loved it!
I love to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
I don’t usually leave comments, but this was easy to make and delicious. It also heated up easily in the microwave for leftovers the second day for breakfast!
Thank you for leaving a comment! I appreciate it so much! I am glad you liked it!
I am making this tonight for tomorrow. Half batch cuz it’s just my hubby & I. I’ve made baked french toast before but sliced not cubed. This looks very yummy. I am going to follow your directions but add some chopped pecans on top. I love them on Baked French toast. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
You are so welcome! I hope you like it!! Adding pecans would be great!
Your formula is amazing! That dish looks very attractive. I will proceed to do it now.
Thank you!! Hope you like it!
My sunday school class LOVED this delightful breakfast… it was a hit… thanks to your generosity to share… Will make again and oh by the way it’s better the day after????????????????
I am so glad they liked it!!! Thank you for trying it & letting me know 🙂 And, yes, it is better the next day!
I made your French Toast Bake for breakfast this morning and it was absolutely delicious!!! The topping was soooooooo good and then on our serving I sprinkled a little bit of powdered sugar and added some syrup. A keeper of a recipe for sure!!!
Perfect!! Thanks for sharing what you did..sounds good!
I’ve tried to make a cinnamon toast bake and failed but somehow it still tasted ok. I need to follow a recipe so I’ll try following this one. I don’t have all the ingredients, but I really feel like some cinnamon toast right now or something similar to it. And I like french toast, but what like it a little crispier so this looks like a good recipe. So I’ll attempt it with whatever ingredients I have lying around. lol. Let’s see if I can try this today. Oh, and trying this with sour dough bread would probably taste really good. The next time I get sour dough I’m definitely trying this.
This one is easy & so good! Let me know what you think of it! Sour dough is so good for this!
What about putting some sliced apples in too?
Perfect!! Enjoy!!
Wanting to make your Easy Lemon Cake. It calls for chocolate pudding. Is that correct? Thanks!
Could you let me know the exact recipe name you are talking about? I have a lot of lemon recipes & the ones I looked up, I didn’t see chocolate pudding in the ingredients, so I am not sure which recipe it is. Thank you!!
hey, I have allways enjoyed your hungarian goulash. I tend to experiment with the cheeses. I s called goulash because it started close to hallowween and a goul was ahungered? goull- goshh–goulashe
Seriously …droooooolling…..
Thank you
Thank you for stopping by!!
Hi, you bet. I love your recipes! My stomach growls each time I look them up. Thank you again
Hi there!
We have dairy allergies. Can I sub the milk and heavy cream with canned coconut milk?
I am sure you could. I personally haven’t tried, but I don’t see why not 🙂
I love this breakfast! I make it a week or two in advance and freeze it without baking it. Take it out the day before and put it in the refrigerator. I have an amazing breakfast to bake the next morning with no mess! Definitely make the buttermilk syrup. That is absolutely delicious! I always have small containers in the freezer for other breakfasts. I quick trip to the microwave, and it’s ready! Thanks for a new family favorite!!
I love to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know that your family loves it! And, great idea about freezing it in advance…makes breakfast so much easier!
Do you put the topping on too before you freeze, or right before you bake? Thanks for sharing!!
I would add it before baking 🙂
Can’t wait to try the French Toast Bake
Let me know what you think 🙂 Hope you like it!
Saw this ,and cant wait to make it,l love french toast.
Let me know what you think 🙂 Hope you love it as much as we do!
I’m making this recipe for a large crowd and was thinking about doubling it. Will that work, or should I just make two pans? (I already did a test batch and it was delicious!!)
I have not doubled it, but I would say in two pans, just to be safe 🙂 I am so glad you like it! Hope they all like it!
iam going to try and make this for a baby shower coming upwe are giving for one of the young girls in our grace group :}} its a brunch :}} so iam sure all the ladies will love it :}} by the way this is her first baby :}}} thank you sharing all your yummy recepies and look forward to trying this one for sure :}}}
Have fun & I hope the ladies love it!! Thank you so much!
I this for my family this weekend and they loved it! I added the zest of one orange and it was heavenly!
Sounds yum with the touch of orange! Glad they like it! Thank you!!
Should the bread absorb all of the egg mixture overnight? Mine hasn’t. Will it turn out ok?
It doesn’t completely. How did it turn out?
Do you cover frenchtoast bake while it’s in oven
No 🙂 Hope you like this!
Just wanted to let you know that I make this almost weekly, it’s sooo delicious! I actually use a dozen eggs and a little extra milk because we like all our bread pieces to be in the liquid AND it gives it a touch more protein. I also reduce the sugar a little more every time; it’s a good discipline;) Thanks for sharing this scrumptious treat! Btw, my phone wouldn’t let me click the fifth star, but that’s what I rate this as!
Awe, thank you so much!! That sounds perfect 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! It was so good. It made the house smell real good too. It is so quick and great for Sunday mornings when we are in a hurry to get to church 🙂 My five boys and husband loved it, too. I will be making again.
Yes, it is!! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, Kristyn!
“Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on how soft you like it.”
350 Degrees, right?
Yes 🙂
As a single father of two kids, plus college and work, I don’t get much time to cook before its time to put the kids to bed. I was really glad that I could make this tonight and then cook it in the morning. I will have to let you know how well it comes out, but after reading all the comments bellow I am sure that it will be a new hit in my house.
Wow! Keep it up! Thank you for giving it a try! I sure hope everyone liked it!
I made sure I had all the ingredients on hand to prep this last night and pop it in the oven this morning BUT I had too much fun last night and it’s been forever since this old lady has been out to celebrate NYE…so zero prepping happened when we got home. I put it together this morning and let it sit for 25 min max while I made the topping, made coffee, fed the cat, fed the dog and waited for my oven to come up to temp. It still came out delish even though it didn’t sit overnight and my kids, hubs and I loved it! I know a couple people were curious about not leaving it overnight so there you go, it totally still works.
LOL!! Glad you could go have fun!! Thank you for sharing & I hope that helps others!
Hi! Very easy to make. The top turned out delicious! The bottom part of my French toast bake turned out really mushy at the bottom and I cooked it for a whole 10 Minutes. Is that just how it normally turns out or is there something I needed to do? Any suggestions?
It is a little, but not too much. I really am not sure why it would have been too soggy, if you followed the recipe. Was it edible?
Yes it was edible for some of family others didn’t like it ????
Oops meant the whole hour! Not 10 minutes ????
I could not find unsliced sourdough bread, but my local store had very thick slices of white bread. I was concerned about mushiness or that the center of the bread might be dry. So I cut the bread into big chunks, put it into the bowl with the egg mixture and blended for a bit, then put it into the prepared pan and continued. It turned out just excellent!!!
What about putting some sliced apples in too?
Haven’t tried, but that would be delicious! Let us know if you try!
Hi Kristyn, this recipe looks amazing! Do you think I can replace the sourdough bread with brioche? I would like to make this as a new years brunch.. let me know your thoughts!! Thank you 🙂
I haven’t tried, but I’m sure it would be ok 🙂 Let me know if you try it!
I just did this for Christmas morning. I was a little concerned reading some of the comments of sogginess in the middle but it turned out perfect! We cooked for an hour and used a little less than a whole loaf of fresh sourdough bread (probably 85-90% of loaf). I was very excited with how well this turned out and the whole family loved it. So glad I found this version to use!
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m so glad it turned out & that you liked it!
this was so delicious! and a big hit! one question— when you pour over the wet mixture, do you stir otto get all the bread wet? or will it seep up over night? thanks!
No need to stir 🙂 It will set up overnight. Good luck!
Made this for the first time for Christmas morning!!! Was a hit!!!
Yay!! Happy to hear that! Thank you 🙂
Every Christmas morning, this is my go-to recipe. It’s a huge hit in our home, as it allows us to prepare it the night before, and Christmas morning, bake while we enjoy opening our presents. Bake some bacon on the side, and top with pure maple syrup (whipped cream & vanilla ice cream as an added treat) and we are set!
Thank you for posting with all of the additional details. ^_^
Happy Mom
That’s why we love it! Thank you for letting me know!
I made this today for Christmas Eve breakfast and it was very good. I especially love that it can be made the night before. I will be making this again! I made it exactly as the recipe described, even down to the type of bread (24 oz Pepperidge Farm Sourdough). I baked it in a heavy french white Pyrex dish and it took about 50 minutes.
Do you have nutritional info on this recipe?
I’m sorry I do not.
Made this today and my family loved it!! So easy to make and cook.
So looking forward to make your do-ahead French Toast Bake. Can’t wait to try some other receipts of yours.
Thank you,
Bernadine
Awe, thank you so much!! I sure hope you like them & of course all the other ones you try 🙂
This looks delicious! Planning on making it for Christmas morning – question, do you cube the bread before drying it out or dry the whole loaf and then cut it?
Either way works 🙂 Hope you like it!
is the flour in this recipe self rising or all-purpose?
All-purpose 🙂
I want to make this for Christmas and was just wondering about the bread. I know it should be stale. Was wondering do I cut the bread and then leave it out uncovered over night or what is the best way to do that? Probably a dumb question, lol. I will have hungry people so I don’t want to mess it up! Thank you so much!
It doesn’t have to be 🙂 The sourdough bread is perfect for this. You do cut it up & pour the mixture over it, cover, & refrigerate overnight, though. Hope that helps!
This is our Christmas morning breakfast tradition! I love that it can be prepared the night before and cooking while everyone spends stockings. It’s a favourite of the whole family! Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome! That’s a great tradition! Thank you!
Question — directions say to cut in butter into mixture until crumbly… could you please clarify this instruction!? Thanks!! ????
You just mix in the butter until the mixture is crumbly 🙂 Hope that helps!
I never have the right kind of breads for these on hand! I make my own multigrain bread, regularly. Do you think I could use that and it’d turn out? This sounds delicious!
PS- so fun you have 6 kiddos! I love hearing of bigger families! We are expecting our 8th!
Congrats!! Big families are fun 🙂 Yes, that should be ok! Thanks!
Can you reheat?
Yes 🙂 Hope you like it!!
I was trying to figure out what time to host our Christmas get together so i could plan the food, and i found this recipe and immediately called my sister and told her that we were having brunch because i HAVE to make this. Looks so good! Cant wait to try it!!
It will be a hit!! Hope it’s a blast!
Is there a dairy free version of this recipe? Normally trading milk for almond milk is easy but not sure about the heavy cream…
I do not have one, I’m sorry. I would just google what some good substitutes for the heavy cream are. Hope you find some!
Not sure if this question has been asked. Can i cook this overnight in the crockpot? Would I put it all in them cook on low. Christmas eve I don’t usually go to be until well after midnight and we’re up by 7:30 or 8. We really love this recipe and have made it our Christmas morning tradition.
I haven’t tried in a crock pot. So, that’s a good question. I guess, we need to try it out! 🙂 Glad you like it!
I am making this for my family on Thanksgiving morning! So fingers crossed. But I assumed the amount for the vanilla was a typo. If I put 2 tbsp of vanilla that would seriously be the entire bottle! So I used 2 tsp instead.
Was the question of 2 tablespoons vs. 2 teaspoons answered?
This recipe was absolutely fantastic! I found that it was even better when I let it sit overnight, baked it, let it sit overnight again, and then baked it again at a lower heat. It has more of a bread pudding consistency and gives the flavor more time to set in.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing your changes!
The top was a bit hard. Any suggestions. Everything else was delish.
Not quite sure? Did it cook longer than needed?
Made this for a family brunch and it was a huge hit! Because of a dairy allergy, I substituted the heavy cream for canned coconut milk, the milk for cashew milk, and the butter for a vegan butter. It was delicious!
Made this for a family function, it was so good thank you for the recipe!!
Yay! You are so welcome & thank you for letting me know!
Boy,does my house smell so good! This was so easy. Followed your recipe, but tweaked it a little. I didn’t wait overnight. I waited one hour. I used a mixture of breads beside the week old Sour dough, cubed them and put them in a buttered Casserole dish. Poured the milk & egg mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkled with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves, and dotted the top with butter. Then I added the flour/sugar/butter topping.
Baked in a preheated oven, uncovered, ( thank goodness you didn’t need a water bath ) at 325 degrees because I used a dark Casserole dish for 45-50 min. Let it sit awhile to proof. It was extreamly good. May be even better in the morning cold. Like pudding. How can I add a photo?
[email protected]
Sounds perfect! I’m glad you liked it! Hmm..I don’t think I have the option to add a picture. It’s been too long, LOL!
Can you freeze this and heat in oven for how long?
I would make it up until the last 2 steps. Add the topping on right before & just cook according to directions. Keep an eye & you may need to cook a little longer, since it was frozen. Hope you enjoy!
Just tried this recipe my topping didnt turn out cause i overmixed it into dough then learned what cut in the butter ment and redid it with my old primitive pastry blender i use as a decor piece and it came out perfect lol. My 12 year old daughter made a suggestion that put this dish over the edge of amazing…i fried up a package of bacon and crumbled it on top of the dish half way through baking…yummy gooey sweet bacon wonderfulness!!! ♡♡♡
Sounds wonderful! I’ll have to try that! Thank you for sharing!! Glad you liked it!
I made this for a get together with friends a few months ago. It was a HIT! (So much so, we have another one this weekend and I was told this is what I need to bring!) Thanks for sharing it.
LOL! That’s a good sign!! So, glad they all liked it that much! Thank you for letting me know!
My dad recently had to have his hand/wrist amputated due to an accident at work, and I am currently waiting to put mine in the oven to take to him tonight for dinner! I am sure he will love it!!! Looks delicious!! My brother in law makes a French toast bake, so I’m hoping mine is better than his!! ???? Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m sorry to hear about your dad! I hope this will cheer him up & that it is better than your brother in laws! 😉
I’m sorry to hear about your dad! I hope this will cheer him up & that it’s better than your brother in laws 🙂
Hello, I’m trying this recipe and just curious how ‘eggy’ one is to expect this to come out? OR how hot the dish should get before being ready to consume. I wouldn’t want to serve uncooked egg and I’m unsure if this is even a valid concern.
This specific recipe isn’t too eggy, like french toast usually is. Since it is baked, you shouldn’t be too worried about any uncooked eggs 🙂 Hope that helps & hope you like it!
I made this for a brunch potluck at work, and it was a huge hit! I made it all the night before (10 minutes to put together – amazing!), so it would be cool enough to bring in the morning, warmed it in the microwave on low for 10 min and it was so moist and delicious. The one modification I did make, was to cut the sugar in the custard to 1/2 cup and I think if I made it again, I’d cut it even more to 1/4 cup. I’m not used to super sweet French toast and with the brown sugar in the topping, I think less sugar in the custard still works super well. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Oh, I am so glad to hear that!! We love this recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing!
We have breakfast for dinner all the time. We even have it a name….brenner. Lol
Haha…love it!! Breakfast for dinner is the best!
Think I can prep this Sat am to be eaten Sun am? I know it says to just sit overnight but would 24ish hours be ok?
That should be ok! I hope you enjoy!! Thank you!
Delicious! I used challah bread and baked it for 55 minutes. I served it with fresh berries and blueberry syrup. This recipe is a keeper and so easy to put together, if I can keep myself from eating chunks of the challah bread as I was making it! Thank you so much for your recipe!
Haha!! That sounds great! Thank you for trying it and I’m glad it’s a keeper!
Looks like bread pudding
OMG! This was sooooo good! I was a little worried about using sourdough, but it was delicious! So easy too! The topping made it! This will be my new go to for brunch! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Yay!!! SO glad 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!!
Made this for Mother’s Day brunch. It was a huge hit. Delicious. Cut the white sugar by 1/4 cup.
That’s great!! Thanks so much for sharing!
My mother-in-law used to make this for Christmas Brunch. She used whole pieces of bread. I think the cubed bread would be much easier to serve. Thank you!
It is easier, to me! Let me know what you think, if you give it a try. Thank you 🙂
What kind of flour do you use in this recipe?
All purpose 🙂 Hope you like this recipe! Thank a lot!
This looks amazing! I wanted to make it for dinner. How long would you recommend it to chill in the refrigerator before baking?
I chill it overnight & get it out, right before I bake it. Hope you’ll give it a try 🙂
Prepped it the day before Easter and popped it in the oven the morning of. Came out fantastic! Cooked it closer to an hour and 15 mins and was not soggy at all. Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome! Thank you for letting me know. So happy that it turned out for you!
Made this for Easter service at church and potluck at work and everyone loooooves it! Easy and quick for kids!
So, glad everyone liked it! How could you not 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
I have had this in the oven almost 2 hours and it just won’t cook???
I am sorry! It shouldn’t have taken that long. Could it be your oven? Did it ever bake?
The best French toast ever! Great recipe..
I agree with you 🙂 Thank you for giving it a try!
Thanks for the recepie. I made it and it tasted great however the top layer became so dry I could hardly cut it. How should I avoid this? The temprature and bake duration was exactly the same as what u proposed
Thank you! Maybe your oven is hotter than mine. You could try baking it less and see if that helps. Let me know if you still have problems.
I made this recipe recently with a few tweaks, and it was fantastic! It’s basically bread pudding. Yum! I used challah instead of sourdough, skim milk instead of whole, and 1/2 c of part skim ricotta instead of cream. It was still super rich and yummy! I also added sliced bananas in the middle. It’s now one of my brunch staples. Thank you for sharing.
So, glad to hear! Thanks for sharing your changes. I’ll need to try adding bananas!
I have no idea why this doesn’t have 5 stars. I have made it twice now using the exact recipe and it is absolutely delicious. Everybody loves it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing that!! I love hearing that!
Does it have to be refrigerated?
I haven’t not refrigerated it, so I’m honestly not sure. Setting overnight helps it to all absorb. You could always try?? I’d love to know. Thanks and good luck!
I made this with a loaf of Schar gluten free bread. I eliminated the cake mix, cut down the liquid by 1/2 cup, but used half n half. I also added 1/2 sugar in order to compensate for what ever amount of sweetening that the cake mix might’ve added. I used gluten free flour to make the topping…LOL – I guess I really tweaked this recipe, sorry, but it was amazing!! everyone loved it…by the way, Lucky Leaf apple pie filling is naturally gluten free – yippee! ❤
No, I’m glad you found a way to make it gluten free!! Thanks so much for sharing and giving it a try!!
I have also made it gluten free before being celiac! Wonder if it could be frozen in advance, I’m worried about wasting money on the bread if it won’t turn out. Have you tried freezing this in advance gf? Thanks!
Is it okay leave it in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking?
Yes, it should be fine, since it needs to be in the fridge overnight anyway 🙂 Let me know what you think! Thank you!
I have a question, I was searching Pintrest for French Toast Bake recipes and came across this one and wondering if Cinnamon Swirl bread could be used instead of the sourdough, Thanks!
I haven’t tried, but it would probably taste great. That bread isn’t as thick as sourdough, so that will be another difference. Let me know what you think! Thank you!
I can only locate sliced Pepperidge Farm Sourdough bread. Where are you finding unsliced?
Thank you!
It is sliced, I just cut into squares 🙂 Hope that helps! The sourdough bread is just thicker than regular sliced bread. Enjoy!!
Have you ever tried making this with gluten free bread, like Schar Artisan? If so, do any adjustments need to be made with the amount of liquid ingredients?
I’m sorry, I haven’t. Has anyone else??
Can I make the French toast with bread that’s about to go stale?
Sure! I haven’t done that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be ok. Hope you like!!
Great recipe! Thank you for taking the time to not only post it but for responding to everyone! I made the recipe exactly as you wrote it and it turned out wonderful….will definitely make again and again.
Oh, you are too kind 🙂 Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and for letting me know!! I love responding back to everyone 🙂
I made this for Christmas morning a couple of years ago but used brioche. Delicious!
Sounds yum! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Oops, I forgot to mention that I also used coconut sugar in place of cane sugar in both liquid and topping!!!
That all sounds wonderful!! I’m so glad you like this recipe…we love it!! Thank you for letting me know!
OMG…. this is sooooo yummy!! I made this for New Years Day morning! I added some fresh ground nutmeg to the topping and to the liquid. Served with real maple syrup, whipping cream, and some pasture raised pork bacon!!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I am thinking that I will be making this quite often????
Starting to make this now to take to work for Christmas morning. I forgot the recipe said to refrigerate overnight. I was hoping to not have to get up extra early tomorrow morning. 🙁 Does it have to be refrigerated overnight?
Forgot too!! Made it this morning and have cooked for 20 extra minutes. A little soggy in the middle still, maybe try a few minutes longer :/
Sorry, to not have responded sooner! I took some time to be with family..did it turn out? I’ve always refrigerated it overnight, so I wouldn’t know the difference between not doing that. I hope it turned out!!
.Looking forward to making this for Christmas Brunch but I can’t find the heavy cream, I have found heavy whipping cream and half and half so please help Judy
I assumed heavy whipping cream is same as heavy cream! I hope! I have this in my fridge now ready for tomorrow morning!
that’s what I have too!
Sorry to respond so late!! How did the recipe turn out?
Does this need to be covered while baking
No it doesn’t 🙂 Hope you like it! Thanks!
Making it xmas morning , thank you for your response , Merry Xmas to you & yours hope we love it
Thank you! How’d you like it?
Do you leave your sourdough out to get stale or use fresh sourdough bread? Looking forward to trying this Christmas morning!
I used fresh, but you could let it out. I bet that would be great, too. Hope that helps! Thanks so much! Enjoy!!
What is the severing size
It depends on how big your servings are. It could feed anywhere from 9-15. Hope that helps!! Thanks so much!
I made the Crumb Cake French Toast for a brunch and everyone loved it!! I was afraid it might be too sweet but it was perfect….I agree with you about the sourdough bread. This one will be made again I’m sure! Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing!! So, glad you all liked it!
How many does this serve?
Well, it’s in a 9×13. Depending on how big your scoops are, it could feed anywhere from 12-15 or more, if they’re smaller amounts. Hope that helps! Hope you enjoy it, as much as we do!
Is this something you eat with syrup or without? What’s your preference?
You can or don’t have to. I like to drizzle a little on there, because I love syrup 🙂 Hope that helps and thanks so much for stopping by!
Vanilla bean ice cream.
I want to try this recipe but from what I have read in the comments there are concerns about it being soggy on the bottom. Will it be soggy or is there a way around that? Thanks in advance.
It shouldn’t be. Just remember that all ovens are different, so the cooking time may be different. It is soft on the bottom, but shouldn’t be too wet, that you don’t like it!
I would like to make this for my work but I am worried about the soggy bottom. What causes this & how do you fix it.
I’m not really sure how to avoid that. As long as you follow directions, it should come out just fine. Thanks!
On your french toast cassarole dish, can u serve at warm temperature. Would love to take to a potluck party. Can make at home in a glass dish. But it wont be served for a 1 hr after i get there. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I meant french toast bake sorry.
Can you put foil on it and maybe keep in someone’s oven? I haven’t made it and left it out that long, before serving it. So, I wish I knew if it would be ok? You could bake it and cover it well. Sorry, to not be more help. Hope it turns out!!!
Hi! What a yummy looking recipe! I’m wanting to serve this at a Sunday morning brunch party this weekend but working with a short time limit on Saturday night (at a wedding) Id like to make it Saturday morning to refrigerate until Sunday morning. Have you ever made it a full day ahead or will the bread just absorb too much?
Thank you!
I haven’t made it that far in advance, but it does need to be refrigerated overnight, so it should be ok. I wish I knew for sure :/ Let us know how it comes out, if you do make it that far in advance. Have fun!
All recipes looks so good. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much!! I’m glad you stopped by!!
Hello,
I am planning to make this over the weekend but have a small question, the instructions says to bake in the oven at 350, does the pan have to covered in foil when in the oven or uncovered?
thank you
It is uncovered. You only need to cover it when it goes into the fridge overnight. Thanks for giving this recipe a try..hope you enjoy it!!
We mad this on Saturday and it was just delicious!!! Everyone loved it! So easy to prep and make!
Thank you for your reply and thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad everyone loved it!! Thanks so much for trying it and letting me know!
This looks SO delicious! We have breakfast for dinner about once every 2 weeks…and this would be a nice change from eggs and hash browns!
I am altering the recipe a bit…because of high fat concerns, I substituted the eggs with egg beaters, and the milk with 2% milk. I decided to use the real heavy cream as it sounded like it was an important ingredient, and it was only 1/2 cup for the entire casserole. Hopefully it will come out ok! I also am not a fan of sourdough bread, so I DO like Challah bread for French toast…and found a whole loaf ( unsliced ) at my grocery store! Hopefully all these changes won’t make too much difference in the outcome!
I’d love to know how it turns out!! Thanks for sharing your changes! Hope you like it!
Holy YUMMYNESS!!! It came out fantastic! I mean, I haven’t made YOUR EXACT version to compare it to…but this was seriously great! My hubby and daughter already inform d me I WILL be making this again!
I just wanted to get back to you and let you know how amazing it was! Thanks again for the great recipe!
I’m so glad 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know!!!
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! I’m wanting to try it for a family reunion this weekend. I have one question about the bread. Did you use the pepperidge farm sourdough loaf that is already sliced–like regular bread? Or do you use the crusty sourdough boule? I live in a small town and am limited on my bread choices. But I don’t want a soggy mess 🙂 Thanks!!!
It was just the regular sliced bread 🙂 Hope that helps! Good luck 🙂
This recipe was a hit at our house! Our girls can’t have dairy, so I substituted Coconut milk and coconut cream instead of dairy. I added diced bratwurst for some more flavour and substituted fancy molasses instead of butter in the topping. The whole family loved it! Thank you for the inspiration ????
I’m so happy to hear that! Those a great substitutions..thanks for sharing those ideas!
Hi,
I just made this for a brunch tomorrow. My “crumbles” for the top are not crumply. Its the consistency of cookie dough. Any tips? Maybe add more flour?
Thanks for any help!
I am having the same problem… how did it turn out for you? I am baking mine tomorrow morning and was hoping to kind of spread the dough-like mixture on top?
Hi! Make sure your butter is cold or the crumble will be a paste instead 😊
Wow! This looks to die for! Pinning this to make for this year’s Christmas morning.
It is!! Thanks so much! Hope you love it, like we do!
This recipe is PHENOMENAL. I cannot thank you enough!! We traditionally have a french toast bake for Christmas mornings and my hubby is the one who makes it– even he said this one beats the snot out of his!! Now we’re eating it pretty much every other weekend…hehehe. No regrets!! Thank you thank you thank you!
LOL!! I’m so glad you all like it! We love anything french toast and this is a favorite! Thanks so much for letting me know!
It came out great. However, the top was a bit hard. Any suggestions??
Store in a bowl and mix the bread and wet ingredients multiple times. The liquid will be more evenly dispersed.
Did u use fresh sourdough or slightly stale? Did u cover when baking? How long did it bake? I want to make this but reading some people are having bad results
Terry
is this something I could pre-make and freeze? I have my step-children coming up in a couple weeks to stay for a couple more weeks and I’m trying to make things before hand that I can heat up for them.
I honestly haven’t tried that. I would maybe leave the mixture off & refrigerate that separately & add it before you bake it. Let me know if you freeze it..I’d love to know how it tastes!
I am so tempted to make this, but I’m afraid of it coming out soggy…
Don’t be 🙂 It shouldn’t be. Hope you’ll give it a try! It really is so good!
Same here. Food texture issues. ?. I want to make it though.
Will make this for my church father’s day brunch
It’s delicious!! It will be a hit! Thanks!!
O my god ! This toast is wonderful. I like it because i’m a french.
It is wonderful and so tasty!!! I love the french culture!! Thanks for stopping by!
I will have to try a half-size version of this! My guys aren’t big fans of french toast or cinnamon but it’s my favorite!
If I prepared the French toast bake and kept it in refrigerator for 2 nights would it still be as good?
Sounds amazing! I’m cooking this for our church breakfast and planning to make enough for 40 people! In your expert baking experience, will I need to adjust the cooking time much? I plan to use a very large pan (~18”x24”) that is the same depth as a standard 9×13. Any suggestions or advice? Thank you!
How fun! This is a great recipe to serve a crowd. It might need a little extra baking time, but I’d just keep an eye on it. It kind of depends on the texture you like too. You could check it when the recipe calls for it to be done and if it seems a little wet still, leave it in a bit longer.
This is delicious!!! A coworker made it for a staff breakfast and everyone went home with the recipe. I could drink the buttermilk syrup!
Cooked the dish 30 minutes longer and the dish was still not fully cooked….
DELICIOUS!!!! Next time I will cook for about 8 minutes less, was too well done on corners. Didn’t change a thing and it was a huge Christmas hit!
Searching for holiday recipes….the French toast looks like a winner…especially preparing it the night before…with a house full of company…great idea…
Do you cover this when baking?
Is the French toast casserole a make ahead and freezable til you need it kind of dish???? I need three ideas that I can make ahead and freeze!!!
Did you end up freezing it? How did it turn out!? I’m looking to do the same thing!
did either Of you try freezing it?
Read through the reviews and wondered if anyone made in crockpot? If so, Any hints that will help please? My husbands family is coming over for Christmas brUnch and this looks very yummy! LOOKING for recipes and i like lilluna’ s site. His daughter is bringing egg casserole, french toast looks like one great addition!
I am so glad you like my site! Thank you so much!! I have not tried this in the crock pit, though.
Hi Debbie! I was wondering the same thing – if anyone had made this in a crockpot. I want to make it for Thanksgiving morning breakfast but my oven will already be occupied by a turkey. I’m concerned that it will be mushy and the top won’t crisp up baking it in the crockpot. my other option is to bake it at my sister’s house, less than 5 minutes away, and that’s the route i think i’ll go.
I see one reply from kristyn (it’s her site) and she has not made it in a crockpot.
Good luck debbe! Happy Thanksgiving!
I apologize for the caps – I couldn’t change the font.
Do you have to refrigerate overnight?
This was great!! My family definitely loved. I’m not sure why people changed it. It was greats the way it already was. DEFINITELY will be making this again and again. I don’t agree with the comment about the stale bread. You don’t want overly hard French toast, that’s not what French toast is supposed to be. Baked for 50 min and let it sit for a few. Delicious!!!!
What is the size of the loaf you use?
It’s a standard loaf size… I only saw one size of Sourdough from Pepperidge farm at the store. 😉
Thank you! You seem to be the only person to answer this question!
Actually, you can purchase 1 pound or 2 pound size, which would be helpful to know in order for the recipe to cook correctly.
I made it once before with the hard crust sourdough bread, everyone loved it. I am doubling the recipe and using the Pepperidge Farm bread this time. Do I use 16 eggs with the loaf of Pepperidge farm bread and increase the time or is 45 minutes enough?
Thank you,
Anne
How much does this serve??
Made this over the weekend for a family brunch and it was a hit! Super easy to make which was the best part. Will definitely make it again. I used cinnamon raisin bread instead of sourdough and about a 1/4 c less white sugar.
Hi! I bought a sourdough loaf a week ago in anticipation of making this for Christmas morning. I cut the bread up in cubes and stashed it in the freezer. Should I thaw the bread out before assembling the casserole or just assemble it with the bread still frozen?? (Trying to avoid the soggy factor sone have mentioned) thank you!
I made this over the weekend and have some concerns about it. I started cutting away at the loaf and didn’t get 3/4 through before it was too much to fit in the pan. After baking it, the top portion was delicious and amazing but the bottom was very mushy. Do you have any suggestions on how to improve?
I am making this right now and I am having the exact same problem. The top is great, the bottom is super mushy. I’m thinking it was due to the amount of bread. I probably should have only used half the loaf.
I would love to make this for tomorrow morning…I have a package of croissants. Do you think that would work? I have the larger croissants from Costco. If you think it would work about how many should I use?
This looks amazing can I make the recipe without using heavy cream and will it still taste good
I’ve never made it without the heavy cream, so I couldn’t tell you. I did find a Heavy Cream substitute if that helps: http://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips/ask-the-test-kitchen/half-and-half-substitute
Does the bread need to be stale?
This looks amazing! I think this will be our breakfast for Christmas Day!(:
Did you make this for Christmas day? If so, I’d love to hear how they were. 🙂
I came across this recipe on Pinterest and I’m so happy I found it! Yesterday, I attended a Christmas brunch with my run group and my French toast were a huge success!! Everyone asked me for the recipe. I made two pans and by the end if the event there wasn’t a single piece left. I can’t wait to make these French toast for my family in Christmas morning.
*on
Oh, I LOVE to hear the recipe was a hit!! So glad everyone liked it and I hope your family enjoyed it on Christmas too!
I want to make this and bring to a breakfast the next day. I might have to warm it a little when get there will this work?
Yes, You could stick it in a warm oven (low temp, if it has already been baked). It will be a hit!
Has anyone tried prepping this ahead of time more than just overnight? I’m looking to make for Christmas morning. Bbt we will be busy the night before was thinking about making the morning before. Any feedback?
I couldn’t wait to cook it overnight. I poured the milk&begging mixture over the mixed bread bread cubes. Topped with pats of butter and sprinkled with a little cinnamon,nutmeg,and ground cloves. Than topped with the flour/butter/sugar mixture. I soaked that for one hour than baked it in the center of the oven ,not too close to the top, in a buttered dark glass Casserole dish, @ 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Uncovered.
Came out great! P.s. In the authors photo, is the French Toast dusted with Confectioners Sugar? Looks like it. I didn’t need pan cake syrup. Sweet enough.
11/15/17.
This looks amazing! I’m making this for my family for Christmas morning, my kids and husband are all fans of french toast. And if everyone loves it this will be our Christmas morning tradition!
Would love to know how it turns out! I hope it’s a hit and a new tradition. 🙂
Looks gorgeous. What type of bread could we use in the UK please zx
Not sure which types of bread you have but any that come in the big loaf should work. 🙂
Can this be made completely ahead of time the night before and put in the fridge? Or will it be too soggy? Looks amazing!
Ok. Nevermind. Read right past the part that said ” refrigerate overnight. ” Duh :p
Can this be made with eggnog? If so would you subsidize the heavy cream and milk for eggnog?
Ooh I’m sure that would be delicious! Yes, that’s just what I’d do!
We always make a french toast recipe for christmas morning, this is my first time using this recipe but we normally do a crockpot version. If I still let it refrigerate overnight could i do it in a crockpot?
Yes, you can definitely do it in a crockpot. Here’s what I usually do: I make it according to the directions. Then refrigerate for 6-10 hours in the ceramic crock pot. Place the ceramic pot into the heating base, cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Hope the French Toast bake turned out yummy!!
This French Toast Casserole looks Heavenly! Thanks for posting it…with company coming for Christmas, this will be perfect! =)
Hope you like it and Merry Christmas!!
I made this for brunch. Prepped everything last night and tossed it in the oven 45 minutes before guests arrived. It was delicious! It made the house smell amazing as well. Thank you for sharing.
LOVE to hear that!! Reminds me that I need to make it soon too. Thanks for stopping by, and Merry Christmas!
How well does it hold up after baking and freezing? I want to make this in advance for when we have company and freeze serving sizes for easy access.
Yes, you can choose to freeze it before or after baking. Wrap dish with plastic wrap then foil. It can keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat thaw overnight in the fridge, remove all the wrapping and bake. If it been prebaked cook at 350 degree F for 20 minutes. If it has not been pre-baked, cook according to recipe directions.
My crumble came out like paste. Why?? I’m having this tomorrow. Help
Did you use cold butter? If the butter is too soft, it may come out more like a paste than a streusel/crumble. Hope the bake turned out yummy!! You’ll have to let us know. 🙂
I made this just the other day to take in to work and it was a huge hit! So easy to make and very yummy.
So happy it turned out for you!! 😀
What size is the loaf of bread?
I made these yesterday. They were delicious but I made far too much. I added some more eggs about 12, buttermilk, oil and flour and made the nicest food I’ve ever tasted. This is ourcouponss.com thank you for your great sharing, we all loving french toast!
But i got a problem: in your Instructions, “Cover your pan with Saran Wrap and refrigerate overnight.” why should refrigerate it overnight? Thanks.
Letting it sit overnight let the bread absorb the egg mixture. It gives it almost a bread pudding texture. Definitely an important step.
This recipe is so versatile! I’ve made it 30+ times using a variety of breads (sourdough, white, old hamburger buns… you get the picture!). Though others have mentioned using stale bread – and ours is almost always that – bread our local pantry is throwing away. So I can’t speak to using fresh bread. 👍
I usually cut the crusts off my breads because the kids don’t care for them as much and they crisp up in the oven.
I find the crumbly top to be a bit too wet, so have slowly upped my flour and brown sugar amounts to about 3/4 cup each, sometimes more. This gets better coverage over the whole pan as well.
I dropped the heavy cream. It’s too expensive nowadays and it still turns out perfect. I have not replaced the liquid difference at all. (The milk I use is whole milk, so maybe that’s why I don’t need the cream?)
And I rarely prep it overnight. Making it all in the morning hasn’t changed anything! Just as good and fluffy. So if you’re short on time, it still works to not let it sit over night.
I also increased the sugar in the egg mixture from 3/4c to 1c. Just a tiny bit sweeter – no need to serve with maple syrup that way.
So with it without adjustments, it’s always delicious!!
This feeds our family of 4 with leftovers for about 2 people the next morning. (And it is also delicious cold).
Thanks for sharing what you do. We enjoy it warm or cold as well! 😉 Glad to hear you love the recipe!
Can I use homemade yeast bread? Would white or whole meal be better choice? Also what’s the purpose of the wrap?
I think homemade yeast bread would work as well, and I think white would be better. We used the wrap to keep it from drying. 😉
I see this recipe was posted in 2014 but i want to try it tOmOrrow since the reviews are so gOod! Do you think StAle frencH baguette would work?
Yes, it should 🙂 It’s one of my favorites! Thank you!
How many ounces is the loaf of bread? Thanks!
This sounds great! Do you use the sliced, packaged Pepperidge Farm loaf from the bread aisle? Or is this a whole loaf that you cube? Thanks!
We used the whole loaf. 😉
This was the best French toast casserole I’ve ever tried. A suggestion tho, take out about 90 minutes before baking instead of putting it in cold. Firms up a bit more. Also let sit about 8-10 minutes before serving!
Thank you, Sandy! Will definitely try that next time I make it. Have a great day!
I just found this on Pinterest. I had to tweak it a little for what we hand on hand – stale whole wheat sourdough, no buttermilk (used whole milk), no butter (used 2 tbsp coconut oil), but it was AMAZINGLY delicious!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!!
Glad it still worked without having all the ingredients! It really is super delicious!
how many people will this recipe feed?
I’d say between 6-8. 😉
Hi KrysTin,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. COuld i Bake this in a Large (12) cup muffin pan inStead of a 9x 13 baking pan? I would love to make this for our up coming family breakfast. ?
This is the recipe I use when I want to make them as muffins…https://lilluna.com/french-toast-muffins/. Hope they are a hit!
Wondering whether anyone has tried with regular sliced bread. Single person – sliced bread always goes stale before I can use it. What do you think?
It fed my family of 7.
Honestly I can’t even say how many times I make this. I made a trial recipe in anticipation for house guests I had coming. It went well. um… realllllly well. This recipe is so delicious. I make my own authentic sourdough so it was a reallly good. I learned the hard way- you really do have to let the bread get stale or dry it out somehow- that was the only batch that was a little less tasty (it still got eaten). Plus the more dried out it is- the more aromatic when it’s baking. I made it when my house guests were here. AND I made a batch the day before they were leaving (driving back home) and I had this chilled for them to take. FYI- it tastes good cold AND reheated. This is going in my big recipe book as a keeper! Guess I have to keep making my sourdough. 😉 Thanks for such a great recipe!
Andrea – your comment totally made my day! I’m always so thrilled to hear that someone loves a recipe as much as we do. And I’m sure with homemade sourdough it tastes even better!!! So glad it was a hit. 🙂
Love this recipe! I made it for a family brunch and it’s already getting repeated for a “breakfast for dinner” meal . One question though, is a limit on how far in advance you can make it as long as it’s properly stored?
I probably wouldn’t make it more than a couple days ahead, but that’s me personally. I haven’t left it in longer, so wouldn’t know for sure.
If you are going to make it savory with bacon and cheese do you omit the sugar and cinnamon?
You certainly could omit sugar and cinnamon. Or if you like the sweet with the salty, you could leave it. Whatever you prefer!
I’m so in love with this. I love baked french toast!
Thanks, Dorothy – it is definitely a breakfast favorite. 🙂
Looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious!! 🙂
This recipe is amaziNg!! I like to sometimes make it with pePperIdge farms cinnAmon brown sugar loafs just to take it to another leVel. Also, adding pecans is great also. I cuRrently have some in the fridge waIting to go in the crockpot Later today.
That all sounds good! Thank you for sharing that!
How many of the loafs did you use?
I have made this several times, sometimes as written and sometimes with small changes (usually a different type of bread) and it is ALWAYS amazing. Most recently, I swapped out the vanilla for almond extract and added tart cherries and my family hasn’t stopped raving about it! I love the versatility and the ease of this recipe, and it now has a permanent place on our breakfast menu at home!
Aw this makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you love the recipe and are making fun variations with it too. Thanks for sharing what you did!
This looks amazing! We love french toast!
Oh my!! That looks heavenly!! We love having breakfast for dinner, too. Thanks for the yummy recipe!! Pinned 🙂
I added some fresh BERRIES before baking. Yum. Easy recipe. Fancy look without a lot of effort. Trying to figure out how to add a pic.
Sounds yum! Thank you for sharing that!!
Are you able to use half and half instead of heavy creme?
You bet! You could use half and half.
You can always use foil. 🙂
Of course!! I think it would be great!
Mine also came out like an icing i figured out why remade and it was perfect the second time…i didnt cut the butter in right the first time, it got mixed together too much. I have an old crock bowl full of primitive kitchen utensils…sure enough there was a pastry blender in there and it cut the butter in perfectly instead of mixing it all together like the first time
Hmmm…I wish I knew? It’s so hard to know. It shouldn’t have done that, but I am sorry. Was the butter cold? Thank you for trying it though!
I am so sorry..not sure what happened either. It’s not usually too spongy. Thanks for trying it!