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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 the 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°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 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 🙂