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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.
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 🙂