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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 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?