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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.
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!