French Toast Casserole Recipe (2024)

By Lidey Heuck

Published Oct. 20, 2023

French Toast Casserole Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(236)
Notes
Read community notes

A good breakfast casserole is not only a crowd pleaser, it’s also a practical addition to any breakfast or brunch spread for many reasons: It comes together with a simple ingredient list, it can be assembled, then refrigerated overnight until the next morning, and it is much easier to cook for a crowd than traditional French toast. Day-old French bread works best here, but you can substitute any fluffy white bread or enriched bread like challah or brioche; just remove the crusts if they’re on the thicker side. The butter and brown sugar topping creates a crunchy, caramel-like crust as the casserole bakes, and the inside remains moist and tender. This casserole is plenty sweet on its own, but feel free to dress it up with powdered sugar, maple syrup and fresh berries.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

    For the Casserole

    • 1tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 10cups (1-inch) cubed bread, from a large loaf of day-old French bread (see Tip)
    • 2cups/480 milliliters whole milk
    • 6large eggs
    • ¼cup/50 grams lightly packed light brown sugar
    • teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

    For the Topping

    • 4tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, melted
    • ½cup/100 grams lightly packed light brown sugar
    • ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • Pinch of kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • Fresh berries, confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and/or toasted chopped nuts, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

405 calories; 14 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 25 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 465 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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French Toast Casserole Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Grease a 9-by-13-inch (or other 14-cup) baking dish with the butter, then place the bread cubes in the pan and spread them into an even layer.

  2. Step

    2

    In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour the custard mixture over the bread and press gently to help the bread absorb the liquid. Set aside, covered, for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

  3. Step

    3

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees and let the casserole sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Meanwhile, make the topping: In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt with a fork until smooth. Dollop the mixture all over the casserole, then gently spread it with the back of a spoon until the entire surface is covered. (If preparing the casserole the day prior to baking, don’t add the topping until just before it goes into the oven. Reheat the topping, if needed.)

  4. Step

    4

    Bake, uncovered, until puffed and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into squares, and serve hot. Top as desired.

Tips

  • To dry out bread cubes, spread them on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees until dry to the touch but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • To freeze: Assemble the casserole through Step 2 and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight). Tightly cover with plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then resume the recipe at Step 3.

Ratings

4

out of 5

236

user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Laura

This was delicious. I just used whatever bread I had leftover. I baked it covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for another 10-15 minutes.

Elena

Wondering if this dish would be ok without topping to minimize sugar and fat. Could use powdered sugar or syrup when served. Any thoughts before I try it?

Andrea

I think you won't get the crunchy top, but otherwise should be fine. I was going to cut back the sugar in the topping to 1/4 cup.

carter

perfect for an overnight bake — add orange zest!!

Paul S

For the topping, I just softened the butter, used half the sugar (but full cinnamon), and worked it together with a lot of sliced almonds, like a crumble topping. It baked up nicely, toasting the almonds, and gave it some nice crunch without too much sweet.

Paige

This is…bread pudding.

maya

added orange zest and a bit of almond extract and this was so delicious! my friends admitted they don’t usually like french toast but ended up loving this. the leftovers made weekday breakfasts so lovely too.

Laura Krauss

Has anyone used oat or almond milk?

anne

Made for Sarah and kids Jan, 2024. Used sourdough. I’d use French bread or country white bread next time, It was good!

Susan in Maryland

This is delicious and so much easier than traditional french toast. I thought the recipe could have used a little more milk and maybe an extra egg. Next time I make it, I'll give that a try.

KB

I thought my casserole was somewhat too large so I used 9 eggs and 3 cups of liquid (half milk, half cream). Seemed about right.

ritz

I’ve made this type of casserole many times but the topping in this recipe really elevates it and makes it bakery quality! It was absolutely delicious.

Sam S

Could you make this two days ahead of time, without freezing?

leah

I’ve made this several times; it’s freaking amazing. I don’t even need or use any syrup, nor does my 6 year old sugar fiend. Today I dusted it with powdered sugar and roasted walnuts and also didn’t have regular milk so I used a homemade walnut milk and it was just as delicious as the original recipe.

mm. Mary James

Put this together last night with 6 cups sourdough, halved everything else except vanilla. Prepped topping and microwaved 40 seconds this morning, before dousing the top. Used a buttered souffle dish; 30 minutes covered; 15 uncovered. Perfect, without adding syrup!

Delicious

This was absolutely delicious. I toasted chopped pecans and served with Canadian bacon and maple syrup. My only thing would be that it requires a non-stick spray rather than just butter because we buttered the heck out of the pan and it still stuck badly to the pan. Still totally worth it!!!

Bethany L

Any idea if this could be with non-dairy milk? like oat or soy?

Mary

If you are able to give out weight measurements for all other ingredients, why not for the bread? Would be much easier than weighing out 10 cups of bread cubes.

carter

perfect for an overnight bake — add orange zest!!

Scott

Orange zest is a must for next-level french toast!

Catherine

I made this with Panetone and, first time out, it was fabulous. A crowd pleaser. I used an entire 750 gm loaf (minus the crustier bottom), not dried out, half the sugar called for, added chopped pecans to the topping (did not melt butter, but put dollops of the softened butter mix on the overnight-soaked bread), baked covered for 30 minutes and then an extra 15-20 uncovered. This extra time was essential to the puffing of the casserole.

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French Toast Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my French toast casserole soggy? ›

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

Is heavy cream or milk better for French toast? ›

A creamy custard is the key to incredible French toast, so skip the watery skim milk and go for whole milk or half-and-half. Straight heavy cream turns French toast into dessert, so lean that way if you're looking for decadence.

Why is French toast unhealthy? ›

French Toast is a delicious breakfast entree that is loved by many. With this in mind, french toast can be very calorie dense with high amounts of added sugar and fat. But, it can be tweaked to reduce the sugar and fat content while adding some fiber to your breakfast - yay!

What kind of bread makes the best French toast? ›

For a solid French toast, aim for sturdy bread with a uniform texture and a soft crust. Hearty sandwich bread, brioche, challah, and shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are all great choices. Avoid rustic loaves with thick crusts or large holes in the interior.

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

How to tell if French toast is done? ›

"You know when your French toast is done when the center is set and doesn't have a runny consistency once cut," Oliveira says. If you're cooking a thinner French toast or omitted eggs from your soaking liquid, a quick pan-fry will do the trick, with 3 to 6 minutes on each side.

Is French toast supposed to be gooey in the middle? ›

There are a couple of common mistakes that can really mess up your french toast. You don't want to turn your griddle heat up too high- the outsides will burn and the inside will be soggy. You don't want to use too much milk. Your batter should be more egg-y than milk-y if you want non-soggy toast.

How do you get the egg taste out of French toast? ›

A basic rule of thumb is about 1/4 cup of milk and one egg per two-slice serving—and if you want to avoid that "scrambled" taste, use only the yolks of some or all of the eggs. (Sulfur compounds in the whites are what give eggs their unique "egg" taste.)

Can expired bread be used for French toast? ›

One of the quickest, most satisfying, make-you-feel-like-a-kid-again ways to use stale bread is to make French toast. Bread dipped in an egg-milk mixture and fried on a griddle in butter is a delicious breakfast or brunch and an excellent vehicle for maple syrup, cinnamon and sugar, blueberry compote, or whipped cream.

Do you use butter or oil for French toast? ›

As you cook the French toast, bits of that nutty brown-butter flavor slowly develop — much slower than they would if you cooked with just butter alone — so the the French toast has time to cook evenly without burning. A neutral oil, like canola, is the way to go since it won't disrupt the flavor of the butter.

Why is my French toast not working? ›

Under- or over-heating your French toast during cooking

Going too heavy on the heat could also turn your French toast into a burnt, smoky mess. Too cold, and you could produce a slice with an unsightly "foot" of custard at the bottom and a sad lack of the same custard in the middle of your bread.

What happens if you soak French toast too long? ›

However, soaking it for too long could leave your French toast a little too soggy, and could even cause the bread to fall apart when you lift it up to fry it on the griddle.

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