French Toast Casserole
French Toast Casserole is an easy breakfast and the perfect amount of sweetness. If you’re looking for a breakfast casserole that will make everyone happy, this Overnight French Toast Casserole is for you!
FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
I love gaudy things. I even have a bottle of gold paint that keep on hand to rub accents on picture frames, lamp bases, easels…you name it (a trick my sisters taught me).
But when it comes to some things, less is more…like this overnight French Toast Casserole. I have tried several other Baked French Toast casseroles in the past and none of them have done it for me.
Paula Deen’s version of baked french toast casserole is decadent and over the top…exactly what I love about her food.
But her French Toast Casserole was soggy on bottom and WAY too sweet. It was like eating candy for breakfast. And although I like my sweets…I don’t start devouring them until after noon.
This overnight French Toast Casserole is simple and elegant.
The best part is that it can be prepared the night before and then just popped in the oven in the morning. Even though this is called Overnight French Toast Casserole, I have made it the same day, without chilling in the fridge at all. Guess what? It’s still great.
Because all those people that told me I would become a morning person when I had kids lied to me. Now I’m just grumpy in the morning AND I have kids to witness it.
WHAT KIND OF BREAD TO USE
I used challah bread here which really soaks up the sauce but you could use brioche, French Bread, or Texas Toast as well.
- challah
- brioche
- French bread
- Texas Toast
HOW TO MAKE FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
A brown sugar butter mixture is poured on the bottom of the dish.
Layer the bread in the dish and pour the egg mixture on top. Sprinkle the pecans on top. Refrigerate for 4-12 hours.
Right out of the oven….
It’s simple enough that a little drizzle of maple syrup (or this Homemade Buttermilk Syrup) and a little dusting of powdered sugar compliments it perfectly.
TIP:
If you don’t have four hours to soak it, no problem. I’ve made this plenty of times without chill time in the fridge and it works well.
OTHER BREAKFAST RECIPES
- Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Bake
- Soft Cinnamon Rolls
- Confetti Hash Brown Casserole
- French Toast Roll-Ups
- Cinnabon Copycat Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Casserole
- Soft Cinnamon Rolls
- Blueberry Croissant Puff
- Cheesy Baked Eggs
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Yield:
6 servings
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons butter), melted
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 loaf (14-16 ounces) challah, brioche, French bread, or Texas Toast, (sliced into 1 1/2 inches thick slices)
- 8 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup whole milk, (2% milk or cream can be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecans, measured then chopped
- Maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping, (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish cutting and overlapping to fit if necessary.
- Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices making sure all of the bread is covered.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
- In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350°F.
- Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry it out completely.
- Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
Tip: If you don't have four hours to soak it, no problem. I've made this plenty of times without chill time in the fridge. Just as great!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
This came out so beautifully! I only had time to let it soak in the refrigerator for about an hour, and I did turn them over before baking to make sure all was soaked up (didn’t want unabsorbed eggs cooking on the bottom) it was fantastic. I will cook French toast this way from now on! (I didn’t do the topping bc I didn’t have ingredients but will next time)
Thank you!!!
I had a power outage Christmas morning and had to hold off on cooking it until today, so it soaked for 36 hours and still came out great! The slurry of brown sugar at the bottom did not overwhelm it with sweetness. I used a raisin challah. Great recipe, a keeper!
I prepped this last night for Christmas morning breakfast— it turned out great!! Unlike other overnight French toast recipes, this did not turn out soupy or too eggy (I only used 6 eggs to ensure this didn’t happen). I followed other people’s comments and dipped the bread in the egg mixture before putting it in the pan. The butter and brown sugar part on the bottom was delicious. I’m saving this recipe, for sure!
Not enough liquid to cover bread? Help! Tis’ the night before Christmas and not a creature is stirring, not even that darn mouse to ask for help! Oh wait, out on the lawn I hear such a clatter… Hey Santa?! or one of you reindeer,?!
What do I do if my bread’s not all covered in french toast eggy yummi-ness?!!
I added a bit more milk and flipped the pieces in it to make sure they all got soaked
Thank for this recipe! I first made it about 5 years ago for Christmas morning, and it has become our annual tradition ever since. My family loves it! This Christmas may not be filled with all the usual traditions, but at least we will still have our traditional delicious breakfast.
My sister’s local café used to serve Brioche French Toast, and it was her favorite menu go to. Unfortunately, they closed and she hasn’t had it since then. I saw this recipe and decided to surprise her with it, since I was invited for Sunday breakfast yesterday. I messed up on the arrangement of the bread, but other than that it was a huge hit! Love it and will make it again—this time I’ll arrange the bread correctly. Either way, it was delicious, and simple to make.
Aww thank you so much!
This is my go-to company brunch recipe. Everyone always loves it, especially my husband. Sometimes I serve it with blueberries – fresh or frozen – particularly if one of the guests has a nut allergy. My niece has added chocolate chips. Highly recommend!
Thank you! We love it too!
Kudos on this recipe. Tried it this morning and the reviews were great. Everyone enjoyed it. I added some almond & oatmeal based crumble to the top; next time will add blueberries also. Only thing about this recipe was that it tasted a little too eggy so will cut 1 egg out next time and see how that works. Definitely a keeper and one to base more mods on. Thx.
Thank you!
Well this got rave reviews from my crew! I made this yesterday for Mother’s day and it was devoured! This is the best recipe I’ve found…usually they are either too dry or too soggy…this was perfect! I made it with a cinnamon brioche and it was incredible. I doubled the recipe and it worked out perfectly…I also cut the brioche into 1 1/2″ cubes instead of slices and toasted the pecans and had them on the side for the people that don’t care for nuts…(although the pecans were so good with it and added a great texture) I highly recommend this recipe! Thank you:)
Great idea to use cubes! Glad it worked out for you!
I wanted to make this for my husband and I. Could I cut the recipe in half?
Absolutely!
This was delicious. Made exactly as recipe stated and everyone loved it. Thank you.
This is my “go to” brunch dish – it’s always a big hit!
Awesome to hear that!
Made this for my family and added your cheesecake stuffed strawberries on top after it was out of the oven. The result was fantastic!
Halved the icing sugar for the cheesecake filling to cut down on overall sweetness and it was just perfect!
Wow that sounds decadent!
This was DELICIOUS!! I made it for Christmas Day (overnighted) and it was a huge success!
The only thing I omitted was the nuts.
Next time I think I’ll make more for the bottom so there’s more of a caramel taste after baking.
Happy New Year!!!
Happy New Year to you!
This was excellent! So good that I deleted my other baked French toast recipes! I used a loaf of brioche and covered with foil the last 10 minutes. So yummy!
Yum!!!
This casserole looks amazing! I need it in my life!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Thank you!
Just what I was looking for! I bought the brioche bread at Trade Joe’s yesterday, & am set to bake. Wondering if sliced bread or cubes work better. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance and thanks for recipe!
This recipe uses sliced bread but I think cubed would be great too!
This was the best french toast casserole I have ever had. I used a combination of chocolate chip and plain brioche that I left out on a rack to dry out for several hours. I followed the recipe up to the nuts. I know it would be amazing with nuts, but had a few guests who are not nut fans. The caramel layer in the bottom of the pan was just right. I did have to overlap the bread quite a bit, but lifted the slices to make sure every piece was covered with the egg mixture. I also had to loosely cover the pan with foil the last 10 min. We even loved the leftovers the second day.
Awesome to hear!
I made this for Christmas breakfast. It was good however if I make it again I would do use more eggs and milk. The top of the bread was a bit dry. I think it should have been more immersed in the liquid ingredients.
Sorry you didn’t love it. Maybe try cutting your bread thinner.
Made this for a church breakfast, next time I’ll double it…just saying!
Oh good to know!
I’ve used this recipe for years and have made a few tweaks here and there (personal preferences like omitting ginger and adding a hint of maple syrup to the egg mixture; sometimes omitting pecans and doing a crumble over the top) but otherwise no major variations and it is stellar! My favorite French toast casserole recipe! Thank you 😊
Looking forward to making this! Quick question, does the recipe use fresh challah/brioche or a day or two old? I’ve had my loaf for a day but it’s still pretty fresh/soft. I just don’t want the dish to become soggy.
I always use fresh and it is never soggy!
Much respect to the blogger but I am always disappointed in the comments—please rate only when you actually use the recipe & can offer useful feedback.
Yes it’s a yummy delish amazing recipe but reviews/comments are meant for all of us looking for input from real live actual users of recipe, not editorial.
Sorry but it is what it is.
Thanks for the recipe. Made it for a graduation brunch. Doubled the recipe & baked according to my oven. Came out beautiful. Topped with pecans & pistachios, served with a bowl of fresh berries to bring a little freshness to the sweetness.
Bon appetit!
Thanks Vina for speaking the truth.
Can I make it at noon today to bake at 8am? Iam strapped for time.
This recipe is delicious! You were right, it is a bit sweet but there’s nothing wrong with that 😉
I used brioche loaf, subbed nutmeg for the ginger, and topped it with a maple whipped cream that I created on the fly. SO TASTY.
My husband even wants this instead of a birthday cake.
Thanks for sharing the recipe <3
You’re welcome!
Just set this up for tomorrow so breakfast for guests will be easy. I added some dark chocolate chips.
Yum!
Delicious recipe! Note that description of butter quantity needs to be corrected. Currently listed as “1/4 cup 4 tablespoons butter, melted” This was confusing since 1/4 cup equals 4 Tbsp: is it 1/4 or 1/2 cup butter total? I referenced original recipe at http://www.ezrapoundcake.com and saw that total butter quantity is 1/4 cup. Recipe should read, “1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter, melted” or just, “1/4 cup butter, melted.”
Used Trader Joe’s Challah bread (16 oz loaf). Cut bread into ~1” cubes for easier serving at a potluck. Dipped cubes in egg mix to ensure even coating before placing in pan. To me, this casserole looked nicer for the potluck when bread was cut as cubes, filling the pan, rather than slices laid down flat in pan like puzzle pieces. Will try again with slices overlapped but thought egg mixture might pool in bottom half of slices if bread not laid flat in pan.
Substituted ground nutmeg for ginger. Made two batches with cubes instead of slices. For 2nd batch, added zest from two tangerines (~3/4 tsp zest loosely packed) and left out nuts. Both were good, but I’ll probably add orange zest in future batches. Sifted a little powdered sugar over top for presentation on batch #1; no powdered sugar on batch #2. The carmelized brown sugar and butter at the bottom adds enough sweetness for us so I’ll omit powdered sugar next time. Baked until knife inserted in casserole came out almost clean without wet bread, ~150-158 degrees measured by cooking thermometer.
Loved being able to prepare the night before then just bake the next day! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome. Thanks for the heads up. I transferred all of my recipes and some of them transferred wrong.
I made this yesterday for Christmas breakfast. This is what French toast is supposed to taste like… unbelievably good.
I started making this 3 Christmases ago and now it is our family tradition for Christmas morning! My family cannot get enough of it! Perfect balance of sweetness – thank you!!! Merry Christmas!
Made this last night for a brunch today and it came out excellent! Received a lot of compliments. I did not use ginger and added a little nutmeg but otherwise followed the recipe. I loved that it was pretty easy to make and could be prepared mostly the night before.
So glad you loved it!