Baked French toast casserole combines the best of light, fluffy, and fragrant French toast with the easy prep of a baked casserole!
Featuring cubed bread baked into a sweet custard with a crispy streusel topping, this French toast bake will be a family favorite all year round!
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An Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast
- So simple: This overnight French toast casserole recipe is holiday brunch-worthy but couldn’t be easier to make on any day of the week!
- Make ahead: Prep and bake or prep and chill in the pan overnight- this recipe fits into your schedule! Perfect for lazy weekends and brunch guests!
- Switch up: Use your own add-ins and make a new delicious French toast casserole! Or try using cinnamon rolls instead and make cinnamon roll French toast casserole.
Ingredients for French Toast Casserole
Bread – Day-old bread works best for absorbing the custard mixture, so check the bakery for yesterday’s bread. Almost any type of bread will work; try brioche, braided bread, Texas toast, or French bread.
Custard Mixture – An easy egg and cream mixture is sweetened with brown sugar and vanilla and then gently tossed with the bread cubes. This mixture soaks into the bread, adding flavor and the perfect French toast texture.
Topping – A combination of melted butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans adds a sweet, crunchy layer. Replace pecans with your favorite chopped nuts.
Variations
Perfect as a summer brunch or for Christmas morning breakfast, change the flavor for any occasion. Add bits of sweetened cream cheese.
- Summer/Spring – serve with fresh berries like strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
- Fall – Whisk in some pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, or mashed banana.
- Winter – Stir in, raisins, egg nog, and dried or fresh cranberries.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Prepare bread cubes and whisk custard ingredients together until smooth per recipe below.
- Pour the custard over the bread cubes, add the topping and rest overnight.
- In the morning, bake and enjoy.
Storing French Toast Bake
Keep leftover French toast casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until warmed through and the topping is crispy again.
More Make Ahead Breakfast Recipes
Did your family love this French Toast Casserole? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 cups bread cubes 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half or light cream
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping
- ½ cup butter melted
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Dry out the cubed bread by leaving it out for a few hours or baking in an oven preheated to 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread.
- For the topping, whisk the melted butter and ⅓ cup brown sugar. Stir in the pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently spoon the topping over the casserole.
- Cover the casserole dish and allow it to sit for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours).
- Remove the casserole from the fridge and let it rest on the counter while the oven preheats to 350°F.
- Bake the French toast uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and is hot.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Casserole
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
QUESTION: roasted salted or raw pecans? Leaning toward salted roasted to add a little sweet/ salt combo. Thoughts?
I usually use unsalted raw pecans as they do toast as they bake. You can use either if you’d like a little salty sweet.
Hi Holly, I made your French toast casserole with the oat toppings 3 times around the thanksgiving holiday and it was perfect. My mistake was not taking a picture of the recipe. When I went back to the link, it has changed to this current version in early December?With oat toppings as an alternative to the pecan topping. The old recipe calls for 8×8 inch pan, and the measurements/ratios were perfect. This current one gave me too much custard with 2 loaves of dried brioche bread. Is there any way to repost the original recipe too?
Hi Georgia, I am so glad you loved the old recipe so much. We updated it to allow for more consistent results so I am sorry to hear that it isn’t working our for you.
This is the old version of the recipe: 8 cups Vanilla Brioche Bread cubed and dried, 5 eggs, ½ cup milk, ½ cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla. The topping is made with 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, ¼ cup oats, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons butter. To bake preheat oven to 350°F. Cut brioche bread into 1 inch pieces. Place in a warm oven for about 8-10 minutes to dry slightly, or cut and let stand uncovered on the counter overnight. Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Pour wet mixture over bread and very gently toss to coat. Place in a 8×8″ inch baking dish. Allow it to sit least 1 hour (or overnight). Combine topping ingredients and incorporate the butter using a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Cover the bread mixture with the topping and place in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
I hope that helps!
I am having 25 people for brunch on 12/23 and would love to add a couple of the French Toast Casseroles to the mix. Do you think I could cook this at least 2 hours in advance of serving and use the metal rack heating pans to keep warm (the ones with the aluminum pans with water and stereo for heat.) I have Limited oven space and have other dishes to cook. Any help would be appreciated.
Absolutely Linda, I think that would work perfectly! Just make sure it doesn’t get too steamy in the dish, you don’t want the casserole getting soggy. Please let us know how it turns out!
Could I use challah bread in this recipe, instead of brioche?
We have only made this recipe as written, Laurie. But challah bread sounds like a delicious substitution!
I’ve made this recipe a few times using homemade brioche that I made in my bread machine. It was always 5-Star and a huge hit. Could I use leftover plain cut-up brioche hamburger buns for this recipe? I have some that I need to use up, and thought this might be a good way to use them.
Have you made this with low carb bread for a more low carb diet?
I have not tried low-carb bread in this recipe, but I think it should work just fine. If you try it, I would love to hear how it turns out Deborah!
What type of oats do you use?
We use old fashioned oats in this recipe Arlene. Enjoy the recipe!
I am wanting to make this for an after church brunch. I need to make the recipe for about 60 people. How would you increase the recipe for mixing, tossing lightly and for pans for baking? Also, would any other bread work, as I read the possibility of pieces of nuts in the bread. Thank You!
As long as the bread is fairly heavy and dry, it should work well in this recipe. As for the tossing, you’ll want a very large bowl as the bread soaks the custard (egg mixture) it can become a bit heavy. I have only baked this in the pan as directed. A larger pan (and full oven) will take longer but I can’t say for sure how long. I would suggest cooking it a bit early in case you need extra time and then keeping it warm if it’s done early.
I had a lb. of stale brioche on hand (shicking! I know) and in the mood for French toast. My child prefers bread pudding, so this is the perfect compromise. I have a tendency to cut back on sugar in recipes, but this was a reasonable amount. I was impatient and only allowed it to rest for a half hour, but the custard soaked into the bread sufficiently. I cooked some frozen berries stovetop while the casserole baked. I used a 9×14 pan and it took about 25 min to cook. Loved the crunch of the oats. May add flax, sliced almonds or chopped walnuts in the future. Thanks for the streusel idea!
Isn’t this bread pudding with crumbles?
Yes, it is similar to a bread pudding.
I made my own brioche in my bread machine for a French toast casserole, and this was the perfect one! Delish
Is it possible to prep this recipe 2 days in advance? Or will it be too soggy?
Since the french toast soaks up all of the liquid, 2 days should be just fine!
I’ve made this recipe a few times using homemade brioche that I made in my bread machine. It was always 5-Star and a huge hit. Could I use leftover plain cut-up brioche hamburger buns for this recipe? I have some that I need to use up, and thought this might be a good way to use them.
Sure, that’ll work just fine!
I absolutely love this recipe. I tell everyone I come in contact with that asks for breakfast dishes. I even brought it to a work function and it was a hit. Thank you so much. I used one loaf apple cinnamon and one vanilla. I used both almond and vanilla extracts and removed the brown sugar. This is a keeper.
Your additions sound perfect Tammy! I’m so happy to hear you love this French toast casserole!
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it out next weekend!! One question – will I want to use the quick-cooking oats or the traditional style? Thanks!
In this recipe we used old fashioned oats T M. Enjoy!
When you say let it sit for any hour or overnight, do you mean on the counter or in the fridge?
We refrigerate overnight.
OMG! This was amazing!! I just served this for Easter morning breakfast and it was fabulous. I made my brioche in my bread machine. So, so good! Definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad you loved it Laurie! Happy Easter!
I am making this again, only using some leftover hot cross buns from Good Friday. (I can’t believe these buns are still good—dry, but edible. They will be perfect for my casserole!)
I love that you were able to put your leftovers to good use Laurie!
I am making this tonight for “brinner,” only using some leftover hot cross buns from Easter. Can’t wait to try it that way!
What a great use of leftover rolls Laurie! I hope you love it!
My store doesn’t have the vanilla, would it still be as good with the regular brioche?
Or should I add a little something?
It should work just fine, the vanilla brioche does have a bit of sweetness to it so you could add a touch more sugar but I don’t think it’ll need it! Let us know how it goes!
I make this French toast casserole for special brunches. I add blueberries, bananas and pecans to the bread and pour the batter over the French bread. I top it with the strudel and I serve it with a choice of whipped cream or syrup. It is always a big hit!
Sounds so delicious Caro! Thank you for sharing!
Could you tell me how many loaves of brioche the recipes takes? Thank you!
It takes approximately one loaf Becky. Enjoy!
Going to be making this with some leftover Italian Panettone from the freezer. But what I’m really curious about is can you really get 14 cups of cubes from 1 loaf of store bought brioche bread? That sounds like a really big loaf of brioche no?
Hi Barbara, you’re right, you might need a couple loaves of bread to make 14 cups :)
we love eating french toast Sunday mornings! So this will be an amazing change!
Enjoy Marilyn!
Yum!!! Sorry to be one of those “substitution” people, but based on what I had on hand I scaled down the recipe slightly and used leftover French bread. Added a little bit of apple butter, and only refrigerated about half an hour.
This is so yummy. I really think high quality vanilla helps because that is the main thing you taste. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing Kelsey! It’s great to be able to use what you have on hand for recipes!