Banana bread meets french toast in this decadent Banana Bread French Toast Casserole. It’s topped with a super delicious salty caramel sauce, and it’s perfect for your next brunch!
I love hearing about family food traditions. I’ve heard from several families that they enjoy french toast casserole on Christmas morning.
My own family focuses the cooking efforts on Christmas lunch. We actually make french toast casserole for Easter instead!
Now that I’m married, I’m looking forward to starting my own holiday traditions. And I think that this recipe for Banana Bread French Toast Casserole will most certainly make the list.
No french toast casserole is complete without a sweet topping, but I’m skipping the maple syrup here. Instead, I made a quick caramel sauce on the stovetop. There’s just something so perfect about pairing bananas with caramel!
French toast casserole ingredients
- You’ll need a one pound loaf of either french or italian bread. The squishier, the better!
- Whole milk and eggs will get blended with bananas to create the delicious custard.
- We’re adding just a little bit of sugar to the casserole, since the caramel sauce is quite sweet.
Salty caramel sauce ingredients
- Brown sugar has a toffee-like flavor that’s a great start for making caramel.
- Whole milk and butter combine to make the sauce extra rich. You can use 2% milk instead, if you’d like.
- Vanilla and salt enhance the flavors of the sauce.
How to make banana bread french toast casserole
Cut the bread into 1 inch pieces.
In a blender, combine the milk, eggs, 2 bananas, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
Place the bread in a greased 13×9 inch pan, and pour the banana liquid over the top.
Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours, to allow the liquid to soak into the bread.
Bake the casserole for 30–35 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is lightly browned.
While the casserole is cooking, combine the brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Remove and let cool for 20 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
To serve, cut squares of casserole and top with fresh banana slices. Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve!
What to serve with french toast casserole
I like to serve french casserole on dessert plates. I put a scant tablespoon of sauce on the bottom of each plate and spread it out, then placed a generous square of the casserole on top. Then I drizzle it with more caramel before serving. You should absolutely pass the caramel sauce around if your guests want more, too!
I served the Banana Bread French Toast Casserole as part of a Southern-inspired brunch with my friend Kelley.
I had a Southern banana cream pie (with caramel!) in mind as I created this dish, but I strayed mightily from my original Southern inspiration. Kelley, a Southerner, didn’t seem to mind!
We enjoyed this Banana Bread French Toast Casserole with Bacon Cheddar Spoon Bread, Peach Apricot Bellinis, and Praline Candied Bacon to complete the Southern-inspired brunch.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
Banana Bread French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the French Toast Casserole:
- 1 lb loaf French or Italian bread
- 3 ripe bananas
- 2 cups whole milk
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Easy Salty Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the french toast casserole:
- Cut the bread into 1 inch pieces.
- Place two ripe bananas, 2 cups milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until combined.
- Grease a 13×9 inch baking dish. Place the cubed bread in the dish and pour the blended mixture over the top. Use your hands to press down the bread if necessary to ensure it’s submerged in the liquid.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake casserole for 30–35 minutes, or until the eggs are just set.
For the caramel sauce:
- Meanwhile, place the brown sugar, ¼ cup milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
- To serve, cut the french toast casserole into squares. Slice the remaining bananas into ½ inch slices. Put a spoonful of caramel sauce on a plate, place the square of french toast casserole on top, add a few banana slices, and drizzle with additional caramel sauce.
