Overnight French Toast Casserole
Overnight French Toast Casserole is the perfect make-ahead brunch dish. It’s lightly sweet, with a soft, custard-like interior and a crispy cinnamon sugar topping.
“Oh my!! Made this for a Christmas brunch and everyone loved it.” -Christine
Overnight French Toast Casserole is my go-to when I’m making brunch for a group. I’ve served it at numerous brunch parties and potlucks, and someone asks for the recipe every single time.
The casserole is soft and custardy on the bottom and crunchy on top, thanks to the cinnamon sugar topping. And, it’s really easy to make.
It’s designed to sit in the refrigerator overnight, so start it the night before. In the morning, you’ll just need to add the topping, bake, and brunch is served. Stuffed French Toast and Corn Flake Casserole are two other make-ahead casseroles that I love—it’s just so easy to make everything the night before!
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Ingredients
- Per its name, french bread is a great choice for this recipe. I like the crusty exterior and how it adds a little crunch to the top of the casserole. You can also use brioche, challah, or Italian bread.
- Milk, eggs, and vanilla create a rich vanilla custard that the bread will soak up.
- Cinnamon and sugar dot the top of the casserole, which adds crunch and a gorgeous golden hue.
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
- The night before serving the casserole, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla. cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, then pour the mixture over the bread.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Place in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish, and pour the egg mixture over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, dot the casserole with butter, and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup for drizzling.
How to Change it Up
French toast casserole is delicious on its own, but if you want to change it up, here are a few ideas:
– add a half of a cup of chocolate chips
– add a cup of fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries (or a mix of the two)
– drizzle the finished casserole with caramel sauce instead of maple syrup
When adding either the chocolate chips or fruit, toss them with the bread and then add the egg mixture.
What to serve with french toast casserole
Maple syrup is a must for Overnight French Toast Casserole! The casserole is just lightly sweet on its own, so the syrup is the perfect complement.
For a protein-packed side dish, scrambled eggs or a quiche (like this asparagus & gruyere quiche) would make a great accompaniment. Overnight Sausage and Egg Casserole can also be made the night before. And Sausage Breakfast Pizza is a fun one!
And Praline bacon is ALWAYS a hit.
📖 Recipe
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 1 lb loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 10 cups)
- 8 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- To serve: maple syrup
Instructions
- Place the bread in a greased 13×9 inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes.
- Press the bread cubes lightly with your hands so that they soak up the egg mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least two hours).
- When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Uncover and dot the casserole with the butter cubes, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.
- Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into slices and serve with maple syrup.
Delicious. I added 2 cups fresh blueberries before the topping ingredients.
Yum! Thanks for your review, Mary!
Oh my!! Made this for a Christmas brunch and everyone loved it
I’m so glad this was a hit! Thanks for giving it a try and for your kind review!
Can you freeze this
Hi Karen, unfortunately I haven’t tried it to know for sure. I do think the topping wouldn’t be as crispy after the freeze/thaw process.
Should it be dry all the way after you cook it or is a little gooeyness ok? The bottom of mine was still a little gooey even though the top was nice and crispy and I want sure if I should cook it longer. I did for a little bit but I didn’t want it to get burned.
A little gooeyness should be ok!
Very good recipe, thank you! 🙂
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! <3
Can I use a crockpot for this recipe I would like to make it and share at work
Grease the inside of a slow cooker insert and add the cubed bread.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar mixture,
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and press down the bread to help it soak up the liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight for 6-12 hours.
The next morning, cut the butter into small pieces and dot it over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining sugar mixture and cover.
Cook in the crockpot on high for 2.5 hours or low for 4.5 hours. Top with desired toppings and serve.