Instead, you just throw everything into a dish and let the oven do the work! You can even assemble the casserole the night before and bake it the next morning. You still get all the best parts of a slice of French toast, but with far less effort: soft and custardy middles, cinnamon-infused edges, plus an extra-crunchy toasted topping.
Video: How to Make French Toast Casserole
What You’ll Need
For this French toast casserole, you are going to need a fairly large loaf of bread – enough to make about 10 cups once cubed. Use any good-quality loaf, like a French loaf, sourdough, ciabatta, or challah. I actually really liked the sourdough bread because the slightly sour taste helped balance out the sweetness of everything else. Leave the crusts on the bread since this adds some good, crunchy texture to the casserole!
Add Some Toppings!
I also added some orange zest and dried cranberries to my version to brighten up the flavors. You can leave these out if you want, or add your own favorite dried fruits to the casserole! By the way, those extra-crunchy top pieces are like cinnamon and sugar croutons. As I was testing this recipe, I kept picking them from the top and leaving the bottom for my husband. Shh…don’t tell anyone.
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
You can absolutely make this recipe straight through and bake it right away, but for a totally hands-off and hassle-free morning, assemble it the night before and bake it in the morning when you get up. This actually gives the bread even more time to soak up the milk, which makes the inside of the baked casserole more custardy and decadent. Here’s what to do: Assemble the casserole through Step 4, cover well, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, uncover, drizzle the casserole with the topping, and bake. Baking time will be slightly longer.
Ways to Make This Recipe Your Own
We’ve gotten some fabulous comments since first posting this recipe! Here are a few ideas you should definitely try:
Add a little booze to the custard, like Amaretto or rum (a few tablespoons should do it!)Use cinnamon swirl bread for the bread!Swap in any non-dairy milk instead of the dairy milk, like almond milk or cashew milkUse doughnuts or leftover cake instead of bread (oh my goodness)Add some crispy, crumbled bacon, either in the mix or over top – or both!
What other ideas do you have? Tell us in the comments!
Looking for More French Toast Recipes?
Baked Blueberry French Toast Eggnog French Toast Honey Ricotta Stuffed French Toast Apple Cinnamon French Toast Muffins Baked Cherry French Toast Casserole
Use a softer bread.Instead of pouring the custard over the bread cubes in the casserole dish, mix the bread cubes and the custard together in a bowl first to saturate all the cubes with the custard.
If you choose to let the casserole sit overnight before cooking, you don’t need to make any adjustments. And, you’ll get a creamier texture.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered, for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through and re-crisped on top. Slices can be reheated in the microwave.
Can This French Toast Casserole Be Frozen and Reheated?
The fully cooked casserole can be frozen, although it’s better when fresh. However, if you have leftovers to freeze, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Defrost the individual slices in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave using the defrost setting. Heat till just warmed through in the microwave.
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This casserole reheats well, though the chunks of bread on the top will gradually lose some crunch. The best way to reheat it is to bake it in the oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes to warm through and re-crisp the top.
10 cups good-quality French bread, sourdough, ciabatta, or challah, cubed
1/2 cup (45g) chopped pecans
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Zest of 1 medium orange, finely grated (optional)
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons (40g) dark brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
Optional toppings for serving:
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
At this point, the casserole can be baked right away, or covered and refrigerated overnight. Sprinkle dried cranberries and dust powdered sugar on top, if you like. Serve with maple syrup at the table.
