French Toast Casserole

5 from 2 votes

This easy French toast casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for holidays, brunch, or busy mornings. Thick bread soaks in a vanilla cinnamon custard overnight, then bakes until golden with a crisp brown sugar streusel topping.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword baked french toast, easy french toast casserole, make ahead french toast casserole

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Chilling Time 12

Total Time 13 15

Servings servings

Calories 641kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 loaf (about 14–16 ounces) day-old French or Italian bread, cut or torn into 1-inch cubes (about 10-11 cups)
8 large eggs
2 ½ cups whole milk (or sub half-and-half for a richer custard)
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons salted butter, melted (plus more for greasing the dish)

Optional Streusel Topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Optional, for serving: powdered sugar, warm maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries

Instructions

Prep the dish:

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Spread the cubed bread evenly in the dish.

Make the custard:

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well blended. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking.

Combine:

Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes, pressing lightly with a spatula to help the bread absorb the liquid. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Make the Streusel (Optional):

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir small clumps form. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the casserole.

Bake:

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the casserole and the streusel and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven warms. Sprinkle the streusel over top, breaking up any big chunks with your fingers or a fork.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. If the top starts to get too dark before the casserole is done, tent the dish loosely with foil and continue baking.

Serve:

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with warm maple syrup.

Notes

Use thick bread: Slices should be at least 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. Brioche, challah, Italian bread, French bread, or Texas toast all work well.
Day-old bread is best: Slightly stale bread absorbs custard better than fresh. Let fresh bread sit out overnight or toast lightly before using.
Don't skip the chill time: Refrigerate the assembled casserole for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal) so the bread fully absorbs the custard.
Press gently: After adding the custard, gently press down on the bread to ensure all pieces are evenly soaked.
Doneness test: The center should be firm (not jiggly) and a knife inserted should come out mostly clean. Internal temp should reach about 160°F.
Let it rest: Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes after baking so it sets and slices cleanly.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Freezing: Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Smaller batch: Use an 8 x 8-inch dish and cut all ingredients in half. Baking time remains the same.

Nutrition