How to Make the Most Delicious (and Forgiving!) French Toast Casserole

This French toast casserole soaks cubes of sturdy, day old bread like challah, brioche, or French bread in a simple custard of 6 eggs, whole milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. You top it with a brown sugar cinnamon topping and dots of cold butter, chill it for at least 1 hour (ideally overnight), then bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and the center reaches a safe 160°F. It serves 8, can be prepped the night before, and is perfect for holiday mornings and brunch.

We are whipping up something truly special that is perfect for those bleary eyed mornings when you just need something delicious without too much fuss. French Toast Casserole! This recipe is so incredibly forgiving, you are gonna love it.

Why You Will Love This French Toast Casserole

Alright, let us talk about why this French Toast Casserole is about to become your new breakfast MVP. First off, it is forgiving. Seriously! If you are not perfectly precise, no worries!

It is also easy to make, even when you are still half asleep. You can prep almost everything the night before, so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven. That means more time for coffee and less time stressing in the kitchen. Plus, that eggy custard base gives you incredible richness, holding everything together perfectly, while the brown sugar topping adds that delicious, crispy, and caramelized bite. It is truly a comfy, cozy, and utterly satisfying dish. It is especially great for fall, but honestly, eat it any time of year!

• Forgiving: no need to be perfectly precise
• Make ahead friendly: assemble it the night before
• Rich eggy custard that holds everything together
• Crispy brown sugar butter topping with caramelized edges

If you love an easy baked breakfast, my Healthy Broccoli Cheese Egg Bake is a savory make ahead option that pairs perfectly with a sweet casserole like this one.

What You Will Need

Special Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Sharp serrated knife
• 9×13 inch baking dish
• Whisk
• Instant read thermometer (to check that the center is cooked through)

The Ingredients for the Custard and Bread Base

• 1 large loaf (about 12 to 14 cups cubed) sturdy and day old bread like challah, brioche, or French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 and 3/4 cups (about 415 ml) whole milk
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (about 55 grams) packed light brown sugar
• Optional: a pinch of extra spices you love like nutmeg or cardamom

The Ingredients for the Brown Sugar Topping

• 1/4 cup (about 55 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Assembly and Pan

• Soft butter for greasing the pan
• 1/4 cup (56 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Let Us Get Cooking

1. First Up, Let Us Cut That Bread!

Alright, first things first, you are gonna carefully cut your bread. You are aiming for about 1 inch sized pieces, or cubes. Honestly, it does not have to be exact, this dish is designed to be super forgiving. A sharp serrated knife is your best friend here, it just makes the job easier.

By the way, if you happen to have some day old or slightly stale bread hanging around, that is actually perfect for this! Stale bread is fantastic for recipes where it is going to soak up a rich custard, much like bread pudding. If your bread is fresh, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and let them dry out in a low oven for a bit first. Do not cut yourself, and once your bread is all cubed up, you are gonna set that aside and get to making your easy custard.

2. Making the Easy Custard

Grab a big bowl. Then, measure out 1 and 3/4 cups of whole milk. Pour that into your bowl. Next up, you need six large eggs. This eggy custard is what brings all that richness and holds everything together beautifully. Be careful with those shells!

Now for the spices and sweetness. Add 3/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of salt just for a little contrast, a generous 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of a nice vanilla, and 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar. Give this a quick whisk until everything is beautifully combined. If using, add any extra spices you love to the custard.

3. Want to Prep Ahead? Absolutely!

If you are a dragging in the morning person, here is the magic! You can make this custard the night before and just pop it into the fridge. You can also cube your bread and cover it, even put it in your casserole dish and cover it. Then, when you wake up, it is all ready to go right into the oven. Total game changer! Keep the custard and the assembled dish in the refrigerator the whole time, and do not hold it longer than about 12 hours.

Love a make ahead breakfast? My Overnight Oats, 3 Easy Healthy Ways is another easy, prep it the night before breakfast for busy mornings.

4. The Delicious Brown Sugar Topping

For this delightful topping, you will need another 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Now, you could whisk this, but whisking brown sugar can be a bit clumpy. The easiest way is to just work it together with your fingers in a small bowl until it is nice and perfect, breaking up any clumps.

5. Pan Prep

Here is the deal with the pan. If your butter is soft, you can use the butter paper to lightly grease your 9×13 inch baking dish. This is not like a cake that needs to release perfectly, it is just to help prevent sticking.

6. Bringing It All Together

Grab your bread and beautiful custard. Gently add the cubed bread directly into the custard. Think of this like a sweet egg bake. Just use your fingers because it is truly the easiest way to ensure nice and even coverage. You do not want any bone dry pieces, but you do not necessarily want the bread to be completely soaked through either. Just turn it around until everything looks nicely coated. A quick hand wash afterwards, and you are good, since the custard has raw egg in it!

7. Assemble the Casserole

Now, gently spoon or just plop that soaked bread into your greased 9×13 inch pan. You will notice all that custard got soaked right up. My one little trick is to arrange some of the crust sides facing upwards because it just looks prettier that way. And if you spot any dry bits of bread, just tuck them underneath, and the custard will seep in. You want a nice and even layer.

8. Add Toppings (And a Quick Rewind!)

A quick correction! Your brown sugar topping goes underneath the butter. So, first, sprinkle that lovely brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt mixture all over the top. You want everyone to get some brown sugar when you cut into it, and it does not have to be perfectly even.

Now you are gonna dot it with butter. Grab 1/4 cup of cold butter (that is about 4 tablespoons). Cut it into small pieces and dot it all over the top. This cold butter will melt down, adding incredible richness, and some of the bread will almost fry up in it, giving you a nice crispy and delicious top.

9. Chill (Optional but Recommended)

Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight (8 to 12 hours), to allow the bread to fully absorb the rich custard. Short on time? A 1 hour chill works for a same day French toast casserole, but longer gives you a creamier, more custardy texture.

10. The Finishing Touch and Baking!

I should have told you to preheat the oven earlier, but we will pop that in here! When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). If the casserole has been chilling in the fridge, let it sit out at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats.

This beauty is now ready to pop into the oven. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the custard is perfectly set in the center and the top is a gorgeous golden brown. You want a knife inserted into the center to come out mostly clean, and the center should read 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer. If it is not there yet, bake another 5 to 10 minutes, and loosely tent the top with foil if it is browning too fast.

11. Serve

Let the casserole rest for a few minutes after baking. Once it is out, if you are like me and want some extra richness, go ahead and drizzle maple syrup all over the top. Serve warm with fresh fruit! So good, and honestly, so easy. I really hope you get a chance to make this recipe!

What to Serve With French Toast Casserole

• Maple syrup: a generous drizzle of real maple syrup
• Fresh fruit and berries: strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries add a tart contrast
• Finishing touches: a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream
• Something savory: crispy bacon or sausage, or my Fluffy Cottage Cheese Egg Muffins for a protein packed side
• A bigger brunch spread: add my Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes or Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
• Holiday mornings: it is a great Christmas morning breakfast, alongside my Easy Amazing Cinnamon Rolls

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating

• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving
• Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days
• Reheat individual servings in the microwave for a minute or two, or reheat the whole dish covered with foil in a 350°F oven until hot all the way through (165°F)
• To freeze, see the FAQ below, and freeze for up to 2 months

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FAQs

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Forgiving Overnight French Toast Casserole

Recipe by Sana Rei

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

500

kcal

Chill Time (overnight) or at least 1 hour for a same day version

480

minutes

Total time (overnight), or about 1 hour 55 minutes with a 1 hour chill

8

hours 

55

minutes

Whip up the easiest, most forgiving French toast casserole with a rich eggy custard and a crispy brown sugar butter topping. Perfect for make-ahead breakfasts or a cozy brunch

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:

• Large mixing bowl

• Sharp serrated knife

• 9×13-inch baking dish

• Whisk

• Instant-read thermometer

• Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf (approximately 800g / 12 to 14 cups cubed) sturdy day-old bread (challah, brioche, or French bread), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

• 1 3/4 cups (about 415 ml / 425g) whole milk

• 6 large eggs

• 3/4 teaspoon (1.5g) ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup (about 55g) packed light brown sugar

• Optional: pinch of extra warm spices (nutmeg, cardamom)

• For the Brown Sugar Topping:

• 1/4 cup (about 55g) packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon (1g) ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon (1.5g) salt

• For Assembly and Pan:

• 1 tablespoon (14g) soft butter, for greasing pan

• 1/4 cup (56g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

• Carefully cut the sturdy, day-old bread into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes using a sharp serrated knife. Set aside.
• Lightly grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with soft butter.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar until smooth. If using, mix in any optional extra spices.
• In a separate small bowl, combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Use your fingers to work the mixture together until well combined and crumbly.
• Add the cubed bread to the custard mixture. Gently turn the bread with your fingers to ensure all pieces are evenly coated and begin to absorb the liquid. Wash your hands after handling the raw egg custard.
• Carefully spoon or pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Arrange some crust sides up for visual appeal, and tuck any drier pieces of bread underneath to soak up more custard.
• Sprinkle the prepared brown sugar topping evenly over the bread. Then, dot the small pieces of cold butter all over the brown sugar layer.
• Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight (8 to 12 hours), to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard. Keep it refrigerated the whole time.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). If chilled, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center reaches 160°F (a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean). If it is not there yet, bake 5 to 10 more minutes, tenting with foil if browning too fast.
• Let rest for a few minutes before serving warm, drizzled with maple syrup and fresh fruit, if desired.

Notes

• Bread Choice Is Key: Don’t skimp on the bread. Sturdy, slightly stale loaves like challah, brioche, or French bread are your best friends here. Soft sandwich bread can get a bit too soggy.
• Overnight Magic: Seriously, if you can, prep this the night before. Letting the bread soak up that rich custard overnight makes a huge difference in texture and flavor. It also makes your morning so much easier. Keep it refrigerated and bake within about 12 hours.
• Doneness Check: The casserole is done when the top is golden and puffed, the center reaches 160°F, and a knife inserted into the center comes out pretty clean. If it’s still super jiggly or wet, give it a few more minutes.
• Storage: Refrigerate within 2 hours. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Reheating: Pop individual servings in the microwave for a minute or two, or reheat the whole dish (covered with foil) in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot all the way through (165°F).
• Freezing: Freeze unbaked or baked for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Make It Your Own: Feel free to add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the brown sugar topping for extra crunch, or some fresh berries on top after baking for a burst of freshness.
• Allergen Note: Contains egg, milk, and wheat (bread). Brioche and challah also contain egg and dairy. Nuts, if added, are a tree nut allergen.