French Toast Casserole

Slice of french toast bake with whipped cream, strawberries and maple syrup on top on a plate.

French Toast Casserole with cinnamon sugar topping is soft and fluffy on the inside, and golden brown on top. Make it overnight and bake in the morning, or you can prepare it in the morning and bake it immediately. Either way - it's the perfect breakfast for a crowd.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Breakfast Recipes, French Toast, French Toast Casserole

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 319kcal

Author Fiona Dowling

Equipment

3-quart casserole dish (such as a 9x13 inch glass or ceramic pan)

Ingredients

French Toast Casserole

1 large loaf of bread* 16-18 oz
2 cups milk
8 large eggs
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Drizzle

¼ cup unsalted butter melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and lightly grease a 3-quart (or 9x13 inch) casserole pan.

Make the Casserole

Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish (such as a 9x13 inch ceramic or glass pan).
Chop the bread into squares and place in the casserole dish.
In a large bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and cinnamon.
Slowly pour the mixture over the bread being sure to cover evenly. Give the mixture a stir using a rubber spatula to coat if necessary. You want the bread to be evenly coated and wet - note that you may not quite need all the batter, depending on your bread.
In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar drizzle.
Drizzle it overtop of the French toast casserole.

If Baking Immediately

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15-25 minutes, or until the top looks golden. *
Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serving. Careful - the pan is HOT.
Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or cinnamon, maple syrup and/or whipped cream.

If Making Ahead of Time

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
Bake the casserole covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for 15-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bread has puffed up.

Notes

Use thick-cut, fluffy white bread - such as brioche or challah. Your bread should be stale/day-old for best results. To quickly dry out your bread:
1. Preheat the oven to 200F degrees.
2. Place slices of bread onto cookie sheets.
3. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is dried out (it shouldn't be toasted.
Depending on the type of bread you choose to use and how stale it is, you may not need all of the French toast batter (egg and milk mixture). The bread should be fully coated and wet.
This recipe can be halved and made in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan. Bake time will be about the same.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Warm up in the microwave before enjoying.
Nutrition information is meant as an estimate only. It is based on one serving, assuming the recipe is evenly divided between 10 people (without any maple syrup, whipped cream or toppings).

Nutrition