Baked French Toast Casserole is a breakfast classic that’s devoured anytime I make it! This simple breakfast casserole never goes out of style!
When it comes to breakfast, I’m a sucker for French Toast. Add those slices of fried bread dipped in custard and slathered in butter and syrup… My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
This french toast casserole recipe is a crowd-pleasing breakfast you can throw in the oven and forget about while you make the rest of your morning meal. Or serve up this casserole by itself and enjoy a cup of coffee or two while it bakes. It’s the perfect start to a lazy morning.
This easy french toast casserole has become a staple with my family.
I made it one year for Christmas breakfast and now I make every year for Christmas morning. I make it on the weekends too, because cravings, but always on Christmas no matter what.
I can serve eggs, bacon, fruit, or anything else I want to serve up for everyone… as long as there’s french toast breakfast casserole too.
Ingredients for Baked French Toast Casserole
- French bread
- Milk
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Ground Cinnamon
- Butter
Nothing fancy here. Just simple ingredients baked up into something delicious!
Usually use 1 or 2 days old bread for this recipe. If your bread is fresh from the store, cut down on prep time by cutting up your bread the night before. This gives the bread a chance to dry a bit so it will soak up the custard better when you assemble your casserole.
All that being said, you can absolutely use fresh french bread if needed. I’ve done it and the casserole comes out fine.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Start by coating the inside of a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Then grab your French bread loaf and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Just eyeball it – they don’t have to be perfectly 1-inch pieces. Place the bread cubes into your prepared baking dish and spread them out.
- Next, you’ll grab a mixing bowl. To this bowl add in the milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk that all together until combined. Pour the custard mixture all over the bread.
- Using your hands, gently press down on the bread to help it soak up the custard. Then let the casserole sit for 10 minutes. The bread will continue to soak up the liquid.
- While the casserole rests, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- After that, grab a small bowl and mix together 2 tablespoons sugar with some ground cinnamon until they are evenly combined – AKA cinnamon-sugar.
- Add pieces of butter all over the top of your french toast and then sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the entire casserole, all the way to the edges.
- Place your casserole in the oven and bake it for 40 to 50 minutes. The top will turn golden brown and the cinnamon-sugar topping will get a bit crispy.
- Remove the french toast casserole from the oven. You can slice it right away if you’re starving, or let it sit for 5-10 minutes for easier slicing.
Can I freeze french toast casserole
Yes! You can freeze it before baking or after. Fancy that!
Freeze before baking: Prepare this recipe all the way up to the bread soak in custard. Cover with plastic wrap, being sure the wrap touches the top of the bread. Then wrap the entire casserole up with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. Then add the butter and cinnamon-sugar topping before baking as directed.
Freeze after baking: Bake and cool your french toast casserole. Then wrap the entire casserole in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for 1-2 months. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. To serve, unwrap and warm your casserole in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
I think my favorite thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t mess with a classic. Sure you could add some crumbled breakfast sausage or even mix in some berries. But it’s just as easy to serve them up alongside.
Add some syrup on top for the best french toast casserole around!
Need more delicious breakfast casseroles in your life? You sure do!
- Brie and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Croque Madame Breakfast Casserole
- Cheesy Sausage Crescent Rol Breakfast Casserole
- Apple Raisin Breakfast Casserole
- More breakfast recipes
Baked French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread 1-2 days old
- 2 ¼ cups milk
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut the French bread loaf into 1-inch cubes (about 5 to 6 cups). Place bread cubes into the prepared dish.
- In a large bowl, beat together milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes.
- Gently press down on the bread to help it soak up the custard mixture. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes.
- Break butter into small pieces and place it all over the top of your casserole.
- Combine 2 tablespoons sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the oven. You can serve immediately or let rest for 5 minutes for easier cutting. Top with syrup and some berries if you like.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Leave a Reply