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The Coziest Make-Ahead Breakfast Bake

2 weeks ago 33

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French Toast Casserole is an easy make-ahead breakfast that’s perfect for holidays, brunch, or weekend mornings at home. With cozy cinnamon-vanilla flavor and a buttery topping, it’s an easy recipe everyone will love.

slice of French Toast Casserole on a plate with berries

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Flavor: Rich cinnamon-vanilla custard soaks into the bread and bakes up soft and sweet, finished with a buttery brown sugar pecan topping that adds the perfect warm, crunchy bite.
Recommended Tools: A 9×13 baking dish, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a piece of foil for covering the casserole while it rests.
Time-Saving Tip: For a quick shortcut, use pre-cubed bakery bread or dry the bread cubes in the oven for a few minutes to save time.
Serving Suggestions: I love serving it warm with maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh fruit. When I’m feeding a crowd, I like to set out a simple topping bar with berries and whipped cream so everyone can build their own plate.

brown sugar , milk , pecans , eggs , cinnamon , bread , butter and vanilla with labels to make French Toast Casserole

French Toast Casserole Ingredients

Bread: Use a sturdy, dense bread like brioche, challah, braided bread, or a thick-sliced bakery loaf for the best custardy center, and dry the cubes first so they soak up the custard without getting mushy.
Custard Mixture: Whisk the custard ingredients at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free mixture, making sure to beat well so you don’t get any “egg pockets.” Using half-and-half or light cream makes the casserole rich and bakery-style, but feel free to swap for milk.
Variations: Make it nut-free by skipping the pecans and adding a streusel or coarse sugar topping. Toss in blueberries or sliced strawberries for a fruity brunch twist, or stir in orange zest for a bright, bakery-style flavor.

adding spices to egg mixture to make French Toast Casserole

adding egg mixture to bread pieces to make French Toast Casserole

mixing pecan sauce to put on top of French Toast Casserole

How to Make French Toast Casserole

Dry the bread cubes. Add to a greased 9×13 dish.
Whisk the custard and pour it over the bread.
Mix the buttery brown sugar topping and spoon it over the top.
Cover and chill. Bake (full recipe below).

To bake: If frozen, thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight and bake as directed.

Holly’s Tips For Fantastic French Toast

For perfectly dry bread: 6 to 8 minutes in a 350°F oven helps the custard soak in evenly and prevents a gummy middle.
Press to soak: After pouring custard, gently press bread down so the top layer gets moistened too.
Chill time matters: One hour is the minimum, overnight is even better for a cohesive, custardy slice.
Avoid a too-brown top: If the topping is getting dark before the center is hot, loosely lay foil on top for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Know when it’s done: The center should be hot and set, and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Scaling: This recipe halves well for an 8×8 dish, but it bakes faster, so start checking early.

baked French Toast Casserole in the dish

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze portions in an airtight container with parchment between pieces for best separation. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in the oven or air fryer. Reheat in the oven at 325°F covered with foil until warmed through (best for keeping it fluffy).

Brunch Board Favorites

Did your family love this French Toast Casserole? Leave us a comment and rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

▢ 14 cups bread cubes 1-inch cubes
▢ 8 large eggs
▢ 2 cups half and half or light cream
▢ ¾ cup milk
▢ ½ cup brown sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

▢ ½ cup butter melted
▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
▢ ½ cup chopped pecans
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional

Dry out the cubed bread by leaving it out for a few hours or baking in an oven preheated to 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes.
Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread.
For the topping, whisk the melted butter and ⅓ cup brown sugar. Stir in the pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently spoon the topping over the casserole.
Cover the casserole dish and allow it to sit for at least 1 hour (or up to 48 hours).
Remove the casserole from the fridge and let it rest on the counter while the oven preheats to 350°F.
Bake the French toast uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and is hot.
Serve warm with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Any type of bread will work in this recipe, we prefer dense bread such as brioche or other thickly sliced bread.

Leftover French toast casserole can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat portions in the microwave, oven, or air fryer until warm.

Optional Streusel Topping: If desired, the pecan topping can be replaced with a streusel topping. Combine 3 tablespoons each brown sugar, flour, and butter with ¼ cup oats, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Mix until well combined and sprinkle over the casserole.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Breakfast, Casserole

Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

French Toast Casserole with fruit and a title

piece of French Toast Casserole on a plate with writing

close up of French Toast Casserole with writing

French Toast Casserole and plated slice with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly