Valentina Ablaev
A French toast casserole is the perfect cozy breakfast to make at home. Turn a basic loaf of bread into a sweet, delicious breakfast casserole in just a few simple steps. The bread soaks up a rich, cinnamon-spiced custard and bakes until golden and fluffy. Finish it with a homemade maple glaze for the perfect breakfast everyone will love.
Breakfast casserole is the perfect way to start the day! A classic breakfast casserole is quick to assemble and feeds a crowd! So why not make a sweet version? Take classic French toast and bake it in a large dish for quick, easy prep!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make-ahead friendly. This casserole is great to make ahead and enjoy the next day as a no-prep breakfast!
- Feeds a crowd. This casserole is great for a large group breakfast if you are hosting or bringing something to brunch!
- Easy cooking. This casserole is simple to make and tastes luxurious.
Ingredients for French Toast Casserole
- Bread – A loaf of bread, cut into 1-inch pieces, forms the base of this soft, flavorful French toast casserole.
- Egg and milk mixture – Eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and chopped pecans make a rich, flavorful custard that soaks into the bread.
- Pecan topping – Whole pecans add a delicious crunch and nutty flavor to the top of the casserole.
- Maple glaze – Butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and heavy cream come together to make a sweet, creamy maple glaze to drizzle over the warm casserole.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
What Kind of Bread is Best for French Toast?
Brioche, challah, and French bread all work well for French toast casserole. These breads are sturdy enough to soak up the custard without falling apart, giving the casserole a soft, fluffy center and golden edges. Slightly stale bread works especially well because it absorbs more custard without getting overly soggy.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and must-haves!
- A 9×13” casserole dish is the perfect size and depth for this French toast casserole.
French Toast Variations
- Add berries: Add fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries between the slices of bread for a delicious, fruity variation.
- Add chocolate: Sprinkle chocolate chips over the bread before adding the egg mixture for a sweet, chocolatey version.
- Skip the nuts: Don’t like nuts? No worries! Leave out the pecans and enjoy.
Expert Tips:
- Use stale bread: Stale bread holds up better when soaked in custard and baked.
- Cut the bread evenly: Cutting the bread into even, uniform pieces helps everything bake evenly and ensures each bite is coated with the egg mixture.
- Serve warm: This casserole tastes best when served hot out of the oven.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Prepare the bread. Preheat the oven to 350°F and cut the bread into 1-inch pieces.
- Make the egg mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Combine. Add the bread to a deep casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and gently toss to coat. Top with the whole pecans.
- Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until golden brown and set.
- Make the glaze. Melt the butter and maple syrup in a saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth.
- Serve. Drizzle the warm glaze over the French toast casserole and serve immediately.
Can I Use Fresh Bread
You can use fresh bread, but slightly stale bread is preferred. Fresh bread absorbs the custard quickly and can become too soft. If your bread is fresh, cut it into cubes and leave it uncovered for a few hours, or lightly toast it in the oven before assembling the casserole.
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Prepare the casserole the night before for an easy breakfast.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch pieces, arrange them in a casserole dish, and top with the pecans.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk mixture. Cover and refrigerate both the bread and egg mixture overnight. Keeping the bread and custard separate overnight prevents the bread from becoming overly saturated before baking.
- Before baking, pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and bake as usual.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Cover the leftover French toast casserole and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the casserole in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
- Freeze. Freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Breakfast Recipes
If you enjoyed this French toast casserole recipe, be sure to try our other easy breakfast recipes; here are some of our favorites:
One Pan Breakfast- Pancakes
- Sandwiches
- Sweet Breakfast
- Pancakes
- Egg Recipes
- Egg Recipes
- Sweet Breakfast
If you tried this French toast casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of bread
- 1/2 cup whole pecans topping
Egg & milk mixture –
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Maple glaze –
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Prepare the bread. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread loaf into even 1-inch pieces.
- Make the egg mixture. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy whipping cream, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Combine. Arrange the bread pieces in a deep casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and gently toss until all the pieces are coated. Sprinkle the whole pecans over the top.
- Bake. Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until the bread is golden and the casserole is set.
- Make the glaze. While the casserole bakes, melt the butter and maple syrup in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until smooth and thick.
- Glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the warm French toast casserole.
- Serve and enjoy, friends!
Notes
- Use stale bread. Slightly stale bread absorbs the custard without becoming overly soggy, giving the casserole the best texture.
- Cut the bread evenly. Cut the bread into similar-sized pieces so they soak up the egg mixture evenly and bake at the same rate.
- Serve warm. Serve warm, right after baking, with the maple glaze drizzled over the top.
- Storage. Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the casserole in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
- Freeze. Freeze the baked casserole for up to 3 months. Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
