French Toast Casserole Recipe
A classic french toast casserole made with soft bread, cooked in a sweet and rich custard. This casserole is so simple to make and feeds a crowd, making it the perfect breakfast dish for the family or to bring to brunch.
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.