This baked french toast casserole is the perfect make ahead breakfast or brunch! It's made with brioche, challah or french bread, soaked overnight, and baked in the oven. Flavored with cinnamon and topped with blueberries for an easy brunch!
This baked French toast casserole is an easy breakfast or brunch you can serve your friends or family! It's perfect for the holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, it's great for Mother's Day brunch, or for large gatherings like birthdays or baby showers.
To make the baked French toast, I use thick slices of day old brioche but you can use any type of sliced bread. The bread is soaked in a rich, custard base of eggs, milk, and cinnamon for a minimum of 15 minutes but overnight is best.
The next day, simply bake it in the oven for a simple, make ahead breakfast that's perfect for the holidays or when you have company! The only thing left is to serve your French toast casserole with an assortment of toppings for your guests to customize to their liking.
The Best Bread for French Toast
- Brioche
- Challah
- French baguette
- Sourdough
- Or plain white bread
Expert Tips
- Use day old bread to help the bread absorb the custard base.
- Use thick slices between ¾ and 1 inch thick.
- Soak overnight for the best results using the casserole dish you plan to bake with.
Ingredients
- Eggs - I used large eggs.
- Milk - Any kind of milk will do, you can even use plant based milk. I used 2% dairy milk.
- Spices - Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, all spice, pumpkin spice, etc
- Nuts - Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, sliced almonds.
How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole
- Make your custard base by combining the milk, eggs, half and half, sugar, and spices.
- Dip each bread slice into the mixture, thoroughly submerging it.
- Lay the bread slices overlapping in the casserole pan and pour the remaining milk mixture over it. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes to overnight in the fridge.
- Right before baking, sprinkle sugar over the top to create a crunchy caramelized crust.
- Bake while covered with foil for 25 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Uncover and bake for an addition 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops get crispy and golden brown. The sugar topping should caramelize. Turn on the convection fan if you oven has one for the last 10 minutes. If you see spots turning too dark, loosely tent that area with foil to prevent burning.
- Add your toppings. I went with blueberries, raspberries, powdered sugar, walnuts, and maple syrup.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Topping Suggestions
- Fruit - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, peaches, etc
- Nuts - walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, sliced almonds
- Sweeteners - maple syrup, powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, caramel drizzle
FAQs
For this recipe, I used a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. The loaf of bread I used was 18oz or 511g and it came with 12 slices.
You can use any sliced bread but I recommend brioche, challah, sourdough, or French baguette.
More recipes:
Recipe
Baked French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Video
☑ Ingredients
- 1 loaf sliced bread - use brioche, challah or French; 18oz or 511g
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk - use any kind of milk
- ⅓ cup half and half
- ⅓ cup sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons - (divided)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Toppings
- 1 cup nuts - walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts
- 3 cups berries
- maple syrup
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Custard base: In a large bowl, add the eggs, milk, half and half, ⅓ cup sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk it together until well combined.
- Dip bread: Dip each bread slice into the custard base then lay it flat in your casserole dish. Continue laying all slices so they overlap and fit.
- Pour in custard base: Pour the remaining custard base on top and cover with foil. Let it soak refrigerated for 15 minutes or overnight for best results. Make sure the bread has absorbed enough of the custard base before baking. Spoon remaining liquid on top for better absorption prior to baking.
- Top with sugar: Right before baking, top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar to create a crunchy, golden brown caramelized crust.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes on the middle rack.
- Remove foil: To get a golden brown and crispy crust, remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. You should see the sugar topping bubble and caramelize. Loosely cover any dark areas with foil to prevent burning. Turn on the convection fan the last 10 minutes if available.
- Serve: To serve, top with berries, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Cut out slices and enjoy!
✎ Recipe Notes
- Leftovers - Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating - Reheat in the toaster oven or microwave.
- Make ahead option - Soak the bread overnight and bake the next morning. It makes for an easy and delicious holiday breakfast!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
Z
I’ve never written a review for a recipe I got from online but this was a hit!! I was so moist and fluffy but also crispy on top! The fresh berries and syrup I added made it all the better! So easy to put together and looks and tastes delicious! My family loved it and I hope to make it for every celebration we have.
Jamie
Thank you so much Z! I'm so glad you and your family loved it! 🙂
Veronika Sykorova
A french toast casserole is such an easy way to make lots of french toast with minimal effort. I love this recipe, I'm definitely making it for brunch tomorrow!
Niela
This was so delicious with easy clean up! This will be how I make French toast all the time.
Addie
Total comfort food breakfast! Yum!
Lori
What a beautiful recipe! We love baked French Toast for brunch. I'm LOVING your photos too! Thank you so much for sharing!
Heidy
This baked french toast casserole was the the absolute best!!! I loved the flavor, and I wish I had made two because my family loved it so much I almost didn't get any of the baked french toast casserole!!! Can you believe that? An outstanding recipe that I can see we will be making again and again!
Chef Dennis
This looks really mouthwatering!
Tara
Such a gorgeous French Toast Casserole! I love all those fresh berries on top and how it can be prepped ahead of time. Definitely perfect for family celebrations.
Kristina
I love making this with challah or brioche. My kids can't get enough.
Alex
This is such a delicious recipe - we followed the recipe exactly (using brioche) and topped it with fresh berries and Greek yoghurt. I will be making it again for Mother's Day brunch!
Irina
OMG! What is a great breakfast option this french toast casserole! I always search for interesting and original recipes to give a try on the weekend morning. Now I have yours on my hands. Making it this weekend. 🙂
Naiby
What a great idea for Mother's day. I love how it's done as a casserole dish and the spices bring a warm scent in the kitchen!
Amy Liu Dong
This is so easy and delicious. Such a perfect breakfast meal to prepare for my family.
Jere Cassidy
I am sending this to my hubby to make for my mother's day breakfast. This looks so much better than the boring french toast he usually makes for me. Wish him luck!
Sloan
Perfect for brunch! Already planning to make this for mother's day!
Farrrukh Aziz
I just love french toast, and this is a creative touch to it! And I love the berry topping, it adds color to the french toast!
Amy
Wow! What a fantastic idea! Delicious!
Lyn
Great recipe for the weekend! Sounds like a dish my family will love! Thanks for sharing it!
Biana
Yum! This French toast looks delicious, will be perfect for Mother's Day brunch!
maryanne
I've never attempted a french toast casserole, but this recipe has inspired me with your helpful instructions and beautiful photos!