Best French Toast Casserole Recipe (2024)

The Best French Toast Casserole Recipe happens to be an easy overnight dish that can be completely prepared ahead of time. This is French toast bake is about to become a favorite among your family and friends.

Commonly Asked Questions

What is French Toast Casserole?

A French toast casserole is a popular breakfast or brunch dish made by layering slices of bread in a baking dish, soaking them in a mixture of eggs, milk, and spices, and baking until it’s cooked through and golden.

What type of bread is best for French toast casserole?

Sturdy and thick bread like French bread, brioche, challah, or sourdough is ideal because it can absorb the egg mixture without becoming too soggy. Avoid thin or light breads.

Can I use regular sandwich bread for French toast casserole?

While you can use regular sandwich bread, it’s not the best choice, as the heartier bread varieties mentioned above hold their shape and texture during baking and can handle soaking up the egg custard. If you’d like to use regular sandwich bread, we recommend this French Toast Casserole with Streusel.

How long should I soak the bread for French toast casserole?

You should allow the bread to soak in the egg mixture for at least 30 minutes, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator for the best results.

What is the difference between French toast casserole and bread pudding?

These two dishes are similar in that they both use bread and a custard-like mixture, but they can have different textures and flavors. French toast casserole is often sweeter and resembles traditional French toast, while bread pudding is typically denser and may have a more custard-like texture.

Best French Toast Casserole Recipe (1)

Best French Toast Casserole

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The Best French Toast Casserole Recipe also happens to be an easy overnight dish that can be completely prepared ahead of time. This will become a favorite among your family and friends.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Servings: 20

Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients

Cinnamon sugar mixture

Optional toppings

Instructions

  • Use hand whisk to combine eggs, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until fully incorporated. Mixture should be about 2 3/4 cup total. Set aside.

  • Put butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Add 1 cup brown sugar and stir until well incorporated. Use rubber spatula to evenly press mixture into bottom of a greased 9×13 pan, spreading mixture evenly.

  • Lay a single layer of Texas Toast in pan (about 6 whole slices), cutting additional pieces to fill pan bottom, if needed. Very gradually and slowly brush 1 cup of egg mixture evenly over every slice of bread, taking care to saturate edges – do not hastily pour egg mixture or all of it will end up at the bottom.

  • Sprinkle evenly with most of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture, reserving about 2 tsp of the mixture for topping. Repeat with second layer, using another 6 slices or so of bread. Slowly brush remaining egg mixture over that layer, again paying special attention to the edges. Ensure all slices are well saturated.End with sprinkling of remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

  • Cover tightly and chill overnight in fridge, or at least long enough for custard to thoroughly soak bread.

  • Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Let casserole rest at room temp while oven preheats. Bake for 40-45 minutes, covered for the first 30 minutes, and uncovered after that.

    Be sure to scrape up all the bottom sticky goodness when serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and maple syrup.

Notes

  • If you don’t have time to chill overnight, let the casserole soak for at least 35 minutes at room temp before baking.
  • For substitutions, variations, and serving suggestions, see original article.
  • French bread casserole is best served fresh. Leftovers can be wrapped airtight and kept at mild room temperature for a day, or chilled for several days. For best results, reheat in the oven.
  • If you made and enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you.

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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 226IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Method: Bake

Best French Toast Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is French toast casserole made of? ›

French toast casserole is made with all your usual French toast ingredients: bread, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. We use half-and-half to achieve a rich custard, and we sprinkle in some toasted pecans for more flavor and a little texture.

What is the secret to the best French toast? ›

The secret ingredient in this fluffy French toast recipe: all-purpose flour! Flour binds the liquids together, which creates a more traditional “batter” and helps prevent soggy results. This extra ingredient ensures the French toast is crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside.

How to fix soggy French toast casserole without? ›

Maybe your eggs are a bit bigger, your bread was too fresh, or if you've made it ahead of time, it hasn't fully thawed. There's an easy way to fix soggy French toast, though. Just increase your baking time until the casserole has reached your desired level of doneness.

Should I cook French toast in butter or oil? ›

Butter gives French toast a deep richness and comforting quality, which are what we crave on mornings we sizzle this breakfast staple. To prevent burning or smoking, use a combination of butter and oil in the pan to cook the toast.

What's the difference between Texas French toast and French toast? ›

Quite simply, Texas French toast is exactly what it sounds like, French toast that has been made using the extra thick slices endemic to Texas toast. Since the cut of bread is so thick, it allows for greater absorption of the egg and cream mixture and longer frying times.

What bread is good for French toast? ›

For a solid French toast, aim for sturdy bread with a uniform texture and a soft crust. Hearty sandwich bread, brioche, challah, and shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are all great choices. Avoid rustic loaves with thick crusts or large holes in the interior.

What is the difference between a casserole and a French oven? ›

A French Oven is a more modern version of the Dutch Oven made in France from enamelled cast iron. A Casserole dish is a shallower dish, designed for slow cooking or baking in the oven.

How do you fix a soggy casserole? ›

First things first — don't panic. Just because your casserole is starting to look a bit soupy doesn't mean it's beyond saving. In fact, all you need to do is add some pasta noodles or grains to your base. This trick works for the simple reason that both types of ingredients soak up water as they cook.

How do you keep casserole topping from getting soggy? ›

Assuming that you want to serve the casserole hot and the streusel crispy, keep the casserole and the streusel separate until almost serving time. This means you will have to bake the streusel on a cookie sheet until crisp and ready, then let them cool uncovered and transport them in a separate container.

Why is my breakfast casserole soupy? ›

This is often due to high water content in some vegetables and dense meats that are used in these dishes. Browning /cooking the meats (and draining off any excess liquid) and sautéing the vegetables before cooking often helps this issue.

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