French Toast Casserole
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After a lot of testing, this is the French toast casserole I keep coming back to. It’s soft, custardy (but never mushy!) and topped with a caramelized brown sugar streusel topping that tastes like it came straight from a bakery. Prep it the night before or bake it right away, this is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Same Day or Overnight French Toast Casserole
French toast casserole is my go-to make-ahead breakfast for holidays and busy mornings. It’s soft and custardy (never soggy!), richly flavored, and topped with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon streusel for insanely flavorful results. You can prep it in advance to bake the next day, or make it the same day, it’s just as good either way. This is one of my favorite indulgent breakfasts (right next to my cinnamon rolls and buttermilk pancakes).
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key ingredients that just work. A touch of maple syrup in the custard sets my recipe apart from so many others. Combined with the cinnamon sugar, it adds an irresistible flavor without making the casserole too rich.
- Custardy, but never soggy. The right technique coupled with the right bread keeps the texture soft, rich, and flavorful, but without collapsing into mush.
- Caramelized, buttery, brown sugar streusel topping . Similar to my coffee cake and crumb cake topping (and the topping on my French toast cookies!), though the preparation is slightly different. It’s flavorful, perfectly sweet, and so easy to prep.
- Crowd pleasing and make-ahead friendly. This recipe feeds a large group and pairs perfectly with bacon, fruit, and scrambled eggs. You can make it the night before so you just have to pop it in the oven in the morning, making things nice and easy.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Think bread pudding, but turned breakfast. You’ll notice quite a few shared ingredients between the two, as they’re quite similar recipes by nature. Let’s review:
- Maple syrup. I’ve tried this recipe with both imitation and pure maple syrup and either will work just fine. This isn’t a traditional ingredient for this dish, but adding this to the custard just makes sense… it adds incredible depth and makes the flavor unforgettable.
- Challah bread. You can find this in the bakery section of your grocery store. If you can’t find challah bread, brioche is the next best thing (it’s also great for brioche French toast!). Ideally your bread will be a bit stale; if yours is fresh, check the recipe notes below for instructions on how to dry it out quickly so you don’t en dup with a soggy casserole.
- Vanilla and cinnamon. A hefty pour of vanilla adds a TON of flavor to this casserole. Bonus points if you use homemade vanilla extract! And we can’t forget cinnamon–an essential French toast ingredient.
- Butter. You’ll want this melted for the custard, but nice and cold for the crumb topping. I will sometimes pop my butter in the freezer like I do when I make homemade biscuits so I know it’s cold enough.
- Light brown sugar. This ingredient adds depth to the streusel topping.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used. For the full recipe, please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: While I usually recommend you bring eggs to room temperature, that’s not necessary with this recipe.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
- Step 1: Soak the bread. Cut into 1″ cubes, place in a buttered dish and pour your custard evenly overtop (stir gently, so all the bread is coated!). Let this sit for 15-20 minutes or until the bread has absorbed the custard. While it sits, prepare your crumb topping.
- Step 2: Make the crumb topping. I like to prepare mine in a food processor because it takes only a second to do so, but it can also be made with a pastry cutter or just a fork. Simply combine the dry ingredients, then pulse/cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Step 3: Assemble. If you are baking right away, evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the soaked bread mixture (make sure it has sat for at least 15-20 minutes first though!). Otherwise, transfer the crumb topping to an airtight container, cover the casserole dish, and place both in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Step 4: Bake and enjoy! When ready to bake (either right away or the next day!), place your casserole dish on a foil lined pan and bake until evenly browned and mostly set, about 50 minutes.
SAM’S TIP: If you use a food processor for the streusel, take care that you don’t over-process it. You want it to resemble dry, sandy crumbs with just a few small clumps. Process everything for too long and you’ll end up with a big clump of butter and brown sugar that won’t lend itself to sprinkling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cut it into cubes and bake in a 300F (150C) oven for about 10 minutes (stir/toss halfway through!), just until the exterior of the bread cubes feels dry. Don’t overdo it, you’re not making crispy bread cubes like you would for stuffing!
Challah is best because it’s both sturdy and rich, it will absorb the custard nicely without becoming mushy. Yes, you can get away with using a loaf of Italian bread or French bread (sourdough bread would probably work too!)…but nothing will impart the same taste and pillowy texture as Challah bread. Avoid super soft breads (like white sandwich bread, which will collapse and make your dish soggy).
1) Use a semi-stale loaf of bread. Let it sit out for a day or so, or cut it into 1″ chunks and let those sit out for an hour or two. By letting the bread get a little stale, you help make it resistant to becoming soggy while it sits overnight.
2) Prepare your streusel topping, but store it separately and sprinkle it overtop just before baking your casserole
This can happen if your bread was too fresh, if you didn’t let the bread soak long enough or too long, if you used the wrong kind of bread (like a soft white sandwich bread), or if you pulled the casserole out of the oven before it was fully cooked.
Favorite French Toast Toppings
Need another make-ahead breakfast? My breakfast casserole is another big hit during the holidays!
Enjoy!
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French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 13×9 baking dish (see note)
Ingredients
- 1 14oz loaf (400 g) Challah bread, cut into 1" cubes , see note. for best results use day-old bread if making this casserole overnight
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup, pure or imitation syrup works here
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 7 large eggs
- 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
TOPPING
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 8 Tablespoons (113 g) salted butter, cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and generously grease a 9×13 casserole dish (see note) with butter.
- Evenly layer Challah pieces into a deep 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside.1 14oz loaf (400 g) Challah bread, cut into 1" cubes
- Combine melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well-combined.4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon table salt
- Add sugars and eggs and whisk well.¼ cup (50 g) sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 7 large eggs
- Add milk and heavy cream and whisk until all ingredients are well-combined.2 cups (475 ml) whole milk, ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- Pour mixture evenly over Challah pieces in casserole dish and use a spatula to stir gently so all pieces of bread are able to absorb the custard. Set aside while you prepare your topping.
TOPPING
- Combine flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon in the canister of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine (if you don’t have a food processor, just stir together in a medium-sized bowl)⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Scatter butter pieces evenly over flour mixture and pulse until sandy crumbs form (if no food processor — use a pastry cutter or fork and knife to cut butter into mixture until coarse crumbs form).8 Tablespoons (113 g) salted butter
Assemble & Bake
- Let the casserole sit for 15-20 minutes or longer, until the bread has absorbed most of the custard. (See note if you would like to store the casserole to bake another day).
- Sprinkle casserole evenly with topping then place on a foil-lined baking sheet and transfer to center rack of 375°F (190°C) preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes, until browned and mostly set, but center is still slightly jiggly when jostled.
- Serve warm, topped with additional maple syrup or whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I originally published this recipe in July 2022, I’ve updated the post to include more helpful information, new photos, and a new video. Recipe includes additional notes but is the same.
This French toast is absolutely delicious! It was a big hit for our Christmas brunch, and it will definitely become a Christmas tradition moving forward. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Amy! I’m so glad it was such a hit! 🙂
Have you ever made this with Egg Nog?
Hi Carolyn! I have not tried it with egg nog so I can’t say for sure how to do it. If you do try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Perfecto! Amazing custardy flavor with no need to top with more maple syrup…loved so much by my family they asked for it again as a holiday breakfast!
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Wendi! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Another excellent recipe! I made it yesterday, and my husband kept saying how delicious it was… even hours later he was still talking about it! Sam – I appreciate you! The recipes are always so well written, easy to follow and always delicious!
Thank you so much, Gladys! I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
It looks like my first comment didn’t go through, so there is nothing to elaborate on! I had mentioned I was putting this together tonight, using Italian bread that I had cut into cubes and followed your method of drying out in the oven. I plan to bake it in the morning. If there is still quite a bit of unabsorbed custard in the bottom of the baking dish, should I pour some out in the morning before baking? I feel like it has absorbed all it likely will and there is still a decent amount.
I’m sorry I didn’t see this earlier, Megan! How did it turn out for you?
To elaborate on my previous comment – should there be any custard left unabsorbed before baking?
You may not see this before I need to bake it – I’m putting this together tonight, to bake in the morning. I’m using a 14oz loaf of Italian bread (reduced at the store since it was made 11/26) and I used your method of cutting into cubes and then baking until firm on the outside. I’m concerned because it seems like the bread has absorbed all the custard it is going to, and there is still quite a bit swimming around in the dish. Should I pour some off if there is still a lot in the morning?
My husband LOVES French toast so I had to try this casserole, DELICIOUS!
Quick note: while watching your video I laughed because you said you will skip recipes that say to use a pastry blender, I am the opposite, I will do anything to not use a food processor. The pastry blender worked great for cutting in the butter 🙂
I’m so glad it was such a hit, Amanda! 🙂
I made this for the first time and took it to my friend for her birthday brunch. I wrote the cooking instructions on the foil lid. She said it was delicious and her mom (who is an excellent cook) said it was the best ever. This stayed refrigerated 3 days before baking and it turned out fine. My store didn’t have challah so I used brioche. I can’t wait to make this for my family. NOTE my mom always said to practice on your family first, but Sam’s recipes always turn out, so I threw caution to the wind. 😂
I’m so glad it was such a hit, Terri! I’m honored that you trusted my recipe enough to send it away without testing. 🙂
Can’t wait to try it!
I have made this the night before and it always turns out excellent. I am wondering if it is okay to freeze? (without the topping). I would bake them in 3-5 days but would love to save some time if it will still taste just as good! Thank you!
Hi Emily! I haven’t personally tried freezing this, but I think it would work just fine. 🙂
This is the best and easiest recipe. I served it for a church breakfast, and everyone went back for seconds.
I’m so glad it was such a hit, Janet! 🙂
Wonderful recipe!! This was a big hit at our church brunch. So easy to make and delicious. I appreciate your YouTube videos showing how you prepare the recipe. You are an exceptional resource for recipes. I am such a fan that I try to share with my friends your recipes and YouTube videos. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for the sweet comment, Maria! It means a lot to us. We are so happy you’ve been enjoying everything ❤️
Hi! My family makes a version of French Toast Bake but we use brioche bread for a yummy variation.
Can you add Pumpkin purée to this recipe to make a pumpkin strudel casserole?
Hi Katie! I’m not sure exactly how it would work, but I think it could turn out. It may be easier to add pumpkin pie spice for the flavor instead of adding pumpkin. It would probably be easier. 🙂
Wonderful recipes I use & have made them a absolute must try staple in our home. Thank you.😍😍😍