Wake up deliciously with this easy French Toast Casserole! Brioche bread is all dressed up with classic french toast fixings, then baked to perfection with the best crumble topping. This casserole can get any night owl out of bed in the morning!
Brioche French Toast Casserole
If you have a house full of guests, kids, or anyone else that you need to feed in the early hours of the day, this is a great recipe to keep handy! When you first wake up, you may not be keen on following lots of steps in a recipe…which is what makes this easy French Toast Casserole so perfect.
The only difficult part of this recipe is waiting for it to bake! As the casserole bakes, though, the whole house will be filled with the aroma of baking french toast. It’s enough to get anyone out of bed, no matter how groggy they may be! Oh, and don’t worry – this recipe isn’t just for early mornings. It’s also fabulous to serve at brunch with a mimosa or two!
Love french toast? You need to check out my favorite recipes for French Toast Sticks, Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Sauce, and Croissant French Toast Bake!
Why You’ll Love this Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe:
- Easy: Toss everything into a casserole dish, bake it, and enjoy. That’s pretty much it!
- Flavorful: The sweet, warm crumble topping perfectly compliments the similarly flavored brioche bread.
- Make Ahead: This recipe is great for making the day before you plan on serving it. It makes waking up even easier!
Breakfast and brunch are the most important meals of the day, right? So why not sweeten them up a little bit with this easy-peasy French Toast Casserole?! Kids, grandparents, and everyone in between will want a serving of this fluffy, moist, and oh so sweet breakfast casserole.
How to Make French Toast Casserole
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Add the bread cubes to the casserole dish.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the mixture over the bread cubes.
- Stir together the flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle over the bread cubes.
- Bake.
I like to use brioche, French bread, sourdough, or challah bread. They soak up the sauce well but don’t become too soggy in the process.
To make this casserole gluten-free, simply use gluten-free bread for the French toast and gluten-free 1:1 baking flour for the crumble.
Yes! You can prepare this casserole right up to step 4, then refrigerate until ready to bake, up to overnight.
There are a few reasons why your casserole might be soggy. There may be too much egg mixture and not enough bread, or the casserole may need longer to bake. I always recommend letting your bread sit out overnight the night before in order to make it stale, as stale bread soaks up the egg mixture more easily.
Top your French Toast Casserole off deliciously with fresh berries, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or a drizzle of maple syrup. No matter how you choose to dress up your casserole, it’s sure to be a huge hit!
Make Ahead Instructions
This casserole can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Follow the recipe through step 4, then refrigerate the casserole, covered, overnight. Bake the next morning, adding an additional 5 minutes to the bake time if needed.
Storage
Store leftover French toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slices gently in the microwave or the whole casserole in a 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze French toast casserole whole or in individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let casserole thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Variations
- Add some citrus zest to the custard for a fresh taste.
- Add dried fruits, such as raisins or cranberries.
- Add chopped nuts to the crumble topping.
- Add a little bit of alcohol, such as Irish cream or Kahlúa, to the custard for a boozy treat.
- Add chopped bacon bits for a salty-sweet combo.
- Use cinnamon-swirl bread or cinnamon rolls instead of bread for a super-cinnamon casserole.
- Use leftover doughnuts or cake instead of bread for a bread pudding casserole.
- Use a non-dairy milk in place of the whole milk and non-dairy butter for a dairy-free casserole.
- Use gluten-free bread and gluten-free 1:1 flour for a gluten free casserole.
Nothing quite beats the aroma of french toast cooking in the morning. When this casserole bakes, it smells even better than your favorite candle! French Toast Casserole has all of the warm, sweet elements you love about the classic breakfast treat, all baked into one easy dish.
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Wake up deliciously with this easy French Toast Casserole! Brioche bread is all dressed up with classic french toast fixings, then baked to perfection with the best crumble topping. This casserole can get any night owl out of bed in the morning!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total Time : 1 hour
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter.
-
Add the bread cubes to the baking pan.
10 cups brioche bread
-
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt together.
5 large eggs, 1¼ cups whole milk, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
Pour evenly over the bread cubes. Toss until all the bread is well coated.
-
In a medium bowl, stir the flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon together. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Top with berries, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired, and serve.
Fresh berries, Powdered sugar, Maple syrup
Notes
- Add some citrus zest to the custard for a fresh taste.
- Add dried fruits, such as raisins or cranberries.
- Add chopped nuts to the crumble topping.
- Add a little bit of alcohol, such as Irish cream or Kahlúa, to the custard for a boozy treat.
- Add chopped bacon bits for a salty-sweet combo.
- Use cinnamon-swirl bread or cinnamon rolls instead of bread for a super-cinnamon casserole.
- Use leftover doughnuts or cake instead of bread for a bread pudding casserole.
- Use a non-dairy milk in place of the whole milk and non-dairy butter for a dairy-free casserole.
- Use gluten-free bread and gluten-free 1:1 flour for a gluten-free casserole.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Storage: Store French toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1012
Calories from Fat 477
% Daily Value*
Fat 53g82%
Saturated Fat 30g188%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 423mg141%
Sodium 989mg43%
Potassium 100mg3%
Carbohydrates 109g36%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 2005IU40%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 173mg17%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.