Overnight French toast casserole recipe turns a loaf of sandwich bread and a few other simple ingredients into a delicious breakfast! This make-ahead breakfast is perfect for holiday breakfasts and Saturday mornings alike.
Overnight French toast casserole is a delicious alternative to traditional French toast. This make-ahead French toast bake makes a wonderful treat for Sunday morning brunch or the perfect holiday breakfast. Since you can prep it the night before, this French toast bake takes the stress out of making breakfast for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.
I highly recommend including the topping as it takes this easy French toast casserole recipe to the next level. The topping caramelizes as the casserole bakes, and it creates a delicious buttery brown sugar crust on the surface of the French toast.
Top this delicious French toast casserole with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup for the best breakfast casserole!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Bread: If you can’t find cottage bread, choose another thick, sturdy type of white bread for this recipe. Texas toast or thick-sliced white breads like artisan sandwich bread would be the best substitute.
- If you’re using an airier bread, like regular white sandwich bread, I recommend decreasing the number of eggs and only using 8 and decreasing the amount of milk to 2 ½ cups.
- Milk: You can use any milk, from skim milk to whole milk, in this recipe. Heavy cream or half-and-half can also be for part of the milk. Plant-based milk, like almond milk, can also be used in this recipe.
- Maple syrup: If you don’t have pure maple syrup, you can use brown sugar.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, add a small pinch of salt with the butter.
How to make overnight French toast casserole
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Generously butter a 9″x13″ baking dish.
Step 2: Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
Step 3: Add the bread cubes to the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
Step 4: Add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon to a large bowl. Whisk until well-combined.
Step 5: Pour the egg milk mixture over the bread and gently press the bread into the egg mixture.
Step 6: Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 6 hours.
Step 7: When you’re ready to bake the casserole, set it out while you preheat the oven to 350° F.
Step 8: To make the topping, use a fork or a pastry blender to mix together the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Step 9: Drop teaspoonfuls of the topping over the top of the French toast casserole.
Step 10: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
Step 11: Uncover and continue to bake it for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the French toast casserole is golden brown.
Step 12: Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Brown sugar topping: Feel free to omit the topping. You can also double the topping amount if you want more caramelized sugar topping.
- Serving suggestions: This easy overnight French toast casserole is always a huge hit at my house. I like to serve this baked French toast casserole with fresh fruit and sausage or bacon. The casserole can be topped with a number of different toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Maple syrup
- Other flavored syrups like strawberry sauce or buttermilk syrup
- Powdered sugar and sliced strawberries
- Whipped cream and fresh berries
Recipe FAQs
Cottage white bread is a dense white sandwich bread. The bread is thicker and sturdier than traditional white bread, which makes it ideal for use in French toast.
I recommend chilling the French toast casserole for at least 4 hours. The overnight soak gives the bread time to absorb the egg mixture before baking.
Storage
Store any leftover French toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The French toast will keep for up to 3 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More overnight breakfast recipes!
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Overnight French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
- 20 ounce loaf white cottage sandwich bread Please see the note below if using a different type of bread.
- 10 large eggs
- 4 cups milk
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Optional topping
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Generously butter a 9″x13″ baking dish.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Add the bread cubes to the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Add the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon to a large bowl. Whisk until well-combined.
- Pour the egg milk mixture over the bread and gently press the bread into the egg mixture.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 6 hours.
- When you’re ready to bake the casserole, set it out while you preheat the oven to 350° F.
- To make the topping, use a fork or a pastry cutter to mix together the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Drop teaspoonfuls of the topping over the top of the casserole.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to bake it for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the French toast casserole is golden brown.
- Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Bread: If you can’t find cottage bread, choose another thick, sturdy type of white bread for this loaf. Texas toast or thick-sliced white breads like artisan sandwich bread would be the best substitute.
- If you’re using an airier bread, like regular white sandwich bread, I recommend decreasing the number of eggs and only using 8 and decreasing the amount of milk to 2 ½ cups.
- Milk: You can use any milk, from skim to whole milk, in this recipe. Heavy cream or half-and-half can also be for part of the milk. Plant-based milk can also be used in this recipe.
- Maple syrup: If you don’t have pure maple syrup, you can use brown sugar.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, add a small pinch of salt with the butter.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Samantha says
Hi, for the brown sugar in place of the maple syrup do we use the same measurement of 1/4 cup?
Kate says
Hi! Yes, you’ll use 1/4 cup.