How To Make the Absolute Best French Toast Casserole

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor
At The Kitchn, I develop all of your favorite recipes and help you discover your most beloved grocery finds. I have more than 17 years of recipe development experience, including time spent in cookbook test kitchens and on Alton Brown’s culinary team. My two kids have lots of opinions on dinner.
published Dec 29, 2022
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angled shot of maple syrup being drizzled over a piece of french toast casserole on a plate
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Turn your kitchen into the hottest brunch spot in town with this make-ahead winner.

Serves10 to 12

Prep20 minutes

Cook45 minutes to 50 minutes

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Pice of French toast casserole on a plate with full dish of casserole in the background
Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

If you’re looking for a sweet breakfast bake to build a tradition around, this French toast casserole is it. Custard-soaked bread is flavored with sweet cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a nutty crumble topping, and baked until golden and steaming. The best part is, it’s as versatile as you need it to be — you can make it ahead or assemble at the last minute.

After extensive research (and a very full belly), I have a lot of opinions on what it takes to make the very best French toast casserole. Here’s how to do it.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

The Best Bread for French Toast Casserole

Many French toast casseroles (including some I’ve written about!) begin with a loaf of rich and eggy brioche or challah bread. Although sturdy enough to be cubed or torn to pieces, they’re too soft to absorb the sweetened custard without falling apart unless they’re dried or toasted first.

To avoid that step altogether, I like to use a crusty sourdough loaf, which has a hearty, chewy texture that stands up well to soaking — and doesn’t have to be dried or stale (although if you’ve got day-old bread, use it!) Sourdough bread also has a subtle sour tang, which balances the sweetness of the custard and crumble topping.

If there’s no unsliced sourdough available, make your next choice a hearty Italian or French loaf (although not a baguette!).

Best Way to Prepare the Bread

With the crusty loaf of bread settled on the cutting board, it’s time to prepare it for the casserole. There are three options: tear, cube, or slice. Cubed bread pieces remain distinct and separate, tumbling off one another even after a long soak and gentle bake. Although slices of bread give off a nice visual (very clear that this is a baked French toast), the top half of the bread never fully absorbs the custard, even with an overnight soak.

The best way to prepare the bread is by tearing it into bite-sized pieces. The irregularly shaped pieces have a greater surface area for absorbing the custard and nestle into one another so the interior bakes up rich and tender while the jagged edges brown and crisp.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

An Ingredient Ratio to Remember

Commit just three ingredients to memory for the best (and easiest!) French toast casserole:

  • three cups dairy
  • eight large eggs
  • one pound bread

Whisk the dairy and eggs together, then sweeten with brown sugar and add spices like vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt for classic French toast flavor.

You can also make it your own by swapping in honey, citrus zest, and other sweet spices. Use half-and-half in the custard, or combine equal parts heavy cream and whole milk. Avoid using fat-free milk, which won’t lend enough richness.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn

Don’t Forget the Finishing Touch

French toast is all about contrasting textures — soft, custardy bread snuggled beneath a crispy, toasted exterior — and this breakfast bake is no exception. You can bake the casserole as is, bread and custard alone, but to make this the very best make-ahead breakfast, add a sweet and nutty crumble topping.

Serve with a drizzle of warm maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar to turn your kitchen into the hottest brunch spot in town.

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Food Stylist: Brett Regot/Kitchn
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This easy, make-ahead breakfast bake boasts all the classic cinnamon and vanilla French toast flavors.

French Toast Casserole Recipe

Turn your kitchen into the hottest brunch spot in town with this make-ahead winner.

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 45 minutes to 50 minutes

Serves 10 to 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons

    (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the baking dish

  • 1 (1-pound) loaf

    unsliced sourdough, Italian, or French bread (not baguette)

  • 8

    large eggs

  • 3 cups

    half-and-half, or 1 1/2 cups each whole milk and heavy cream

  • 3/4 cup

    packed light brown sugar, divided

  • 1 tablespoon

    vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon

    ground cinnamon

  • 3/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    ground nutmeg, divided

  • 2 ounces

    chopped nuts (about 1/2 cup), such as pecans or walnuts

  • 1/4 cup

    all-purpose flour

  • Maple syrup or powdered sugar, for serving

  • Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Show Images
  1. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch or other 3-quart baking dish with unsalted butter.

  2. Tear 1 loaf unsliced bread into bite-size (1- to 2-inch) chunks. Arrange the bread in an even layer in the baking dish.

  3. Whisk 8 large eggs, 3 cups half-and-half, 1/2 cup of the packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the ground nutmeg together in a large bowl until combined.

  4. Pour evenly over the bread, then press the bread down slightly into the custard. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Alternatively, to bake right away, let sit for 1 hour at room temperature to give the bread time to absorb the custard.

  5. Meanwhile, toss 2 ounces chopped nuts, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, remaining 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a large bowl.

  6. Add 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter, and pinch and squeeze it into the flour mixture until moist, small clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

  7. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the casserole and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off while the oven heats.

  8. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the casserole. Bake until the casserole is puffed, golden-brown, and set, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with maple syrup or powdered sugar, and fresh berries if desired.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The casserole can be assembled up to 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated until ready to bake.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


This post was originally published on Kitchn. Read it there: How To Make the Absolute Best French Toast Casserole