French Toast Casserole
Make your mornings special with this easy French Toast Casserole. It has everything you love about traditional French Toast, and is baked all in one pan!
When I was growing up, my older sisters did a lot of the cooking. They each had their own specialties, and my younger brother and I always looked forward to their meals.
One of our favorites is French Toast, and to this day my sister makes it better than anyone I know. Since we are separated by lots of land, I don’t get to scarf down her French Toast as much as I would like.
But I have found that no matter if you’re missing your family or simply just the food of your memories, sometimes the only solution is to head to the kitchen and get a little creative.
I’m telling you right now that this French Toast Casserole is so good, you may find yourself wanting it for not only breakfast, but also for your lunch, midday snack, dinner, and dessert as well!
You will make the bottom layer with brown sugar and melted butter, and it is just absolutely swoon-worthy!
Ingredients to make French Toast Casserole
- french bread
- butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- milk
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- powdered sugar
How to Make French Toast Casserole – Step by Step
- You’ll start out with half a loaf of French Bread and then cut it into cubes. I am going to be a stickler for this one, because while you could substitute other breads, it really just won’t have that perfect flavor and texture. After you chop up the bread, then next melt some butter in a small sauce pan and stir in a cup of brown sugar. This is the bottom layer of your French Toast Casserole and it gives it an amazing caramelly flavor once it’s been baked.
- Next you’ll add in your bread cubes, then pour a mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla over the top.
- Pop it into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, and you are on your way to one of the most yummy breakfasts you’ll ever sink a fork in to! Really, I mean it!
Tips and Notes
Which bread is best for French Toast Casserole?
I prefer to use french bread, and it’s best if the bread is dry and not too soft. This allows it to soak up the yummy sauce from the casserole better and prevents the the french toast from becoming too soggy. If time allows, cut your french bread into cubes and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet over-night or for around 12 hours to help the bread dry out before baking.
You could also use sourdough, brioche, or Italian bread in this recipe, but like I said french bread is my favorite!
Can French Toast Casserole be Frozen?
Yes! Make the casserole in a freezer safe baking dish (such as a disposable aluminum foil pan) and bake as directed, then allow it to cool completely. Wrap in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months. Allow the casserole to defrost completely in the refrigerator for roughly 24 hours before baking. Reheat the casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Can this be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, and that’s one reason why I love it for the holidays! It makes a great Christmas morning breakfast because you can prepare it in advance and pop it in the oven to bake while you open presents! Simply prepare as directed up until the final baking step. Cover the unbaked casserole with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed in the morning!
Gluten Free and Dairy Free Options
This recipe can be made with gluten free french bread, and can also be made dairy-free by substituting the butter and milk. You can replace the butter with either coconut oil or dairy free butter, and the milk with your favorite dairy free substitute like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. All of these substitutions would be a 1:1 ratio.
More Delicious Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
Recipe: French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ a loaf of French bread, (about 8 oz) cut into cubes
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, for topping
- powdered sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in brown sugar until dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
- Add bread cubes to the pan, spreading over the top of the brown sugar/butter mixture.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over the top of bread cubes, insuring that all pieces of bread are saturated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Best Bread to Use: I prefer to use french bread for this recipe, and it's best if the bread is dry and not too soft. This allows it to soak up the yummy sauce from the casserole better and prevents the the french toast from becoming too soggy. If time allows, cut your french bread into cubes and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet over-night or for around 12 hours to help the bread dry out before baking. You could also use sourdough, brioche, or Italian bread in this recipe, but like I said french bread is my favorite!
- Freezer Option: This can be frozen by making the casserole in a freezer safe baking dish (such as a disposable aluminum foil pan) and bake as directed, then allow it to cool completely. Wrap in both plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months. Allow the casserole to defrost completely in the refrigerator for roughly 24 hours before baking. Reheat the casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
- Make Ahead Option: This recipe can be made in advance and makes a great holiday breakfast or a great option for busy mornings. Simply prepare as directed up until the final baking step. Cover the unbaked casserole with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed in the morning.
- Gluten Free and Dairy Free Options: This recipe can be made with gluten free french bread, and can also be made dairy-free by substituting the butter and milk. You can replace the butter with either coconut oil or dairy free butter, and the milk with your favorite dairy free substitute like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. All of these substitutions would be a 1:1 ratio.
So delicious! I love the crunchy tops and the fact that it’s not too sweet. I did have a lot of pooled butter on the bottom, but idk if that’s because I didn’t let it cool at all before digging in — it looked too tasty to wait!
This is the first French toast casserole recipe Iโve found that doesnโt require an overnight step. Itโs AMAZING, easy, and the brown sugar/butter layer is EVERYTHING. Second time making it.
Would have given 5 stars – basically the same recipe as apple bread pudding. Caramelize Gala apples (5 apples cut into 1 inch pieces) in 7 tablespoons butter melted in saucepan with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Use 1 full loaf of French bread broken into pieces. Add the 6-7 eggs together with 2 cups of milk, 3/4 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup sugar. Whisk together with 3 tsp. Vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Pour bread into custard mixture making sure all bread is wet. Cover and let set for 1/2 hour or more. Then pour caramelized apples into bread mixture. Can add 1/2 cup raisins (should let soak in boiling water while preparing recipe.) Toss thoroughly. Place in 11×7 casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and Place in larger pan filling pan with boiling water about 3/4 high of baking dish. Oven should be preheated to 350. Bake covered for 1 hour. Remove aluminum foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. The caramelized apples make this dish unbelievably delicious!!
Wow, Leigh, I can’t believe you don’t have your own cooking show on Food Network or at least a nationwide chain of successful restaurants; or do you just snoop around the internet and disparage recipes in the comments section? This is a great and easy recipe, certainly no need for your arrogant and diminutive comments.
Leigh, did you really ย just post a whole different recipe under someone elseโs recipe? You couldโve just rated it, commented on what you did/did not like and kept it moving. Wow, the audacity. Maybe start your own food blog and post your recipes. And by the way, itโs not basically the same recipe.ย
I am making this today for a wedding brunch! I tested it out yesterday with 1″ baguette slices, and it was delicious! Looks so pretty, too! (I did adulterate your recipe by adding a little Bailey’s Irish Creme in the egg mixture…extra yummy!). Thank you for giving me a new delicious dish to make any occasion special!
I made this recipe to take to work for Easter morning breakfast. It was a hit! I have not made a casserole like this before. I was pleased that it was not soggy and had some good texture, not just soft and mushy, as I have had with other peoples versions. I used a chewy dense loaf and left it out overnight as you suggested. I used a little more brown sugar and cinnamon on top and mixed in a tablespoon or two of “coffee sugar. (A chunky cane sugar) It added a great crunch. Thanks for the “keeper” recipe!
I made this for the first time for Easter breakfast. It was so good and got lots of comments. I made the โ high test versionโ Al the good stuff and cut back on the milk a bit and topped it with heavy whipping cream. Yummy. My daughter said it needed to be a new tradition add.
Made this for my Mom birthday brunch, it was a hit. Now making it for Mother’s day and putting fresh cooked apples on the side. Maybe add raisins. Yummy!
Next I will make it look cal. Maybe!
so good i let it sit overnight in the fridge and it came out amazing
Have you every doubled the recipe? Does it work out the same?
Yes it does and yes I did. I cooked an additional 20 minutes.
I made it with my daughterโs (19 months) help! We substituted sprouted gluten free multigrain seed bread, cooked it in a 9โ square casserole instead of a 13×9 (equivalent to a 9×13) rectangular casserole, so we reduced the amounts of the ingredients by 31.6%. Except we rounded up the eggs to 5 since we were using large instead of extra large eggs. We substituted organic coconut palm sugar for brown sugar, and used unsalted butter instead of salted butter (we added 1.5g kosher salt to compensate). We substituted Saigon cinnamon for cinnamon, but used a pure vanilla extract. (FYI artificial vanilla is made from petrochemicals or beaver butts.) Although we used real butter, we didnโt have any real milk on hand, so we substituted 1 cup of protein fortified unsweetened cashew and almond milk, with the rest being 33% fat coconut based dairy free whipping cream.
It turned out terrible, donโt quit your day job.
Haha thank you for this! Reading it made my day.:)
This has me dying. Thank you lol
Good Lord! You made sooooo many substitutions’ that I am not surprised it wasn’t as good. Changing the recipe that much would alter not only the texture, baking time but the taste as well.
You know Bert, if you didn’t change out the whole recipe, you would have no doubt had success like the rest of us. You are one rude SOB!!!!!!
Right?
You should have followed the recipe. You made up your own and from what you used, no wonder it came out terrible. Donโt quit your day job!!!
Ha. I guess don’t substitute EVERYTHING at once lol.
Hahaha thats fun reading comments
Very good for a group brunch .
Laugh outloud
How did you think it was gonna turn out with all your substitutions? I made it with the listed ingredients, as directed, and itโs delicious!
I would have to say you made your own recipe up! Sounds awful!
Made this for my Mom birthday brunch, it was a hit. Now making it for Mother’s day and putting fresh cooked apples on the side. Maybe add raisins. Yummy!
Next I will make it look cal. Maybe!
This just cracked me upp!
toasted a lightly sweetened on top, yummy brown sugar & butter on the bottom! so gdโฆeasy prep too
Best French toast casserole Iโve made hands down!!! Make it today!!!
I had to use a whole loaf of french bread to fill up a 9×13 pan. Even with double the bread there was way, way too much milk and egg mixture. I didnt even pour on all the mixture because of how saturated it was already. This is a recipe for a soggy mess!
Best French Toast Casserole recipe I have ever tasted and easy to follow written recipe.
Fabulous French toast! It was quick to assemble and delicious! Will make it again
This was fast, easy, and delicious! Iโll definitely consider adding apples or blueberries. The toddler approved, too.
Itโs sooo good! We have made it before but this time need it dairy free. Has anyone tried it with coconut oil instead of butter? Wondering if that gives off a bad taste.
Personally, I would use a vegan butter and oat milk. Coconut oil would change the flavor a lot, oat milk has the best flavor and texture closest to dairy milk. I hope this helps!
Instead of milk for dairy free I use powdered coffee creamer mixed with water until it looks like milk 1c water to ยผc creamer usually works well hope that helps!
I use ghee, some dairy free can still tolerate that, but I did try coconut oil once and I just added enough to make the brown sugar a syrupy consistency. It tasted fine. I used almond milk for the rest though.
I tried making it with refined coconut oil (so no taste of coconut) and half brown sugar and half date sugar. It was really hard to blend the sugar with coconut oil as they kept getting separated. But I just stirred the best I can and then used the mix at the bottom of the pan like she instructed. It turned out just fine and delicious.
I made this for our high school swim team breakfast and it was a huge hit! Iโve had many requests to share the recipe! Everyone loves it! My modifications have been 8 eggs (not 6) and 10 oz bread (those swimmers are a hungry bunch). I also drizzle maple syrup over the top then sprinkle with powdered sugar!
Hi Kristen, I just signed up to make this for our swim team too! Did you leave it in fridge overnight? I’ve never made FTC before…I can’t disappoint hungry swimmers! ๐