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a white plate with french toast casserole and syrup poured over the top

French Toast Casserole

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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!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 382

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!

Video

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 328mg | Potassium: 198mg | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 1.8mg