I love French toast, but it's not ideal for serving a crowd. Enter: this French toast bake! Make it for the holidays, Mother's Day, or any weekend brunch.
This French toast bake was my solution to a pressing problem. When I make a big, decadent brunch, I want French toast to be on the menu. I mean, eggy bread that’s soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and warmly spiced with cinnamon… what’s not to love? But here’s the thing: French toast is a perfect breakfast for two. When I make it, I enjoy flipping slice after slice until I have a stack that’s big enough to serve just me and Jack. When I’m serving a crowd, on the other hand, all that flipping starts to add up.
Enter: this French toast bake recipe. It still satisfies that gooey-in-the-middle, crisp-on-the-edges, cinnamon-y craving, but it cooks in the oven. No flipping required! Make it for the holidays, Mother’s Day, or anytime you need an easy, delicious breakfast for a group.
Baked French Toast Recipe Ingredients
Just like classic French toast, this French toast bake comes together with a few basic ingredients:
- Good bread – The better your bread, the better your French toast bake will be! I like to use thick slices of challah, but sourdough or brioche would work well too.
- Eggs – A French toast essential! They add moisture and richness to this recipe.
- Almond milk – I use almond milk because it’s what I keep on hand. If you prefer a different type of milk, feel free to swap it in. Cow’s milk, soy milk, or my homemade oat milk would all be great choices.
- Brown sugar – For sweetness. You’ll whisk some into the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle more on top of the French toast bake.
- Cinnamon – It adds warm, cozy flavor to this recipe. Like the brown sugar, you’ll use it in both the egg mixture and the topping.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make This French Toast Bake
This baked French toast recipe is super easy to make! Here’s how it goes:
- First, make the egg mixture. Combine the eggs, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth.
- Next, dip in the bread. Make sure the bread slices are well-coated in the egg mixture. As you dip them, place them one-by-one in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Then, add the topping. Generously sprinkle the tops of the slices with more brown sugar and cinnamon.
- You’re ready to bake! Transfer the baking dish to a 350° oven, and bake until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown and crisp.
Enjoy!
Cinnamon French Toast Bake Serving Suggestions
I love to top this baked French toast casserole with pomegranates and toasted almonds, but feel free to get creative here. Enjoy it plain, with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with whatever fruit you like. Blueberries, raspberries, or the stewed apples from this apple crumble recipe would be absolutely delicious! Of course, drizzle on some maple syrup before you eat.
This recipe makes a hearty breakfast on its own. However, if you’re craving a larger brunch, feel free to pair it with something more. It’s excellent with fruit salad, sunny side up eggs, a veggie frittata, or my healthy breakfast casserole. Don’t forget the mimosas to drink!
More Sweet Brunch Recipes
If you love this baked French toast recipe, try one of these brunch treats next:
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Pancakes
- Almond Flour Pancakes
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
- Homemade Granola
- Healthy Banana Bread
- Or any of these 60 Best Brunch Recipes!
French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup almond milk, or any milk
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 10 to 12 1-inch slices challah bread, about 1 loaf, cut on a slight diagonal
- Non-stick spray or olive oil
For the topping:
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ heaping teaspoon cinnamon
For serving:
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils, or desired fruit
- Maple syrup, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray or olive oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and sea salt.
- In a small bowl, stir together the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture and overlap them, slightly tilted, in the baking dish. If one side of your loaf is higher than the other, alternate the slices as you place them in the dish so the tops are vertically equal. This will help them bake and brown more evenly. Sprinkle with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown and crisp.
- Top with the toasted almonds and fruit and serve with maple syrup, if desired.
So good, putting it into the regular rotation. I used a loaf of Thomas’ Croissant Bread that I found in the English muffin section and I added the almond slivers during the last 10 minutes. I made the egg mixture the night before and assembled in the morning.
Hi! We tried this tonight and it was delicious! Do you have a tip for keeping the bread from sticking together? Thank you!!
Hi, so glad you enjoyed it!! With this method, the bread does stick together. For separate slices, I’d make this stovetop French toast recipe instead.
For making in advance , should I bake and reheat or do everything up until baking? Thx formfeedback.
Hi Lynn, we haven’t tested making this recipe ahead, so I can’t guarantee the results, but I’d recommend assembling the dish ahead of time and baking it just before serving. If you’re looking for a tested make-ahead recipe, I recommend this French toast casserole instead!
This is ridiculously easy and obscenely delicious. I had house guests earlier this month and made this for them one morning – the three of us ate pretty much the whole thing (along with some bacon and mimosas). Really fantastic; thanks for posting this!
Hi can I prepare this dish ahead of time?
Thanks
Hi Belinda, yes, I would make it the night before and keep it in the fridge.
It’s not stated in the instructions for this recipe, but is this dish meant to be served in broken up pieces or slices?
Hi Carolyn, the bread is sliced into 1-inch slices.
Jeanine, yes, I know it’s sliced into 1″ slices which go into the baking dish. My question is: Is this dish meant to be SERVED in slices or broken up pieces?
It’s served in slices for the most part, if they stick together or fall apart while scooping, that’s ok too.
Thanks, Jeanine! That clarifies it for me.