French Toast Casserole

This overnight French toast casserole recipe is the perfect breakfast for a crowd! It's simple and delicious, with a crisp topping and custardy middle.

French toast casserole

This French toast casserole recipe is the easiest way to make French toast for a crowd. Instead of standing at the stove, flipping slices to order, you pile cubed bread into a casserole dish, douse it in a rich, cinnamon-spiced custard, and bake it with pecans and brown sugar on top.

It’s a breeze to assemble on the morning you plan to serve it, but if you want to streamline this French toast casserole recipe even more, you can put it together the day before and let it sit overnight in the fridge. The next morning, all you have to do is add the nutty topping, pop it in the oven, and bake!

When it comes out of the oven, this French toast casserole is crisp on top and moist and custardy in the middle, sort of like a breakfast bread pudding. Topped with a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s just as good as classic French toast, if not better. I hope you love it!

French toast casserole recipe ingredients

French Toast Casserole Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy French toast casserole recipe:

  • Bread – The quality counts! Choose a good loaf of challah, brioche, French bread, or sourdough bread. Whatever you do, steer clear of pre-sliced sandwich bread, which quickly becomes soggy.
  • Eggs – A signature French toast ingredient! They add richness and bind the bread cubes together.
  • Milk – For moisture. I use almond milk because it’s what I keep on hand, but feel free to use another type of milk if you prefer. For example, whole milk and oat milk would both be great.
  • Brown sugar – You’ll whisk some into the custard mixture and sprinkle more on top of the casserole.
  • Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract – For warm, cozy depth of flavor.
  • Butter or coconut oil – It helps the top of the casserole crisp up in the oven.
  • Pecans – They add rich, nutty crunch.
  • Sea salt – It makes all the flavors pop.
  • And maple syrup – For serving.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Hand whisking together almond milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl

How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole

This baked French toast casserole recipe is so easy to make!

First, prep the bread. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and layer them in a greased 9×13-inch pan.

Then, make the custard mixture. Whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.

Pouring egg mixture over bread cubes in baking dish

Next, pour the egg mixture over the bread. Try to pour it as evenly as possible, moistening as much of the bread as you can. A few dry spots are ok—they get nice and crispy in the oven!

If you’re making this French toast casserole recipe ahead, cover it with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a lid and refrigerate it overnight. If you’re making it day-of, let it stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Both options give the bread a chance to soften and soak up the rich egg mixture.

Then, bake. Drizzle the melted butter over the breakfast casserole and sprinkle on the brown sugar and pecan topping. Cover and bake for 35 minutes at 350°F, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the egg mixture has mostly set.

Remove the casserole from the oven, cover it loosely with foil, and let it stand for 10 minutes before digging in. Enjoy!

Recipe Tip

  • Use stale bread. Buy it a day or two ahead of time so that it has a chance to dry out. Dry bread soaks up more of the custard mixture than fresh bread does. This makes the casserole even moister(!) and softer in the middle.

What is the best bread to use?

Challah is my favorite bread to use in this recipe, but it’s by no means the only option! Brioche, French bread, and crusty sourdough are excellent choices too.

Avoid soft, pre-sliced sandwich bread. It can result in a soggy French toast casserole!

Baked French toast casserole

What to Serve with French Toast Casserole

Don’t skip the maple syrup! While some French toast casserole recipes are very sweet on their own, I make this one a little savory so that it goes well with maple syrup. I love the sweet maple flavor with the toasted pecans and warm spices. I don’t recommend skipping it.

If you want to dress up this French toast casserole even more, top it with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh fruit in addition to the maple. Banana slices, pomegranate seeds, and fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries would all be great.

This recipe is perfect for special occasions like Christmas morning, but it would also be at home at any weekend brunch. Pair it with something savory, like a frittata or scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit. Don’t forget the coffee, tea, or mimosas to drink!

How to Store French Toast Casserole

This recipe is best on the day it’s baked, but leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat them in the microwave, or cover and heat in a 325°F oven until warmed through.

You can also freeze baked french toast casserole. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Then, seal it in an airtight container, or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Allow the frozen casserole to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or a 325°F oven.

French toast casserole recipe

More Favorite Brunch Recipes

If you love this casserole, try one of these delicious brunch recipes next:

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French Toast Casserole

rate this recipe:
4.97 from 55 votes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 8 to 12
This French toast casserole recipe is a delicious, easy breakfast or brunch! It has a crisp brown sugar topping and a moist, custardy middle. To get ahead, assemble it the night before and bake the next morning. Serve with maple syrup!

Ingredients

For topping

Instructions

  • Grease a 9x13-inch or similar baking dish. Place the bread cubes in the baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread. If making the casserole ahead, cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Add the topping: Drizzle the casserole with the butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar and pecans. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the egg mixture has mostly set. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with maple syrup.

38 comments

4.97 from 55 votes (43 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Nikki
    09.24.2024

    5 stars
    Looks great. Do you think I could leave it in the fridge for 2 nights before baking?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.24.2024

      Hi Nikki, I think it would be fine.

  2. Cathie
    06.30.2024

    5 stars
    I made this for a 63rd birthday brunch for my friends of over 50 years. One is lactose intolerant so I used almond milk. It was fabulous! The only thing different, besides the milk, is I added more pecans.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.12.2024

      Hi Cathie, I’m so glad the recipe was a hit!

  3. Ashley
    06.23.2024

    5 stars
    I halved the recipe and used a smaller dish. Really good!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.26.2024

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  4. Ashley
    06.16.2024

    5 stars
    Incredibly easy and such a crowd pleaser! Bee sure to grease the pan well though!

  5. FC
    06.10.2024

    3 stars
    This was pretty good and the instructions were easy to follow but if you are expecting a moister bread pudding like consistency, I would add another egg, maybe 2, and maybe even more milk. With 4 eggs, it felt quite dry on the edges especially and not very custardy at all in the middle.

  6. Michelle
    06.03.2024

    I have made this several times for my family and both my older niece and nephew request it whenever they come visit. Everyone loves it! The only thing that I found worked a little better was to mix everything in a bowl then pour into the greased pan. I mixed it in the pan the first time and some of it really stuck to the pan and wasted some of the wonderful goodness! Thanks for this awesome recipe!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      06.06.2024

      I’m so glad you love the recipe, Michelle!

  7. Nell
    05.22.2024

    5 stars
    I’ve made this 2x and will make it again. It’s so easy and really delicious. I found I needed more eggs (and therefore more of everything else) than the recipe called for, however. The first time I used 2 non-13×9 pans so I figured that might be why. The second time I used the pan size in the directions. I used less bread than called for and still found I needed more of the egg mixture. I added 3 extra eggs and probably could have gone up to 4 to make it a little more custardy. Also, I think I might warm the milk in the future to see if that helps the cinnamon and nutmeg dissolve into it. The 1st time I made it the spices seemed to distribute during baking; the 2nd time, not enough so there were nutmeg “hot spots.” Still, I love this recipe!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.22.2024

      I’m so glad you’ve loved it! It’s possible that our breads may have been more or less dense.

  8. Karen
    05.12.2024

    5 stars
    My daughter-in-law made this for Mother’s Day brunch and it was amazingly delicious. I asked her for the recipe.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.16.2024

      HI Karen, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  9. FG
    05.12.2024

    5 stars
    made this for mother’s day without pecans and refrigerated overnight before baking the next morning. excellent!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.16.2024

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  10. Krazy Ken
    05.12.2024

    Baking in the oven now. I’ll update shortly.

  11. Heather
    05.12.2024

    How much bread? Did i miss that?

    • Emily
      05.24.2024

      About a pound and a half of bread

  12. Helen
    04.30.2024

    5 stars
    OMG!!! So delish! BEST make ahead breakfast casserole EVER. Followed the recipe precisely.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      05.02.2024

      Hi Helen, I’m so glad you loved it!

  13. gail
    04.01.2024

    5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! Was a total hit with my family for Easter brunch!! Highly recommend!! Outstanding!!!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      04.05.2024

      Hi Gail, I’m so glad everyone loved it!

  14. Sandy
    11.29.2023

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Entire family loved it. Tip: After pouring the liquid over the bread we stirred it to ensure all pieces were covered in goodness. Next time I would mixed in a separate bowl and then transfer to the greased pan. Mixing in the cooking pan removed the grease on the edges and caused bottom to adhere to the pan

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      12.01.2023

      Hi Sandy, thanks for sharing those tips! So glad the recipe was a hit.

  15. Saksham Singh
    01.10.2023

    This looks amazing! If I have anything allergy, could I go without the pecans or maybe use crumble as an alternative?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      01.13.2023

      Yep, you can totally skip the pecans!

  16. Cassidy
    01.05.2023

    Is there anything vegan that could be used to substitute for the eggs?

  17. Ali
    12.23.2022

    This looks amazing! If I have anything allergy, could I go without the pecans or maybe use crumble as an alternative?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.28.2022

      Hi Ali, sorry for my slow reply – they can be skipped, or you could use walnuts.

  18. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    12.19.2022

    5 stars
    great idea for a casserole, nice way to make a lot of french toast servings much easier, thank you!

  19. Margaret
    12.19.2022

    Thanks for this recipe! I have so much extra challah right now so I’ll have to try this!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      12.22.2022

      Yes, a great use for extra challah! I hope you enjoy the recipe.

  20. L Brown
    12.18.2022

    Do you recommend leaving the bread unwrapped on the counter for a day? Or 2 days? Otherwise, if still wrapped, it doesn’t get dry or day-oldish for many days. Thanks for your help with this.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.19.2022

      I’ve done it both ways and it was nearly the same. Even if it’s wrapped it’s still more stale than it was on day 1.

    • Joyce Weaver
      11.19.2023

      What does your palate prefer? I like the outcome with old dry bread. Dry bread absorbs more egg and milk mixture and needs adjusted time and temp.

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.