French Toast Casserole Bake
I am so excited to share this recipe with you all! This French Toast Casserole Bake is absolutely perfect for the holidays; it takes everything you love about classic French toast, combines it with the indulgent ease of a bread pudding, and delivers a stunning make-ahead dish that is an absolute crowd-pleaser. The concept is pure genius: you soak the bread overnight in a rich, flavorful custard base, and the next morning you literally just pull it from the fridge, bake, and serve! How easy is that? During the holidays, my priority is spending as much time as possible with family, and this recipe delivers on that promise, allowing you to have a warm, gourmet breakfast ready with zero morning prep. I mean, who doesn’t love French toast, especially when it is so effortlessly decadent?
The secret to this casserole’s success is the perfect texture, which we achieve through both the overnight soak and a thoughtful topping. The long soak ensures the bottom layers of bread become beautifully soft and custardy, while the top pieces, which dry slightly overnight, crisp up to a perfect golden brown in the oven. The rich custard itself is a blend of whole milk, heavy cream, and a generous amount of eggs, seasoned heavily with cinnamon and vanilla for deep flavor. And the finishing touch? A simple cinnamon streusel made with cold butter, which is prepared the night before and sprinkled on top right before baking. This streusel melts and bakes into a crisp, buttery crumble that provides the most satisfying crunch against the soft interior. This dish truly feels like a special occasion, but you can make it using almost any soft bread loaf you find (check those bakery Manager’s Specials for stale challah or brioche!). I cannot wait for you to try this! ❤️
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🧾 Ingredients 🧾
For the Bread:
I am using two French loaves, 28 ounces of bread in total. You can use any softer bread loaf such as challah, croissant, or brioche. I recommend going to the bakery section of your local market and seeing what's on "Manager's Special," those are the breads that may be a little stale, and you can get a great deal!
For the Custard:
8 whole large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For the Streusel:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter (cold)
To Serve:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Whipped cream
Maple syrup
👨🍳 Instructions 👨🍳
(The Day Before)
1) Cut the bread into one-inch chunks and place them into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Spread the bread out evenly so the custard can soak in properly.
2) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
3) Pour the custard mixture over the bread in the baking dish. Gently press the bread down with your fingertips or a spoon so it absorbs more of the custard. The top pieces will look a little dry at first, but they will soften overnight. This creates the perfect texture: soft and custardy on the bottom, crisp and golden on top.
4) Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to soak overnight.
5) To prepare the streusel, chop the very cold stick of butter into small cubes. In a bowl, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add the butter and rub the butter into the mixture using your fingers. Continue breaking and pressing the butter pieces until you have small, flaky, butter-coated crumbs. Place the streusel in a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
(The Day Of)
6) Preheat your oven to 350 F.
7) Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and take off the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the cold streusel evenly over the entire surface of the casserole, making sure every area is covered.
8) Bake at 350 F for 40 to 60 minutes. For a soft, custardy French toast texture, bake for forty minutes. For crispier edges and a firmer bite, bake for sixty minutes.
9) When the casserole is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for ten minutes so the custard can finish setting.
10) Dust the entire top of the casserole with powdered sugar.
11) Cut into eight portions. Serve each slice with additional powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh fruit.
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