Overnight Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

posted by Lindsay on September 1, 2020
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I love this Overnight Cinnamon French Toast Casserole! It’s an easy breakfast idea flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar. You assemble it the night before, then pop it in the oven in the morning. We always make this french toast bake for the holidays and it disappears fast!

a slice of casserole and a fully baked casserole in a dish

The Best French Toast Casserole

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made this overnight french toast casserole. It’s a classic in our family for an easy breakfast when we’ve got family in town and especially for holidays. Christmas morning breakfast anyone?

In fact, I love this recipe so much I’ve made several variations, like my Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole, Birthday Cake French Toast Casserole and Banana French Toast Casserole. All are wonderful overnight casseroles that are easy to put together and perfect for making ahead!

Recipe Ingredients

This version of my french toast casserole has classic flavors so pretty much everyone likes it.

  • Loaf of Bread – You’ll want a pound sized loaf to cut into chunks. Sourdough is my favorite, but French bread would work too.
  • Eggs
  • Milk – Whole milk or 2%
  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Sugars – This recipe uses both white and brown sugar. The brown sugar adds a touch of caramel flavor that is downright addictive.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Cinnamon – Is there such a thing as too much cinnamon?

You’ll also need a few other things for the streusel topping, including some flour and butter.

A slice of french toast casserole on a plate

How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole

This recipe is so easy and it makes your home smell amazing while its baking in the oven! Here’s how to make it:

  1. Cube bread and add to pan. The first thing you’ll want to do is cut up your loaf of bread into about 1 inch chunks and spread them evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. Make the custard & pour over bread. Next, combine the other casserole ingredients and whisk everything together so that it’s well combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, trying to wet all of it.
  3. Chill. Cover the casserole and store it in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
  4. Make streusel topping. While it’s in the fridge, you can also pre-make the streusel topping. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, then cut the butter into the mixture until it forms crumbles. Leave it in a bowl and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake the casserole.
  5. Preheat oven. When you’re ready to make the casserole, preheat the oven and crumble the pre-made streusel topping over the casserole.
  6. Bake and serve. Bake the casserole from about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on whether you want a softer or firmer texture. When it’s ready, serve it with fresh fruit, powdered sugar and some syrup.
full french toast casserole in white dish

Topping Ideas

Oh let me count the ways you could top a slice of this french toast casserole – there are so many! Here are some of our favorite ways to top it:

  • Maple syrup – Of course.
  • Whipped cream – Another classic! You can use canned whipped cream, or if you’re feeling fancy you can make this easy homemade whipped cream.
  • Confectioners sugar – You can sprinkle it on with a spoon, or if you have a sifter you can add a nice dusting all over each slice.
  • Fruit – Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries all go well with french toast. If I have extra time I sometimes cook up peeled and sliced apples with a bit of water, sugar and cinnamon for another topping option.
  • Honey or Maple Cream – Not as common as maple syrup, but both solid options!

It probably goes without saying, but I’m a big fan of doing all of these toppings at the same time. Might as well go all in!

serving of cinnamon french toast casserole on plate

Why Do I Love this Recipe?

The final casserole is wonderful! The streusel topping is part of what makes it so good and there’s plenty on top of this! Each bite is addicting. I love contrast between the crunch streusel topping and the soft, pillowy casserole layers.

And with the ease of making it and the fact that you can make it the night before, it’s perfect for busy mornings or holidays when there’s a bunch of things going on.

The Secret to Preventing Soggy French Toast

People often wonder: How do I make sure my French toast is not soggy? Especially with a casserole that is soaked overnight, you might think that soggy French toast will be the result. Not so!

Want to know why? The secret is in the kind of bread you use. If you use a soft bread for your French toast casserole there isn’t enough room in the bread for it to soak up the extra moisture. That’s why I prefer a crusty bread like sourdough or french bread.

If you really want to use softer breads like brioche or challah, then I always recommend slicing the cubes and letting them sit out for several hours to harden, or toasting them in the oven first. By drying them out a bit you make it easier for the bread cubes to soak up the custard.

french toast casserole in baking pan

I hope you love this recipe! If you make it please come back and let me know what you think.

More Breakfast Recipes

Easy Fluffy Homemade Waffles
Overnight Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Easy Homemade Monkey Bread
Fluffy Homemade Pancakes
Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

slice of overnight cinnamon french toast casserole on plate

Overnight Cinnamon Baked French Toast Casserole

slice of overnight cinnamon french toast casserole on plate
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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Overnight Cinnamon Baked French Toast Casserole: easy to make and so incredibly good! Perfect for a holiday make-ahead breakfast or brunch.

  • Author: Life, Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 10 Servings 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

CASSEROLE

  • 1 pound loaf Sourdough Or French Bread
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups (480ml) milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (104g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (36g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

TOPPING

  • 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (169g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (112g) butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

1. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set aside.
2. Cut bread into 1 inch chunks and spread evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugars, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread, getting all the bread wet from the mixture.
4. Cover the casserole and store in fridge for several hours or overnight.
5. To make the streusel topping (this can be made ahead and refrigerated), combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and cut into the dry mixture until it all comes together to form a crumble. You can store this mixture in the fridge overnight if you’d like.
6. When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Crumble the streusel topping evenly over the top of the casserole, covering as much of it as you can.
8. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Bake less time for a softer, more moist texture. Bake longer for a firmer, less moist texture.
9. When casserole is ready, serve warm with syrup and other toppings such as powdered sugar or fresh fruit.

Keywords: overnight french toast recipe, baked french toast recipe, christmas morning brunch recipe, make ahead breakfast, french toast bake, french toast casserole, best, easy

Recipe modified from Pioneer Woman

Enjoy!

Recipes, Holidays, Savory, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Breakfast
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