Overnight French Toast Casserole is a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead breakfast recipe that everyone loves! Made with a maple custard and light vanilla glaze, this French Toast Casserole recipe delivers the classic flavor you know and love of French Toast in casserole form.
When it comes to entertaining guests for breakfast or brunch, I love turning to recipes that can be made in advance. Recipes like Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, Hashbrown Brown Breakfast Casserole, Overnight Breakfast Strata, and this French Toast Casserole all can be assembled ahead of time, meaning you can still enjoy your sleep and present a hearty, delicious spread that your guests will rave about.
And this French Toast Casserole is a show-stopping brunch recipe that is guaranteed to wow your guests!
Reasons To Love This French Toast Casserole
- Amazing Flavor & Texture. Filled with warming spices and rich maple syrup, this French Toast Casserole is perfectly sweet and bakes up fluffy in the center and a bit crispy on the edges. Finished with a sweet vanilla glaze, this is a simple breakfast recipe for a crowd that everyone loves!
- 15 Minutes of Hands-On Prep. It couldn't be easier to whip up this French Toast Bake. And when it comes to entertaining, easy recipes are best!
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole. This recipe for Overnight French Toast Casserole is best if the bread is given time to soak up the egg custard, meaning not only is possible to prepare this recipe in advance, but it will turn out better. Perfect for entertaining or a holiday breakfast.
- Crowd-Pleasing Recipe. Only crumbs remain every single time I serve this French Toast Casserole and people beg me for the recipe, that is how you know it is a winner! It has also been a favorite with my readers as well for nearly 10 years!
- Easily Made Gluten-Free and/or Dairy-Free. With simple, tested modifications, you can easily make this Overnight French Toast Casserole dairy-free and/or gluten-free.
Notes on Ingredients Needed
- Bread: Stale or day-old bread is best so that it can absorb the custard. Use any type of bread you like such as sourdough bread, whole wheat bread, french bread, Italian bread, challah, or cinnamon raisin bread. Keep in mind that using challah bread will result in a richer casserole, as the bread itself is quite sweet and eggy.
- Maple Syrup: Instead of using brown sugar or granulated sugar, I opt to use maple syrup to sweeten this French toast casserole. It adds warmth and flavor to the recipe, along with sweetening it.
- Eggs: Eggs will help the casserole to set up and give this casserole the flavors of classic French Toast.
- Half and Half: Half and half will make a rich, creamy custard. In place of half and half, feel free to use heavy cream or milk.
- For Flavor: To flavor the casserole, I recommend a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract which will pair well with the flavor of the maple syrup. A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor of the French Toast Casserole, not make it taste salty.
- Vanilla Glaze: While totally optional, a simple combination of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk makes a deliciously sweet glaze that finishes off the French toast casserole perfectly. In place of the glaze, feel free to serve with maple syrup.
Recipe/Dietary Modifications
- Dairy-Free French Toast Casserole: To make Dairy-Free French Toast Casserole, use almond milk or coconut milk in place of cow's milk. The coconut milk will produce a richer custard, but it does have notes of coconut in the final product. Also, be sure to use coconut oil or a non-dairy butter substitute for greasing the pan.
- Gluten-Free French Toast Casserole: You can make Gluten-Free French Toast Casserole by simply using your favorite gluten-free bread.
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Bread. Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes and place them into buttered baking dish.
- Prepare Egg Custard. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Assemble Casserole. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and use a spatula or your hands to gently submerge the bread into the egg custard.
- Refrigerate. Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Bake. When ready to bake, unwrap the casserole and let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until set.
- Glaze. While the French Toast is baking, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together. Drizzle that mixture over the baked casserole before serving.
Tips to Remember
The following tips are provided to help you make the best French toast casserole.
- Prepare in Advance: French Toast Casserole is best when given time for the bread to soak up the delicious custard, hence why overnight preparation is best. If you skip the step of letting your bread sit in the custard overnight, the casserole will not be as fluffy.
- Use Dried-Out Bread. Ideally, any bread you choose to use needs to be stale or dried out to absorb the custard. If your bread is not fully dried out, you may end up with a soggy casserole, therefore it is crucial to dry out your bread properly before soaking the bread in the egg custard. You can either let cubed bread dry out overnight at room temperature or speed up the process by baking the bread in a 300-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.
- Submerge the Bread in the Egg Custard. After pouring the egg and cream mixture over the dried-out bread, use your hands to gently push down the bread cubes into the custard to fully submerge. That will help ensure that the bread absorbs the casserole.
- Take the Chill Off the Casserole Before Baking. In the morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator while the oven is preheating. This will help to take the chill off your casserole and prevent your casserole dish from cracking due to extreme temperature changes.
Recipe FAQs
For best results, I don't recommend it, as the bread will not have time to absorb the egg custard. However, if you find yourself in a bind, make the casserole as directed. After pouring custard over bread, use your hands to push the bread down, fully submerging in custard. Let sit for 15 minutes, push the bread down again, and then bake as for 35 minutes instead of 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Chances are you did not use enough bread or your bread was too fresh (soft) to absorb the egg custard. To prevent this from happening, use dried-out bread. In the morning, be sure that most of the custard has been absorbed by the bread before baking. If you have more than ½ cup liquid not absorbed by the bread, you may want to drain off a bit of that custard before baking.
Yes! If your bread is not fully dried out, you will likely end up with a soggy casserole. You can either let cubed bread dry out overnight at room temperature or speed up the process by baking the bread in a 300-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Absolutely! I recommend using the same streusel recipe I use for Blueberry Coffee Cake and Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Simply combine ½ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt, with ½ cup cold. cubed unsalted butter until it resembles a crumble. Sprinkle over the casserole right before baking. Feel free to double the streusel for streusel overload!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate: Leftover French Toast Casserole can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual servings on a heat-safe plate in the microwave in 30-second intervals to warm through. Alternatively, cover the casserole with foil and heat in a 300-degree F oven until just warmed through.
More Favorite Brunch Recipes
- Asparagus Frittata
- Quiche Lorraine
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Easy Cheese Danish
- Easy Egg Casserole with Green Chiles
- Potato and Leek Frittata
- Honey Lime Fruit Salad
If you tried this Overnight French Toast Casserole, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
For the French Toast Casserole
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 16 ounces Italian or French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (this is about 8-10 loosely packed cups)
- 2 cups half and half or milk or cream
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread the bread cubes out onto a large sheet pan and allow the bread to dry out at room temperature for 4-12 hours. If time does not permit, dry the bread quickly in a 300-degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Grease a 9x13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and place the cubed, dried-out bread inside the casserole dish in an even layer.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Pour this mixture over the cubed bread, gently tapping the bread down to be fully submerged in the custard. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator while and allow it to come to room temperature as the oven preheats.
- Once the oven has preheated, remove the plastic wrap and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until set.
- Serve warm with the vanilla glaze and/or additional maple syrup.
For Glaze
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine milk, salt, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar and whisk until thin glaze forms. Add in more milk 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to thin it out. Serve with the French Toast Casserole.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2018 but was updated in December 2019 and March 2024.
Joanne
Looks great! Making this tomorrow for a couple of singers I'm hosting this evening. I bought a day-old sourdough loaf because the brioche and french loaf I saw wasn't kosher and one of the students eats kosher. I've only got whole milk (other recipes call for half and half or heavy whipping cream, but yours doesn't--I'm hoping it will still taste good to use just milk?), and my 9x13 pan is in not so great shape. Would an 8x8 glass pan work? I also bought a couple disposable 9x13's for $1. Which would be better? Do you recommend increasing the sweetness if using sourdough?
So many questions--I'm just miserable at baking even simple stuff (probably bc I end up not having the right ingredients or cook ware!) Thanks for any help!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh please don't worry about questions--I am here to help. First, I would use a disposable pan--that way you know it will fit and bake in time. Milk will be perfect--whole milk is best. As for sweeteners--for sourdough you could increase the maple syrup up to 1/3 cup, but I would suggest to serve with syrup on the side and let your company dictate how sweet they want this french toast. Enjoy!!!
Karly
I've always stayed far away from recipes with overnight prep because they always seemed so hard, but this one was so easy that I cannot believe I haven't tried it sooner! So delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Karly--and you are right, this is EASY!!!
Beth
I made this last weekend for the family. We all agree that it is a keeper! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
WAHOO!! Love that it is a keeper and family favorite!
Amanda
Hi there,
I wanted to know how long to bake for if I can't make it the night before ? Will I need to adjust any of the liquid measurements since it won't have as long to absorb the mixture? Wanting to make for lunch for my daycare.
Amanda
I'm so sorry I see your notes at the top now!
Kristen Chidsey
NO worries 😉
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amanda! To skip the overnight step, make casserole as directed and after pouring custard over bread, use your hands to push bread down, fully submerging in custard. Let sit for 15 minutes, push bread down again. If you notice more than 1/2 cup extra liquid, drain off 1/3 cup and then bake as for 35 minutes instead of 45 minutes. I hope you all enjoy!
Gina
Just made this glorious recipe this morning...all 5 of my kiddos loved it. From age 2 to age 8....A definite crowd pleaser. Great recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing! It is always a win when the whole family enjoys!
Abbie
Nice pro tip. Do I need to thaw frozen cubed bread prior to assembling or will it naturally thaw and absorb the custard over night?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Abbie, the cubes will defrost in the custard overnight, so no need to defrost.
Joyce
DELISH AND EASY. HOWEVER, best to use a glass pan. Baked many pans for a breakfast event and 3 pans were metal and non stick. All were treated with butter or non-stick spray,. All recipes baked in metal pans stuck and hard to remove casserole and didn't raise as well as glass baked pans. Glass pans were easy remove casserole. Recommend using GLASS PANS.
Guests raved about the recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you and your guests enjoyed Joyce. And yes, the tip for a glass pan is a great one! That is my go to pan as well.
Mariella
I need to make 3 batches of your recipe (looks so good but best of all easy). Could I use 3 - 9×13 pans in the oven at once? What is the best indicator that it is completely cooked through? I would greatly appreciate your feedback.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Marielle,
I have been able to make 3 batches for a large brunch before. It really depends on your oven. I place one tray on each rack and rotated the pans to separate racks half way through. My oven worked to cook them perfectly--you will know when the center is set. I hope that helps.
Davonne
I cooked it, cooked it more, and more and it never dried out enough to eat. I tried it twice. What am I doing wrong?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Davonne. I am sorry you had issues with the French Toast Casserole. Did you fully submerge your bread in the liquid and give it time to absorb before baking? That is my best guess to what may have happened. Either that or a mis-measurement occurred. Sorry about that!
Jennifer Alexander
I switched the bread to a 1/2 loaf of texas toast. I also switched the maple syrup to molasses. Yum!!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Jennifer!
Donna
Can this stay in the fridge for 2 nights instead of one?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, absolutely. Just be sure to cover well. Enjoy!!
Mariah Wheeler
Ok perfect so as long as i do the four cups I will be good. One other question I will have a breakfast casserole in oven at 425. Would it be ok to cook this at that temp and just take out sooner?
Mariah Wheeler
If using french loaf cubed up how many cups of bread do I do and do I need to change any other ingredients?? (More eggs or milk?) Thanks excited to try this out.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! You can use 4 cups of ANY bread and the recipe remains the same. Most french bread loaves are 16 ounces and then you would need to double the recipe. Enjoy☺
Karen
can you add cooked sausage to the casserole ingredients?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Karen, I have never tried adding sausage to this, but that sounds like a delicious idea. If you try it out, let us know how it works.
Eliz
Can you freeze ahead and cook it on the 5th day? (Going out of town and wanted to bake it once we get back into town). Does it need to be thawed before baking or cook right away frozen?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Eliz! I would freeze and then place in refrigerator night before you plan to bake. If that is NOT possible, cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour, covered in foil. Remove foil and bake another 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. Enjoy!
Katie M
I just made the first part of this and put it in the fridge to bake tomorrow for our family holiday brunch, so this may be a little preliminary but so far so good I think. It was easy to make and would be hard to screw up so that gets big points from me since I'm a total dope when it comes to cooking. I did leave out the cinnamon because my husband doesn't like it, and I substituted French toast bread for the brioche bread because Big Y had literal French toast bread so it was too tempting and I couldn't find brioche bread in any store. I have a good feeling about it though, I think it will be an easy and tasty recipe.
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I am so glad you found this recipe to be easy to follow Katie! And the french toast bread sound fabulous!! I hope you enjoy!