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    Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole

    Breakfast Recipes Budget Cooking Holiday Cuisine Real Food April 22, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 119 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    French Toast Casserole is so much easier than French Toast. Prepared overnight with a sweet spiced egg custard, this overnight french toast casserole bakes up to fluffy perfection in the morning. This is one of the easiest ways to serve French Toast and makes a perfect breakfast for a holiday morning or entertaining.

    Overnight French Toast Casserole delivers the classic flavor of French Toast without the work! Prep this casserole the night before and bake it in the morning, for a rich, sweet, hands-off breakfast that everyone will rave about!

    With flavors of classic french toast, this casserole is the EASY way to prepare french toast and is perfect for a crowd! I recommend pairing it with Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole and a Christmas Fruit Salad for the perfect holiday brunch.

    French Toast on blue plate with strawberries.

    Overnight French Toast Casserole, is one of my staple recipes for entertaining guests for breakfast or brunch.

    Not only because this French Toast Bake is absolutely delicious, but also because it is so easy to make. In fact, it is almost embarrassing how easy it is! But we all need easy recipes, especially when we are preparing food for a crowd or a holiday breakfast. 

    This recipe for Overnight French Toast Casserole only takes 15 minutes of hands-on prep and because it is made the night before, it is as simple as popping the casserole into the oven in the morning, and breakfast is done! Talk about easy!

    But just because it is easy to make, does not mean this breakfast casserole sacrifices anything in terms of flavor. Filled with warm spices and rich maple syrup, this french toast bake is perfectly sweet and bakes up fluffy in the center and a bit crispy on the edges. It has all the delicious flavors of classic french toast--just without the work! 

    Only crumbs remain EVERY SINGLE TIME I serve it and people beg me for the recipe–that is how you know it is a winner!

    Notes on Ingredients

    • 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.
    • 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. Even non-dairy milk works.
    • 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.

    How to Make French Toast Casserole

    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. Plus, if you are like me, mornings are always hectic or I am not at my sharpest until that cup of coffee hits--so preparing the night before not only makes this casserole easier to make, it makes it turn out better!

    Step One: Prepare the 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.

    • Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes.
    • Lay the cubed bread onto baking sheets and allow it to sit out at room temperature for 8-12 hours before preparing the French Toast Casserole to dry out the bread.
    • Alternatively, you can pop your bread into a 300-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, to speed up the process of drying out the bread.
    Cubed wheat bread on sheet pan.

    Step Two: Prepare the Casserole

    • Grease a 9x13 pan with butter and then place the dried-out cubes into the pan in an even layer.
    • For the egg custard, mix together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl.
    Side by side mixing bowl with egg custard for french toast casserole.
    • Pour the custard over the pan and gently push down the bread cubes into the custard to fully submerge. That will help ensure that the bread really absorbs the casserole.
    • At this point, cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
    Assembled French Toast Casserole in baking dish.

    Step Three: Bake

    • 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.
    • Once the oven has preheated, remove the plastic wrap from the French Toast Casserole and cover it with foil.
    • Bake for 30 minutes covered. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake until just golden and the custard is set.
    Baked French Toast Casserole in baking dish.

    Step Four: Prepare Glaze

    While the casserole is baking in the morning, if desired, whip up a simple vanilla glaze to serve over top of the french toast casserole instead of maple syrup.

    • In a small mixing bowl, combine milk, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
    • Add in sifted powdered sugar and whisk until smooth, adding in 1 tablespoon more powdered sugar at a time if needed to thicken. You want the glaze to drip off the whisk in a ribbon.
    • Drizzle the glaze over the warm french toast casserole and serve.
    French Toast Casserole in baking dish with vanilla glaze.

    Storage Instructions

    Leftover French Toast Casserole can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1 minute per serving. Or place the casserole, covered with foil, in a 325-degree F oven for 30 minutes until warmed through.

    Recipe Tips & Modifications

    • Prevent a Soggy Casserole: Chances are if your casserole is soggy, 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 of liquid not absorbed by the bread, you may want to drain off a bit of that custard before baking.
    • Dairy-Free French Toast Casserole: To make Dairy-Free French Toast Casserole, use almond milk or coconut milk in place of cow's milk. I personally have tried both with delicious results. 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.

    More Favorite Brunch Recipes

    • Asparagus Frittata
    • Quiche Lorraine
    • Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
    • Sour Cream Coffee Cake

    If you tried this Overnight French Toast Casserole, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below. 

    Overnight French Toast Casserole on blue plate

    Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole

    Overnight French Toast Casserole is a simple breakfast recipe for a crowd that everyone loves! This easy french toast casserole features a maple custard and light vanilla glaze and is perfect for brunch or Holiday breakfast. Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Modifications included. 
    4.75 from 99 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 169kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    For the French Toast Casserole

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 16 ounces 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
    • â…› 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
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • dash of salt
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    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, lightly 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 additional 15 minutes.
    • Serve warm with 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.

    Notes

    Gluten-Free Modifications: Use gluten-free bread in place of regular bread.
    Dairy-Free Modifications: Use dairy-free milk in place of cream/butter and dairy-free butter (like Smart Balance or Melt) in place of butter. 
    Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave in individual serving sizes or in a 300-degree oven until just warmed through. 
    Freezing Instructions: You can freeze this casserole after baking. Prepare French Toast Casserole (minus the vanilla glaze) and bake in a freezer-safe container, like a disposable foil pan. After baking in a freezer-safe dish, allow the casserole to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the dish in plastic wrap 2 times and then cover with 1 layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, remove the casserole from the freezer the day before you want to serve it. Allow the casserole to thaw overnight. Remove foil and plastic wrap, recover with just a layer of foil, and then reheat for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until warmed through. To cook from frozen, remove the plastic wrap, recover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until breakfast casserole is warmed through. Make the Vanilla Glaze and top the casserole if desired.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in March 2018 but has been updated in December 2019 with new tips and pictures. The recipe remains the same.

    « Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
    Easy Kid-Friendly Christmas Recipes »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Gabriela

      July 29, 2020 at 10:50 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing! I remember trying overnight french toast in a restaurant and it was delicious, so I searched for recipes to try it at home and this is how I found this one. I did it with almond milk and it was perfect. The flavor was so good, that I didn't even add more maple syrup afterwards when eating. For me, there is no going back to same-day french toast... also, doing a casserole was way easier than doing one piece of bread at a time in a frying pan. Can'´t wait to try this again!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        July 29, 2020 at 12:28 pm

        YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed so much Gabriela--thank you for taking the time to share your review 🙂

        Reply
    2. Barbara Romero

      June 11, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      Has anyone tried this baked french toast without the maple syprup? I am not a fan of maple syrup but the recipe sounds wonderful

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 11, 2020 at 7:08 pm

        Hi Barabara! I would use sugar or brown sugar. It will be delicious!

        Reply
    3. Mary Beth

      April 13, 2020 at 6:20 pm

      5 stars
      I am so excited! I made this and it turned out amazing. I didn't have any fancy bread, I just had heels and a few odds and ends that I usually save to make dressing. I cubed them all up along with some bagels and English muffins. I left it on the tray to dry and put the casserole together that evening. I made two square pans as 9 x 13 is way too much for the two of us. I was skeptical when I took them out of the fridge the next morning but I followed the directions exactly. Didn't make the glaze but used butter and maple syrup. Delicious and enough for the following morning. Wonderful use for all those odd pieces of bread that get thrown in the freezer. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 14, 2020 at 7:41 am

        I LOVE that you were able to make this using the scraps you had at home! It is a great way to use up leftover bread and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

        Reply
    4. Laura Schricker

      April 13, 2020 at 10:36 am

      can unseasoned croutons be used or unseasoned stuffing for a shortcut for having to dry and cut the bread up ?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 13, 2020 at 11:44 am

        I would imagine that would work Laura, but I honestly have not tried it myself.

        Reply
    5. Kiersten

      March 28, 2020 at 10:06 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for my friends birthday brunch and I went home with an empty pan. I made that one with normal bread and I made it again with gluten free bread. Both taste amazing and are a huge hit in my family. Highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 29, 2020 at 8:09 am

        I am so glad you and your friends enjoyed Kiersten 🙂

        Reply
    6. Christine Derry

      February 24, 2020 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      I really like your recipes but because of the black header, when I want to print, it uses up way too much black ink. Could you possibly change it to black letters on white background?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 24, 2020 at 12:07 pm

        Hi Christine, I recently changed to the black header because it was easier to read. I just made changes, so it should be super compact and printer friendly now. Thanks for sharing that input!

        Reply
    7. Ryan

      January 31, 2020 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      Hello! Is it possible to half this recipe to accommodate an 8x8pan? I have a few people coming over and 9x13 seems to be a bit large for my guests. Would you have any suggestions? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 31, 2020 at 8:53 am

        Hi Ryan! Yes, you can cut this recipe in half and prepare in an 8x8 pan! I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
        • Ryan

          January 31, 2020 at 9:42 am

          5 stars
          Thank you!!

          Reply
    8. Heidi

      December 25, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing french toast bake! Our new Christmas morning tradition!!! I used 10 cups of dried out whole wheat crust loaf and 7 eggs. I also used 3 rounded teaspoons of cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon of nutmeg, dotted with butter and brown sugar before baking. Absolutely delightful! Thank you! Merry Christmas!!!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 26, 2019 at 6:51 am

        Oh I love that is now a tradition. So glad you enjoyed and hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

        Reply
    9. Donna

      December 24, 2019 at 1:42 pm

      Have you ever tried with orange extract vs vanilla extract? Would that work?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 24, 2019 at 3:00 pm

        Hi Donna! Orange extract has a very strong flavor, so I would not recommend using in place of vanilla. It would be better to just omit the vanilla altogether.

        Reply
    10. Marni

      December 21, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      I bought French bread for this recipe to make on Christmas Eve (in 3 days) for Christmas morning! But now I’m second guessing that the bread will be TOO stale by then ?? Should I cut it up already and keep it out? Or refrigerate? Or make the recipe early? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 21, 2019 at 7:01 pm

        Hi Marni, if it is fresh bread and the sell by date is no later than December 24, it will be fine. I would personally leave at room temperature sealed well and then cube up early on Christmas Eve and then pour custard over the bread cubes before going to bed. If your French bread expires before the 24th,freeze the bread and pull out the 23rd and cube up the 24th. Hope that helps and Merry Christmas.

        Reply
        • Marni

          December 22, 2019 at 11:39 am

          Ok! Thank you!! I’m excited to have a little bit healthier Christmas morning breakfast (we usually do Monkey Bread) so thank you for this recipe!!

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            December 22, 2019 at 4:46 pm

            I hope you and your family enjoy Marni!!

            Reply
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    French Toast Casserole is so much easier than French Toast. Prepared overnight with a sweet spiced egg custard, this overnight french toast casserole bakes up to fluffy perfection in the morning. This is one of the easiest ways to serve French Toast and makes a perfect breakfast for a holiday morning or entertaining.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    French Toast Casserole is so much easier than French Toast. Prepared overnight with a sweet spiced egg custard, this overnight french toast casserole bakes up to fluffy perfection in the morning. This is one of the easiest ways to serve French Toast and makes a perfect breakfast for a holiday morning or entertaining.

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