Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole

A piece of Overnight French Toast Casserole on blue plate with strawberries on side.

4.76 from 107 votes

Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole

With warming spices, rich maple, and a silky vanilla glaze, this Overnight French Toast Casserole is the shortcut to a show-stopping breakfast! Assemble it the night before, bake in the morning, and enjoy an effortless make-ahead breakfast perfect for holiday mornings or overnight guests.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

9x13 pan

Ingredients

For the French Toast Casserole

16 ounces Italian bread or French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (this is about 8-10 loosely packed cups)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing pan
6 large eggs
2 cups half and half or whole milk or cream
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Vanilla Glaze (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar sifted
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of salt

Instructions

To Dry Out Bread: 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℉ 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 6 large eggs, 2 cups half and half , ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg together until well combined.
Pour the egg mixture over the cubed bread in the buttered casserole dish, gently tapping the bread down with your hands so that it is fully submerged in the custard. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 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.
While the casserole is baking prepare the glaze. Sift 1 cup powdered sugar over a large mixing bowl. Add a dash of salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons milk and whisk together until a thin glaze forms. Add in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to thin it out.
Drizzle the glaze over the baked casserole and serve.

Video

Notes

Note on Nutmeg: Grating nutmeg from a whole bulb is far superior to ground nutmeg in this recipe. If you don't have whole nutmeg, only use ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg so it does not overwhelm the bake.

Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread in place of regular bread.

Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free milk in place of cream/butter and dairy-free butter (like Smart Balance) in place of butter.

Prevent a Soggy Casserole: Chances are if your casserole is soggy, you did not use enough bread or your bread was too 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.

Add Streusel: Combine ½ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add in ½ cup cold, cubed unsalted butter and use your fingers to mix the mixture together, until crumbs form and the butter is well distributed through the flour and sugar. Sprinkle over the casserole right before baking. Feel free to double the streusel for streusel overload!

Store: Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave a single slice in 30-second intervals until warm or heat the whole dish covered with foil at 300°F until warmed through.

Nutrition