Puffy and luxuriously rich, this Baked French Toast casserole can be assembled the night before, then baked in the morning for an easy and laidback weekend breakfast or brunch. So easy and so delicious!

This one is for all the French toast lovers out there that would like to avoid the tedious flipping of individual toasts first thing in the morning. Or for those who appreciate recipes you’re able to prep ahead of time – particularly when planning for a special weekend breakfast or brunch. This crave-worthy baked French toast is filled with sweet and eggy bread pieces, then baked until the centre is custardy and the top is golden and crisp.

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Overnight Baked French Toast
Ingredients
How To Make Baked French Toast
Tips To Make The Best Baked French Toast
Make It Healthier
Favourite Toppings For Overnight French Toast
Variations
Storing and Freezer Tips
Other Fabulous Brunch Recipes You Might Enjoy

With it’s pastry-like richness I am certain this classic French toast will become your go-to dish for special brunches or a laidback weekend breakfast. It couldn’t be less challenging to prepare, yields plenty to feed a hungry crowd, and and everyone will love it. And if you don’t have a crowd to feed, no worries. Leftovers are just as good – even straight-out-of-the-fridge cold.

Overnight Baked French Toast

With this recipe you get all the delicious flavour of your beloved French toast but instead of pan-frying individual pieces on the stove-top, it’s all assembled in a baking dish then tucked in the fridge to sit overnight. The overnight soak allows the bread to soak in the sweet vanilla custard and in the morning, you simply bake it for a little under an hour. It then emerges from the oven all puffed with a tender, custardy interior and a crispy, craggy top. Easy, simple, heavenly.

Though it’s super convenient to make the casserole the night before, you can certainly make this baked French toast the day you plan on eating it. Just be sure to give the bread at least a half hour to soak up the custard before you bake it.

Ingredients

The beauty of this casserole is that you are using the exact simple ingredients you would use to make a skillet-cooked French toast. So essentially, this is a deconstructed version of French Toast.

Bread – I like to use 1 large loaf of day old challah or brioche which is sold at most grocery stores. If you can’t find either of those, any loaf of bread that is sturdy, and not too spongy, will work. You can even use your favourite gluten-free bread.
Eggs – This recipe calls for 8 eggs.
Whole Milk – You can use a milk with less fat, or even non-dairy milk. Just be aware the custard won’t be as creamy.
Vanilla – Optional, but adds more flavour.
Salt – Just a pinch, but essential in an eggy custard.
Cinnamon – For the classic French toast flavour.
Sugar – I use 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar in the egg mixture, but any sugar will work. Feel free to add a little more sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
Butter – for the baking dish.
Icing sugar – A light dusting of icing sugar just before serving can be quite nice but is completely optional.

How To Make Baked French Toast

You will love how quick and easy it is to put together this baked French toast casserole.

Start by generously greasing a 9×13 baking dish with unsalted butter.
Cube the bread into 1-inch pieces. Ideally the bread will be at least a day-old and somewhat dry. If it isn’t, place the cubed bread on a sheet pan and place in a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 minutes. Let cool.
Once cooled, place the bread cubes into a prepared pan.
In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread, pressing lightly to make sure it soaks up all the mixture. Cover and refrigerate the dish overnight.
The next morning, take the dish out of the oven and let sit on the counter while the oven preheats to 375 degrees F. Bake covered with parchment paper (see tips below) for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking until the bread is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes longer.
Serve warm with desired accompaniments.

Tips To Make The Best Baked French Toast

As easy as this dish is to make, there are a few tips common problems that creep up with a baked French toast dish. The two most common are 1) The bottom of the French toast is soggy, and the top is dry. 2) An overall soggy casserole. Here are my best tips to avoid this:

Use dry, day-old bread. Make sure your bread is slightly stale, or it will fall apart in the batter and won’t be able to soak up the custard. If your bread is really fresh and soft and you have no time to let it sit out, toast it for 10 minutes in a 350ºF oven. Let it cool slightly before mixing it with the custard.
Cube the bread. Many recipes call for arranging bread slices (as opposed to cut-up bread) which will look really pretty. However, this won’t allow the custard to get as evenly distributed and you will end up with a really crispy top and a very soggy bottom.
Slice the bread the right thickness. Small, thin pieces of bread will not hold up well to the custard. Left too thick, they will not be able to soak up enough custard. If your loaf came sliced, cube it accordingly. Otherwise, slice the loaf into 3/4″ to 1″ thickness, then cube it.
Don’t use too much dairy. If you add too much dairy to the custard mixture, the eggs will not set when cooked and the bread will remain wet and soggy.
Make sure all the bread is soaked. You want to lightly press onthe bread to make sure it soaks up all the egg mixture.
Cover the baking dish with parchment paper. I don’t love using aluminum foil but covering a pan with parchment paper can be tricky. Here is a fantastic trick I learned from my years working at the cooking studio. Take a piece of parchment paper, crumple it into a ball, then wet it under running water. Shake off excess water then unfold it. Now it is easy to mold over the pan. I know, my mind was blown too.

Make It Healthier

As written, this baked French toast recipe is definitely indulgent which I think is totally fine for special occasions. That said, it’s easy to make it a little healthier with just a few tweaks.

Use whole-grain or sprouted bread. Sprouted, whole grain bread is more digestible and more nutritious. My favourite brand is Ezekiel and they make a cinnamon raisin bread that is fabulous for French toast. You can find it frozen in the health section of most well-stocked supermarkets.
Use dairy-free milk. I have made this baked French toast with a mix of coconut milk and almond milk and I love it. It has a definite coconut flavour so if you don’t think you’d like that, use any other dairy-free milk.
Omit the sugar. This recipe calls for very little sugar in the egg mixture but you can omit it all together if you wish. Particularly if drizzling with maple syrup once baked, you won’t miss it.
Serve with lots of fresh berries. The blueberry compote recipe is sweetened with only 1 tablespoon of honey so it’s pretty healthy. Fresh berries will provide even more nutrients and vitamins.

Favourite Toppings For Overnight French Toast

We love it served simply with a light dusting of icing sugar and drizzled with lots of good maple syrup. But for special treats, I like to serve it with the blueberry compote included in this recipe. Quick to make, and not overly sweet, it’s outstanding drizzled over pieces of the baked French toast. And once you’ve made a batch, it will serve you well for a variety of breakfast, brunch, or other desserts.

Other great toppings for this baked French toast would be toasted, sliced almonds, any variety of fresh berries, or whipped cream if you’re feeling super decadent.

Variations

Use this simple Baked French Toast recipe as your starting point, then feel free to give it your own twist! Here’s a few ideas:

Add blueberries before baking. Scatter a few handfuls of fresh blueberries over the top of the casserole just before baking.
Give it a citrusy flavour. Adding some lemon or orange zest to the egg mixture will give the French toast a great citrusy flavour.
Add nuts. Scatter chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds over the French toast just before baking for a little extra crunch.
Make a streusel topping. Mix together a few tablespoons of flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Using your hands, add in a few tablespoons of soft butter and mix until crumbly. When ready to bake, sprinkle the streusel over the French toast.

Storing and Freezer Tips

Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To freeze: You can freeze the baked French toast casserole before or after baking, covered tightly, for up to 3 months.When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. If not pre-baked, remove all the wrapping and bake uncovered as per recipe. A prebaked casserole will only need to cook for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Other Fabulous Brunch Recipes You Might Enjoy

If you give this Baked French Toast recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!

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