Overnight French toast casserole is an easy, make-ahead breakfast dish. Cubed bread and pecans are soaked in a cinnamon custard and baked to perfection in the oven.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Like a French toast bread pudding. It's made with day-old bread cubes and pecans soaked in a sweetened cinnamon custard and baked until golden brown and crispy on top.
Make ahead: Casserole requires 8 hours to set before baking. Make it the night before and pop in the oven in the morning!
Pan size: 9x13
Similar to: Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal, Cinnamon French Toast
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Bread - Any crusty, day-old bread works well in this recipe. I recommend a loaf of French bread, Italian bread, or sourdough bread. Rich, eggy bread like brioche is too soft and moist to soak up the custard properly. Standard sandwich bread is also too soft for this recipe. If you've got a moist, fresh bread on hand that you'd like to use, it needs to be dried out in the oven first by baking in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Custard - Milk (any kind works), eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon create a lightly seasoned, sweet custard.
- Pecans - Can be omitted if desired, but I enjoy the added crunch and flavor. Walnuts are another great option.
How to make French Toast Casserole
- Add cubed bread and chopped pecans to a greased baking dish.
- Pour custard and spice mixture over bread and pecans.
- Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Bake covered at 350F for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 20-25 minutes or until cooked through in the middle. Eggs should be set, not runny.
Tips and tricks
Grease your baking dish - Don't forget to lightly grease your 9x13 pan before adding your cubed bread. Otherwise, the casserole can stick to the sides of the pan.
Use a dry, crusty bread - Fresh, soft sandwich bread will not work in this recipe. If you only have a soft, moist bread on hand, dry it out in the oven beforehand. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, cube your bread and spread it onto a sheet pan, then bake for 20-30 minutes, or until dry.
Allow your casserole to rest - Once your casserole is assembled, you'll want to cover with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight. I highly recommend allowing your casserole to rest overnight so the bread has a chance to soak up the custard mixture. If you don't have time to make your casserole the day before, I recommend allowing it to rest for at least an hour before baking.
Frequently asked questions
Any crusty bread works well because it soaks up the custard mixture while resting. A loaf of day-old French bread, Italian bread, or sourdough are my go-to's for this recipe.
Sandwich bread doesn't work well in this recipe because it's very soft and moist. A thick and crusty day-old bread works best to soak up the custard and prevent a soggy casserole. If you have fresh bread on hand: cube it, spread onto a baking sheet, and bake in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20-30 minutes to dry it out.
This casserole keeps well and leftovers can be reheated the next day. If reheating a cooked casserole, place in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for up to 30 minutes, or until warm. Individual portions can also be microwaved.
Soggy casserole can happen if it's not baked for long enough, if the casserole wasn't allowed to set beforehand, or moist bread was used in the recipe. Dry, crusty bread is best because it soaks up the egg mixture while it sits.
Leftover french toast casserole will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes. To freeze leftovers (or an entire baked casserole), allow your casserole to come to room temperature, then tightly seal with two layers of foil. You can also freeze individual portions for easy reheating later on. Move your frozen casserole from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before to allow to thaw.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cubed crusty bread, day-old sourdough or French bread is best
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 8 large eggs
- 16 ounces milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Generously grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Add cubed bread and chopped pecans in an even layer.
- In a large bowl, add eggs, milk, sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour egg mixture slowly over cubed bread.
- Cover casserole with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. While oven is preheating, remove casserole from refrigerator to rest at room temperature.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through in the middle. If needed, use a toothpick to test the center of your casserole - eggs should be set, not runny.
- Serve your casserole warm with maple syrup or powdered sugar on top.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Can I use fresh sandwich bread? Using fresh bread can result in a soggy casserole due to the extra moisture. If you have fresh bread on hand: cube it, spread onto a baking sheet, and bake in a 300F oven for 20-30 minutes to dry out your bread slightly.
- To freeze leftovers: Allow your casserole to come to room temperature, then tightly seal individual portions (or entire casserole) with two layers of foil.
- Thawing: Move frozen casserole from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before reheating to allow to thaw.
- To reheat leftovers: place casserole in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for up to 30 minutes, or until warm. Individual portions can also be microwaved.
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