Overnight French Toast Casserole
Overnight French Toast is easy to make and perfect for making an early morning worth looking forward to! Bread is soaked with a scrumptious creamy mixture overnight in the fridge before being baked to perfection in the oven.
French Toast Casserole
I often dream of french toast. While I count sheep, I also have images of gorgeous golden brown bread and smells of sweet vanilla and sugar… Well, at least those are my dreams when I know I’m waking up to this overnight french toast casserole! Trust me, when you (and your family) know that this is awaiting you in the morning, it makes getting out of bed so much easier. It’s just like waking up on Christmas morning to all those presents, only tastier!
What is Overnight French Toast Casserole?
Essentially, Overnight French toast casserole is exactly how it sounds and you need this in your recipe repertoire stat! French Toast Casserole is much like a bread pudding where a layer of bread is arranged in a baking dish with a custard mixture poured on top.
What makes this version even better is you can prep it the night before and allow the bread to soak up all that flavor so when it bakes you have an amazingly decadent breakfast treat.
The prep work for this recipe is just as easy as our overnight breakfast casserole, is short and sweet. All you really need to do is chop up the bread and toss it into a casserole dish, whip up a creamy mixture, then pour the mixture evenly across the bread. Voila! An overnight casserole is ready to pop into the oven and soak while you sleep. When you let the bread soak for about eight hours, it really becomes more decadent than your average french toast.
In the morning, just pop the casserole dish in the oven, bake it, and enjoy! You can top it off with maple syrup, berries, whipped cream, or really anything else your morning bird heart desires. Oh, and you can’t forget to add the turbinado sugar just before baking. It not only adds a delicious additional touch of sweetness, but a delightful added crunch that’s SO satisfying on the outside of the bread. Serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar or strawberry puree for a leveled up breakfast. From consistency to flavor, this french toast casserole is a real winner!
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Prep the bread. Arrange the bread in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Make it creamy! Whisk together the milk, heavy cream, salt, eggs, salt and vanilla until well blended. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Set aside.
- Let it set. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for 8 hours.
- Heat it up. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake. Uncover the casserole.Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar and bake for 50-55 minutes.
- Enjoy! Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Tools You Need
Oval Baking Dish
You can use any shape you like but we prefer this Staub Oval Baking Dish because of even heat distribution. It also keeps the dish warm for oven to table ease.
Balloon Whisk
A must have kitchen tool, the balloon whisk is perfect for whisking eggs, gravy, custards and more. This de Buyer whisk will stand the test of time. Our favorite kitchen tool!
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How to Store Leftovers
In an airtight container, any leftovers you have of this breakfast casserole will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Just make sure it’s totally cooled to room temperature before storing it! Also, I recommend heating it back up in the oven, not the microwave if you can help it. Just pop it back into an oven preheated at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
How Long to Soak Overnight
Eight hours is the preferred amount of time for soaking the bread, as this really allows the bread to soak up every last drop of the cream mixture. You could get away with baking it after six or seven hours of soaking, but it may not be as decadent. With that being said, try not to allow the bread to soak for over eight hours, or you run the risk of your bread becoming too soggy.
Best Bread for Overnight French Toast
Make sure it’s a thick, hearty bread from the bakery – not from the sliced bread aisle! Also, you’ll want to make sure it’s about a day old. If it’s too fresh, it’ll be too soft and get soggy as it soaks. Brioche and challah are both great options when you’re scanning the bakery for the best french toast bread!
More Easy Breakfast Ideas
- Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
- The Very Best Waffle Recipe (Freezer Friendly)
- Brioche French Toast Casserole
- French Toast
- French Toast Sticks
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Get the Recipe: Overnight French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1- pound loaf day old hearty bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- 2 cups low-fat milk
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Arrange the bread in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the milk, heavy cream, salt, eggs, salt and vanilla until well blended.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Set aside.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Uncover the casserole.
- Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar and bake for 50-55 minutes.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Video
2 Comments on “Overnight French Toast Casserole”
Step 1 should not be to preheat the oven before you put bread in fridge overnight!
Ha! Good call. Yes, step one would not be to preheat the oven overnight. Thank you.