Easy 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 the best french toast casserole! Trust me, when you (and your family) know that this is awaiting you the next 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!

It’s so much easier to make for a crowd than traditional French toast with all the flipping of individual slices and the prep work for this easy French toast bake takes just minutes of hands on time. Round it out with fresh berries or a fruit salad for a truly breakfast for Sunday mornings and special occasions.

My Favorite Ingredients to Use

• Bread – To make the best French bread casserole, use the best quality bread. I like to use a hearty, day-old bread like Brioche, Sourdough bread, French bread or challah bread.
• Dairy – I use a combination of low-fat milk and heavy cream. You can substitute with whole milk or use all heavy cream for a richer custard.
• Eggs – Large eggs, at room temperature are best for this recipe. Too many eggs will make it taste like scrambled eggs.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste provide a hint of floral vanilla flavor.
• Sugar – I use granulated white sugar and then top the casserole with turbinado sugar, also known as sugar in the raw, for a crunchy top. You can substitute the white sugar for brown sugar if you want a deeper flavor.
• Seasoning – I use kosher salt only but you can add ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, orange zest or even chai spice mix.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole

1. Prep the bread. Cut the stale bread into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the bread slices in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
2. Make it creamy! In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, salt, eggs, salt and vanilla until well blended. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Set aside.
3. Let it set. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight or for 8 hours.
4. Heat it up. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Bake. Uncover the casserole.Sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top of the French toast casserole and bake for 50-55 minutes.
6. Enjoy! Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

If you want to use bread cubes instead of bread slices, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and toss them with the egg mixture in a mixing bowl before pouring into the baking dish.

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What is Overnight French Toast Casserole?

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, 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 a drizzle of 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 Store Leftovers

In an airtight container, any leftover French toast casserole 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 this easy French toast casserole recipe 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
• Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole
• The Very Best Waffle Recipe (Freezer Friendly)
• Brioche French Toast Casserole
• French Toast
• French Toast Sticks

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