Easy Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole

This baked French toast casserole is the easiest way to feed a crowd for breakfast or brunch — prep it the night before, bake it in the morning, and enjoy a golden, custardy dish with no fuss.

With just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen, you can create an easy breakfast casserole that tastes like traditional French toast but without having to cook individual slices of French toast. You’re going to love this overnight casserole!

Years ago when my now adult children were little, a fellow homeschool mom gave me a few pages of recipes that she used in her home to feed her large family. And a variation of this recipe was in that little packet. Little did I know then, that this would become something of a tradition for us. 

This overnight French toast casserole is pretty rich, so I save it for special breakfasts. The special occasion can mean many things, it could be a holiday where we’re only going to eat two meals – bunch and dinner, it could be that we’re traveling and I make this ahead to bake at the AirBNB, or it could be that we’re have out of town guests and this makes an easy breakfast. 

Over the years, I’ve made this recipe many different ways – with dairy and diary-free, with store-bought French bread and homemade French bread. It always turns out delicious. So we’ve dubbed this the Best Baked French Toast Casserole Ever. 

Notes on Ingredients

Bread – I normally use store bought French bread for this recipe but you can certainly use homemade French bread. Here’s an easy French bread recipe that will work great. Since French toast is a traditional way to use stale bread, this recipe is great for using bread from the day-old bread section of the grocery store. You don’t need to be picky on the kind of bread, I’ve also used French baguette, sourdough bread, and the trimmings from regular sandwich bread and gluten-free bread that we used to make sandwiches for a bridal shower tea party. You can also use challah bread or Texas toast. You need about 1 pound of bread – feel free to mix and match bits of leftover bread from the freezer too.

Pro Tip: Whatever bread you decide to use, make sure it’s on the drier side so it will soak up the egg mixture without getting soggy. If you only have fresh bread, toast it in the oven for just a bit to dry it out.

​Eggs – We use the eggs from our hens but during the winter months when they aren’t laying, we use eggs that we froze during the spring.

Milk – we use raw whole milk that we buy locally but we’ve also made this French toast recipe with oat milk and almond milk for a dairy-free option.

Half and Half – the original recipe calls for half and half. Usually I just use all milk because it’s cheaper – no one has ever complained. But feel free to use half and half if you have it.

Vanilla Extract 

Ground Cinnamon – This wasn’t in the original recipe, but we love the addition. You could also add other warming spices, such as this homemade pumpkin pie spice mix. 

Butter – Normally we use real unsalted butter, but for a dairy-free option I’ve used plant based butter

Brown Sugar – If you don’t have any brown sugar, just mix a cup of granulated sugar with 1-2 tablespoons molasses to make some.

Maple Syrup – the original recipe called for corn syrup but we prefer pure maple syrup. 

How to Make Baked French Toast

Using  a knife and cutting bard, cut the bread into cubes. Put the bread crumbs into a greased baking dish. If you want a more classic French Toast casserole you can slice the bread and lay the bread slices at an angle in the baking dish, instead of a single layer. 

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. 

Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes. I like to give it a stir, especially if I’m going to make the baked French toast right a way and not the next morning. 

Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. I like to use this baking pan because it has a lid.

The next morning remove the casserole from the refrigerator.

Before you bake it, you’ll need to melt the butter with the brown sugar and maple syrup. I like to do this on the stove and cook it until the edges just start to bubble. That being said, when we’re on vacation, I just pack all the topping ingredients in a microwave safe, airtight container for traveling and then microwave it.

Pour the topping over the top of the casserole and bake until golden brown. Because this recipe really swells up while baking, be sure to put a sheet pan under the casserole dish or on the bottom shelf to catch any drips.

This French toast casserole has a crispy exterior and an eggy bread interior, just what a French toast lover wants!

Variations and Flavor Ideas

• Seasonal Fruit Mix-Ins: Peaches, blueberries, bananas, and apples
• Holiday Spiced: Pumpkin pie spice, cranberries, and pecans
• Savory Twist: Omit the sugar topping and add bits of cheese, ham or sausage

Serving Suggestions

• Brunch spread with fruit, bacon, sausage, juice and coffee.
• Seasonal fruit topping such as berries in the summer or spiced apples in the fall.
• Garnish with a little maple syrup or whipped cream.
• Breakfast for dinner or even as a dessert as it tastes very similar to bread pudding.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• Overnight Prep: This will give you the best flavor and texture.
• Forgot to Make-Ahead?: No worries, put the bread and custard mixture in a big bowl and get all the bread saturated before putting it in the 9×13-inch baking dish. Make the topping and bake.
• Storing Leftovers: Cover and store leftover casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezing Before Baking: Assemble casserole, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, store in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw overnight before baking.
• Freezing After Baking: Let casserole cool, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to a month. It can also be frozen in serving size pieces in smaller containers. Reheat in the microwave.

Tips & FAQ

• Why did my casserole turn out soggy in the middle? If the French toast casserole is soggy in the middle, it probably just needs to be cooked longer. French toast is supposed to have a soft, moist, custardy interior, but it shouldn’t be raw. So, just cook it a little longer if it’s too moist. If the top is browning too quickly, cover the casserole with foil for part of the baking.
• Be sure to put a cookie sheet under the casserole dish while baking to catch any drips.
• Stale bread works best. If your bread is fresh, dry it out in the oven just a bit (don’t toast it completely.)
• If you forget to prep this casserole the night before. You can still make it in the morning, just reduce the liquid by 1/2 cup and be sure to coat all the pieces before baking.

This overnight baked French Toast recipe is super flexible and forgiving. Get creative with the add-ins and next time you need a no-fuss breakfast for brunch, prep this the night before and enjoy a stress-free morning!

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