French Toast Casserole Recipe

Course: Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 50

Chill Time: 8

Total Time: 9 10

Servings: people

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

French toast casserole is an easy and delicious make-ahead breakfast dish, perfect for Christmas morning or any special occasion.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
9x13 Baking Pan

Ingredients

10 cups cubed bread 500 grams (1 loaf) - see note
6 large eggs 300 grams
2 cups milk 454 grams
1 cup heavy cream 227 grams
½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
¼ cup pancake syrup 78 grams (see note)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 12 grams
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
fresh blueberries for topping, optional

For the Crumble Topping

½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)
½ cup all-purpose flour 70 grams
½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan well with nonstick spray.
Place all bread cubes into the prepared baking pan.
10 cups cubed bread
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs well, then add milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until well mixed.
6 large eggs, 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup pancake syrup, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In the wet mixture, the cinnamon tends to float to the top so give the wet mixture another quick stir right before pouring it over the bread. Pour wet mixture evenly over bread cubes. Use a spatula to lightly push all bread down into the wet mixture. Top with blueberries, stirring in if desired.
Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 8 hours). This step is required so the bread has time to soak up all the liquid.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
For the crumble mixture, combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt with a fork. Use hands to evenly sprinkle this mixture over the French toast casserole right before baking.
½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes. After a total of 50 minutes of baking, the top should look lightly toasted and the middle of the casserole will no longer look wet.
Serve warm with pancake syrup and more blueberries as desired.

Notes

Bread: To prevent this casserole from becoming too soggy, use a crusty bread like French bread or sourdough bread. To dry it even further, cube it and leave it out on the counter overnight or bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
Syrup: Any type of pancake syrup would work here – original pancake syrup, butter flavor, maple, etc. Whatever your family prefers to use on pancakes.
Try this French toast casserole with other fruits, such as diced apples or pears, sliced bananas, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or cranberries.
Add chopped nuts to the crumble topping, such as walnuts or pecans.
Omit the blueberries and crumble topping and add chopped cooked bacon, ham, or sausage and shredded cheddar cheese to make a sweet and savory casserole.
While I don’t recommend replacing the eggs, you can make this recipe dairy-free by using a non-dairy milk/cream and dairy-free butter.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free bread and gluten-free 1:1 flour.
Don't skip the overnight rest in the refrigerator. This allows the egg mixture to be better absorbed and improves the flavor.
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before baking (while the oven preheats) to help it bake more evenly.
The crumble topping is optional but delicious!
You can easily halve this recipe and bake in an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking pan. Baking time may be slightly less than for a larger casserole.

Storage: Store blueberry French toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition