The Best Ever French Toast Bake

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I love starting it out with this delicious French toast bake. A simple sweet casserole that is easy to prep in advance and pops into the oven the next morning, this is a fantastic choice for a make-ahead brunch or breakfast meal.

forkful of casserole above white plate holding french toast bake topped by berries

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French Toast Bake Recipe
What Should I Serve with This French Toast Casserole?
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make a French Toast Bake
Frequently Asked Questions
More Tasty Breakfast Recipes
📖 Recipe

French Toast Bake Recipe

One of my favorite sweet breakfasts has always been French toast, but sometimes I just don't like standing over the stove making traditional French toast. The solution is this ingenious way of making my favorite dish without all of the fuss!

This easy recipe makes a delicious breakfast that's perfect for any brunch or special occasion. The best part is, there's no need to stand over a stovetop flipping individual pieces of toast- simply pop it in the oven and let it do its thing!

If you like this idea, you might also enjoy our peanut butter and jelly stuffed French toast, savory sausage French toast roll-ups, eggnog French toast, or even unique cinnamon French toast bread pudding!

french toast bake topped with berries on black plate

What Should I Serve with This French Toast Casserole?

There are so many delicious things that you can serve with your French toast casserole!

If you want to keep it simple, serve it with some fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup. You can also add a dollop of homemade whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

For something heartier, try serving it with oven-baked bacon or sausage. It's also delicious with a side of eggs or a simple frittata.

black plate of berries and french toast with white spoon in background

Ingredients

1 loaf stale brioche bread (20 -24 ½" slices)
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter

oval white baking dish of french toast topped with powdered sugar and blackberries

Handy Kitchen Tools

french toast topped with blackberries and powdered sugar on round black plate by grey napkin

How to Make a French Toast Bake

Since this needs to rest for several hours, I recommend making it the night before you plan to serve the bake. Begin with greasing your baking dish with butter or a non-stick spray on the sides and bottom.

Using day-old brioche bread, cut the bread into 1" cubes or pieces

Then spread them over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

bread pieces being poured into a white bowl

Next, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until it is combined, fluffy, and no egg streaks remain.

Pour this egg and milk mixture over the bread in the baking dish, then cover it and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours up to overnight.

egg custard being poured over baking dish of bread pieces

Next, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the crumble topping.

Once it is whisked together, cut in the cold butter pieces and use a fork or pastry blender to combine with the sugar mixture until it is a nice crumbly mixture.

butter being poured into white bowl with

Cover this bowl as well and refrigerate it alongside the baking dish until ready to bake the French toast casserole.

When you are ready to bake the casserole, remove it from the refrigerator along with the crumble topping and let it come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and then sprinkle the prepared crumble over the top of the bread mixture in the baking dish.

Bake the French toast casserole for 45 minutes or until the bread is browned and it is set in the middle. It should be soft, but no longer liquid.

hand holding sieve above french toast bake in white oval bowl

Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

hand holding honey wand above plate of french toast bake

Frequently Asked Questions

What Bread Should I Use for a French Toast Casserole?

I am using brioche bread when I make my French toast casserole. Brioche is a rich, eggy bread that's perfect for French toast. Its soft and custardy texture makes it absorb the syrup and flavors perfectly.

This can be made with any other bread you prefer. Some favorite options for this include French bread, sourdough, challah, or traditional white bread.

If you want to branch out with different flavors, you can use cinnamon raisin bread or strawberry bread. You can even use croissants or donuts to make a french toast bake.

Why is My Baked French Toast Soggy?

There are a few reasons why your baked French toast might be coming out soggy.

The first reason is that you might have used bread that was too fresh. When the bread is too fresh, it doesn't absorb the egg mixture properly. I like to use bread that's a day or two old for the best results. If buying bread in the market, simply leave out uncovered or in an open container for 1 day before preparing this recipe.

The second reason is that you might have used too much liquid. If you find that your French toast casserole is coming out soggy, try reducing the amount of milk or cream that you're using. It can also be that the egg mixture is not in the right ratios. You can also simply add more bread to soak up the excess moisture.

It could also be that you are not letting the egg mixture soak into the bread long enough. I like to let mine sit for at least 4 hours, but you can let it sit for even longer if you have the time.

The last reason why your French toast casserole might be soggy is that you didn't bake it long enough. Be sure to bake it until it's golden brown and firm to the touch.

Why Does My French Toast Taste Like Eggs?

If your French toast tastes like eggs, it's likely because the egg mixture wasn't whisked with the other ingredients properly. When you're whisking the eggs, make sure to do it until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Specifically, until the mixture is a nice pale yellow color and no egg streaks remain.

It could also be that you're using too much egg in relation to the amount of milk or cream. The egg mixture should be a 1:1 ratio of milk to eggs.
If you find that your French toast casserole is still tasting too eggy, try adding a bit more vanilla extract or cinnamon. These will help to mask the egg flavor.

Can I Add Fruit To My French Toast Bake?

Yes, you can definitely add fruit to your French toast bake! You can use any kind of fresh or frozen fruit that you like. Some great options include blueberries, raspberries, bananas, apples, or peaches.

If using frozen fruit, be sure to thaw it and drain off any excess liquid before adding it to the casserole. You don't want your French toast to be watery.

To add the fruit, simply sprinkle it over the top of the casserole before baking. You can also mix it into the egg mixture before pouring it over the bread.

image looking down on baked french toast casserole in white dish

More Tasty Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is my favorite part of the day and I have made tons of great meals to share with you that epitomize the sweet and savory breakfasts we all love. Below are a handful of my favorites for you to enjoy. Bookmark these posts, print out the recipes, or pin them to a favorite Pinterest board to make soon!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8

The Best Ever French Toast Bake

This French toast bake is sure to be a favorite breakfast or brunch recipe on your menu! Delicious sweet bread with a rich custard is baked until golden then topped with powdered sugar, berries, and syrup!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Ingredients

For the Bake

1 loaf brioche bread (20 -24 ½" slices)
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Crumb Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter

Instructions

Spray or grease a baking dish along the bottom and sides. I used a 10" oval baking dish.
Cut the brioche bread into 1" cubes and spread them evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan and set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until nicely incorporated.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the baking dish.
Then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours up to overnight.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
To this dry mixture, add the chilled butter pieces, and use a pastry blender or fork to blend together into a crumble mixture.
Cover this and refrigerate it also for at least 4 hours up to overnight.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 30-minutes. Then preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Sprinkle the prepared crumble over the top of the bread/custard mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through and golden around the edges. It should be set, and soft, but not liquid or wet.
Serve hot with honey, syrup, powdered sugar, and berries.