Easy French Toast Casserole

4.99 from 133 reviews

French toast casserole recipe made with day-old French bread soaked in a cinnamon, maple, vanilla custard, topped with pecans, and baked in the oven.

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Comments
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French toast casserole served in baking dish dusted with powdered sugar and a slice removed.
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Easy French Toast Casserole

French toast casserole is one of my go-to brunch recipes, especially around the holidays when I’m feeding a crowd. Instead of standing over the stove flipping slice after slice, I can just toss the bread cubes into a dish, pour over the custard, and let the oven do the work. It comes out golden on top, soft in the middle, and the pecan crunch gives it some texture.

What I love most is how low-effort it is. I don’t even have to prep it the night before. If friends or family pop over at the last minute, I can pull this together in about 10 minutes and still look like I planned ahead. Between the cinnamon custard and the crusty French bread, this French toast casserole always disappears fast.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

French Toast Casserole Ingredients

Ingredients for recipe in individual bowls: chopped pecans, vanilla, milk, salt, cracked eggs, cinnamin, yogurt, maple syrup, and a loaf of bread.
  • Bread: I like to use a day-old loaf of French bread for this French toast casserole recipe, but you can also use a baguette, brioche, sourdough, or challah.
  • Eggs: Room temperature eggs are best!
  • Milk: Go for whole milk if you can.
  • Greek Yogurt: I like to use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for this recipe, but low-fat will work, too.
  • Chopped Nuts: Pecans are my favorite, but any chopped nuts will do.
  • Seasoning: I like to use maple syrup as a sweetener in this recipe, along with vanilla, cinnamon, and salt for flavor.

How to Make French Toast Casserole

If you’re planning on making this French toast casserole in advance, assemble it through Step 6, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Batter before mixing.
Step 1: Add the custard ingredients to a bowl.
Batter after mixing.
Step 2: Whisk everything together until the eggs are beaten and incorporated.
French toast cubes in greased baking dish.
Step 3: Add the cubed bread to a large baking dish.
Pouring batter over french toast cubes.
Step 4: Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread.
Mixing bread with batter.
Step 5: Gently toss the bread with the custard to ensure it’s all coated.
Sprinkling pecans on top.
Step 6: Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top.
French toast before baking.
Step 7: You can let the custard soak into the bread for a few minutes if you like a softer French toast casserole or add it straight into a preheated oven to retain more of the texture of the bread.
French toast after baking
Step 8: Bake until the edges of the French toast casserole are golden, the top is crunchy, and the center is soft and puffy.
Slice of French toast casserole on a plate with syrup being poured over.

French Toast Casserole Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad
4.99 from 133 reviews
French toast casserole recipe made with day-old French bread soaked in a cinnamon, maple, vanilla custard, topped with chopped pecans, and baked in the oven.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings12 servings

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Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish
  • Place the bread cubes in the greased baking dish; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Pour evenly over the bread cubes. Use a spoon to carefully coat all the bread cubes with the batter.
  • Top the french toast with the chopped pecans. Then drizzle more maple syrup over the pecans.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent the casserole from drying out.
  • Let stand for 5 minutes to cool. Serve with maple syrup if desired.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
Reheating Instructions: You can reheat individual slices in the microwave the next day. However, the best way to reheat  it is to pop it back in the oven at is to bake it in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. This will warm through the french toast and add a crisp to the top again.
Make Ahead Tips: You can make the batter up to 24 hours ahead of time. You can also prepare the entire dish in advance if you have very thick and crusty bread that will hold up to being soaked for hours. 
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can use any milk of choice and you can remove the nuts or substitute with a different kind.

Nutrition

Calories: 218kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 361mg, Potassium: 199mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 228IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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FAQs

How do I store and reheat my French toast casserole?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You can reheat individual slices in the microwave, but the best way to reheat is to pop the baking dish back in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes to warm the French toast through and re-crisp the top.

Can I freeze my French toast casserole?

Yes, you can freeze this healthy breakfast casserole in an airtight container, freezer bag, or wrapped in the baking dish for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.

Can I make this French toast casserole ahead of time?

You can make the batter up to 24 hours ahead of time! You can also prepare the entire dish in advance if you have very thick and crusty bread that will hold up to being soaked for hours. If you do, keep it covered in the fridge.

Why is my French toast casserole soggy?

If your French toast casserole turned out soggy, it’s likely because your bread soaked for too long in the custard, or because the bread was too soft to begin with. If you use tender bread like challah or brioche, it should be either stale or toasted.

A slice of french toast casserole covered in syrup with a fork sitting on plate with a piece on it.

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Comments

  1. ken says:

    Is this recipe “diabetic friendly”? Would it spike your sugar level?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      I’m so sorry Ken, I’m not sure. I recommend checking with a nutritionist or registered dietitian.

      1. ken says:

        Good morning Yumna, no problem – Thank you for the reply, I’ll probably give the recipe a try just edit some ingredients. Have a great day

        1. Yumna J. says:

          You’re welcome, Ken. I hope you enjoy!

  2. Hungry now says:

    Can this be made in a slow cooker and if so how do you time?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So sorry, I’ve never tried making this French toast casserole in a slow cooker so I’m not sure how long it would take! I think it would work but you’ll have to experiment with the timing.

  3. Jay says:

    I am so excited to try this.

    Would this be something I could make ahead and freeze?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Yes, absolutely! You can make this French toast casserole and store in your freezer in an airtight container, freezer bag, or wrapped in the baking dish for up to 3 months.

  4. Nichole says:

    Have you tried using dairy free yogurt? Was it plain or flavoured? What about using a vanilla flavoured yogurt? Thanks!

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Hi Nichole, I haven’t tried dairy-free yogurt in this recipe before but I think plain or vanilla would work great!

  5. Jamie Tomlin says:

    Super yummy!!! ๐Ÿ˜‹

    1. Yumna J. says:

      So glad you liked it, Jamie!

  6. Muneeba says:

    Does this taste sour at all because of the Greek yoghurt? My kids donโ€™t like the taste of yoghurt and Iโ€™m curious if you can taste it in this recipe.

    1. Yumna says:

      No, I do not think they will detect the taste of yogurt. It just adds creaminess and most of the flavor comes from maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla.

  7. Amy P says:

    Easy and delicious! Will make again!

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you so much!

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