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This overnight french toast casserole recipe combines the perfect amount of cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla for an indulgent custard-soaked french bread that is perfect for baking. The best part is that you can make it all overnight, so you can wake up to a delicious breakfast in the morning without any of the hassle of mixing ingredients while half asleep!
French toast is one of those breakfast recipes that everyone loves. It’s relatively simple to make, and it’s always a hit with kids and adults alike. This overnight french toast recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and savory, with molasses-rich brown sugar and vanilla flavors that pair perfectly with the toasty pecans on top for even more texture. It’s so easy to make with some basic ingredients and a few basic steps, most of which is prepped the night before!
Recipe at a glance
Cuisine Inspiration: French
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Cinnamon and Vanilla
Skill Level: Easy
Summary
- Extra custardy. Letting your french toast sit overnight with the brown sugar and cinnamon-infused custard allows the bread to soak up all of the delicious flavors, making it extra soft, fluffy, and custardy.
- Breakfast at your fingertips. If you know you’re going to have a late night followed by an early morning (Parents – you especially know what I am talking about!), then having something to pop in the oven with minimal effort is pretty much priceless.
- Versatile. This overnight french toast recipe is relatively easy to customize based on your personal preferences. If you don’t like pecans, leave them out entirely or swap them for another type of nut (or even no nuts!). You can use any bread and also substitute the milk and eggs for dairy-free alternatives to accommodate any dietary restrictions or food allergies that may be present in your household.
- Great for the holidays. This goes back to breakfast at your fingertips. This make-ahead recipe is perfect for the holidays when you have lots of people to feed in the morning!
Ingredients to make overnight french toast with pecans
- Bread: I used a loaf of french bread for this recipe, but you can use any type of bread. Look for bread that you can cut yourself. This allows you to control the thickness of the slices, which is important when using a little denser type of bread like french or sourdough.
- French Toast Custard: The custard is made with eggs, milk, vanilla,cinnamon, brown sugar, and a sprinkle of salt.
- Pecans: Are optional, but I prefer them for a bit of extra texture and flavor.
How to make overnight french toast casserole
This overnight french toast casserole is really as easy as dump, stir, layer, dump again and refrigerate until the morning!
Make the French Toast Custard
- Prepare the custard – add the milk, eggs, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt to a large glass bowl.
- Using a whisk, mix until combined.
Bake the french toast in the oven
- Pour the custard over the bread, making sure that all the slices are coated well with the custard. Cover tightly with foil and chill overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to bake – Bake covered with foil. Remove the foil and add the pecans. Return to the oven and bake until the pecans are toasty and the bread is puffed and beginning to brown.
Tips for making the best overnight french toast
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread. The knife you use to cut your bread loaf really does make a difference. Using a serrated knife will help you make clean and even slices of french toast that are the same thickness without smashing it.
- Choose a dense bread. While a light and fluffy loaf of bread is always amazing – and perfect for slices of toast – a denser bread like french or sourdough is excellent for french toast. The custard mixture will soak into the bread so much better and yield a fluffier and more flavorful end result than when using a lighter bread that may become too soggy.
- Assemble the french toast casserole in a 13×9″ pan. This will allow you to use less bread per layer and still have enough room to coat it fully in brown sugar custard.
popular substitutions & additions
- Make your french toast dairy-free. Simply swap out the dairy ingredients for a dairy-free alternative. Oat milk, coconut milk, and almond milk are all excellent options that will yield great results!
- Try adding other nuts. If pecans aren’t your thing, or you’re just looking for some variety in texture and flavor, you can easily swap them out for another type of nut (or no nuts at all). Walnuts, almonds, or even hazelnuts would be great additions!
- Add some other spices. If you’re looking to add a bit more warmth and spice than just cinnamon, feel free to add in a pinch of ground cloves, allspice, or even some ginger. These spices would be especially delicious with a type of bread that is a little bit sweeter or has molasses in the dough!
- Add some fruit. Try adding a layer or two of small berries like blueberries or raspberries or even some sliced bananas.
What to serve with overnight french toast
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Strawberry, Apricot, or Blackberry Jam
- Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
- Fresh Berries & Whipped Cream
- Breakfast Egg Strata
how to store & reheat french toast bake
Store your french toast bake in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. You can store it for up to 24 hours before cooking. After that, it will start to lose some of its texture and flavor.
To reheat, simply pop it in the oven at 375°F and cook until hot throughout. This should take about 20 minutes. You can also try reheating the french toast casserole in the microwave if you’re in a hurry – just make sure to cover it with a damp paper towel first to keep it from drying out.
how long will baked overnight french toast last in the fridge?
Overnight french toast that has been baked will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. However, it is best to eat it within 1-2 days for optimal flavor and texture. You’ll want to store any leftovers in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Can you freeze an overnight french toast bake?
Easily freeze overnight french toast before or after baking. To freeze in preparation for future baking, wrap the dish in plastic wrap and then again in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating Overnight French Toast
To reheat, simply pop it in the oven at 375°F and cook until hot throughout. This should take about 20 minutes. You can also try reheating the french toast casserole in the microwave if you’re in a hurry – just make sure to cover it with a damp paper towel first to keep it from drying out.
Frequently asked questions
There are a few potential reasons why your overnight French toast may be soggy. One possible culprit is that you did not use dense enough bread, which allowed the custard mixture to soak in too much. Another possibility is that you did not let the casserole cool completely before storing it in the fridge, which causes condensation to form and make the bread soggy. Finally, you may have used too much custard-to-bread ratio, which can lead to a soggy texture.
One indicator of baked french toast is the golden-brown color that it will have once cooked. You can also check for an even texture, which should be slightly crispy on top and moist but not soggy on the inside. The custard should be soft but firm – not mushy.
If you want to get the best results with your overnight French toast, I recommend you let your bread dry out for about 30 minutes before adding it to the custard. This will help prevent your french toast from becoming too soggy and will help it achieve a more even texture. Alternatively, you can do a light toast in the toaster or toaster oven to help draw out some of the moisture before adding it to the custard.
Overall, this is a great recipe for anyone who loves french toast but doesn’t want to spend all morning slaving over the stove! Whether you follow the recipe as-is or add in some of your own personal touches, this overnight French toast is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. So why not give it a try today?
More French Toast recipes:
- Stuffed French Toast
- Easy French Toast Casserole
- Vegan French Toast
- Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
- Classic French Toast
- Air Fryer French Toast
- Blueberry French Toast Casserole
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Overnight French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 loaf french bread sliced into ½” thick pieces
- 2 ½ cups 2% milk room temperature
- 6 eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare a 13×9 inch baking dish with the butter and place the French bread in the dish in slightly overlapping layers. Set aside.
- Prepare the custard by whisking together the milk, eggs, dark brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
- Pour the custard over the bread, making sure that all the slices are coated well with the custard. Cover tightly with foil and chill overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and add the pecans. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes, or until the pecans are toasty and the bread is puffed and beginning to brown.
- Serve warm with butter and maple syrup.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I couldn’t find French bread (in Australia) so I used the baker’s recommendation of continental bread. I cut it into one inch cubes like in your Easy French Toast Casserole recipe but otherwise followed this recipe. I served it with salted caramel ice cream and maple syrup.
It was an absolute hit at Christmas Day brunch. I smell a new Christmas morning tradition brewing! Thank you Yumna ❤️
Yum, sounds great!!
Hey Yumna! How can I substitute the eggs to make it vegan?
Hi! You can try using any milk and egg substitutes. You can also try my Vegan French Toast recipe (https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/vegan-french-toast/) instead!