French Toast Casserole

Wake up to breakfast heaven! This French Toast Casserole is what weekend dreams are made of – all the cozy cinnamon-vanilla flavors of traditional French toast without the morning rush of standing over a hot stove flipping bread slices. It’s the ultimate “present for your future self” recipe!

The magic happens overnight as cubes of bread soak up a rich custard infused with warm spices. But the real showstopper? That irresistible cinnamon-sugar streusel topping that creates the perfect contrast of soft, custardy interior and crispy, crackly top. It’s like combining French toast and coffee cake into one glorious breakfast masterpiece.

Ingredients

For the casserole base:

• 1 pound loaf of brioche, challah, french bread, or white bread
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

Steps

1. Prepare the baking dish: Thoroughly grease a 9×13″ glass baking dish, ensuring all corners and sides are coated to prevent sticking. Cut bread into 1-inch chunks (slightly stale bread works best as it absorbs more custard) and arrange evenly in the prepared pan.
2. Make the custard mixture: Crack 8 eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk until fully beaten. Add 1 cup heavy cream, 2 cups milk, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until completely combined and sugar is dissolved.
3. Assemble the casserole: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes, making sure to saturate all pieces. Gently toss the bread to ensure even coating. Use a spatula to spread everything into an even layer, pressing down slightly to help absorption. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard.
4. Prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, mix together 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg until well combined. Add 2 Tablespoons cold butter pieces and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to work the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces visible. Cover and refrigerate until morning.
5. Bake the casserole: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator, uncover, and evenly sprinkle the prepared topping over the soaked bread. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set but still slightly jiggly (like a custard). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after about 30 minutes.
6. Rest before serving: Allow the casserole to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares. This resting time lets the custard set properly for cleaner slices. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Smart Swaps

• Whole grain bread instead of white bread – adds fiber and nutty flavor
• Coconut milk instead of dairy milk (1:1 ratio) – creates dairy-free version with tropical notes
• Maple syrup instead of brown sugar (3 Tablespoons instead of 1/4 cup) – offers complex sweetness

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace all sugar with 1/3 cup monk fruit sweetener (reduces carbs by approximately 12g per serving)
• Use whole grain bread instead of white (adds 3g fiber per serving, slowing sugar absorption)
• Reduce milk to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (cuts 6g carbs per recipe)
• Serve with fresh berries instead of syrup (saves 12g carbs per tablespoon of syrup)
• Portion into 12 smaller servings rather than 10 to reduce carb load per serving

Pro Tips

• Slightly stale bread absorbs the custard better than fresh bread
• For extra richness, brush the top with 1 Tablespoon melted butter before adding streusel
• Test doneness by inserting a knife in the center – it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs
• Leftovers reheat beautifully in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10-15 minutes or microwave individual portions for 30-45 seconds