French Toast Casserole Recipe
User Reviews
5
French Toast Casserole Recipe
Description
This French Toast Casserole uses thick bread cubes soaked in a custard mixture composed of eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar, allowing the bread to absorb moisture and flavor thoroughly when refrigerated for at least four hours or overnight. The topping combines flour, packed brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cold butter cut until crumbly, which is chilled overnight to develop flavor and texture. Baking uncovered yields a golden, slightly crisp crust over a tender, custardy interior.
The flavor blends sweet vanilla and cinnamon with the rich dairy custard, softened bread, and crunchy topping. The recipe notes multiple bread options such as brioche or challah, contributing to a rich texture. The topping's cinnamon sugar enhances both sweetness and flavor complexity. The overall texture balances softness inside with a buttery crisp topping, delivering a comforting breakfast experience.
This casserole is suitable for serving holiday mornings or weekend brunches, pairing well with fresh fruit, syrup, or savory sides. The dish can be tailored by adding ham, cheese, or fruits for varied flavor profiles. The recipe also recommends freezing unbaked or baked casserole portions for convenient future use.
Practical advice is given for freezing and reheating: prepare through the soaking and topping step, freeze separately, then thaw to bake fresh; or freeze fully baked and reheat thoroughly. Baking times adjust depending on whether the casserole was prebaked or is fresh from thawing. Variations include savory and sweet mix-ins, expanding serving possibilities.
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 loaf sourdough bread (or brioche, challah or French bread)
- 8 egg large
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter cut into pieces, cold unsalted
Instructions
- Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and scatter evenly in a greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar together, then pour evenly over bread.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- To make the topping, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter into this mixture until crumbly. Place the topping in a small resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight as well.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Unwrap the baking dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the bread.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, depending on how soft you like it.
Notes
- Prepare the casserole up to the topping step and freeze separately for make-ahead convenience; add topping after thawing before baking.
- Baked casserole can be wrapped well and frozen up to 2 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
- For reheating prebaked casserole, bake uncovered at 350°F for about 20 minutes; fresh casserole requires 45-60 minutes depending on softness desired.
- Enhance the casserole with savory additions like ham, cheese, chorizo, green chilies, sausage, or bacon.
- Sweet variants can include sliced apples, orange zest, apricots, pineapple, blueberries, or chopped pecans mixed in before baking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 564 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 564kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 72g | 24% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 218mg | 73% |
| Sodium | 599mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 267mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 38g | 76% |
| Vitamin A | 910IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 158mg | 16% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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