I’m sharing my Baked French Toast Casserole with a cinnamon sugar topping, an easy make ahead breakfast perfect for Christmas morning that includes a simple twist worth knowing.
I always think breakfast should feel like an event, not a chore. I toss cubes of brioche or challah into a dish, whisk eggs, and let everything mingle, sometimes overnight and sometimes I bake right away.
This Baked French Toast Casserole seems fancy but it honestly fixes itself, and the sweet, crunchy top somehow turns the ordinary into something people fight over. I mess it up sometimes, like forgetting to set the timer, but it still tastes great.
If you want a showstopper that can be prepped ahead, try it as an Overnight French Toast Casserole Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast.
Ingredients
- Rich white bread, mostly carbs, little fiber, makes toast pillowy and sweet.
- Big protein boost, adds structure and richness, also gives savory balance sometimes.
- Provides calcium and fat, adds creaminess, more calories than skim milk.
- Very high fat, super creamy, makes custard lush, not health food.
- Pure carbs, sweetens the custard, quick energy spike, no nutrients.
- Adds molasses note, deeper sweetness and moisture, slightly more minerals.
- Warm spice, almost no calories, adds aroma and perceived sweetness.
- Adds richness and golden top, mostly saturated fat, flavor booster.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 (12 to 16 oz) loaf brioche or challah, about 8 to 10 cups cubed
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar for topping
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for topping
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon for topping
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter for topping
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cube 1 loaf brioche or challah (12 to 16 oz, about 8 to 10 cups) and spread the cubes evenly in the pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk together 8 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter until smooth.
3. Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing down with a spatula or your hands so most of the cubes soak up the liquid. Make sure the top pieces get some custard too.
4. If you want ahead option, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight up to 24 hours. If baking now let it sit at room temp about 15 to 30 minutes so the bread soaks well.
5. Make the cinnamon-sugar topping: in a small bowl stir together 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
6. Cut 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into small pieces and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to work the butter into the dry mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
7. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the soaked bread, pressing down lightly in spots so it sticks.
8. Bake in the preheated oven 45 to 55 minutes until the custard is set in the center and the topping is golden brown. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.
9. Let the casserole rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving so it firms up. Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.
10. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and reheat nicely in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in the microwave for single servings.
Equipment Needed
1. 9×13 inch baking dish (casserole pan)
2. Large mixing bowl for the custard
3. Small bowl for the crumb topping
4. Whisk to blend eggs and milk
5. Measuring cups and spoons (liquid and dry)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to press the bread and scrape the bowl
7. Pastry cutter or a couple forks to cut the cold butter into crumbs
8. Chef’s knife and cutting board to cube the brioche
9. Oven mitts or a trivet for handling the hot pan
FAQ
Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Bread swap – use a day-old French loaf, country white or even sourdough (same 8 to 10 cups cubed). Works 1:1, it wont be as rich as brioche so add 1 tbsp melted butter or an extra tsp vanilla to the custard if you want more flavor.
- Milk + heavy cream – replace the 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream with 3 cups half-and-half (same total volume) for almost the same richness. If you need dairy-free, use full-fat canned coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk and stir in 1 to 2 tbsp melted coconut oil for body.
- Granulated or light brown sugar – swap granulated sugar 1:1 with coconut sugar for a caramel note, or use pure maple syrup or honey instead but cut other liquids by about 1 to 2 tbsp and expect a slightly moister bake.
- Unsalted butter (melted or for topping) – use equal amounts of solid coconut oil for the topping (chill then cut into the streusel), or use a neutral oil like light olive or canola for the melted butter in the custard (flavor will be less buttery).
Pro Tips
– Use slightly stale bread, not fresh squishy stuff. If your loaf is fresh bake the cubes on a sheet at low heat for 8 to 12 minutes so they dry out a bit, they’ll soak the custard better and you wont get a soggy mess.
– Let it soak in the fridge overnight if you can, youll get a creamier, evenly set center. If you do soak overnight bring it closer to room temp for 20 minutes before baking so the middle doesn’t stay cold and take forever to set.
– Keep the butter for the crumb cold and work it in quickly with fingers or forks so you end up with coarse crumbs, not a paste. That way the topping gets nice little crunchy bits while the custard stays tender.
– After baking let it rest 10 to 15 minutes before cutting, otherwise the slices will fall apart. To refresh leftovers, reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to re-crisp the top, microwave makes it soggy.
Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe
I’m sharing my Baked French Toast Casserole with a cinnamon sugar topping, an easy make ahead breakfast perfect for Christmas morning that includes a simple twist worth knowing.
8
servings
610
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9×13 inch baking dish (casserole pan)
2. Large mixing bowl for the custard
3. Small bowl for the crumb topping
4. Whisk to blend eggs and milk
5. Measuring cups and spoons (liquid and dry)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon to press the bread and scrape the bowl
7. Pastry cutter or a couple forks to cut the cold butter into crumbs
8. Chef’s knife and cutting board to cube the brioche
9. Oven mitts or a trivet for handling the hot pan
Ingredients
-
1 (12 to 16 oz) loaf brioche or challah, about 8 to 10 cups cubed
-
8 large eggs
-
2 cups whole milk
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
-
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-
1/4 tsp salt
-
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
-
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar for topping
-
1/3 cup all-purpose flour for topping
-
1 tsp ground cinnamon for topping
-
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cube 1 loaf brioche or challah (12 to 16 oz, about 8 to 10 cups) and spread the cubes evenly in the pan.
- In a large bowl whisk together 8 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter until smooth.
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread, pressing down with a spatula or your hands so most of the cubes soak up the liquid. Make sure the top pieces get some custard too.
- If you want ahead option, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight up to 24 hours. If baking now let it sit at room temp about 15 to 30 minutes so the bread soaks well.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar topping: in a small bowl stir together 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Cut 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into small pieces and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to work the butter into the dry mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the soaked bread, pressing down lightly in spots so it sticks.
- Bake in the preheated oven 45 to 55 minutes until the custard is set in the center and the topping is golden brown. If the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil.
- Let the casserole rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving so it firms up. Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and reheat nicely in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in the microwave for single servings.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 240g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 610kcal
- Fat: 36.4g
- Saturated Fat: 18.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 6.8g
- Monounsaturated: 11.3g
- Cholesterol: 258mg
- Sodium: 285mg
- Potassium: 226mg
- Carbohydrates: 63.1g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Sugar: 36.8g
- Protein: 12.9g
- Vitamin A: 750IU
- Vitamin C: 0.3mg
- Calcium: 131mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
