With just 5 ingredients and a hands-off baking method, this French Toast casserole is special enough for holidays and easy enough for weekdays. You can add any fruit you like (I’m partial to berries) and use up leftover bread as needed, too. It’s rich and so delicious!
French Toast Casserole
Full disclosure: I started making this recipe when I had a lot of leftover crusts from kids sandwiches and homemade Uncrustables that I didn’t want to go to waste. I popped them into the freezer in a freezer bag until I had enough, then in just a few minutes, this breakfast casserole is ready to go into the oven.
I love (so very much) how this is such a perfect way to use up all types of bread you may have and that you can customize the fruits you add according to the season or personal preferences.
This is a delicious toddler breakfast that can also be made to reheat throughout the week. It’s also a great holiday breakfast for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Easter, or any special day. (I also have an apple French Toast Casserole that’s great for fall and winter and yummy Sausage Egg Muffins.)
Table of Contents
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This has all of the best flavor and texture from French Toast sticks, but you can put it into the oven and go about your business. It’s an easy way to feed yourself, your family, or to share as part of a holiday breakfast or brunch.
You can even bake it ahead of time and simply reheat it when you’re ready to eat.
And the best part might be that you can add whichever fruit you happen to have or love most. I love making this with frozen strawberries, but it’s really so versatile.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at what you need to make this French Toast Casserole recipe so you know what to plan on having ready:
- Bread: This works with all kinds of bread from sliced sandwich to artisanal loaves or French bread. A little stale is better and white or wheat both work. You can even use bread that’s been frozen.
- Eggs: Eggs add a lot of richness to the mixture, so we use half a dozen.
- Milk or heavy cream: Either of these work. I prefer whole milk if using milk. You can swap in a nondairy milk if needed or use canned coconut milk (which also has a lot of richness, which works well here.)
- Vanilla extract: This adds extra flavor so use it if you can.
- Cinnamon: I love the flavor of cinnamon in French toast, so I add a nice amount.
- Fruit: This recipe works with a wide range of fruits such as fresh or frozen blueberries, sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, or diced peaches. You can experiment to see what your family prefers.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is a preview of the steps involved in this French Toast Casserole recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full specifics.
- Add the eggs, milk or cream, vanilla, and cinnamon to a bowl or large measuring cup Whisk to combine thoroughly. You want to beat in the eggs so they’re well-combined with the milk.
- Cut up the bread with a knife or kitchen scissors and add it a greased pan.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread and stir very well to coat the bread. There may be a little mixture left in the pan, but the bread will absorb it as it bakes.
- Add the fruit to the top of the bread, pressing down a little. Cover with foil and bake, removing the foil halfway through. The foil helps to trap in the heat to cook the French toast well without the risk of over-browning the top.
This bakes for about 40 minutes and can be served warm out of the oven, or left to cool and served more at room temperature. It’s a great option for Mother’s Day brunch (in addition to our Raspberry Muffins) given how versatile it is.
Serving Suggestions
This baked French Toast is great with a drizzle of maple syrup and a dollop of yogurt. I love it with plain yogurt (regular or Greek) or lemon yogurt, which adds such a nice tanginess.
Other toppings you might like include nut butter, whipped cream, or additional fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using slightly stale bread can help since the bread has less moisture and more room to absorb liquid.
Once baked, you can cover and store for up to 5 days. Reheat to serve warm.
How to Store
Store leftovers wrapped in foil or transferred to an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Warm to serve. You can also freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
You can bake up to 2 days ahead, let cool, and cover. Then store in the fridge until ready to serve. Warm it briefly in the microwave, let it sit at room temperature for a bit so it’s not super cold, or pop it into a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes to warm through.
Best Tips for Success
- Serve warm topped with maple syrup, yogurt, or whipped cream.
- Use sandwich bread, artisanal bread, or French bread. It’s a little better texture-wise if the bread is somewhat stale.
- Save crusts cut off from the kids sandwiches or leftover bread in a freezer bag until you have enough to make this recipe.
- Use fresh or frozen fruit as you like.
- Double the recipe to bake in a 9×13-inch pan. It may need 4-6 minutes longer to bake through in the center.
- Dairy-free: Use nondairy milk or canned coconut milk instead of the milk or cream.
- Egg-free: Use 1 ¼ cups ripe bananas pureed in the blender in place of the eggs.
- Gluten-free: Use a favorite gluten-free bread.
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I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please rate and leave a comment below!
Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups diced bread (sandwich or artisanal, stale is better)
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup fruit (such as fresh or frozen blueberries, sliced strawberries, sliced bananas, or diced peaches)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8-inch baking pan (metal works best here) with nonstick spray or butter.
- Add the eggs, milk or cream, vanilla, and cinnamon to a bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Add the bread to the pan.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread and stir very well to coat the bread. You want it to all look very moist.
- Add the fruit to the top of the bread, pressing down a little.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, or other desired toppings.
Notes
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil or transferred to an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Warm to serve.
- Serve warm topped with maple syrup, yogurt, or whipped cream.
- Use sandwich bread, artisanal bread, or French bread. It’s a little better texture-wise if the bread is somewhat stale.
- Save crusts cut off from the kids sandwiches in a freezer bag until you have enough to make this recipe.
- Use fresh or frozen fruit as you like.
- Double the recipe to bake in a 9×13-inch pan. It may need 4-6 minutes longer to bake through in the center.
- Dairy-free: Use nondairy milk or canned coconut milk instead of the milk or cream.
- Egg-free: Use 1 ¼ cups ripe bananas pureed in the blender instead of eggs.
- Gluten-free: Use a favorite gluten-free bread.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published May 2022.
awesome recipe for the heels of the many loaves of bread my family goes through each week.
Is there a way I can make ahead of time?
Yes, bake it, then let it cool and cover it and store in the fridge. Then warm as needed.
This was amazing!!! Made a double batch with some cinnamon swirl bread mixed in. Used one cup of frozen mixed berries and a cup of fresh sliced strawberries. Also subbed soy milk. Everyone loved it including my 14 month old. Will definitely make again!!!! Thanks for the recipe! As always, delicious 😋
This is delicious! I used frozen sandwich bread (maybe half a loaf or so) for the bread portion, frozen mixed berries, and a larger dish since I didn’t have an 8×8. Bake time was good and I even forgot to take off the foil until the last ten minutes. I appreciated the yogurt topping suggestion because I wouldn’t have thought if that! I did add a little honey for my 17-month old when he wouldn’t eat it for whatever reason. It could be that it’s a new dish for us that he isn’t used to. But I will be eating it all week and making it again!
Oh my gosh so so good!
Also fun to make with my kid! It was a hit!
We love this recipe! So pleased to have a versatile way to use up those bread scraps. I doubled the recipe and made “strips” of different flavors. Froze the sections for easy thaw & serve later. I did a veggie section by tossing zucchini & carrot in the bread instead of resting on top like I did w/the fruit (the veg would dry out if not mixed in a wee bit). My 11-month old has been loving both the fruit & veggie variations. I’m so happy to have an easy, freezer-friendly breakfast or lunch in the rotation! This is also not as messy to serve than some of his other meals at his age!
I’m so glad!
if after the 40 minutes of baking and there is still egg mixture runny in the middle, you want to keep baking until no longer runny, right?
Yes, I would cover it with foil. Did you bake it in glass? I’m not sure why that would have happened otherwise. Hoping it resolves!
Made this for Christmas Eve breakfast and it was a huge hit! Tastes just like French toast, nice texture- not too soggy. We topped with syrup and a little whipped cream. Left out the berries and then those who wanted put fresh berries on their serving. Even my picky eater ate the whole thing. This is going into regular rotation!
Going to make this for Christmas Day! Planning on making the night before. Should I wait to add the egg mixture to the casserole until morning? Thanks!
Yes, I would. Enjoy it!
I have been saving my crusts from sandwiches to make this. Do you use the bread frozen and just let it thaw as it bakes? Or do you let the bread thaw first and then make casserole?
Whenever I’ve done it, I get them out of the freezer, then gather the rest of the ingredients and get everything ready. It’s usually at least partially thawed by the time you assemble it. As long as the bread isn’t rock hard, as you do want it to absorb some of the liquid before going into the oven, it should be fine. Enjoy it
Can I make this the night before and bake the next day?
Yes, just refrigerate and cover it.
Love this! Had a half loaf of stale homemade sourdough and this recipe was perfect for using it up! It is so yum!
Perfect for cinnamon raisin bread end pieces I had stashed in the freezer! This was a nice dinner change of pace – you have great ideas, as always…
So so delicious! Made ours with fresh blueberries. Tastes just like normal French toast without the extra work. This will definitely be added into the rotation!