Description
Weekend breakfast dreams come true with French Toast Casserole, a simple make-ahead dish that will have your family eagerly gathering around the table. Crammed with custardy bread, sweet cinnamon notes, and a golden baked finish, this casserole turns ordinary mornings into delightful family moments.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf French bread
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
Serving:
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- Grab a 9×13 inch baking dish and generously coat it with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
- Cut your entire French bread loaf into 1-inch cubes, ensuring they’re roughly the same size for even soaking.
- Spread the bread cubes evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish, creating a uniform layer.
- Crack 6 large eggs into a spacious mixing bowl, whisking them until they’re completely smooth and pale yellow.
- Pour 2 cups of milk into the eggs, then add ½ cup granulated sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the liquid mixture, blending thoroughly.
- Slowly pour the entire egg mixture over the bread cubes, ensuring every piece gets saturated with the liquid.
- Melt ¼ cup butter and drizzle it evenly across the top of the casserole for extra richness.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight to allow bread to absorb the liquid.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to reduce temperature shock.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Uncover the casserole and bake for exactly 45-50 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the center sets firmly.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to stabilize.
- Serve warm, drizzling maple syrup generously over each portion for maximum breakfast enjoyment.
Notes
- Refrigerating the casserole overnight allows bread to soak up the egg mixture, creating a richer, more custardy texture.
- Use day-old or slightly stale bread to prevent the casserole from becoming too soggy.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular bread with gluten-free challah or brioche.
- Add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts on top before baking for extra crunch and flavor.
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 48 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 409 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 253 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg