Description
Nutella French Toast Casserole brings weekend brunch dreams to life with minimal effort and maximum deliciousness. Layers of bread and chocolate-hazelnut spread bake into a crowd-pleasing breakfast that will have your family begging for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 loaf bread
- 1 cup Nutella
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Garnish:
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat your oven to precise 350°F and generously coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Crack 6 large eggs into a spacious mixing bowl and whisk them thoroughly with 2 cups of whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until completely blended.
- Slice your entire loaf of bread into 1-inch uniform cubes, creating roughly 6-7 cups of bread pieces.
- Arrange half of your bread cubes as the initial layer across the greased baking dish’s bottom, creating an even surface.
- Take your 1 cup of Nutella and gently warm it for 15-20 seconds in the microwave to enhance spreadability.
- Drizzle and spread the warm Nutella completely across the first bread layer, ensuring full coverage.
- Scatter the remaining bread cubes atop the Nutella, creating a second complete layer.
- Slowly pour the prepared egg mixture over the entire casserole, pressing down gently to help bread absorb liquid evenly.
- Refrigerate the assembled casserole for minimum 30 minutes or up to 12 hours to allow thorough ingredient absorption.
- Remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for precisely 35 minutes until edges turn golden brown and center feels set.
- Remove from oven and dust generously with powdered sugar just before serving warm.
Notes
- Soak the bread thoroughly to ensure a custard-like texture that melts in your mouth.
- Use day-old bread for better absorption and a more substantial casserole structure.
- Warm the Nutella slightly before spreading to make it easier to distribute evenly across the bread layer.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the bread with gluten-free challah or brioche cubes, which hold up well in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 418 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 276 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg