Overnight French Toast Casserole
A delicious and easy make-ahead breakfast casserole featuring cubed bread soaked in a rich custard mixture overnight, then baked to golden perfection. Perfect for brunch or holiday mornings.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 loaf day-old French bread or challah, cut into 1-inch cubes about 1 pound
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 0.5 cup packed brown sugar
- 0.25 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
- Arrange the cubed bread evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Press down gently to ensure all pieces are soaked. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours).
- In a small saucepan, combine melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth (about 3–5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover.
- Drizzle the warm topping evenly over the soaked bread mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (a knife inserted should come out clean).
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with maple syrup or powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
This casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. For best results, use slightly stale bread as it absorbs the custard better without becoming mushy.