french toast bake

easy, do-ahead, delicious French toast bake!

french toast bake in a baking pan

I’ve been turning to this French toast bake time and again for more than 10 years!

we ALL need a go-to, crowd-friendly brunch recipe!

My parents were up for a visit recently, and we wound up hosting Conor, Chelsea and her boyfriend over one of the nights they were here. I love having a full house and wanted to serve up a special breakfast the next morning. And – as I always do – I whipped up this French toast bake.

french toast bake in ceramic bowls with vintage forks and a green pitcher of maple syrup

so much to love about this baked French toast!

I’ve been making this easy French toast casserole for YEARS. And it’s held up for many reasons. To start, it’s delicious – think “French toast cake” or breakfast casserole (have I got your interest?). It also uses simple, easy to find ingredients – so you’re not running to 3 different stores to find what you need. And finally, it’s almost completely do-ahead – a pop in the oven in the morning is all you need to do.

what’s in it?

Like I said, this simple ingredient list is one of my favorite things about this recipe:

French or Italian bread
eggs
milk
heavy cream
granulated sugar
vanilla extract
flour
brown sugar
cinnamon
salt
butter

bread cubes in a baking pan

how do you make it?

Like all French toast recipes you’re basically giving bread a soak in eggs and milk. But because it’s a French toast casserole recipe it all gets poured into a baking pan. And because it’s an OVERNIGHT French toast casserole recipe you pop it in the fridge the day before you make it!

bread cubes and egg mixture in a baking pan

You’ll start by cubing up a loaf of bread and spreading the cubes in a baking dish. Whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream and vanilla and pour the egg mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. For the streusel you’ll simply combine the ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times to break it down. This can be done the day before as well.

streusel mixture in a food processor

The next morning you’ll simply heat up your oven, sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the top of the casserole and bake!

what do you serve with French toast bake?

As a creature of habit I tend to repeat menus that work. So I’ll serve this up with my favorite fruit salad and some bacon. If the crowd gets bigger I might add a bowl of chilled and peeled hard-boiled eggs but that’s really all you need!

With the holidays and colder weather just around the corner I guarantee you will want this recipe in your back pocket for sure – let me know if you make it!

french toast bake in a baking pan

french toast bake in ceramic bowls with vintage forks and a green pitcher of maple syrup

French Toast Bake

sherisilver
Easy, delicious and completely do-ahead!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Servings 8
Calories 777 kcal

Ingredients
  

for the French toast:

  • 1 loaf French or Italian bread
  • 8 large eggs, beaten slightly
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

for the streusel topping:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions
 

Make the French toast:

  • Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the bread into cubes, and place evenly in the pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.

Make the streusel topping:

  • Place the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse just enough till the mixture resembles coarse sand (if there are a few large pieces remaining that's okay). Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.

Prepare the French toast bake:

  • When ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the bread mixture. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, or till the French toast is set and golden brown.
  • Serve immediately, with maple syrup if desired.

Notes

  1. If you don't have a food processor, make the streusel topping by hand: mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the mixture till it resembles sand (you’ll have a few pea-sized pieces). Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
  2. This recipe was originally featured in Two Peas & Their Pod.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 777kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 18gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 233mgSodium: 619mgPotassium: 255mgFiber: 2gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 996IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 3mg
Keywords breakfast, brunch, french toast
did you make this recipe?tag @sherisilver on instagram!

french toast bake in ceramic bowls with vintage forks and a green pitcher of maple syrup

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6 Comments

  1. Christi Wampler on January 15, 2012 at 9:51 am

    That looks AMAZING. I am so saving this!

    • sheri silver on January 15, 2012 at 10:58 am

      Thanks Christi – it’s even better than it looks! 🙂

  2. Hotly Spiced on January 15, 2012 at 6:11 pm

    What a wonderful New Year’s Day breakfast. I can just imagine how much everyone in your family enjoyed it. What decadent looking French toast. And who doesn’t love bacon and yours looks like it’s a good quality bacon and cooked just how I like it – crisp and crunchy!

    • sheri silver on January 15, 2012 at 11:13 pm

      Thanks so much – I’ve got an appreciative crowd for sure!

  3. Leslie on January 15, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    This looks so delicious it makes me want to have a brunch party just so I can serve it.

    • sheri silver on January 15, 2012 at 11:13 pm

      Thank you! That’s just what I was hoping for!

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!