French Toast Casserole Makes It *So* Easy to Feed a Crowd (2024)

On myFood Network show, I make (among other things) this beautiful, simple, glorious, easy, delectable, scrumptious, heavenly baked French toast, which I served with syrup, butter, and blueberries to my daughter and her four friends. The girls absolutely loved this breakfast casserole—between the six of us, we nearly polished off the whole pan.You can leave this one plain, or you can mix blueberries or other fruit in with all the bread. Simple just doesn't get any more delicious than this. The crustier thebread, the better!

It's fabulosity in a baking dish. So simple, so wonderful.

Have I used enough adjectives today?

Make it for Easter brunch or next time you have weekend company. It straddles the line between breakfast and dessert, and that just so happens to be my favorite kind of breakfast.

Can you make baked French toast ahead of time?

The great thing about bakedFrench toastis that you can make it on the spot and bake it right away… or assemble itthe night before, and let it sit and get even more luscious in the fridge overnight. When you're cooking breakfast for a house full of people,make-ahead breakfast casserolesare a truelifesaver.

Why is my French toast casserole soggy?

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

What's the best bread to use for baked French toast?

Aloaf of crusty sourdough or French bread makes thebest bread for French bread.Whichever you pick,be sure that it'snice and crusty so it soaks up plenty of the creamy custard. Day-old bread that has grown a little stale is even better!

Should you bake French toast casserole covered or uncovered?

Baking the casseroleuncovered seems to work best so that the streusel topping gets crunchy and caramelized. It's everyone's favorite part of the casserole!

What other fruit would be good mixed in?

Strawberries, blackberries, or a mix of the two, plus blueberries would be heavenly! During the summer, fresh peaches would be scrumptious. You could even use sliced apples for a fall twist. There are endless possibilities!

What pairs well with baked French toast?

A big, fresh fruit salad would be tasty. For something savory, crispy, salty, delicious... try bacon! Who doesn't love bacon? Candied bacon would be even more divine.

How long does baked French toast last in the fridge?

Covered and refrigerated, it'll stay good for about three days. If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, warm up a piece and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert! After all, it's like bread pudding that's acceptable to eat for breakfast. Yum!

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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

For the French Toast:

  • Butter, for greasing and serving

  • 1

    loaf crusty sourdough or French bread

  • 8

    eggs

  • 2 c.

    whole milk

  • 1/2 c.

    heavy cream

  • 1/2 c.

    granulated sugar

  • 1/2 c.

    brown sugar

  • 2 Tbsp.

    vanilla extract

  • Warm syrup, for serving

  • 1 c.

    fresh blueberries, for serving

For the Topping:

  • 1/2 c.

    flour

  • 1/2 c.

    firmly packed brown sugar

  • 1 tsp.

    cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp.

    salt

  • Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

  • 1/2 c.

    cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions

    1. Step1For the French toast: Grease a 13-by-9-inchbaking pan with butter. Tear the bread into chunks, or cut it into cubes, and evenly distribute itin the pan. Crack the eggs in a big bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly and store in the fridge until needed (overnight preferably). Or you can make it and bake it right away—it'sdelicious no matter what!
    2. Step2For the topping: In a separate bowl, use a fork to stir together theflour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and some nutmeg. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter to mix it all together until the mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
    3. Step3When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the topping over the top. Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, bread pudding-like texture or for 1 houror more for a firmer, crisper texture.
    4. Step4Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter, drizzle with warm syrup, and sprinkle with blueberries.

French Toast Casserole Makes It *So* Easy to Feed a Crowd (2)

I originally posted this baked French toast back in 2010, and the recipe above has just a couple of tiny, inconsequential changes.

French Toast Casserole Makes It *So* Easy to Feed a Crowd (4)

If you’d like to see the four thousand photos of the the original step-by-step recipe, here ’tis!

Enjoy, guys!

French Toast Casserole Makes It *So* Easy to Feed a Crowd (2024)

FAQs

Why is my French toast casserole soggy? ›

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

Can you make French toast ahead of time and reheat? ›

Freezer and Make-Ahead Tips

Freeze cooked French Toast Casserole for up to three months. Remove it from the freezer the day before you want to serve it and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the pan with foil, then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

How do you keep a casserole moist? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

What is the most popular brunch dish? ›

1. Meat and Eggs. A plate of eggs with bacon, sausage, or ham is a classic for a reason. Almost everyone enjoys eggs and you can pair them with all sorts of other sides to create a meal that is filling and tasty.

What kind of bread makes the best French toast? ›

For a solid French toast, aim for sturdy bread with a uniform texture and a soft crust. Hearty sandwich bread, brioche, challah, and shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are all great choices. Avoid rustic loaves with thick crusts or large holes in the interior.

Is heavy cream or milk better for French toast? ›

A creamy custard is the key to incredible French toast, so skip the watery skim milk and go for whole milk or half-and-half. Straight heavy cream turns French toast into dessert, so lean that way if you're looking for decadence.

Why is French toast unhealthy? ›

French Toast is a delicious breakfast entree that is loved by many. With this in mind, french toast can be very calorie dense with high amounts of added sugar and fat. But, it can be tweaked to reduce the sugar and fat content while adding some fiber to your breakfast - yay!

Do restaurants use stale bread for French toast? ›

If restaurants use fresh bread, they often dry it out before turning it into French toast. This can mean simply opening up some bread, exposing it to the air, and letting it get stale naturally, or putting sliced pieces in an oven to dry it out.

Can expired bread be used for French toast? ›

One of the quickest, most satisfying, make-you-feel-like-a-kid-again ways to use stale bread is to make French toast. Bread dipped in an egg-milk mixture and fried on a griddle in butter is a delicious breakfast or brunch and an excellent vehicle for maple syrup, cinnamon and sugar, blueberry compote, or whipped cream.

How do you keep toast warm after toasting? ›

One easy method is to leave the toast in the toaster until you're ready to eat it. This keeps the toast warm (but not too warm) without making it soggy.

Can you make French toast and save for later? ›

Just go ahead and make more French toast and keep it in the fridge. When you're ready to eat it heated up in the toaster. Works great.

How do you keep bread warm for a party? ›

Place warmed heat source in bread basket: If using rice or pie weights, lay them as flat as possible in their paper or foil wrapper at the bottom of the bread basket. Cover the heat source with a clean cloth napkin or dish towel.

What temperature do you keep toast warm in the oven? ›

Your Oven. Some ovens actually will have a "warm" setting, which is usually 170 to 200 F, or a warming drawer, which is meant to keep foods at a level, warm temperature. If your oven has neither, set it to 200 to 250 F.

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