Overnight French Toast Casserole

My overnight French Toast Casserole recipe is a game-changer for holidays and weekday meals! Ready in 40 minutes using simple ingredients.

Course Breakfast or Dessert, brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword french toast casserole, french toast casserole overnight, overnight french toast, overnight french toast casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 518kcal

1 loaf Brioche or Challah bread; we used chocolate chip brioche bread, how fun!
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar packed
8 eggs
3 cups milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons cinnamon divided (one half is for egg mixture, other half is for topping)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar mixed with 1½ tsp. cinnamon for topping
Powdered sugar for topping - optional
Fresh fruit - optional

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and cut or tear your bread loaf into cubes. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and mix well until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is smooth and beginning to thicken.
½ cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar
Pour the mixture into the bottom of your greased baking dish. Smooth out evenly across the bottom of the dish.
Add cubed bread to the baking dish.
1 loaf Brioche
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and half of your cinnamon. Once whisked well, pour egg mixture over the cubed bread. Make sure all pieces of bread have been saturated. Mix together remaining cinnamon and sugar to make cinnamon sugar, then sprinkle over the loaf.
8 eggs, 3 cups milk, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and fluffy. Remove from the oven and top with powdered sugar and fresh fruit if desired. Enjoy!
Fresh fruit - optional, Powdered sugar

If your casserole is browning too quickly, cover it with foil for part of the cooking time.
I recommend using brioche or challah bread for this recipe. Chocolate chip brioche is an incredible choice. I do not recommend using regular bread or any thin bread.
1-2 day old bread works best for french toast as it holds up better to the liquid. Fresh bread will become soggy more easily. If your bread is too soft for french toast, let it dry by setting it out of its packaging for a few hours.
You can make this an overnight french toast casserole by allowing it to absorb the flavors in the refrigerator overnight before baking.