French Toast Casserole
French Toast Casserole is a perfect plan-ahead breakfast for sleepovers, family visits, or, the possibility of early morning guests. Make sure your lazy all-day-pajama wearing, coffee drinking with houseguests morning is accompanied by a little wow-factor. Cook up some breakfast sausage or bacon to go with it and you’re all set!
I tried this French Toast Casserole on a weekend trip with friends. I had it all ready to go before the trip so we could pop it in the oven on our first morning and we nibbled on it all weekend for breakfast and snacking. I’ve made it several more times for those group buffet breakfasts that last most of the day.
If you don’t want to toast the bread first it will turn out just fine, a little more like bread pudding, and very good. It is best if you soak the bread overnight however. This gives it the custardy texture that contrasts so nicely with the crunchy top. You can also skip the topping but if you do include it, make sure you put the casserole on a baking sheet (preferably lined with foil or parchment paper) as it will likely bubble over.
French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Cassrole Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce loaf supermarket French or Italian Bread sliced or cubed to 1/2"
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups Half-and-Half
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Topping Ingredients
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1-1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp corn syrup
- 5 ounces pecans chopped
Instructions
Directions
- For the casserole: Adjust two oven racks to the upper and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the bread in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake until dry and lightly golden, about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Allow the bread to cool
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish with butter. Layer the dried bread tightly in the prepared dish, about two layers. Whisk together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pour over the bread. Press lightly on the bread to submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
- For the topping: When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until smooth, then stir in pecans
- To assemble and bake: Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and unwrap. Spoon the pecan topping over the casserole, then spread it evenly over the bread mixture. Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, about 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
