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French toast casserole is the best way to enjoy all the flavors of French toast without having to stand over the stove dipping and flipping individual slices. If you’ve ever tried making French toast for a crowd, you know the feeling of being halfway into a loaf of bread simultaneously thinking, “what have I done?” and “I’m hungry!” French toast casserole solves this problem. Even better, this dish is best when prepped the night before, so all you have to do is pop it in the oven.
What Ingredients Are in French Toast Casserole?
French toast casserole is made with all your usual French toast ingredients: bread, eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla. We use half-and-half to achieve a rich custard, and we sprinkle in some toasted pecans for more flavor and a little texture. Feel free to substitute walnuts or chocolate chips or leave out the add-ins entirely.
One little extra that we add to our French toast casserole is a mixture of granulated sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Sprinkling this on top of the casserole before baking yields a crunchy caramelized crust on top that gives Cinnamon Toast Crunch vibes. You could vary the spices in the topping for a different flavor profile. Try ground cardamom or even pumpkin pie spice.
How Do You Make French Toast Casserole?
French toast casserole is super simple to put together. Bread cubes and nuts go into the baking dish, then your egg and dairy mixture is poured over the top. The key to this dish, though, is the overnight soak. This step ensures that the stale bread has plenty of time to absorb the rich custard, which means that every bite will be perfect.
Does French Toast Casserole Have To Sit Overnight?
If you’d rather not make this the night before, you can combine the bread and the custard mixture in a large bowl. Let this sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure all the bread cubes are getting nice and soaked. Then transfer the mixture to the baking dish, sprinkle with the sugary topping, and bake. Start checking for doneness a few minutes early, since the casserole won’t be baked straight from the fridge and won’t need quite as long in the oven.
What To Serve With French Toast Casserole
Serve French toast casserole with sausage links or patties, crispy bacon, or veggie sausage, because the combination of maple syrup and savory breakfast meat is one of the finer things in life. Have some warmed maple syrup and softened salted butter on the table for those who like their French toast on the richer side and flaky sea salt for diners who love a salty-sweet contrast. Add a bowl of fruit salad or cut fruit for good measure. Brunch has never been easier!
Tips for Making French Toast Casserole
- Allowing the casserole to sit, refrigerated, overnight helps the custard seep into the bread evenly, resulting in a casserole where every bite is a perfect bite.
- Be sure to use toasted pecans. Toasting brings out the flavor of the nuts.
- Instead of half-and-half, you can use whole milk or a combination of milk and cream in any ratio you prefer.
- If you like a less-sweet French toast casserole (all the better for adding more maple syrup while serving), reduce the sugar in the custard to 1/3 to 1/2 cup.
- This recipe works especially well with stale or dry bread. Purchase your loaf ahead of time, or you can even tear it into cubes and let them sit uncovered on a baking sheet for a few hours to help them dry out a little.
