Simple French Toast Casserole Recipe

Let's be honest: When it comes to crowd-pleasing breakfast options, it doesn't get much better than French toast. The sweet, bread-based dish is both a breakfast and brunch staple, and there are lots of ways to customize it. One of the most classic options is to add butter and syrup, although you could also top French toast with fruit or even fresh whipped cream. But what if you wanted to get creative with the dish as a whole and create a unique breakfast option that can serve a crowd?

Thanks to this simple French toast casserole recipe by Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert of Wholly Nourished, you can enjoy all of the goodness of French toast without the hassle of flipping countless pieces of bread. "The ease of prep has to be my favorite," Shelbert explains of this tasty but simple recipe. "[It's] perfect for a slow weekend morning or to make for breakfasts throughout the week." Best of all, this French toast casserole comes together using just a few ingredients and dishes, making it ideal for families or those who don't want to deal with too much clean-up. If you love French toast, you'll definitely want to give this creative casserole a try!

To make simple French toast casserole, you'll want to make sure that you have the right ingredients. Like traditional French toast, bread is the star of the show — and Bachtell-Shelbert suggests that you use day-old French bread. "Day-old bread works best so the casserole is not too soggy," she explains, adding that she allows her bread to sit out all day before making the dish, yielding excellent results each time. Along with the bread, which should be cut up into cubes, you'll also need milk, half and half, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, flour, brown sugar, chilled butter, and either pecans or walnuts to add some crunch to an otherwise soft dish.

Once you have your ingredients sorted, you can begin preparing the French toast casserole. Start by preheating your oven to 350 F and greasing a 9x13-inch baking dish. Then, place your day-old cubed French bread into the dish, layering it to the top. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, half and half, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour this milk mixture across the bread, then sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon on top. Stir the bread in the dish until each piece is evenly coated with the milk mixture and the cinnamon. Be sure to mix gently so the bread doesn't fall apart!

After you've finished mixing up the bread pieces, you can begin preparing the brown sugar crumble, which will add wonderful sweetness and texture to the casserole. Grab a small bowl, and add in the flour, brown sugar, and remaining cinnamon. Mix these ingredients together, and then add in the chilled butter, using either a fork or pastry blender until everything comes together, forming pea-sized crumbles. Finally, stir in either the walnuts or pecans, depending on your personal preference, which will add both flavor and crunch to the French toast casserole. Then, pour the brown sugar crumble across the top of the bread, ensuring that it's evenly distributed across the whole dish.

Once you've sprinkled the brown sugar crumble on top of the bread, you can put the whole dish into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, pull the dish out, and place aluminum foil over the top to ensure that the crust doesn't overcook, and then return it to the oven for another 15 minutes. After it has finished cooking, you can remove the foil, and serve your French toast casserole! Bachtell-Shelbert notes that maple syrup or melted nut butter are great topping options for this casserole, and Greek yogurt and berries make good sides and help balance out the dish.