Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe

There's no denying that French toast is one of the tastiest dishes you can make for breakfast or brunch. That said, it's not always the most convenient, especially if you're trying to feed a crowd. To make classic French toast, there's typically a lot of mixing, dunking, and stovetop cooking involved, which can become tedious and time-consuming. Thanks to recipe developer Catherine Brookes' easy French toast casserole recipe, you can simplify the dish and make it crowd-friendly without sacrificing any of those sweet, rich flavors. 

"I love the combination of the crisp, golden top with the pillowy, custardy middle," Brookes describes of this casserole. "This is such a great weekend breakfast treat!" 

Even in casserole form, this dish has everything you might want in French toast, including eggy, milky bread, vanilla, sugar, and even a little bit of cinnamon. Whether you're feeding your family or serving a slightly larger crowd, this breakfast casserole comes together in less than an hour, making it ideal for those who don't want to spend their entire morning in the kitchen. And, with nearly countless ways to customize it, this French toast casserole might become your go-to weekend breakfast or brunch. 

If you make French toast often, then most of these ingredients are going to look pretty familiar. To make the breakfast favorite in casserole form, you'll need some chopped brioche bread as the base, which happens to be the special ingredient in this recipe. "Using brioche bread gives an amazing soft texture and extra sweetness," Brookes explains. 

Along with the brioche, you'll need butter, brown sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. If you're looking to add a little texture, Brookes also notes that chopped nuts would be a great addition.

You'll be baking this casserole, so the first thing to do is preheat your oven to 400 F. Now, place a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, then add in ¾ cup brown sugar, the butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Once everything has melted together in the saucepan, transfer the sweet mixture to a large, oven-safe baking dish, and spread it across the bottom. 

With the buttery brown sugar mixture in the baking dish, go ahead and place the brioche chunks right on top, ensuring that they're evenly spread out. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, then evenly pour the mixture over the bread chunks.

In another small bowl, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle this sweet mixture all over the top of the bread chunks, ensuring that it's evenly distributed. 

With the French toast casserole fully assembled, go ahead and pop it in the oven, allowing it to bake for 30-40 minutes. You'll know it's done once the middle has set and it browns on top — if it starts to get too brown, however, cover the dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.

Once baked, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of the casserole, and optionally serve it with fresh berries. "It would be great with maple syrup, your favorite fresh fruits, or even some Greek yogurt," Brookes suggests. "[It's] great with tea or coffee, too." After all, what breakfast classic doesn't go great with some fresh coffee?