10 hrs 10 mins
Turn your creamy, custardy brioche French toast into the best brioche French toast casserole with this super customizable, make ahead friendly, special occasion worthy recipe!
And instead of a boring (and more involved!) streusel topping, I make delicious, crispy cinnamon croutons with the same brioche bread as the topping. That’s TWO decadent breakfast choices with one baked French toast casserole!
Recipe highlights
- Easy recipe!
- It’s a make ahead recipe, so you can make it the day before and bake it just before serving.
- You can make this with store-bought or homemade brioche bread.
- There are two components to this recipe – the casserole and cinnamon toast topping. That’s TWO decadent breakfast choices in one dish!
- I share all the tips, so that even beginners can make the best brioche French toast casserole, like a pro!
- Perfect dish to serve a crowd, and for special occasions.
- Easily customizable with other flavors and variations!
I’ve always loved eating French toast casserole and its close cousin bread pudding!
What I love the most about these two dishes is the contrast of the soft, sweet center and crisp topping. Many recipes create a streusel topping for the crispy component on top. BUT I prefer the crunchiness and crispiness that come from bread that’s caramelized on top!
That’s why I love this brioche French toast casserole recipe. I make a crispy crouton topping with the same bread to go on top instead of streusel or sprinkled sugar. It has the flavor of my cinnamon toast recipe and texture of honey butter toast! I also share my secret for a super crispy topping that’s so good and addictive, you’ll want to eat it on its own!
Ingredients you’ll need
French toast layer
- Brioche bread
- Eggs
- Half and half
- Cornstarch
- Maple syrup or brown sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Lemon or lime zest
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon toast topping
- Brioche bread
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
Brioche bread substitutes
This recipe works best with an enriched bread. Brioche bread and croissants are the best options. Challah is also a great option for this recipe. You can also use any other enriched bread such as chocolate babka or cinnamon babka for another flavor variation.
Even Italian bread loaves or sourdough bread can work, but they will change the flavor, and the taste and texture of the bread are an important aspect of this French toast casserole.
Brioche, croissants, challah or babka all have a richer taste, compared to lean bread dough.
Do not use homemade white bread or store-bought sandwich bread, as this bread gets too soggy.
How to make overnight brioche French toast casserole (step by step overview)
Step 1 – Prepare the bread
For this overnight French toast casserole, you can use bread slices or bread cubes. I personally prefer cubed bread, as the smaller pieces absorb the custard more evenly. You can use either slices or cubes for the casserole, but the topping should be cubed bread.
Slice the brioche bread into thick slices – about 1 inch thick (image 1). Then cut the slices into 1 inch sticks, and then into 1 inch cubes (image 2). You can also do the same with croissants if you prefer to use those instead.
Step 2 – Dry the bread (or use stale bread)
As I talk about in my brioche French toast post, you can make stale bread quickly in the oven for the purpose of making French toast or French toast casserole.
Place the bread cubes on a wire rack and then the wire rack on a half sheet pan (image 3). Preheat the oven to 250 F and toast the bread for about 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bread cubes are slightly dried out. You can also let the bread cubes become stale at room temperature by letting them stay out for about 1 – 2 days.
When the bread is ready, separate the portions of bread for the topping and the French toast casserole.
Step 3 – Make the custard
Place all the ingredients for the custard in a jug or bowl (image 4). Use a stick blender or regular blender to blend the ingredients to make a smooth custard (image 5). I like to add the zest last, so that the zest specks are more visible in the custard, but this is optional (image 6).
You can also use a whisk to mix the ingredients, but mix the cornstarch with a little bit of liquid to make a slurry before adding it to the custard.
For the custard, you can absolutely add cinnamon! But because the topping will have cinnamon as well, I prefer not to add cinnamon to the French toast casserole component. But feel free to add cinnamon to the casserole as well, along with the zest, if you like.
Step 4 – Prepare the French toast casserole
Butter your casserole dish (image 7). This will prevent the French toast casserole from sticking to the dish after baking. I use a casserole dish that’s about 9 x 13 inches.
Place the brioche bread cubes for the casserole portion in the dish, and set aside the bread for the cinnamon toast crouton aside (images 8 – 9). Evenly pour the custard mixture over the bread (image 10). Gently mix the custard and bread pieces by folding the mixture with a spatula (image 11). You can also do this in a separate bowl, but it’s just more convenient to do it in the same dish that we are using to bake the brioche French toast casserole.
Gently press down on the bread so that it absorbs the liquid (image 12). Let it sit for about 15 minutes, until you make the cinnamon bread topping (image 13).
Then gently fold the mixture again, and press it down. This step will help all the bread pieces thoroughly soak up the custard.
Cover and refrigerate the casserole in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day.
Step 5 – Make the cinnamon toast croutons
Melt the butter and sugar together in the microwave or on the stove (image 14). Add the salt and cinnamon, and mix it really well to make a smooth mixture. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl.
Add the bread cubes for the topping into the butter mixture (image 15). Toss until the bread absorbs and is coated in the butter sugar mixture (image 16). All the bread cubes should be coated with the mixture. While this can be used immediately, the cinnamon toast croutons can be stored in the fridge until needed.
Step 6 – Bake the brioche French toast casserole
When you’re ready to cook the French toast casserole, preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.
Remove the dish with the soaked brioche bread from the fridge (image 17), as well as the cinnamon croutons. Sprinkle the cinnamon croutons over the surface of the custard soaked brioche bread (images 18 – 19). You can break the cinnamon croutons into smaller pieces as well if you like.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 – 60 minutes, until the custard is baked through, and the croutons look caramelized and crispy (image 20). If the crispy croutons are browning too much, then use a tented foil over the casserole.
The interior of this baked French toast casserole should register at about 165 – 170 F. Remove from the oven and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to cool down slightly.
Step 7 – Serve
The brioche French toast casserole is best served while still warm. The cinnamon toast croutons on top of the French toast casserole need to cool down slightly so that they are super crispy, but the interior still remains warm.
Serve with maple syrup or jam.
Recipe tips for success
- Choose a good brioche. For the best tasting brioche French toast casserole, use a rich and authentic brioche loaf. Authentic brioche loaves have a very high egg and butter percentage, resulting in a cake-like texture. 50% butter (compared to flour), gives you a rich brioche.
- You can make your own brioche (if you’re up for a challenge) using my authentic brioche recipe that I learned at Le cordon bleu, but was adapted for home bakers! You can also use store-bought brioche. Croissants are a close alternative, followed by challah.
- Stale, dry bread will absorb the delicious eggy custard so much better than fresh bread. So make sure to use stale bread, OR dry the brioche in the oven to make it “stale” faster.
- Allow the bread to properly soak in the custard. Don’t rush this process! If the bread isn’t allowed to absorb the custard, the casserole will have cooked egg pockets along with bread pockets that are dry because it didn’t absorb the liquid properly. The ideal consistency is to have the bread layer absorb the custard and set into a deliciously fluffy, custardy layer.
- Have a crunchy topping. The crunchy topping will add a wonderful textural contrast! The crunchy, with the soft, smooth, custardy casserole layer is what makes a delicious baked French casserole. You can choose many options, from easiest to most involved are;
- Leave the top of the casserole as is. The edges of the bread cubes will still become crunchy as they dry out and toast in the oven, but the crunch will be minimal.
- Sprinkle a layer of sugar on top. The sugar will caramelize and harden.
- Add chopped nuts or ready-made granola on top. Sliced almonds or chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), will add a lovely crunch AND flavor.
- Use extra bread to make flavored croutons, like the cinnamon toast croutons that I make for this brioche French toast casserole! In my opinion, this is absolutely the BEST option because you’re still using bread to make a decadent crunchy topping!
- Make a separate streusel. Another good option, but it’s more involved than all the other options.
- Make sure to let the bread absorb the butter and sugar mixture to get the best cinnamon toast croutons! These croutons are like a cross between cinnamon toast and honey toast, and can be eaten on its own! In fact, make extra because you’ll want to eat more of it on its own. I guarantee it! 🙂
- The bake time can vary, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it as it bakes. The oven you use, the material of the baking dish, size of the baking dish, and the temperature of the casserole at the beginning will all affect the baking time.
- To check whether the French toast casserole is done, use an instant read thermometer for best results. The internal temperature should register at 170 F in the middle when the casserole is done. Another method is to use a knife to insert into the middle. Carefully look inside the cut you made – there should be no liquid when the casserole is done.
- Allow the casserole to sit at room temperature to cool down slightly before serving. The topping should cool down enough for the sugar to set and form a crunchy topping. But make sure to serve the French toast casserole while it’s still warm.
Recipe variations and substitutions
What’s the best bread for French toast casserole?
Any bread you can use for classic French toast is suitable for French toast casserole! But, if the bread tastes rich and delicious, the French toast will taste even better!
With its buttery and rich taste, my preferred choices are brioche and croissants! That is why I love using brioche or croissants (or a variation like brioche buns or brioche cinnamon rolls) for special occasion French toast casseroles or croissant bread pudding.
What other flavors can I add to the brioche French toast casserole?
- Chocolate chip French toast casserole – Add chocolate chips to the French toast layer to create a chocolate chip French toast casserole.
- Chocolate French toast casserole – Dissolve cocoa powder (and extra sugar) or hot chocolate mix with the custard. And add chocolate chips for a double chocolate French toast casserole! Add mini marshmallows on top for a hot chocolate French toast casserole.
- Add fruits to the French toast casserole – You can add berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries to the bread layer. I add raspberry jam and fresh raspberries in my croissant bread pudding, which you can do with this recipe too.
- Apple pie French toast casserole – Swirl in apple pie filling to make an apple pie French toast casserole. Don’t forget to add apple pie spice to the sugar croutons on top too!
- Nutella French toast casserole – Dollop and swirl spoonfuls of Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread (like this vegan Nutella spread) with the bread layer.
- Cheesecake French toast casserole – Dollop lots of sweetened cream cheese batter with the French toast layer. These pockets of cream cheese will add a creamy cheesecake flavor to this baked French toast casserole.
- Caramel French toast casserole – Add caramel to the custard base instead of sugar or maple syrup, and serve the casserole with extra caramel sauce drizzled on top.
- Coffee French toast casserole – Add instant coffee or a double shot of espresso to the custard base.
- You can also change the spice mix to make your French toast casserole more seasonal!
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Chai masala
- Gingerbread spice
- Nutmeg and rum for an eggnog flavored French toast casserole (and serve with some delicious homemade eggnog for Christmas morning breakfast or brunch!)
- You can also serve this brioche French toast casserole with fried eggs and bacon! I prefer to leave out the cinnamon, and just make a maple flavored crouton topping instead for this.
- You can even make a savory French toast casserole! A savory French toast casserole is technically called a “strata” (like this Thanksgiving leftover strata, for example). Reduce the sweetness and add savory add-ins like ham and cheese to make savory French toast casseroles / strata! Instead of sugar croutons, make butter and cheese croutons with parmesan.
Storage tips
You can store leftovers in the fridge for about 3 – 4 days. Make sure that it’s in an airtight container.
You can also store leftovers in the freezer. To make sure you don’t repeatedly thaw and freeze the leftovers, cut the casserole into individual portions and wrap each portion individually with plastic wrap or freezer-friendly wrap. And store them properly to avoid freezer burn.
While the casserole can be reheated in the microwave, the topping will not be crisp. For the topping to be crisp as well, heat the casserole in the oven at a low temperature to ensure that it heats through without burning.
Frequently asked questions
While both dishes are very similar, there’s a small difference.
French toast casserole is based on French toast, and therefore has a higher egg content than bread pudding. Bread pudding in contrast is a dessert and the custard is more like pouring custard (crème anglaise) where there is more dairy.
In addition, French toast casserole is mostly a breakfast / brunch dish, while bread pudding (sweet version) is served as a dessert. The savory version – strata, is served either as breakfast or a main meal.
For French toast casserole, the custard ratio is 1/4 – 1/3 cup milk per egg. So, 3 – 4 eggs per 1 cup of milk.
With bread pudding, the custard ratio is 3/4 – 1 cup milk per 2 eggs. So, 4 – 5 eggs per 2 cups of milk.
There are two reasons why a casserole can be soggy.
The main reason is because the French toast casserole wasn’t baked through. Leaving uncooked, watery custard that makes the bread pudding taste soggy.
The next reason is either using the wrong kind of bread, or using too much custard. If the bread is unable to absorb all the custard and maintain its shape, the French toast casserole might end up feeling soggy with mushy bread, or feel like there’s too much custard and not enough bread in the casserole.
To fix this, you can mix the bread and custard separately overnight, and then transfer ONLY the soaked bread into the dish and bake it. Leaving the “extra custard” behind. This is never an issue if you properly follow this recipe though.
Because French toast casserole is made with eggs! French toast casserole is meant to have around a 50 : 50 ratio of eggs and milk, or more eggs. So, it’s meant to taste like eggs!
If you prefer to taste less of the eggs, then a bread pudding dessert might be the better option for you. Alternatively, adding citrus zest and vanilla also helps to reduce the “eggy smell”.
The casserole is best stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking (so it works really well as an overnight French toast casserole). And it’s best served while warm and the cinnamon toast croutons are crispy. The crispness will be lost if the casserole is baked and then stored in the fridge.
However, components of the recipe like the bread cubes and topping can easily be prepared a few days in advance!
Since French toast casserole is served mostly as a breakfast or brunch dish, it can be served in many ways! Leaning into breakfast, this casserole can be served with fruits, fruit compote, or jam (strawberry jam, plum jam, and grape jelly are a few of my favorites), and maple syrup, and maybe a little extra whipped cream.
But you can also dress it up more for a substantial brunch meal! Serve it with French vanilla ice cream, salted caramel sauce, or chocolate fudge sauce for a sweeter and richer option!
We also often serve bacon and eggs with this brioche French toast casserole.
More cozy breakfast and brunch recipes
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Brioche French Toast Casserole (with Cinnamon Toast Croutons)
Yield: 1 large casserole that will serve 10 people
Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
Prep: 1 hour 20 minutes
Resting time (overnight preferred): 8 hours
Cook: 50 minutes
Total Time: 10 hours 10 minutes
Servings: servings
Prevent your screen from going dark
Ingredients:
Brioche French toast casserole
Cinnamon sugar toast croutons
Instructions:
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For this recipe, you’ll need to use 2 homemade brioche bread loaves. 1 cup of cubed brioche bread (1 inch cubes) is about 57 g / 2 oz. So, you’ll need about 12 cups for the French toast layer, and about 4 cups for the cinnamon toast crouton layer.
Preparing the brioche bread
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Cut the brioche bread into 0.75 – 1 inch thick slices. Then cut these slices into cubes, so that you have bread cubes that are roughly 0.75 – 1 inch in size.
685 g brioche bread, 225 g brioche bread
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If the bread loaves are already stale, then you can proceed with making the custard base. If you’re using fresh bread loaves, then use the oven to dry out the bread cubes as described below.
Drying out bread in the oven (only for fresh bread)
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Place an oven rack on a half sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 250°F / 120°C (conventional).
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Spread the bread cubes out on the oven rack. Alternatively, you can spread out the bread on a parchment paper-lined baking tray as well, but you will need to move the bread cubes around while baking so that they all dry out evenly.
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Place the baking tray in the preheated oven. Bake the bread cubes for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bread is feeling a little dry. Check on them to make sure the bread isn’t darkening.
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Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool down to room temperature. Divide the bread and keep the portion for the topping separately (about a ¼ of the bread, or about 3 – 4 cups).
225 g brioche bread
Making the custard base
-
Place all the ingredients for the custard in a large jug or blender jug.
540 mL half and half, 25 g cornstarch, 7 large eggs, 100 g brown sugar, ½ tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp lemon or lime zest, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg
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Use a stick blender or regular blender to blend all the ingredients together. I prefer to add the lemon zest at the end, but you can add it with the rest of the ingredients too. I also don’t always add the cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can add those in too.
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If using a whisk to mix the custard, make a slurry with the cornstarch and just a few tablespoons of the milk / cream. Make sure that it’s smooth and has no lumps.
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Next, add the rest of the cream, milk, and other ingredients, and whisk vigorously until smooth. Whisking until smooth and lump free is important as the custard will absorb better if the custard mixture doesn’t seem gloopy (the egg white must be whisked or it’ll create a gloopy flow).
-
Set it aside.
Preparing the French toast casserole
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Prepare a 4 qt / 3.8 L casserole dish by brushing some butter all over the inside of the dish. You can also use a 9 x 13 in pan as well. Set it aside.
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Spread the stale bread cubes for the French toast layer inside the casserole dish.
685 g brioche bread
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Evenly pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a spatula to gently fold the bread cubes over. This is so that the bread on top is also able to completely absorb the egg mixture.
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Using clean hands, gently press down on the bread cubes so that the custard is fully absorbed by the bread. These steps will ensure a perfectly creamy, custardy French toast layer throughout the casserole!
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Cover the casserole dish and transfer it to the fridge. Let it refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours to allow the bread to be saturated with the custard mixture.
Making the cinnamon toast croutons
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Melt the butter, salt, and sugar until you have a smooth mixture. You can melt it together over the stove or in the microwave.
125 g unsalted or salted butter, 200 g brown sugar, ¼ tsp salt
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Mix well to ensure a smooth mixture, and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the cinnamon and mix it in well.
1 tsp ground cinnamon
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Add the remaining bread cubes into the butter sugar mixture and toss well until the butter and sugar coats all of the bread.
225 g brioche bread
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The croutons can be used right away, but the casserole must be ready to be baked as well. Until then, place the bread cubes in a container and this can be refrigerated until needed.
Baking the French toast casserole with cinnamon toast croutons
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
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Remove the casserole and sugar coated bread cubes from the fridge.
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The cinnamon sugar croutons can be left whole, or broken into slightly smaller pieces if you prefer. Cover the whole surface of the casserole with the cinnamon croutons.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 40 – 50 minutes, or until baked through. The time will vary and will be slightly different depending on if you use a metal baking dish, glass baking dish, or ceramic.
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The French toast casserole is done when a thermometer inserted to the middle registers at 170 – 180°F. You can also use a knife to cut into the middle and then check if the custard is set (if there’s liquid, then it’s not done).
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If the croutons are caramelizing and burning too fast, tent a piece of foil on top to prevent this.
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Once baked through, remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for a few minutes until the cinnamon toast croutons harden and become nice and crispy. Serve while warm.
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Serve with maple syrup or jam or whipped cream or creme fraiche.
Tips & Tricks
Notes about the brioche bread
If you’re using my homemade brioche bread for this recipe, you will need 2 homemade brioche bread loaves. This is for both the French toast layer and the crouton layer.
1 cup of cubed brioche bread (1 inch cubes) is about 57 g / 2 oz.
So, for this recipe, you will need about 12 cups for the French toast layer, and about 4 cups for the cinnamon toast crouton layer.
If you can’t find brioche, you can use croissants or challah too. These Hawaiian bread rolls can also be used to make this baked French toast casserole.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 539kcal (27%)Carbohydrates: 66g (22%)Protein: 13g (26%)Fat: 25g (38%)Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 251mg (84%)Sodium: 574mg (25%)Potassium: 159mg (5%)Fiber: 0.2g (1%)Sugar: 32g (36%)Vitamin A: 950IU (19%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 144mg (14%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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