This Lighter Overnight French Toast Casserole can be made ahead and baked fresh in the morning – serve with berries and maple syrup!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Loaf of bread – brioche, challah and French bread are the best options. Regular sandwich bread will work, but make sure you only soak it for 10 minutes.
- Eggs – use a flax egg for a vegan option.
- Milk – swap out for a dairy-free milk of your choice like coconut or almond milk.
- Maple syrup – you’ll need maple syrup for that authentic French toast flavour but in a pinch, feel free to use honey or brown sugar.
- Cinnamon – try out other flavours like pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg ,vanilla, ginger, cloves, orange or lemon zest.
- Butter – or a butter substitute of your choice.
- Frozen mixed berries – use any blend of berries you like. You could also use fresh berries if you have some on hand.
Toppings
- Icing sugar – leave this off if you don’t have any on hand.
- Maple syrup – honey, almond butter or jam would all be good toppings.
- Fresh berries – use any berries of your choice like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.
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How to make French toast casserole
Step 1: Cut the bread into cubes.
Step 2: Whisk the eggs.
Whisk the eggs and milk together, then add the maple syrup and cinnamon.
Step 3: Toss the bread.
Toss the cubes of bread in the egg mixture and let it sit overnight.
Step 4: Grease the dish.
Step 5: Add the bread mixture.
Add the bread to the dish, then drizzle with butter and top with frozen berries.
Step 6: Bake and then serve!
Bake the casserole. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup and fresh berries. Enjoy!
What type of bread is best for French toast?
Wondering what kind of bread to use for this delicious overnight French toast casserole? These are the best kinds of bread for French toast:
- Brioche – The thickness of this bread makes it a perpetual favorite. It soaks up all the liquid while cooking but still maintains its shape. The outside browns nicely in the oven while the inside is soft and delicate.
- Challah – It’s very similar in texture to brioche so it soaks up the liquid and keeps its shape. It has a buttery flavour, enhancing the taste of the finished baked French toast casserole.
- French bread – This is a great option if you plan to let your casserole soak overnight. The texture is a little chewier so it’s nearly perfect after a longer soaking time.
Sandwich bread will get soggy if it sits for too long, so shorten your soaking time if you plan to use that – only 10 minutes tops.
Frequently Asked Questions
I suggest using brioche, challah or French bread if you plan on making this casserole the night before so it doesn’t get soggy! If all you have on hand is regular sandwich bread, limit the soaking time to no more than 10 minutes.
Fresh berries are a healthy and delicious topping idea for this overnight French toast casserole. You could also try adding on lemon curd, Nutella, bananas, peanut butter, honey, applesauce, yogurt, jam and dried cranberries.
With a few simple substitutions, you can easily make this recipe into a gluten or dairy free breakfast. To make it gluten-free, swap out the regular loaf of bread for your favourite gluten-free bread. To make it dairy-free, substitute the milk for a non-dairy alternative of your choice like almond milk or soy milk, and the butter for margarine or another dairy-free substitute.
For this recipe, you’ll add the frozen mixed berries over top before baking. Once it’s finished baking, top it with the fresh berries, maple syrup and icing sugar, then serve.
French toast casserole tastes great with bacon, fresh fruit, sausage, eggs or home fries if you're serving a large crowd. You can divide the servings into 12 portions and then have some extra protein or side dishes available to feed everyone. It’s the perfect dish for Christmas morning or big brunches!
Make-ahead instructions
One of my favourite parts of this overnight French toast casserole is that you can make it the day before then store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. This makes it a great option for holidays or brunches!
Follow the instructions and add everything to the oven-safe dish, then instead of baking it, cover the dish in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge overnight. The next day, all you have to do is drizzle it with butter and frozen berries, then pop it in the oven. It might even taste better since the flavours will have had time to soak overnight.
Storing and reheating
This baked French toast casserole can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days right in the casserole dish or in glass containers. Reheat it in a toaster oven or conventional oven for 10 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. You can microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes, just keep in mind that the bread will be soggier – but if you like your French toast softer, then go for it!
Can you freeze French toast casserole?
You can freeze this French toast casserole for 1 to 2 months, but I suggest you freeze it without the berries. They contain too much water and will soak your bread. When you’re ready to enjoy, add the frozen berries over top and reheat the casserole directly from frozen for 30 to 40 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
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More make-ahead breakfast ideas
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into your leftovers.
- Freeze this recipe sans berries in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
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Lighter Overnight French Toast Casserole {So Easy!}
Ingredients
- 1 loaf bread
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- icing sugar, for topping
- maple syrup, for topping
- 1 cup fresh berries, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut bread into 1-2 inch cubes. Set aside.
- Whisk eggs and milk together in a very large bowl until well mixed. Add maple syrup and cinnamon, stirring well. Add in cubes of bread and toss until combined. Let sit for 5 min or up to 12 hours overnight.
- Grease an 9×13 oven safe dish and add bread to it, then drizzle with butter and top with frozen berries. Bake in the oven for 30 min.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup and fresh berries. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Jennifer says
This recipe is SO GOOD!!! I made it for a late night supper because my husband had to work until almost midnight and I wanted something easy. When he walked in the door he said “what are you making for dinner? It really smells good!” And, it was. I made it according to the recipe and it was great! Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you both enjoyed! 🙂
Amanda Lynch says
Could I make this fully the night before and just rewarm it the next morning?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes you could 🙂