Want an easy brunch dish that’s impressive enough to serve on a holiday? This overnight French toast casserole recipe has entered the chat. Assemble it prior to Christmas morning, Mother’s Day—or any time you expect an early wave of guests. The next day, roll out of bed, brush the top with melted butter, slide it into the oven, and settle down with your coffee.
We recommend using challah, brioche, or Pullman over more crusty French bread or sourdough for a tender bread-pudding-like casserole. We like fat slices here (à la actual French toast) instead of bread cubes to differentiate it from that carby, custardy dessert. We also like the pairing of cinnamon with warm, floral cardamom here, but if you don’t have any, a dash of vanilla extract will do just fine.
If you’re an early riser, you can prep the casserole the same day you plan to serve it—but it does need at least 2 hours in the fridge, so don’t rush it. The milk mixture needs time to fully hydrate the bread in order to develop sweet, crispy (not dry) edges in the oven, and a puffy, custardy (not soggy) interior.
The best way to serve a baked French toast casserole is on a buffet with lots of toppings. We’re partial to tangy crème fraîche and maple syrup, but you could put out a blueberry compote and salty butter pecans, caramelized apples and whipped cream, a batch of poached eggs and chili crisp, or simply dust it with powdered sugar and call it a day.
If you’re hosting a large party, add another breakfast casserole to your menu, like a cheesy egg bake with sausage, or go with any of our best breakfast recipes instead.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 40 minutes plus chilling
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
1
3
6
1¾
1¾
⅓
1½
½
¾
½
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Place rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°. Spread one 1-lb. challah, brioche, or Pullman loaf, sliced 1" thick on a large rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing bread halfway through, until dried out and lightly golden brown, 20–25 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, butter a 13x9" baking dish. Whisk 6 large eggs, 1¾ cups heavy cream, 1¾ cups whole milk, ⅓ cup (packed; 71 g) light brown sugar, 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. ground cardamom, ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. finely grated orange zest (if using) in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Arrange dried bread in overlapping rows in prepared baking dish. Pour egg mixture over, pressing bread down into custard to help soak it up. Let sit 5 minutes, then press down once more. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours (up to overnight).
Step 4
Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 325°. Let casserole dish sit at room temperature while oven preheats, at least 30 minutes. Uncover pan, tilt, and ladle custard back over tops of bread. Press down once more to submerge. Brush tops of bread with 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. demerara sugar and bake until bread is lightly golden, puffed, and pulling away from edges of baking pan, and butter is bubbling, 30–40 minutes.
Step 5
Let cool slightly. Serve with crème fraîche and maple syrup alongside.
Do ahead: French toast casserole can be assembled 2 days ahead; keep chilled.
Editor’s note: The recipe for this French toast bake was first printed online in December 2018 as ‘Overnight French Toast.’ Head this way for more of our best brunch recipes →