Description
This Ultimate Overnight French Toast Bake is a delicious, make-ahead breakfast casserole that soaks thick slices of bread in a rich custard overnight and bakes to a perfectly soft, custardy texture with a sweet, caramelized brown sugar topping. Ideal for holiday brunches or busy mornings, it delivers impressive flavor without the fuss of flipping individual slices, feeding a crowd with ease.
Ingredients
Scale
For the bread base:
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 8 eggs (room temperature)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups half and half
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 loaf French bread or thick Texas toast
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup butter, softened (reserve some for greasing)
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Dish and Bread: Coat a 9″x13″ baking dish thoroughly with some of the softened butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking. Slice the French bread into 1-inch thick slices and arrange them in the baking dish in rows with slight overlap. Set aside while preparing the custard.
- Mix the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk the 8 eggs until well beaten. Add the half and half, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- Assemble and Soak the Bread: Pour the custard evenly over the bread slices, ensuring thorough coating. Spoon some custard between slices to saturate all bread pieces. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow the bread to absorb the custard fully.
- Prepare the Topping: Preheat oven to 350°F. Before baking, flip each bread slice to coat all sides with custard. In a medium bowl, mix the remaining softened butter, light brown sugar, light corn syrup, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Top and Bake the French Toast: Spoon the butter and sugar topping evenly over the soaked bread slices, spreading it like icing. Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Let cool slightly before serving. Optionally, sprinkle extra cinnamon before serving for enhanced flavor.
Notes
- Use day-old or slightly stale bread for best custard absorption and texture.
- Bring casserole to room temperature before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Let the butter-brown sugar topping cool slightly before spreading to prevent it from sinking.
- French bread, Texas toast, challah, or brioche are all good bread choices.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Reheat leftovers in microwave for 30-45 seconds or in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: French toast bake, overnight French toast, breakfast casserole, make-ahead breakfast, holiday brunch
