With very little prep work, you can stash a Dump-and-Bake Easy French Toast Casserole in the refrigerator, let it sit overnight, and wake up to a deliciously satisfying breakfast! Perfect for an easy holiday brunch or a lazy Sunday morning, the cinnamon and brown sugar topping on this baked Texas toast French toast sets it over the top!
Table of Contents
- An Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Ingredients for An Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe
- How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole with Texas Toast
- What to Serve with Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Texas Toast French Toast Casserole Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- More Delicious Breakfast Recipes to Try
- French Toast Casserole with Texas Toast Recipe
An Easy Overnight French Toast Casserole
Is there anyone who doesn’t love French Toast? As far as I can tell, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Nothing beats the sweet and crispy cinnamon and brown sugar streusel on top, with thick-sliced bread baked in a casserole dish… dusted with powdered sugar, garnished with fresh berries and a drizzle of real maple syrup?! Lawd, help me! There’s just nothing better!
The best news of all is I’ve managed to make this baked French toast casserole about as simple as possible!
You guys love my dump-and-bake recipes. Well, this is basically the brunch version of a dump-and-bake casserole! With practically no prep work necessary, you just assemble the dish, and it’s ready to go! There’s no need to make a complicated custard mixture and no need to stand over a hot griddle, flipping pieces of traditional French toast before they burn. Instead, you can prep this make-ahead breakfast the night before, pop it in the oven the next morning, and bake until your house smells amazing. Trust me, this is the best French toast casserole recipe!
What Is Texas Toast?
Texas toast is thick slices of white bread with a crusty exterior and a light and fluffy crumb. You’re probably most familiar with Texas toast in the form of frozen garlic bread in the grocery store freezer section or thick slices of buttered Texas toast bread served with meals at restaurants like Dairy Queen or Raising Canes Chicken. The perfect Texas toast bread has a perfectly light and fluffy interior and a toasty exterior that soaks up butter and sauce.
That’s why it’s so perfect for this scrumptious French toast bake. The thick, buttered Texas toast soaks up the creamy eggs, milk, and cinnamon mixture and bakes to perfection. If you’ve never made a French toast casserole with Texas toast before, get ready to have your world changed!
Ingredients for An Easy French Toast Casserole Recipe
To keep this make-ahead breakfast casserole really easy, I use simple ingredients. There’s hardly any effort involved! Below is an overview of the ingredients needed to make the perfect French toast casserole with Texas toast. As always, the complete ingredient measurements and directions are in the recipe card below.
- Frozen Buttered Texas Toast: I use store-bought frozen slices of buttered Texas Toast that I pick up in the freezer section at our local grocery store. Be careful not to grab the garlic-flavored Texas Toast — that would just be GROSS!
- Eggs: the base of the simple custard mixture for the French toast casserole.
- Whole Milk: makes the eggs extra creamy! I prefer whole milk, but any other variety, including non-dairy, can be substituted.
- Vanilla Extract, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, & Nutmeg: for that classic sweet and warm French toast flavor.
What’s a good substitute bread for Texas toast in this French toast casserole?
If you can’t find plain butter-flavored frozen Texas Toast at your store, use your favorite thick-cut fresh bread from the bakery section. Any bread you would choose for a classic French Toast will also work here — usually crusty French bread, Italian bread, or day-old brioche bread. You could also check the bread aisle for sandwich Texas toast bread from brands like Lewis Bakery, Sara Lee, Wonder Bread, or the store brand.
If you’re buying a fresh loaf of bread, it’s best to buy it a day or two ahead of time and let it become a little stale before making this French toast bake recipe. Stale bread soaks up moisture better than fresh, which makes for much better-tasting French toast!
How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole with Texas Toast
Once you have all your ingredients together, it’s just a matter of whisking and assembling! This delicious French toast casserole only requires minutes of prep. You’ll have a perfect make-ahead breakfast for a special occasion like Christmas morning or another holiday breakfast or just as a casual family brunch on the weekend.
- Prep your casserole dish.
- Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
- Whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla together in another bowl.
- Arrange a single layer of Texas toast in your casserole dish and sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture.
- Add another layer of bread and top with the rest of the sugar mixture.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered, then 20 minutes uncovered.
Preparing Delicious Texas Toast French Toast Bake
The secret to this delicious, buttery, creamy French toast bake comes from a layer of melted butter on the bottom of the casserole dish. The butter soaks up until the thick-sliced bread and mixes with the creamy egg mixture for so much flavor – don’t skip that step; it’s a must!
You’ll notice that I prepared a smaller version of this Texas toast French toast casserole for this post. I use a smaller 8-inch square baking dish for our smaller family. However, the recipe below is for a standard 9 x 13 baking dish and includes the modifications for a smaller dish. Pick the option that works best for your family! Of course, having leftover French toast casserole is never a bad thing – it’s just as delicious the next day.
How do I avoid soggy French toast casserole?
Soggy baked French toast casserole is a common problem, and we don’t want to experience it! The secret to avoiding soggy French toast is to use thick enough slices of bread – at least 3/4th of an inch to 1-inch-thick slices. This is why Texas toast is perfect for French toast casserole – it’s the ideal thickness, so no guessing is needed!
Another tip is to make sure both layers of bread are evenly soaked in the egg mixture. Once you pour the egg mixture over the bread, gently push down on the bread to ensure all pieces are evenly submerged.
Finally, baking the casserole covered at first will ensure that both the bottom of the dish and the top cook evenly, so no part of the casserole is more or less cooked.
What to Serve with Overnight French Toast Casserole
Whether you’re serving this on a casual weekend morning or for a special holiday brunch, there are plenty of ways to garnish and serve baked French toast casserole to make it an absolute crowd pleaser! Here are some family favorite ways to enjoy Texas toast French toast casserole.
- Fresh Berries: the only thing that could make this breakfast casserole better is fresh berries on top, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or a combination of all three.
- Sweet: a simple dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup is minimal but perfect. We love using pure maple syrup for the most authentic maple taste.
- Creamy: garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. These creamy additions melt right into the bread, making it even more decadent.
- Savory: serve this French toast bake alongside your favorite savory breakfast items – bacon, eggs, and sausage!
- Starchy: if you’re going the sweet-and-savory route, why not serve it with breakfast potatoes? Serve with hash browns, cheesy potatoes, potatoes O’Brien, or crispy seasoned potatoes,
Texas Toast French Toast Casserole Recipe Variations and Cook’s Tips
- If you’re using store-bought fresh bread, let it sit out of the bag on the counter overnight to become a little stale before using.
- You could swap milk for heavy cream in this recipe if you want an even creamier custard.
- For even more flavor, add a layer of toppings between layers of bread – chocolate chips, dollops of cream cheese, berries, a little extra cinnamon, or even strawberry freezer jam.
- This make-ahead French toast casserole can be assembled and baked on the same day. Just let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour – the longer, the better!
- Cooking for a smaller crowd? Just cut the ingredients in half and use an 8 x 8 casserole dish instead! The baking instructions remain the same.
- Leftover French toast casserole should be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. You can enjoy leftovers reheated or cold!
Once you pull this easy Texas toast French toast casserole out of the oven, you’ll realize just how PERFECT this breakfast casserole really is. What makes it truly special is that sweet cinnamon brown sugar streusel that forms a perfect, crispy crust on top. It’s the best contrast to the soft, tender bread inside!
It’s basically like you’re having bread pudding for breakfast! Go big, or go home, right?!
This decadent (yet easy) French toast casserole with Texas toast is perfect for Easter brunch, your next quiet Sunday morning at home, or a weeknight breakfast-for-dinner! With cinnamon, spice, and everything nice, it’s one dish that I know your family will adore!
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes to Try
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If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 14–16 ounces) day-old French or Italian bread, cut or torn into 1-inch cubes (about 10-11 cups)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk (or sub half-and-half for a richer custard)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted (plus more for greasing the dish)
Optional Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- Optional, for serving: powdered sugar, warm maple syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries
Instructions
Prep the dish:
- Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. Spread the cubed bread evenly in the dish.
Make the custard:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well blended. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking.
Combine:
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes, pressing lightly with a spatula to help the bread absorb the liquid. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the Streusel (Optional):
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir small clumps form. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake the casserole.
Bake:
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the casserole and the streusel and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven warms. Sprinkle the streusel over top, breaking up any big chunks with your fingers or a fork.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. If the top starts to get too dark before the casserole is done, tent the dish loosely with foil and continue baking.
Serve:
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with warm maple syrup.
Notes
- Use thick bread: Slices should be at least 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick. Brioche, challah, Italian bread, French bread, or Texas toast all work well.
- Day-old bread is best: Slightly stale bread absorbs custard better than fresh. Let fresh bread sit out overnight or toast lightly before using.
- Don’t skip the chill time: Refrigerate the assembled casserole for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal) so the bread fully absorbs the custard.
- Press gently: After adding the custard, gently press down on the bread to ensure all pieces are evenly soaked.
- Doneness test: The center should be firm (not jiggly) and a knife inserted should come out mostly clean. Internal temp should reach about 160°F.
- Let it rest: Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes after baking so it sets and slices cleanly.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
- Freezing: Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
- Smaller batch: Use an 8 x 8-inch dish and cut all ingredients in half. Baking time remains the same.
This was a hit for Easter brunch! Used a dense Italian loaf that is made locally and sliced it thick. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Hi, Jean! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Wow I’ve never made a french toast casserole before this looks amazing. Perfect for weekend brunch!
Thanks, Emily!
Super Easy to follow and bake up. I prepared everything and left overnight. yummy…yummy have printed out a copy for my Mom. I have 3 more breakfasts for myself. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome! So glad that you enjoyed it, Barbara. Thanks for sharing the recipe with your mom, too! 🙂