French Toast Casserole With Brioche
If you love French toast as much as a sleep-in, this super easy overnight French Toast Casserole With Brioche is perfect for you. The best part is that you can prep this quick and easy baked French toast the night before, making it a great recipe for an easy weekend brunch or a comforting winter or fall breakfast.
Special occasions such as Christmas, Easter, or Valentine’s Day call for a comforting warm breakfast in our house and this French toast casserole with buttery brioche is a popular choice besides German waffles, and whey pancakes.
With minimal prep the night before, you can enjoy this easy make-ahead breakfast casserole without the morning rush the next day. This easy recipe uses basic ingredients and you can easily customize it with your favorite toppings or add other fillings into the mix before baking. Check my breakfast casserole ideas below the recipe if you’d like to customize your casserole.
I like to serve this French toast casserole with a dusting of powdered sugar or brown sugar whipped cream for some extra indulgence. Add a side of fresh berries or honey stewed berries for some color and extra comfort.
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French Toast Casserole With Brioche
Ingredients
- 6 eggs medium-sized
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 4 cups brioche bread cubes cut in 1-inch cubes, about 4 cups
- 2 tbsp butter to grease the casserole dish
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs by hand with a fork or whisk or with an electric mixer until you have a smooth consistency.6 eggs
- Add the maple syrup, heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, melted butter, and eggs to create the custard mixture.1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup melted butter
- Cut the stale brioche loaf into 1-inch cubes.4 cups brioche bread cubes
- Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish and transfer the brioche bread cubes into it. Spread them evenly.2 tbsp butter
- Pour the custard mixture into the prepared baking dish over the top and cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminium foil and refrigerate overnight. This allows the flavors to meld, and the bread to soak up the custard thoroughly.
- The next morning, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Sprinkle the brown sugar in top of the casserole and cover it with aluminum foil for the first 30 minutes of baking. Then, uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.1/4 cup brown sugar
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Stale brioche bread: Leftover buttery brioche bread (or challah bread) works best. but you can also use stale, day-old bread incl. white wheat bread slices, baguette, croissants, or sourdough bread including sourdough brioche cut into 1-inch cubes. I don’t recommend using fresh bread as it will get too soggy especially if you’re making this recipe the night before. Simply cut the brioche into cubes and toast them for 10 minutes at 350F (175C) for them to crisp up.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar is sprinkled on top of the bread mixture before baking to create a sweet and crunchy topping. You can use granulated sugar as well.
- Vanilla: I use vanilla extract for this recipe but you can also use homemade vanilla syrup, fresh vanilla beans, or vanilla essence if needed.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a rich and warm flavor to this decadent breakfast casserole. You can use 1 tsp of Christmas spice mix instead to add a festive flavor.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted melted butter. If using unsalted, simply add a pinch of salt to the egg custard mixture.
Step-by-step photos
- Add the eggs to a large bowl or measuring jug.
- Whisk them thoroughly.
- Add cinnamon, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.
- Add the milk and heavy cream to finish off the egg custard mixture.
- Add the brioche cubes to a buttered casserole dish.
- Pour the custard over the brioche bread.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar before baking.
Sweet breakfast casserole variations
Chocolate: Sprinkle chocolate chips between the layers for an extra sweet flavor.
Fruit: Layer fresh fruit like sliced strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, or bananas between the bread cubes for a fruity French toast breakfast. You can also use raisins or dried cranberries to create a special holiday breakfast.
Go nuts: Top this easy breakfast casserole with a generous amount of chopped nuts or nutty streusel mixture before baking for added texture.
Individual portions: Use small ramekins instead of a large casserole dish to create single-serves of this sweet breakfast recipe. Depending on the size of the individual servings, reduce the baking time by about half and watch them closely while baking.
