Brioche French Toast Casserole is soft, custardy and lightly sweet inside with a puffed, golden top: cubes of rich brioche soaked in a cinnamon and vanilla egg custard and baked in one pan. It feeds a crowd for a weekend brunch or a holiday morning, with powdered sugar, fresh fruit and warm maple syrup on top.
How to make brioche French toast casserole: Cube a loaf of brioche into a greased 9×13-inch dish. Whisk eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt, pour it over the bread and press it down to soak, then bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes until puffed, golden and set in the center.
Why You’ll Love It
- No standing at the stove: the whole batch bakes at once.
- Eight simple ingredients: brioche, eggs, milk, brown sugar and pantry spices.
- Make-ahead friendly: bake it right away or soak it overnight.
- Serves 12: enough for a family brunch or holiday guests.
Ingredient Notes
Brioche: One loaf, about 1 pound. I cut it with a serrated bread knife so the cubes stay neat.
Eggs: Eight large eggs make a rich custard. Whisk them with the salt first, before the rest of the ingredients go in.
Whole milk: One and a half cups of whole milk.
Brown sugar: Half a cup sweetens the custard with a hint of caramel flavor. The casserole is only lightly sweet, which leaves room for maple syrup on top.
Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla: One and a half teaspoons of cinnamon, a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg and a teaspoon of vanilla give it that classic French toast flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the dish
How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cube the bread. Cut the brioche into 1-inch cubes and spread them in the prepared dish.
3. Make the custard. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and whisk. Add the brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and whisk until combined.
4. Soak. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing the cubes down so every piece is moistened and coated.
5. Bake. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden brown, a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the center reaches 160°F.
6. Serve. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Why Brioche Makes the Best French Toast Casserole
Brioche is an egg and butter bread, so it is already rich and tender before it ever meets the custard. Baked in a sweet egg custard, it turns soft and creamy inside while the cubes on top puff and brown.
Cut the loaf into even 1-inch cubes. A stale, day-old loaf is even better than a fresh one, so this is a good use for brioche that has been sitting out.
After you pour the custard over, press the bread down with your hands or the back of a spoon. You want every cube wet, including the ones on top. Dry cubes on the surface stay dry.
Bake Now or Soak Overnight
You can bake this casserole as soon as the custard goes in, and it comes out soft and custardy. If you have time, a longer soak lets the bread drink in even more of the custard. Cover the dish and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours or overnight, then bake it the next morning until the center is set.
For a holiday morning, the overnight route is the easy one: everything is done the night before, and all you do at breakfast is turn on the oven. I set the dish out on the counter while the oven heats.
Tips for Success
Why is the center soggy?
It needed more time. Slide a knife into the center; if it comes out with wet custard on it, keep baking and test again every few minutes.
Why is the top browning before the center sets?
Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the dish and keep baking until the center is set, then uncover for the last few minutes if you want it crisp.
Variations
- Streusel top: mix 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 2/3 cup of flour and 2/3 cup of brown sugar with a fork until crumbly and sprinkle it over before baking.
- Cinnamon-sugar butter: drizzle melted butter mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon over the bread before baking.
- Pecan crumble: add chopped pecans to a brown sugar crumble for crunch.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat squares in the microwave or oven to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with maple syrup, berries and a side of bacon or sausage. For a savory dish on the same brunch table, try breakfast casserole with tater tots and sausage or bacon, egg and hash brown casserole. For more French toast ideas, there is overnight crème brûlée French toast, cinnamon roll French toast rolls and cinnamon sugar French toast muffins, and for a make-ahead sweet, easy cinnamon roll coffee cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can brioche bread be used for French toast casserole?
Yes. A 1-pound loaf is the right amount for a 9×13-inch dish and 8 eggs of custard.
What type of bread is best for French toast casserole?
Brioche is the classic pick. Sourdough brioche works too if you like a little tang.
What are common mistakes when making French toast casserole?
Leaving dry cubes on top that never touched the custard, pulling it from the oven before the center sets, and cutting in straight away. Give it about 10 minutes to cool before you serve it.
Final Notes
Warm the maple syrup while the casserole bakes, so everything hits the table hot. If you have a question or make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Brioche French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche about 1 pound, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- nonstick cooking spray for the dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut the brioche into 1-inch cubes and spread them in the prepared dish.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the salt and whisk. Add the brown sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Pour the custard over the bread, pressing the cubes down so every piece is moistened and coated.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden brown, a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the center reaches 160°F.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
