Easy French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 loaf loaf French bread
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- fruit topping (optional)
Directions
In the morning before you prepare your overnight casserole, cut the French bread in two-inch slices, diagonally. Leave the bread out to become stale.
In the evening, butter or spray a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange the slices of French bread in the bottom of the baking dish.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, half and half, vanilla, and cinnamon. Slowly pour the mixture over bread. Cover the baking dish with tin foil, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, uncover your baking dish. Put the tin foil aside (you'll reuse it later) carefully turn over each piece of soaked bread using a spatula.
In a small saucepan, combine butter, light brown sugar, and corn syrup. Stir with wooden spoon. Heat sauce until bubbling. Carefully, pour the hot sauce over the bread.
Place the tinfoil back on the baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove tin foil and bake an additional 20 minutes uncovered. Allow French toast to cool slightly before eating. Top with your choice of fruit. Enjoy!
Supplies
- baking dish
- tin foil
- spatula
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
Recipe Notes
Allowing your bread time to become stale helps it retain good texture and flavor. If the bread is too moist, your french toast casserole may be somewhat mushy. You also have the option of buying day old bread at your local bakery.
French toast casserole is so simple to prepare, yet it feels like you're pampering yourself because of its warm comforting flavor. A flavor that transports you to charming little brunch spot in town. It's not a dish you'd always prepare for yourself, so it definitely feels like a treat. It's great for celebrations, larger crowds, as well as lazy weekends when you want to kick back and relax. This simple, no fuss breakfast can be jazzed up by adding different toppings, or various ingredients that can add some additional flavor. It can also be made to suit an array of dietary needs.
Toppings And Ingredients
Fruit And Spreads
French toast casserole is delicious on its own, with its decadent caramel sauce, but you can certainly kick it up a notch in the flavor department with yummy toppings and additional ingredients. French toast is heavy and sweet, fruit offers some light and refreshing flavors.
- strawberries
- bananas
- raspberries
- blueberries
- pomegranates
- pears
- apples
- blackberries
- various fruit curds
- jams and jellies
- warm fruit sauces
Sweets
If you have a sweet tooth, and the warm gooey caramel sauce isn't just quite enough, you can make your French toast casserole even sweeter with some of these ideas:
- maple syrup
- confectioners sugar
- chocolate syrup
- ice cream
- whipped cream
- brown sugar streusel topping
- Nutella
Texture
French toast casserole has a soft texture. Adding nuts gives the French toast some crunch as well as some toasted nutty flavor. The nuts can be placed at the bottom of the baking dish and baked along with the bread and egg mixture, or they can be added to the caramel sauce. Nuts can also be used as a garnish. However you choose to use this ingredient, it's a fantastic addition to your French toast.
- walnuts
- crushed almonds
- pistachios
- macadamia
- hazelnuts
- pecans
Fillings
If you want the ultimate decadence, add a filling to your baked French toast and you'll be in heaven. The most common fillings for French toast are:
- cream cheese
- bananas
- berries
- Nutella
- peanut butter
- fruit spread
Allergy And Diet Friendly Options
Typically, baked french toast is made with dairy and eggs It also tends to be higher in carbohydrates. This dish "as is" may not be suitable for all diets, however, alternative ingredients are available so this delicious dish can be enjoyed by everyone.
- Dairy-free diets can swap out dairy milk for almond, soy, coconut or rice milk. Additionally, dairy free spreads can be used instead of the traditional butter.
- Vegan diets can swap out dairy milk for almond, soy, coconut or rice milk. Additionally, tofu can replace the eggs, and vegan "butter" spreads can be an alternative to dairy butter.
- Paleo and or low carb diets can use grain free and or low carb bread. Additionally, use coconut milk in the egg mixture, and skip the sugary sauce topping.
A baked French toast casserole is a perfect breakfast. You can make this dish ahead of time, and bake it during a busy morning. This recipe's convenience factor makes it a great choice for your holiday celebrations. A baked French toast casserole is also versatile. You can get creative by adding your own twist on flavors, and it can also be altered to satisfy many dietary needs. Keep this tasty casserole in mind next time you're serving a larger crowd, it's sure to please.
