This Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole is soft, custardy, and lightly scented with vanilla. You prepare it the night before so the brioche can soak up the creamy mixture, then bake it in the morning for an effortless brunch that feels special with very little work.
Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole At A Glance
- ⏱️ Total Time: About 8 hours (overnight chill) + 45 minutes bake time
- 🍽️ Servings: 8-10
- 🍴 Cuisine Type: Breakfast / Brunch Comfort
- 🌿 Flavor Profile: Soft, custardy brioche with warm vanilla notes and a lightly sweet, golden top.
- 📚 Dietary Info: Contains dairy, eggs, and gluten; can be made dairy free with your preferred milk and butter alternatives.
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven to maintain texture.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: All the prep is done the night before, the brioche soaks up incredible flavor, and the morning reward is a beautiful, no-stress casserole that feels perfect for holidays, weekends, and serving guests.
I make this casserole often when we have company, and my family asks for it every time we get together. It feels special without being complicated, which is exactly why it has become one of our favorite brunch traditions.
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If you would rather use a different type of bread for your French toast, challah bread works well as does this sourdough French toast recipe, which looks amazing! I also love these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes and Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread for breakfast.
Ingredients
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Ingredient Notes:
- Brioche - Brioche makes this casserole soft and custardy with a touch of natural sweetness. Its rich, buttery crumb absorbs the custard beautifully and gives the baked casserole a tender, almost pastry-like texture. Day-old brioche works best because it soaks up the liquid without getting soggy. I have made this and tested this with challah as well. Either works in this recipe.
- Milk or Cream - Milk keeps the casserole light, while cream adds extra richness. You can use one or a blend of both to get the texture you prefer. Either way, this mixture is what transforms the brioche into a silky, scoopable French toast. When I want to make this dairy-free, I have used and tested almond milk in it's place. You can also buy Nutpods Half & Half, which is dairy-free.
- Vanilla - Vanilla adds warmth and that classic French toast aroma that fills the kitchen as it bakes. It gives the casserole a cozy, bakery-style flavor that pairs well with syrup, berries, or powdered sugar. I use a vanilla bean that I slit in half and take the seeds out. This gives the recipe a stronger vanilla taste. I have also tested this recipe with vanilla paste and that works just as well as a vanilla bean. If you use vanilla extract, you won't have the signature vanilla flavor that makes this casserole delicious.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole: Step-By-Step
Step 1: Slice your Challah bread into ½-inch thick slices. Place the slices into a 9 x 13 pan, laying them flat. You should have two layers.
Step 2: Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the pod to a small saucepan along with the remaining custard ingredients.
Warm up the mixture over low heat and stir frequently ensuring it doesn't boil or burn. When it reaches a simmer, turn it off.
Remove the vanilla bean pod from the mixture.
Step 3: Pour the custard over top of the bread in the casserole dish.
Cover the dish and let it sit in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
Step 4: In the morning, uncover the casserole and bake it in a preheated oven until the bread is golden brown.
Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve it warm.
Expert Tips
- Make sure that the custard mixture does not boil. You want it warmed up and simmering; otherwise, the eggs will start to cook and the cream will curdle.
Variations
This baked French toast casserole can be adjusted to suit your flavor preferences. Some delicious add-ins I love are below.
- Toppings: You can add any toppings you enjoy to the French toast. Maple syrup, fresh berries, or drizzled chocolate or Nutella are always a hit.
- Crunch: if you want a bit of extra texture, toss some chopped pecans into the casserole dish before baking it.
- Flavor: Adding in dried fruit like raisins and blueberries is a tasty way to change the flavor with minimal effort.
- Cinnamon - Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the custard.
How to use a vanilla bean pod
While you can easily substitute vanilla bean paste in this recipe, I highly recommend spending a few extra dollars on a vanilla bean pod. Why? Because the fresh seeds inside give this recipe a depth of flavor and a huge hit of vanilla flavor! My favorite vanilla bean pod is this one.
- Using a sharp paring knife, make a cut down the length of the pod
- Open the pod slightly with your hands
- Using the sharp side of the knife, scrape down inside the pod taking care to grab each and every seed you can! Vanilla pods are expensive and this is all the flavor
I love to serve this with other egg dishes like the Smoked Salmon Frittata, Leek And Goat Cheese Quiche, or the Blintz Casserole (Without Blintzes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Soggy French toast stems from using the wrong bread or not baking the casserole enough. This recipe uses Brioche bread because it absorbs so much liquid that it comes out as a thick, comforting flavor. Challah bread will work as well. However, plain white sandwich bread is too thin and will be soggy.
Let it cool completely before storing it in the fridge covered. It will last 2-3 days. You can reheat cooked French toast in a pan until warmed through or in the microwave in intervals.
Let me know your thoughts on this Brioche French Toast by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Overnight Brioche French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 loaf Challah or Brioche bread
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 cups heavy cream
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean pod split lengthwise
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
Preparation
- Slice bread into ½ inch thick slices
- Using a 9x13 baking dish, layer the bread across the bottom and into two layers.
- Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Add the vanilla bean pod and seeds to a saucepan with the half-and-half, cream, eggs, sugar, and salt.
- Stir occasionally to make sure the cream mixture doesn't burn, boil, or stick to the bottom of the pan but becomes warm to the touch.
- When the cream mixture reaches a slow simmer, turn off the heat.
- Take the vanilla bean pod out of the cream mixture.
- Pour the custard over the top, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Uncover the casserole and place in the middle of the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and any custard is set.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temp.
Notes
Slightly stale brioche absorbs the custard more evenly and holds its shape better. Fresh brioche will still work, but it may be a bit softer once baked. Mix the custard well
Whisk the eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and vanilla thoroughly so the mixture is smooth. This helps the casserole set with a consistent texture. Check for doneness
The casserole should be puffed, golden, and set in the center. If it still looks loose, give it a few more minutes. Every oven runs a little differently. Make it dairy-free
Use your favorite dairy-free brioche, milk, and butter alternatives. Full-fat options will give you the closest texture to the original. Make it gluten-free
Use a gluten-free brioche loaf that is sturdy enough to hold up to the custard. Some gluten-free breads soften more quickly, so reduce the soaking time slightly if needed. Add-ins and toppings
You can keep it simple or add berries, cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, or a brown sugar crumble on top before baking. Serve with syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit. Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven so the casserole stays soft and doesn’t dry out. Individual portions can also be warmed in the microwave. Freezer friendly
The baked casserole freezes well. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Anonymous says
Yum
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