French Toast Casserole (Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast)
This French Toast Casserole is rich, fluffy, and perfectly spiced. Made with brioche bread, berries, and a maple cinnamon whipped cream, it’s the perfect make-ahead breakfast or brunch recipe.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 loaf 500 g brioche bread, 1–2 days old, cut into small cubes
- 8 large eggs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Toppings
- 1-2 cups fresh fruit blueberries, cut up strawberries, blackberries
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter generously.
- Add the cubed brioche bread evenly to the baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, salt, milk, and heavy cream until fully combined.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes.
- Gently press the bread down to ensure all pieces are submerged.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake uncovered for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden and the center is fully set (if the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes).
- While the casserole bakes, add all the ingredients for the whipped cream into a bowl and mix with a hand or stand mixer on high until peaks start to form (about 5-7 minutes)
- Remove the casserole from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Top with fresh berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and maple cinnamon whipped cream. Serve warm and enjoy!
Day-old or slightly stale brioche is ideal here. Fresh bread can work but tends to get a little too soft after soaking overnight. If your brioche is fresh, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and let them sit out for an hour or two to dry out slightly before using or just skip the overnight soak and pour the wet ingredients over the bread 15 minutes before baking.