Pillowy soft slices of bread soaked in a cinnamon-, maple-, and vanilla-spiked egg mixture, showered in cinnamon-sugar fairy dust, then baked until it’s lightly golden on top and custardy underneath, this Overnight French Toast is the ideal brunch dish for a crowd.
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No holiday brunch is complete without it.
A passionate believer in make-ahead breakfast recipes, especially when I am entertaining, overnight French toast casserole is one I make again and again.
- This overnight French toast tastes like the classic French toast I remember my dad making for my sisters and me when we were little girls. It’s simple and comforting, and I’ll never grow weary of starting my morning with a big ol’ slice.
- If you love old-fashioned French toast (like my Brioche French Toast), but loathe standing at the stove flipping individual slices (especially if a crowd of hungry houseguests is lurking nearby watching your every move), overnight French toast is for you. It’s easy as can be!
In the past, I’ve tempted you with versions like Blueberry French Toast Casserole and Peach French Toast. I’ve also enjoyed a nice make-ahead egg casserole like this Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole. But if you’re looking for the CLASSIC French toast flavor, this recipe is the one!
5 Star Review
“Total bliss! Amazing flavor, my family loved it! I served it for breakfast, and I swear it was gone in a few minutes. It is just so easy and yummy!”
— Agatha —
How I Made This Recipe a Little Bit Lighter
As with all of my breakfast recipes, I used a few tricks to make this a healthy overnight French toast:
- Whole Grains. One of the easiest (and best!) ways to make any recipe better for you is to swap white grains for a whole-grain counterpart, just like these French Toast Sticks do. My dad always used regular sandwich bread, which is what I selected for this overnight French toast, but I used whole wheat bread instead of white.
- Evaporated Milk. Milk that has had some of the liquid cooked away, evaporated milk is thicker and creamier. It makes the custard taste rich without the need for heavy cream.
- Pure Maple Syrup. I sweetened the custard with maple syrup instead of extra sugar. I love the extra richness it adds.
Tips for the Best Overnight French Toast
A few simple steps will ensure your overnight French toast comes out perfectly crisp on top and tender inside every time.
- Start with dry bread. Dry bread is primed for soaking up that creamy custard. You can either leave it out overnight or do what I do and toast it in the oven.
- Lightly press the bread into the custard to make sure it absorbs evenly. Don’t stress if the bread is a bit drier on the top. The golden crust is a part of the experience.
- Make it (look) fancy. To make the overnight French toast look fancy, I sliced the bread diagonally, then fanned it in the pan. There’s no right or wrong way to do this (follow your heart), and this recipe is so easy, even the littlest bakers can help you cook it.
- Let the pan come to room temperature prior to baking. I like to pull it out of the refrigerator when I first wake up. This makes the casserole bake more evenly, and your pan won’t crack due to a sudden change in temperature.
More Flavor Ideas
Use this simple overnight French toast as your starting point, then feel free to mix it up!
- Berry Overnight French Toast. Scatter fresh blueberries, sliced strawberries, or raspberries (or all three!) over the top either just before or immediately after baking.
- Citrusy French Toast. Up the amount of lemon or orange zest.
- Pecan Overnight French Toast. Prior to baking, scatter chopped raw pecans over the top of the French toast.
- Overnight French Toast with Cream Cheese. Prior to pouring the custard over the top of the arranged bread slices, dot the bread with 6 ounces of cubed reduced-fat cream cheese. Pour the custard mixture over the top, then refrigerate and bake as directed.
Overnight French Toast
Video
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Ingredients
For the Overnight French Toast:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
- 16 slices 100% whole wheat bread 1 (16-ounce) loaf
- 1 (12-ounce) can fat-free evaporated milk for a dairy-free option, swap light coconut milk
- 1 cup 2% milk or whole milk for a dairy-free option, swap full-fat coconut milk
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 small lemon or 1/2 orange
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving:
- Pure maple syrup
- Butter
- Fresh berries
- Greek yogurt
- Powdered sugar
- Peanut butter
- Whatever you like!
Instructions
- The night before: Place the racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on two large baking sheets. Toast the bread in the oven until it is very lightly toasted and feels dry to the touch on top but is not yet turning brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, switching the pans’ positions on the upper and lower racks halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half diagonally (this is easiest while the slices are still warm). Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon or orange zest, salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Fan the bread slices into the pan, arranging them however you like. Check out the photos above for inspiration, or make the arrangement your own.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the top of the bread. Lightly press down the slices, sprinkle on the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and cover the pan with foil. Let sit for 15 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to bake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. (If you’ve been refrigerating the French toast, remove it from the refrigerator now and let it come to room temperature.) Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until the bread is puffed and golden and no liquid seeps out of the toasts when lightly pressed, about 10 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes. Slice into squares and serve hot, with any and all of your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
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This looks so delicious! I love the use of whole wheat bread and cinnamon and berries on top.
I hope you love it Susan!!
If we end up having overnight guests over Easter weekend, this will for sure be on the menu for breakfast. It’s clearly a make-ahead dish that’s just beautiful! Thanks…
Thank you, Chris! I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try.
I feel like I can almost smell this breakfast through the screen! What an awesome idea for a breakfast recipe!
Thank you so much, Nicolas! I hope you love it if you give it a try.
I have a few bags of cubed bread in my freezer. Do you think that would work okay here?
Marci, if you can dry the bread out and toast it (I’m not sure how soggy it will be if it’s been frozen), I think that would be fine! I hope you love it :)
Hello Erin,
Saw your post for french casserole yesterday, it looked so amazing that I couldn’t wait. . And made it this morning.
AMAZING AMAZING
It came out really really good. I used agave nectar instead of maple syrup.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to share this review too.
I made this for Easter brunch and everyone enjoyed it so much! I was hoping there would be some leftover but we only had a small rectangle left– everyone kept going back for seconds. I like that this recipe uses just standard whole wheat sandwich bread that you can find anywhere. Easy and tasty, the best kind of recipe.
Molly, thank you so much for sharing this review! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it!
We had this for our big family Easter brunch, and it was a hit among kids and grown ups alike!!
I’m so glad to hear it, Kelly! Thank you for sharing this review too!
I made this for Mother’s Day brunch, and it was an absolute hit! I ended up leaving my bread out for the day (about 8hrs) and prepped it the night before – the bread soaked up all the liquid beautifully. I used both 100% whole wheat bread and cinnamon swirl since it was a special occasion :) – situating them every-other in my bake pan. I went with orange zest because I love that flavor with cinnamon – it really lifted the other flavors and made it that much more delicious. I topped with fresh berries and powdered sugar, as shown. I ended up cooking it for about 10 extra minutes (my oven tends to be variable). The end result had a delicious crisp top and perfectly done, moist interior. I will be making this again for sure!
Thanks for reporting back, Sarah! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Would it be possible to cut this recipe in half to just serve a small family?
Hi Christy, yes, that should work! I hope you enjoy it.
Made it for breakfast! It was delicious! So much healthier than many other overnight French toast recipes! Thank you!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Christy! Thanks so much for taking the time to report back!
Will this possibly serve 8?
Hi Lori, the portions will be smaller, but you can certainly cut this into smaller pieces.
Hi,
Dont have evaporated milk. Is there a substitute?
Hi Priya! You can use whole milk. I hope you enjoy it!
I’m so glad I stumbled across this- A French Toast bake recipe without a WHOLE CUP OF SUGAR added!!! Thank you :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this kind comment, Shaina! I hope you love the recipe!
This was exactly what I was looking for! Kids wanted something special for Saturday breakfast. I had a bunch of sandwich bread ends and broken pieces in the freezer, so I thawed/toasted them, prepared the custard (omitted zest, added nutmeg for an egg nog flavor). Delicious, I’ll definitely be making this again. I love a fancy breakfast that doesn’t require much of me in the mornings!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Alisha! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Delicious! I topped the toast with sliced bananas and chopped pecans. I brought this to an office brunch and it was received with very positive reviews!
SO happy you enjoyed it Loren. Thank you for sharing this kind review!!
Do you have any suggestions on a gluten free bread that would work well?
Thanks!
Hi Estelle! I have not tried a gluten free bread in this recipe, so I’m afraid I don’t have any specific suggestions. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
For anyone wondering how the dairy free version comes out- I just made this with coconut milk and it was delicious! I just did 2 cans of full fat coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk & whole milk combined. I served the French toast with coconut milk yogurt.
YAY! Thank you so much for sharing, Megan!
Sorry but I just had this, this morning. Tasted like badly made cinnamon toast. Not at all impressed. Threw most of it away. Very disappointing.
Hi, I’m so sorry to hear that this wasn’t a hit for you. I (and other readers) have loved this recipe, so I truly wish you would’ve enjoyed it too!
I made this last night and everyone loved it; thank you for the recipe!
I saw a comment asking about using gluten-free bread above, so I thought I’d share my experience. I made a full batch using regular bread for part of the family & another half batch with our gluten-free bread. I did everything exactly the same, and the gf batch was delicious & moist! No one even asked for syrup for either batch. We will definitely be making this again!
Thank you for sharing your results, Beth! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it!
This recipe is perfect!
I made it for Mothers Day brunch and could not be more pleased.
Not soggy or too hard, it was just right and i will make it again.
Even enjoyed it the next day/ morning warmed up on a skillet with light covering of foil.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! A real hit with us.
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Sharon! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Could you keep it for up to 24 hours in fridge?
Hi Robyn! I’ve never tried letting it sit for that long, and I worry that the bread might start to break down. You could definitely experiment with it though. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi, love Overnight French Toast!!! I make it with Blueberry pie filling on the bottom and it is ALWAYS a hit…and gone. Anyway, I was wondering if I can mix it on a Wednesday morning and not bake it until Friday morning? Getting together with some girls I went to school with and it is an overnight thing so I am bringing this for Breakfast on Friday but leaving my home on Wednesday late morning. Please let me know.
Hi Brenda! I’ve never tried letting it sit for that long, and I worry that the bread would break down. You may want to fully bake the casserole ahead of time and freeze it instead, then you can thaw it the night before and reheat just before serving. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi
I will make it on Friday but I couldn’t find maple syrup. Can I substitu it for honey? If so,in the same amount? Thank you
Hi Patricia! The same amount of honey would be delicious. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Making this tonight to bake tomorrow morning. How would the baking time change if I baked two 9 x 13 pans tomorrow?
Hi Rebecca! The bake time for each 9X13 is the same as what is listed in step 5. You are just making two batches of the french toast, right?
This recipe looks delicious and I am anxious to try it. I saw one of the reviews mentioned using coconut milk, would almond milk work as well do you think?
Hi Dede! For a dairy-free option, I recommend using full-fat coconut milk. If you decide to experiment with almond milk (I have not tried this myself), I’d love to hear how it goes!
I’ve made your Overnight Peach French toast (I used thawed out frozen peaches) and this overnight french toast (with dots of cream cheese and no lemon) for our Church Men’s Breakfasts. I like to serve them with Vanilla Bean Ice cream on top, it turns it into a scrumptious morning dessert. We all love them. These overnight creations make our morning cooking times go faster and smoother. Thank you Erin!!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Patricia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this for Christmas morning. I did 1/2 full fat milk & 1/2 coconut cream. I sprinkled it with some chopped pecans, walnuts & almonds.
Since I had used a baguette I feel soaking it 24 hrs was a good idea! It retained its shape & was crusty.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
Made it for Christmas morning! Soooo yummy ? I’m going to make it part of our Christmas traditions each year!
Christine, thank you for sharing this wonderful review. I am so happy you enjoyed it!
Threw this together on Christmas Eve, and popped it in the oven while everyone was opening presents in Christmas. It was a HUGE hit and so easy! Also it’s a perfect recipe to delegate if you have older kids, or oversee if you have littler ones.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Lauren! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
If using blueberries, do you suggest thawing them first?
Yes, I’d suggest letting them thaw fully, then patting them dry. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Maggie!
Would it also work with Brioche bread?
I think that would be delicious, Carla. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi! I was wondering if for 2x the recipe in place of two cups of 2% milk, would it be okay to use one cup of 2% milk and one cup of Half&Half? I’m wondering if Half&Half would ruin the recipe. I can’t wait to make this for New Year’s morning either way! It looks amazing.
Hi Katie, although I haven’t tested it that way, I feel like it could work. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
The overnight French Toast was amazing. I made it with brioche bread. I served it with blueberries and raspberries. Everyone loved it!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Debbie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
WOW…this recipe was just delicious!! This was the first time I’d ever made an overnight French toast casserole. My two additions were 2-3 TBS melted butter, cooled and added to the liquid mixture. I know Erin was aiming for a healthier recipe, but I wanted that taste that we all love when we do skillet french toast and put a pat of butter on top. I also sprinkled a handful of chopped pecans over the top right before baking. Also, the orange zest is a fabulous idea in this recipe! I found that baking this in a convection oven really helped..it takes a while to get up to temperature in a regular oven, but the convection helps speed the process, and then in the last 10 minutes with the foil removed, the convection yields a nice crunch to the crusts of the bread. I will definitely be making this again!! Thank you for such a delicious recipe.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Libby! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
What would you think about using Dave’s Killer 21 Grain Bread for this recipe and egg whites? (I usually make French toast with Dave’s and egg whites.) Would I need to increase the number of egg whites? Can’t wait to try this!!
Kathryn, the bread will be just fine! As far as egg whites, I am hesitant to recommend that because egg whites don’t have the same rich flavor and texture as whole eggs. I’d suggest starting with replacing 1/3 of the total number of eggs with whites (you’ll want to use 2 whites for each whole egg). If you decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I make my french toast with Dave’s Killer 21 Grain Bread and egg whites. What would you think about me using those ingredients here? Would I need to increase the number of egg whites? Thank you! I can’t wait to try it! All of your recipes are amazing!
Kathryn, that bread would work great here! You can experiment with more egg whites, but the French toast will not taste as custardy and rich. I’d suggest using a blend of whites and whole eggs to start, then you can adjust from there.
Hello! The taste was great! But when i did mine they turned out soggy :( not sure what i did wrong. Should I cook it for an hour instead? Help :)
Hi! So sorry to hear that! Without being there with you, it would be very hard for me know why that was. Since each oven is different, the timing can certainly vary a little. I glad you still enjoyed it!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! If the dish stays in the refrigerator 8-9 hours, I know you said to let it sit out and get to room temperature. Can you tell me an approximate minutes you find that it takes for it to get to room temperature? Thanks so much!!
Hi ChristyGB, it would be really hard to know how long it would take to come to room temperature because it will depend on how warm your kitchen is. I would plan for at least 20-30 minutes. Hope this helps.
I burnt one side of the bread by toasting it as you said in the oven, do I had to slice off a burnt side of each slice. I would either toast the bread in the toaster or have it be dry and stale. Due to reduced bread,, casserole came out a little more eggy than I would prefer.. Other than that, recipe came in handy making breakfast in advance and using up challah I had in the fridge. I did add some blueberries in cooking.
Hi Adrienne! I’m sorry to hear that it burnt. Step 1 stated: Toast the bread in the oven until it is very lightly toasted and feels dry to the touch on top but is not yet turning brown. So you definitely have to watch it. Glad you were still able to enjoy it!
Do you think I could replace the bread with a cinnamon raisin bread? I can’t wait to try this
Hi Heather! You probably could! If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
I wanted to love this, it smelled amazing…I did everything to the letter and it was unfortunately an epic fail. It was so mushy! We even took it out and tried to finish it on the stove but it was just too soggy. I’ll stick to the stovetop version of making French toast.
Hi! I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe. This definitely wasn’t made to be cooked on the stovetop so I see how that didn’t work. In Step 5 when I said ” then uncover and continue baking until the bread is puffed and golden and no liquid seeps out of the toasts when lightly pressed” how did that work out for you? At that point if it was still seeping out I would recommend to continue to get to this point. This ensures nothing is soggy. All ovens cook differently so it sounds like yours just needed more time to cook.
16 slices of bread would not fit in my 9×13 pan. I used regular ‘ol sandwich bread. I would suggest 10 – 12 slices of bread or 2 pans.
Hi Jen! I’m sorry you weren’t able to fit all the bread into the dish. Did you slice the bread and layer it in the dish? I haven’t heard of anyone having this issue before, so I’m not sure what might’ve gone wrong. I hope you still enjoyed it!
Amazing! Made it overnight for Father’s Day! Huge hit in our home. Not too sweet and so we could add all of the delicious toppings! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Csilla! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Amazing. My 1st time trying this and everyone in my house loved it… Even the pooch
Hi Stacie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Absolutely terrible. Extremely soggy. If u want good french toast, just take the time to make it fresh. Would not recommend this recipe
Sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Trish. The amounts, flavorings and timing have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it not turn out for you.
I made this for Christmas morning using gluten free bread. It was good, but a little soggy and too sweet. I think maybe 1/2 the amount of maple syrup would be better. Also maybe I needed to cook it longer, or use a thicker bread. I will make it again with a few tweeks.
Hi Ann! GF bread is very soft, so I suspect that was the culprit. I’d try for a thicker, sturdier bread if you can.
Delicious,easy to follow and prepare French toast bake recipe.Fed 6 adults and it was a huge hit. Will be definitely making it again. Bravo!
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So Yummy.. but what did I do wrong.. bread slices stuck to bottom of pan
and to each other :( Please let me know any fixes!!
Hi Anne! If it sticks to your pan I would make sure it is buttered really well. It’s a casserole so the pieces will be stuck to each other, you won’t get individual pieces like traditional french toast. Hope this helps!
I’d love to make this recipe this week!
I plan on making it in the evening and baking it the next morning, so it would take a long time to come to room temp before cooking it…. I need to deliver it to its destination (it’s for a teachers’ meal at our local school). Does it need to be at room temp before baking? or should I bake it longer for it to be done if it’s cold when entering the oven?
Thanks for your thoughts on this — I hope I can make it without getting up at 4:00 am! :)
Hi Anne, If you’ve been refrigerating the French toast, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. This is what I recommend. If you bake it from cold, I think it would take a little longer to bake. Enjoy!
do you combine the custard ingredients in a blender or just mix by hand?
Hi Anne, in a large bowl, you’ll whisk together the custard ingredients by hand. Enjoy!
Total bliss! Amazing flavor, my family loved it! I served it for breakfast, and I swear it was gone in a few minutes. It is just so easy and yummy! Also, I have made it with Brioche bread. Yummers!!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Agatha! Thank you!
OMG! Loved the French toast! This is so goood. It was my kids favorite, soaking it overnight is the key. Love that it’s not too sweet but sweetness can be adjusted with different toppings.
So happy that you enjoyed it, Camilla!
I absolutely loved this recipe! I made it for our Sunday morning family breakfast. I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I added extra maple syrup and it was just perfect! Also topped it with different berries. Chef’s kiss. You’re the best, Erin. Thank you!
Great to hear, thank you Yvonne!
Thank you Erin. Its such a quick and easy sweet breakfast. My whole family plus my pup Bella loved it. Will be making it again.
So glad to hear, thank you Vandana!
I made this for the 1st time for a community brunch where I work, it was such a hit they were scraping the pans!!
I doubled the recipe and made it fit in the 2 pans that come with the disposable chafing pan. So since the pans weren’t 9×13 I baked them 20 covered and about 30-35 mins uncovered and was perfect.
Love that! Thank you Daw!
Sadly, this recipe did not work for me. It was easy and smelled great but the consistency didn’t come together. It was soggy on the bottom and dry toast on the top. I tried laying out the bread evenly and pressed it into the egg mixture, but it just didn’t soak in.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Angie. I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.
It was very soggy. We couldn’t eat it. I even tried cooking it longer but it didn’t help. Maybe less custaŕd?
Jayna, I’m sorry to hear that! Was your bread dried out? That makes a big difference. You could also try a crustier bread next time too, which might help. I know it stinks to try a new recipe and not love it, so I’m sorry that was the case here!
Love this! Made it for my dad tonight for supper. He requested it for Christmas Day breakfast!
So easy! Thank you for another great recipe.
Bonus: it makes your kitchen smell so good!
So happy to hear it, thank you Jessie!
We absolutely loved it!
I know this recipe was posted a few years ago, but I had to comment to say how amazing it was! (Like, I suspect, many readers…,) I was too lazy to dry out or toast the bread before assembling the night before. To fix this while baking, at the 20 minute mark when it was time to remove the foil, I used a spatula to flip the pieces of bread so that the dry ones on top were now upside down in the custard. Then I smooshed it all down with the spatula. Then baked for 20 more mins uncovered. PERFECTION! It came out looking soooo beautiful and tasted delicious. My 10 year old sprinkled chocolate chips and banana slices on her portion. 5 stars!!
Appreciate the feedback, Kay! So glad you enjoyed it!
I followed this recipe exactly. It did not turn out well for us. The slices were either soggy or dry. I probably wouldn’t do french toast this way again. Disappointed.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, MG> I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.