Upgrade the traditional French toast recipe by making brioche French toast casserole. This sweet breakfast casserole combines buttery brioche bread, creamy custard, brown sugar, and cinnamon to make any morning special. This is one of those make-ahead breakfasts that starts a family tradition – it’s perfect to make for weekend mornings, special occasions, or holiday breakfast.
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Try another one of our favorite brioche French toast recipes next time, our fall flavored pumpkin brioche French toast or tiramisu French toast for a twist on the classic dessert. If you are searching for what to serve with French toast, browse our collection of the best sides and toppings.
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What is Brioche?
Brioche is a type of French bread made with an enriched dough which makes it slightly sweet in flavor as well as fluffy and soft in texture. Thanks to its high egg and butter content, it has a golden brown, flaky crust that is rich in flavor. Brioche bread is described as light and pillowy and is a delicious bread to use in both sweet and savory dishes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Brioche French toast bake gives you classic French toast flavors with less effort and is baked in one pan. Here’s even more to love:
- Easy breakfast recipe: Make a delicious breakfast without standing over the stove all morning.
- Bake it now or later: You have the choice to soak the bread for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Make it and bake it when you’re ready.
- Start a family tradition: This easy breakfast casserole is perfect to make for any special occasion or holiday brunch. We love to make this for Christmas morning breakfast.
Ingredients
It’s best to make this easy French toast bake with room temperature ingredients. Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card.
Variations
- If you can’t find brioche, use a different type of bread. Choose a bread that is thick, dense and can stand up to being soaked in eggs and milk. Challah, ciabatta, and baguettes are all good bread for French toast casserole.
- Stir in chocolate chips, fresh berries, or even a tablespoon of booze (like amaretto) for a different flavor profile.
- Serve this baked French toast casserole topped with a drizzle of our homemade cinnamon syrup, blackberry syrup recipe, maple syrup, crispy crumbled bacon, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, and/or fresh fruit.
How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
You will love the simplicity of this decadent French toast casserole with brioche. Put it all together in the evening and simply throw it in the oven the next morning. With simple ingredients and easy to follow steps, the whole family will love this meal.
Step 1: Chop the brioche loaf of bread evenly into 1-inch-wide cubes.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs together then whisk in the rest of the ingredients.
Step 3: Butter or spray the bottom of the baking dish and add cubed brioche bread.
Step 4: Pour the egg mixture, or custard, over the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish and gently mix until all pieces are coated.
Step 5: Let the bread soak for at least 30 minutes, or cover casserole dish with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake, covered in foil, at 350°F for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden.
Serve brioche baked French toast with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of pure maple syrup or simple syrup with brown sugar, and fresh fruit. A dollop of whipped cream makes this an even more decadent breakfast or brunch treat.
Expert Tips
After research, trial and error, and a full belly, this is what you need to know to make the best French toast casserole with brioche bread:
- Using dry, day-old bread is best for soaking overnight. Stale bread will absorb the custard mixture better than fresh slices. This is a great way to use up leftover bread!
- If you only have fresh bread, soak the bread in custard mixture for 30 minutes and bake right away. Or, pop the bread in the oven to dry out for a couple minutes so you can soak brioche overnight.
- Chop bread cubes the same size so they cook evenly. We prefer to chop bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Using room temperature ingredients will create a creamy custard that blends together without clumps.
- Whole milk and heavy cream give the custard its rich flavor and creamy texture. If you swap these ingredients for a non-dairy option, keep in mind that the final dish may not be as rich and creamy.
FAQs
Brioche French toast casserole may get soggy if the bread is too fresh, if it’s been soaked for too long, or the bread is sliced too thin. Bake casserole until the top is golden and slightly crispy.
We prefer to use buttery, sweet brioche bread. Choose a bread that is thick, dense and can stand up to being soaked in eggs and milk. Challah, ciabatta, and baguettes are all good bread choices for this French toast casserole recipe.
Traditional breakfast food like bacon, sausage, eggs, and fruit goes well with this dish. We like to pair some of these breakfast recipes made in the air fryer to make a well-rounded hearty breakfast.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This casserole tastes just as yummy the next day.
To reheat, microwave individual servings for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you are reheating the whole casserole, place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Can I Freeze Brioche French Toast Casserole?
Yes! This breakfast casserole freezes well. Make the casserole in a freezer safe baking dish, like an aluminum foil pan. Let casserole cool completely before covering it with plastic wrap or foil. We like to wrap it in two layers for extra protection in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to eat, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Warm the casserole up in the oven, covered with foil, at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!
Brioche French Toast Casserole
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Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Dish
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread
- 6 eggs
- 1.5 cups milk
- ¾ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Chop the brioche bread evenly into 1-inch-wide cubes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs together then whisk in the rest of the ingredients.
- Butter or spray the bottom of the baking dish and add the cubed brioche bread.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture over the bread cubes and gently mix until all pieces are coated.
- Let the bread soak for at least 30 minutes or cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake, covered in foil, for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.
Notes
- Using day-old bread is best for soaking overnight. Stale bread will absorb the custard mixture better than fresh slices.
- If you only have fresh bread, soak bread in custard mixture for 30 minutes and bake right away. Or, pop the bread in the oven to dry out for a couple minutes so you can soak overnight.
- Stir in chocolate chips, fresh berries, or even a tablespoon of booze (like amaretto) for a different flavor profile.
- Serve baked French toast casserole topped with a drizzle of maple syrup, crispy crumbled bacon, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, and/or fresh fruit.
Allison
This is so good! And reheats very well!!
Tish
Delicious 😋. I’ve made this several times for my family and they absolutely love it. Thanks for sharing
Grace
Looks delish!