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American

French Toast Casserole

Torn bread soaks in eggs, milk, cinnamon, and maple, then bakes until the top is browned and the center is custard. You assemble it the night before if you want the oven to be the only morning job.

Prep
15 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr
Servings
8
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
A baking dish of French toast casserole with a browned top.

Why you’ll love it

  • One dish feeds a table.
  • The bread soaks instead of you standing over a skillet.
  • The center should be set custard, not wet bread.
  • It can wait in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients

Servings8

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $7–$11 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the bread in it.

  2. 2

    Whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour that over the bread and press the pieces down so they sink.

  3. 3

    Dot the butter over the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

  4. 4

    Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered 40 to 48 minutes, until the top is browned and the center no longer jiggles like liquid. A knife in the center should come out mostly clean.

  5. 5

    Rest 10 minutes before scooping.

Pro tips

  • Soft sandwich bread dissolves. Use a loaf with a crust, a day old if you have it.
  • If the edges brown early, the center still needs time. Tent with foil.
  • Overnight soaking is better, but 30 minutes still works.

Easy substitutions

Maple syrup in the custard
2 tbsp brown sugar
Milk
Half-and-half for a richer custard
Cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg plus cinnamon

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm covered at 325°F for about 15 minutes, or microwave a portion 45 seconds. The texture is softer the next day, which is normal.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
280
Protein
11 g
Carbs
34 g
Fat
11 g
Fiber
1 g

Budget friendly · Oven · Vegetarian

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients