The perfect overnight breakfast casserole for entertaining guests is this delicious recipe for Texas Toast French Toast Casserole.
This dish can be prepped the night before and baked in the morning, so you can enjoy your time with family and friends instead of being stuck in the kitchen cooking.
The bread is soaked in a mixture of eggs, milk, and cinnamon, then topped with a brown sugar and butter streusel. It's sure to please everyone at the table!
Check out all the other breakfast ideas to that are a great way to start your day!
This French toast bake with Texas toast is one of my favorite recipes to make when I'm serving brunch for a special occasion. What I love most about this recipe is that you can prepare it the night before you want to serve it.
As this overnight French toast with Texas toast sits in the refrigerator, the eggs and milk soak into the thick sliced bread turning it into more of a souffle than a traditional French toast recipe where you simply fry the slices of bread on a griddle.
Looking for more recipes to serve for breakfast? Try my Buttermilk Pancakes or my favorite Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping...yum!
Table of Contents
- Why do they call it Texas Toast?
- What if I can't find Texas Toast?
- Night before French Toast
- Reader Review
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Ingredients
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Top Tip
- Baking Instructions
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- Serving Tips
- Storing and Reheating Tips
- More Recipes to Love
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Why do they call it Texas Toast?
Most of the time, when we think of Texas Toast, we think of the frozen variety that's seasoned with garlic, herbs and spices. When in fact it is made with a thicker slice of bread than traditional sandwich bread, and it is often toasted or grilled.
Texas Toast bread was created in Texas after a bakery accidentally ordered thicker slices of bread which then resulted in slices too thick for the toaster. It's the perfect thickness for this Texas toast French toast bake.
What if I can't find Texas Toast?
The secret to making this French Toast Casserole recipe is using Texas Toast. However, if you can't find Texas toast in your local grocery store, simply substitute Challah or Brioche bread.
Do not even attempt to make this recipe with regular sliced bread.
Night before French Toast
The casserole is a classic dish that can be easily prepared ahead of time. Simply assemble all of the ingredients in a baking dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
When you're ready to serve, simply preheat the oven and bake according to the instructions below.
This is a great way to save time on busy weeknights, or when you're entertaining guests. Not only will you save time by not having to cook the casserole from scratch, but it will also allow you to spend more time enjoying your company.
Reader Review
Made last night for an easy breakfast this morning. Thanks for the recipe! My hubs has already requested to have this again real soon!
- Nicole Haak
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🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
More InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore Information
Ingredients
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- Butter
- Texas toast
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Chopped pecans, optional
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Milk
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a glass bowl, melt the butter in the microwave and then pour it into the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish. Then mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg then set aside. Using a stainless steel whisk mix together the eggs, milk and vanilla in another bowl.
Step 2: Lay six slices of Texas Toast on top of the melted butter. Then sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture, followed by a final layer of Texas Toast.
Step 3: Then pour the egg mixture on top of the slices of Texas Toast followed by the remainder of the brown sugar mixture.
Step 4: Cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Top Tip
Do not move your glass casserole dish from one temperature extreme to the other. The Pyrex dish needs to come to room temperature.
If you were to put the cold baking dish in the oven, the dish could burst due to the rapid heat difference of a hot oven.
Let it sit on the counter top for about 30 minutes.
Baking Instructions
Step 5: The next morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and cover it with a new piece of aluminum foil. Allow the casserole to come to room temperature; about 30 minutes. This is a very important step!
Step 6: Bake the casserole in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Then uncover the casserole and bake for an additional 15 minutes until it is set and slightly browned. Let sit for a few minutes before serving with warm syrup.
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Serving Tips
For a hearty twist, serve with bacon or sausage – classic pairings for French toast. Add fresh fruit for sweetness and color. Top the casserole with sliced bananas or strawberries, or offer a vibrant fruit salad with grapes, oranges, and apples.
Serve this recipe warm from the oven with warm maple syrup. You could also use homemade blueberry sauce or strawberry sauce. If you want something truly indulgent, you could top the casserole with homemade whipped cream.
This is a delicious recipe, however, it's very rich, therefore, I only serve it for special occasions like holidays or family birthdays.
Storing and Reheating Tips
Refrigerator: Allow the casserole to cool completely to room temperature. Then wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure to cover it tightly to prevent air from drying out the casserole. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Add any leftovers to an airtight container. Don't forget to label the package with the contents and date before placing it in your freezer. It should stay fresh for about 3 months.
Thawing and Reheating Tips: You can warm the entire casserole in a preheated oven at 350°F until heated through. If you froze the casserole, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. For a faster option, you can bake the casserole, even if slightly frozen, but you'll likely need to add a little extra cooking time.
More Recipes to Love
Check out my other recipe for Sweet Breakfast Casserole that's filled with fresh strawberries and blueberries.
Try my Brunch Punch Non-Alcoholic recipe to serve for a festive celebration like Christmas morning breakfast.
Another make-ahead holiday recipe would be this crock pot eggnog French toast.
📖 Recipe Card
French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped pecans and set aside.
- Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave. Melt the butter in 20 second intervals and then pour it into a 9x 13 casserole dish. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk and vanilla together.
- Lay a single layer of the Texas Toast in the casserole dish on top of the melted butter.
- A traditional 9X13 casserole dish can fit 6 slices of Texas Toast on the bottom of the dish.
- Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mix over the bread.
- Layer the second half of the Texas Toast on top of the first layer.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the casserole dish from the refrigerator and cover with a new piece of foil.
- Let it stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Bake the casserole for 30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.
- Then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- The French Toast Casserole should be browned and set.
- Cut and serve with warm syrup.
Nutrition
Notes
- It's very important that you allow the casserole to come to room temperature before baking.
- Do not move your glass casserole dish from one temperature extreme to the other. Let it sit on the counter top for about 30 minutes.
- You can cover the casserole lightly with aluminum foil if you notice the bread is getting too brown while baking.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2013 with a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
Nicole Haak says
Made last night for an easy breakfast this morning. I substituted hazel nuts for the pecans (cause that was what I had), and got great reviews. Thanks for the recipe! My hubs has already requested to have this again real soon!
Lois says
Thank you so much for the comment and 5 star rating! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe as much as we do!
eileen says
if you don't have texas toast bread, couldn't you just use 2 slices of bread on top of each other?
Lois says
No! If you can't find Texas toast in your local grocery store, simply substitute Challah or Brioche bread.
June says
This may sound like a dumb question but nowhere in the recipe or instructions do you state to remove the aluminum foil that was on the casserole in the refrigerator before placing a new piece on the dish. Is the old one removed first or do you bake it with two layers of foil?
Lois says
I do write in the post and recipe card to "cover it with a new piece of aluminum foil." But I can see how that could be confusing. I will update to tell everyone to remove the old piece of aluminum foil first and then cover with a new one. Thank you for your help! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Barbara Polly says
Thank you for clarifying, but why does one need to replace the foil? Surely the first piece of foil is still usable. If it is due to moisture build-up, that can be wiped off. I wash and reuse foil as much as possible.
Lois says
You can definitely wipe the moisture off. I just find it easier to replace. Thank you for visiting. I hope you try the recipe!
Donna @ Modern on Monticello says
As always your recipes look so delicious. I will be hosting some ministry students from our church this summer and this is a great recipe to try out while they are living with us. Pinned and put on our menu plans. Thanks for sharing it. #HomeMattersParty
Leah e says
This looks really, really good- I haven't made it yet, but just bought Texas Toast and was looking for recipes. I love anything cinnamon, but my son doesn't- Instead of cinnamon, I wonder how it would be if I made it putting blueberries and/or raspberries inbetween the layers, then a simple syrup of blueberry to top it with, after baking? I will be trying this yummy looking recipe either way~Thanks!
Lois says
The fruit sounds really good! Let me know how it turns out!
Sharon Beverly says
I used some homemade sesame wheat bread sliced thick instead of Texas toast. Oh, My Goodness! Easy and delicious! What more could anyone ask for.
Lois says
I love the idea of using homemade bread sliced thick! Thanks for sharing your tips.
Claudia says
I made a similar recipe for Christmas morning, but I did use regular bread because that is what we had, and it turned out fine! We served it with syrup and aside of bacon.
Lois says
I'm glad using regular bread worked for you. I would think the bread would be too thin and be soggy. Thanks for reporting back how it turned out! Happy New Year!
Susie Ciscon says
when you make the French toast recipe does the bottom layer have any of the egg mixture on it? Shouldn't I put some on top before adding the second layer of bread? If not why not?
Thank you
Susie Ciscon
Lois says
No, the egg mixture will soak through all the slices as it sits in the refrigerator overnight. Thanks for visiting!
Mary Ann Kennedy says
I made this for breakfast this morning to try it out for a family event. The flavor was delicious but it seemed a little doughy to us. I am wondering if it wasn't cooked long enough or if substituting almond milk makes a difference? My husband is lactose intolerant and most of the time my recipes work fine.
Lois says
It might have to do with the consistency of the almond milk. I've never tried cooking or baking with almond milk. I just posted an updated version of this recipe that uses cubed brioche bread. Try this recipe and let me know how it works for you: https://walkingonsunshinerecipes.com/overnight-french-toast-breakfast/
Nicole Haak says
My husband and I both are lactose intolerant. I've known about mine for a long time, my husband only found out recently. So we are still transitioning him.
I don't mind the almond milk substitute for most things that require milk as an ingredient, but acknowledge that somestimes it can be a really different outcome. We recently found the Almond/Oat milk from Blue Diamond, and it really seems to strike the balance. Really nice milk consistency, but doesn't upset tummies. I made the recipe last night, for this mornings breakfast; and got great reviews.
I hope this helps for future attempts.
Lois says
Thank you for helping a fellow reader out!
Mark says
I'm wondering if you could still pull it out of the pan and cook it on a griddle. Basically just using this recipe as a prep ahead.
Another great bread to use for French toast is Italian bread. I get it from my Wal-Mart bakery and slice it as thick as I want.
Lois says
I do not think taking the soaked bread out of the baking dish and then cooking the slices on a griddle would give you the same results. It would be a completely different recipe. But if you do try that, please come back and let me know how it comes out for you. Thanks for visiting.
Carol says
Do you mean the Texas Toast that has garlic & butter already on it in the freezer section??
Lois says
No! You need to use thick sliced white Texas Toast Bread that you can find in the bread section of your grocery store. It's actually called "Texas Toast Bread." Hope that helps! Thank you for visiting!
Veronica says
I LOVE overnight French toast casserole and make it every Christmas morning and Easter. It's a tradition for us for sure! But, what's the point of taking casserole out of fridge to rest at room temp before putting in oven? Never seen that done before and haven't done so. I'm making your overnight casserole tonight for Christmas morning tomorrow! Merry Christmas!!!
Lois says
I like to put the casserole in at room temperature, but you can put the casserole directly from the refrigerator into the oven. Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Frank says
I am confused. How many pieces of Texas Toast are used, 6 or 12? It sounds like you make two layers of the bread but that sounds like a lot of bread for 6 people.
Lois says
You use 12 slices of bread. The casserole is a double layer casserole, so you place 6 slices on the bottom, add the brown sugar mixture, then top that with the remaining 6 slices of bread. You can definitely serve this to more than 6 people, but it is for holidays and special occasions and at times my family of five will eat the entire casserole. Thank you for visiting!
Leota says
Quick question: Do you serve 6 people with this recipe, or do you cut it into smaller servings?
Lois says
This would serve 6 people. You could cut into smaller servings as well. I like to usually make scrambled eggs to go along with this recipe since it's usually for a holiday breakfast or brunch. Thank you for visiting!
Brian says
Can this be put together then frozen before baking?
Lois says
I have never tried to freeze this recipe before baking. If you do, let me know how it comes out! Thank you for visiting!
Judith booth says
Can i get Texas toast in the UK please.
Lois says
I don't know about that! If you can't find Texas Toast where you live, buy a loaf of good quality brioche bread and cut it into chunks. Place the chunks of bread in the casserole dish followed by the sugar mixture and then pour the egg mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let me know how that works for you! Thanks for visiting!
Miss Debbie says
Looks yummy...love cinnamon!
Anita at Hungry Couple says
Mmm...the Mr. is a huge French toast fan and would LOVE this!
Sandra says
YUM, nothing like French Toast in the morning 🙂
Cranberry Morning says
Looks delicious! My husband likes to make this when the grandkids are out. He adds just a touch of almond extract. We're kinda crazy about almonds around here. 🙂
Debbie says
Good morning....OH...MY...GOODNESS...I can practically smell this! And I know it would just be mouth watering. I love French toast in the first place, but this sounds REALLY good. Wish there is someone I could make and enjoy this, but alas it is not to be, haha. Enjoy it for me would you? ; )
Winnie says
This is one delicious breakfast!!
Very popular obviously