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Clean recipe · cooking.nytimes.com

French Toast Casserole

A good breakfast casserole is not only a crowd pleaser, it’s also a practical addition to any breakfast or brunch spread for many reasons: It comes together with a simple ingredient list, it can be assembled, then refrigerated overnight until the next morning, and it is much easier to cook for a crowd than traditional French toast. Day-old French bread works best here, but you can substitute any fluffy white bread or enriched bread like challah or brioche; just remove the crusts if they’re on the thicker side. The butter and brown sugar topping creates a crunchy, caramel-like crust as the casserole bakes, and the inside remains moist and tender. This casserole is plenty sweet on its own, but feel free to dress it up with powdered sugar, maple syrup and fresh berries.

Original recipe: cooking.nytimes.com

Yield:
8 servings
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
1 hr 15 min
Total:
1 hr 25 min
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Ingredients

  1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  2. 10 cups (1-inch) cubed bread, from a large loaf of day-old French bread (see Tip)
  3. 2 cups/480 milliliters whole milk
  4. 6 large eggs
  5. ¼ cup/50 grams lightly packed light brown sugar
  6. 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  7. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  8. 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  9. 4 tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, melted
  10. ½ cup/100 grams lightly packed light brown sugar
  11. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  12. Pinch of kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  13. Fresh berries, confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and/or toasted chopped nuts, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9-by-13-inch (or other 14-cup) baking dish with the butter, then place the bread cubes in the pan and spread them into an even layer.
  2. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until smooth.
  3. Pour the custard mixture over the bread and press gently to help the bread absorb the liquid. Set aside, covered, for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
  4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and let the casserole sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Meanwhile, make the topping: In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt with a fork until smooth.
  5. Dollop the mixture all over the casserole, then gently spread it with the back of a spoon until the entire surface is covered. (If preparing the casserole the day prior to baking, don’t add the topping until just before it goes into the oven. Reheat the topping, if needed.)
  6. Bake, uncovered, until puffed and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cut into squares, and serve hot. Top as desired.