Prep the night before then bake this easy overnight French toast casserole in the morning. With a brown sugar streusel and berry topping, it’s perfect for holiday brunch!

More make ahead breakfast recipes I love to serve include cinnamon roll casserole, overnight breakfast casserole and overnight oats!

French toast casserole in a white baking dish.

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Best Overnight French Toast Casserole

I love classic French toast and French bread French toast, but this overnight French toast casserole version is my go-to when serving a crowd. You can easily make it in advance and then bake it in the morning.

While my kids love these French toast sticks and this eggnog French toast is a holiday favorite, this berry French toast casserole is the best Christmas breakfast idea when you want to just put something in the oven and enjoy family time.

Overnight French Toast Ingredients

This overnight French toast with berries comes together with a few simple ingredients!

Sliced french bread on cutting board.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • French bread: Go with a crispy outside and soft inside kind of stale bread. Add about 10 cups of sliced-up bread to the casserole dish.
  • Milk: The heavier the milk the creamier it will be. I used whole milk for this recipe.
  • Eggs: Large eggs are best! If you are using medium, double or add an extra egg just to be sure.
  • Brown sugar: Pack in the brown sugar. I used light brown sugar for a sweet taste but not overbearing of the berries.
  • Ground cinnamon: Always a classic spice to add to french toast.
  • Butter: This will help combine and moisten the bread.
  • All-purpose flour: Thicken the mixture to help add substance and help make it crumbly for the streusel topping.
  • Berries: Frozen works great for this overnight French toast recipe!

How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole

This recipe starts with a French bread base. Slice the bread into cubes and add it to your baking dish.

Bread cubes in baking dish.

Then whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, and cinnamon and pour the egg custard mixture on top. This will sit overnight and soak up nicely into the bread.

Bread cubes in baking dish and pouring custard mixture over it.

Then you’ll add a brown sugar crumble topping and berries to the top of the bread right before baking. I love using frozen mixed berries because we always have them on hand in the freezer. They give it the perfect sweet flavor!

Crumble topping and berries on top of french toast casserole.

I love to cook my casserole the full hour so that the top of the bread becomes a little caramelized/toasted and the center is cooked through. If you’d like the center more of a bread pudding texture, I would take it out about 15 minutes sooner. Either way, it’s delicious!

Overnight french toast casserole in a baking dish.

Tips and Variations

  • Bread. I like to use thick, day-old French bread or French baguette. Sourdough bread or challah can be used as well as you can make brioche French toast, too. Save croissants for breakfast croissant casserole.
  • Berries: Swap berries for sliced apples or peaches, or omit fruit altogether and mix in chopped walnuts or pecans.
  • Warm spices: You can also add some vanilla extract or nutmeg to the egg mixture to give it an extra boost of flavor.
  • Soaking. Does French toast casserole have to sit overnight? No, as long as you let the bread soak in the milk mixture for at least 3 or 4 hours. But you’ll get the most flavor if you let it soak overnight.
  • Consistency. Cook for 1 hour for a crispy and caramelized texture. If you prefer it softer and gooier, cook for 45 minutes.

Toppings for Serving

Although this easy French toast casserole tastes delicious as-is, you can also add a few extra toppings to take it up a notch. Any of the below would taste amazing:

Overnight french toast casserole with a wooden spoon.

Are you looking for more breakfast favorites? Try buttermilk pancakes or Belgian waffles!

More Breakfast Favorites

French toast casserole in a white baking dish.

Overnight French Toast

4.99 from 77 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chill: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Prep the night before then bake this easy overnight French toast casserole in the morning. With a brown sugar streusel and berry topping, it's perfect for holiday brunch!
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Ingredients 

French Toast

  • 1 loaf day-old French bread , cubed (about 10 cups) (sour dough or challah work great too)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 7 large eggs
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch Kosher salt

Topping

  • ½ cup salted butter , cubed
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1 cup berries (I used frozen)

Instructions

French Toast

  • Butter or grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
  • Layer 10 cups bread cubes evenly in the pan, equaling about 2 layers. In a medium bowl, beat 2 cups milk, eggs, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and pinch of salt.
  • Pour evenly over the bread, making sure to coat each piece. Cover with aluminum foil and chill at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Topping

  • In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup brown sugar with a pastry cutter or two knives. Use your hands if needed to make crumbs. Cover and chill.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the topping over the bread and evenly disperse 1 cup berries on top. Bake uncovered 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the center is cooked through.
  • Enjoy by itself or topped with syrup.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Variations: Swap the berries for sliced apples or peaches, or omit the fruit altogether and mix in some chopped walnuts or pecans. You can also add some vanilla extract or nutmeg to the egg mixture to give it an extra boost of flavor.
Storage: Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 390mg, Potassium: 223mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 559IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 130mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Why is my overnight French toast casserole recipe soggy?

Bread is the key ingredient to making the best french toast casserole dish. Usually, if your toast is soggy it is because the bread is too thin, fresh, or flimsy slice of bread. You can also add in too much milk which soaks the bread too much leaving it soggy.

What to serve with overnight french toast?

The basics are always there like bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, yogurt bowl, and more fresh fruit. This overnight french toast casserole is best alone but you can add sides to help provide more food.

How do you keep toast crispy overnight?

If you are wanting to dry your bread, place it on a rack. This will help the air circulate all around the bread to let it “breathe”.

How to store leftovers?

This unbaked casserole can sit in the two to three days long. Once it is baked you can reheat it for up to one week. Place portions of baked french toast casserole in the microwave or oven to reheat.