This overnight French toast bake is a fantastic breakfast option for when you are hosting a large group of people! You can do all of the prep work the night before, so in the morning all you have to do is pop it in the oven! Soaked with a rich eggy mixture, cinnamon, and brown sugar- this is a breakfast that will not disappoint!
Easy Overnight French Toast Recipe
I love serving this overnight French toast when I have guests from out of town. I can get it completely prepared and ready to go the night before and then simply bake it in the morning!
No matter the reason, this French toast is a real treat for any occasion. It is sure to be a hit with all of your guests!
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🥘 Overnight French Toast Bake Ingredients
This recipe uses standard French toast ingredients. Make sure you use brioche, French bread, or sourdough bread for the best results!
- Brioche - 1 loaf of brioche bread, sliced into 1-inch thick slices. French bread and sourdough are great options as well!
- Butter - 6 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Brown Sugar - ⅓ cup of light brown sugar, packed.
- Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, divided into two equal portions.
- Eggs - 12 large eggs that have been beaten.
- Milk - 1 cup of milk.
- Heavy Cream - ½ cup of heavy cream.
- Vanilla - 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
- Maple Syrup - 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Salt - 1 pinch of salt.
- Raisins (optional) - ⅓ cup of raisins, sultanas, or dried cherries if desired.
- Walnuts (optional) - ⅓ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make An Overnight French Toast Bake
This French toast is almost completely prepared at bedtime, all you have to do in the morning is bake it in the oven! Go ahead and grab yourself a large-rimmed baking sheet (or lasagna pan), a mixing bowl, and a silicone whisk!
This recipe will make 8 servings, so it is enough for the whole family!
The Night Before
- Slice and dry the bread. Slice your 1 loaf of bread into 1-inch thick slices (if not already sliced) and allow it to dry on the counter for a few hours. Alternatively, place it in a 300°F (145°C) oven for 10 minutes (watch closely so that you don't brown or toast the bread).
- Prepare pan. In either a lasagna pan or a large-rimmed baking sheet, add 6 tablespoons of melted butter, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, and the first half of your cinnamon (1 teaspoon). Mix well and then spread the mixture over the entire bottom of the pan.
- Place bread. Arrange your bread slices on top of the buttered pan.
- Beat eggs. In a mixing bowl, beat 12 eggs.
- Add ingredients. Then, add 1 cup of milk, ½ cup of heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour. Carefully pour half of your egg mixture over the top of your bread slices. Then, flip the slices of bread over and pour the remaining half of the egg mixture. *Alternatively, you can dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture and place it into your pan or on your baking sheet. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices when done.
- Add toppings. Sprinkle the French toast with the optional ⅓ cup of walnuts and/or raisins (if using) as well as the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Chill. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
In The Morning
- Remove chill. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake. Place the French toast into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes (not browning the bread).
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with maple syrup, jam, fresh berries, and/or whipped cream.
You can serve your French toast with homemade whipped cream, roasted berries, or even some tasty toffee sauce! Of course, maple syrup and powdered sugar are great options, too. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup can be swapped out for ½ teaspoon of maple extract if desired.
- I used my Wilton lasagna pan, which measures 14.5 x 11 x 2 inches.
- After you pour the egg over the bread, you will see some eggs on the pan. Don't worry, the bread will slowly soak up the mixture while it chills overnight.
- Feel free to use any of your favorite milk in this recipe. Even non-dairy options like almond milk and oat milk work well!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Wrap your French toast in plastic wrap and then store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze, place a piece of parchment paper in between each slice of French toast and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Then, place it into a large zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheating French Toast
You can reheat your french toast on the stovetop over medium heat, or you can pop it back into the oven, covered with foil, at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 2 minutes of baking.
❓ Recipe FAQs
If you sliced your bread too thin (or used pre-sliced bread that was too thin), your French toast may be soggy. Additionally, you'll want to avoid browning the bread while cooking your toast as this means that the outside cooked too quickly while the inside wasn't done yet.
Finally, don't skip drying your bread! If you don't want to let it sit out for a few hours, you can always pop it in the oven at 300°F (145°C) for up to 10 minutes.
Brioche bread is my all-time favorite choice for making French toast! However, French bread, sourdough, and challah are all great options as well!
If you plan ahead, simply place all of your bread slices on a wire rack and let it sit out on the counter all night! You'll want to make sure you use dried bread so that it doesn't get soggy. If you are short on time, you can place the bread in the oven at 300°F (145°C), but make sure to watch it so it doesn't brown or gets toasted.
☀️ Sweet Breakfast Recipes
- Apple Cider Donuts - These easy donuts use boiled apple cider for flavor and are then rolled in sweet cinnamon sugar!
- Waffles - This classic waffle recipe is perfect for any day of the week!
- Apple Pie French Toast Casserole - All of the tasty flavors of both apple pie and French toast come together in this addicting breakfast casserole!
- Sheet Pan Pancakes - These pancakes are quick, easy, and perfect for serving a large group!
- Apple Banana Bread - This delicious bread is packed with apples and bananas for a tasty breakfast, lunch, or snack!
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones - Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast, these scones are chock full of fresh blueberries!
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📖 Recipe Card
Overnight French Toast Bake
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche (sliced, or French bread or sourdough)
- 6 tablespoon butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (divided into 2 equal parts)
- 12 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅓ cup raisins (optional, or sultanas, or dried cherries)
- ⅓ cup walnuts (optional, or pecans, chopped)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Night Before
- Slice your bread into 1-inch thick slices (if not already sliced) and allow it to dry on the counter for a few hours. Alternatively, place it in a 300°F (145°C) oven for 10 minutes (watch closely so that you don't brown or toast the bread).
- In either a lasagna pan or a large rimmed baking sheet, add your melted butter, brown sugar, and the first half of your cinnamon. Mix well and then spread the mixture over the entire bottom of the pan.
- Arrange your bread slices on top of the buttered pan.
- In a mixing bowl, beat your eggs.
- Then, add in the milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Carefully pour half of your egg mixture over the top of your bread slices. Then, flip the slices of bread over and pour the remaining half of the egg mixture. *Alternatively, you can dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture and place it into your pan or on your baking sheet. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread slices when done.
- Sprinkle the French toast with the optional walnuts and/or raisins (if using) as well as the remaining cinnamon.
- Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator overnight.
In The Morning
- Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the French toast into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes (not browning the bread).
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately with maple syrup, jam, fresh berries, and/or whipped cream.
Notes
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup can be swapped out for ½ teaspoon of maple extract if desired.
- I used my Wilton lasagna pan, which measures 14.5 x 11 x 2 inches.
- After you pour the egg over the bread, you will see some eggs on the pan. Don't worry, the bread will slowly soak up the mixture while it chills overnight.
- Feel free to use any of your favorite milk in this recipe. Even non-dairy options like almond milk and oat milk work well!
- To store: Wrap your French toast in plastic wrap and then store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Place a piece of parchment paper in between each slice of French toast and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Then, place it into a large zip-top bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: You can reheat your french toast on the stovetop over medium heat, or you can pop it back into the oven, covered with foil, at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 2 minutes of baking.
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