Baked Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

This easy Baked Cinnamon French Toast Casserole recipe features brioche bread soaked in a decadent cream cheese “batter” and a crispy streusel topping. Baked until ooey gooey in the middle and crunchy on top, it’s a crowd-pleasing make-ahead breakfast you can make for any holiday or special occasion!

When it’s your turn to host Sunday brunch or the special weekend breakfast, you simply must make this Baked French Toast Casserole. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, with soft and fluffy brioche bread on the inside and a crumbly and crisp streusel on top. All it takes is one maple syrup-soaked bite to fall in love.

Don’t worry—this brioche French toast casserole might look complicated or like it takes a long time to make, but I promise it’s a foolproof breakfast recipe.

Just toss the bread in the cream cheese and egg “batter”, dump it in a casserole dish, and top with the brown sugar streusel topping. Bake until golden and bubbly and voila! You have the perfect breakfast or brunch to serve to the whole family.

And if you’re in the mood for even more sweet breakfast recipes, you should also check out my Banana Cream Cardamom Pancakes and Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal with Cranberries!

French Toast Casserole Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make this comforting and delicious sweet breakfast recipe:

• Brioche bread: This fluffy and buttery enriched bread is perfect for French toast recipes! You can also use another crusty loaf of bread in its place if you want, like French bread, challah, or sourdough. Just stay away from pre-sliced sandwich bread because it will soak up the batter and become soggy very easily.
• Cream cheese: The batter in most French toast recipes is only made from milk but I added softened cream cheese as well for more structure and a tangy flavor. Remember to take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making this recipe to help it soften.
• Brown sugar
• Eggs, which are so protein-rich, that they add a nice richness and help hold the casserole together.
• Whole milk, 2% milk, or non-dairy milk. 
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Streusel topping: Just like on a coffee cake or an apple crisp, a simple streusel topping—made from brown sugar, all-purpose flour, butter, and cinnamon—adds a sweet, crispy top layer to the breakfast casserole.

(Full ingredient list and quantities listed in the recipe card below)

Street Smart Nutrition Tip: The key to the best French toast casserole is to use slightly stale bread. Set your loaf of bread (uncovered) on the counter a day or two before making this casserole. It will slowly dry out, leading to tender French toast that’s never soggy. 

Baked French Toast Swaps and Substitutions

This recipe is very forgiving, and you can easily mix and match some of the ingredients. Make it your own with these simple swaps:

• Add a burst of flavor by swapping the vanilla extract for an equal amount of almond extract, rum extract, or 1 tablespoon of orange zest.
• Add nutmeg, ground cloves, cardamom, or allspice in addition to the cinnamon for more warmth.
• Heavy cream can be used in place of the milk if you’re craving a richer flavor and consistency. Or, for a lighter French toast casserole, use 1% milk or any non-dairy milk like almond or soy milk.
• For a gluten-free French toast casserole, swap the regular bread for a crusty loaf of gluten-free bread and use a 1:1 gluten-free flour in the streusel. Most gluten-free breads are already naturally dry, so they’re perfect for this casserole!

And you can’t have a sweet breakfast casserole without lots of toppings! You’re in luck because French toast goes with a ton of sweet treats. Consider garnishing the baked casserole or individual servings with any of these tasty toppings:

• Whipped cream
• Powdered sugar
• Maple syrup 
• Fruit compote
• Honey
• Sliced bananas
• Fresh berries, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or cherries
• Toasted nuts, such as pecans, almonds, or walnuts

How to Make a Baked French Toast Casserole

This casserole requires a quick 15-minute prep time and can even be assembled the night before and baked the next day!

I can’t think of anything better to enjoy for a special family breakfast, brunch with friends, or on Christmas morning. It’s also a favorite for New Year’s Day!

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Add the torn bread cubes to a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the softened cream cheese with sugar. Once creamy and smooth, add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until fully combined, on high speed as needed to break up any remaining clumps of cream cheese.
3. In a separate small bowl, mash or stir the streusel topping ingredients together with a fork until the mixture is crumbly.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread and toss to coat each piece. Transfer to a prepared baking dish and use a spatula to spread the mixture into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel mixture on top.
5. Bake uncovered until the center is set and the top is golden brown. Set the casserole aside to cool before scooping and serving with your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Can I make the casserole ahead of time?

Absolutely! Prepare and assemble the battered bread pieces (without the streusel) in the baking dish as normal, then keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge and make the streusel while you’re waiting for it to come down to room temperature. Sprinkle the streusel on top, then bake the casserole as normal. 

What to Serve with a Baked French Toast Casserole

Once you’ve added your toppings, I recommend serving this warm casserole as the centerpiece for a special family breakfast or brunch. It’s perfect for any occasion, whether it’s Christmas morning, Easter brunch, or just a regular Sunday.

To make the morning truly unforgettable, you can serve the casserole with any of these delicious breakfast and brunch recipes:

• Creamy Greek Yogurt Fruit Salad
• Sundried Tomato and Kale Frittata
• Maple Tahini Oatmeal
• Spiced Carrot Cake Oat Muffins

Let’s not forget about the drinks!

Other than coffee and tea, you can wash this incredible breakfast down with a Vanilla Lavender Latte, this Copycat Starbucks Olive Oil Latte, a matcha latte, or a chai latte. I bet the adults wouldn’t say no to mimosas, either!

Storing Leftover French Toast Casserole

Once the leftover baked French toast casserole has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days.

You can also freeze the baked and cooled casserole in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow the leftovers to thaw in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat, quickly zap the individual servings in the microwave or a 350ºF oven for about 30 minutes or until it’s warmed through.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

4.06 from 36 votes

This easy-to-prep Baked French Toast recipe is the perfect sweet breakfast casserle for holiday breakfasts, weekend brunch, or anytime you need to serve a crowd for a morning meal. 

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 9 servings

Equipment

• 9"x9" baking dish or casserole pan
• hand mixer

Ingredients

• 1 16- oz. loaf Brioche bread or similar, substitute french bread or challah
• 8 oz. regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt, ⅛ tsp

For the Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp salted butter
• ½ tsp cinnamon

For Serving

• powdered sugar
• maple syrup
• fresh berries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9”x9” oven-safe casserole dish or baking pan. Slice or tear the loaf of bread into 1” pieces of cubes, roughly the same size. Place in a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the softened cream cheese with sugar. Once creamy and smooth, add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until fully combined, on high speed as needed to break up any remaining clumps of cream cheese.
• Make the streusel topping by using a hand mixer or fork to combine the brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon until a rough, crumbly texture forms.
• To assemble the baked French toast casserole, pour the cream cheese mixture over the bread. Fold together until fully combined, then transfer to the baking dish. Spread into an even layer then sprinkle the streusal mixture on top.
• Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until golden brown and set in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or drizzle of maple syrup (optional), adding fresh berries if desired.

Notes

Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened to avoid large clumps of cream cheese in the egg mixture.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 528 kcal, Carbohydrates: 52 g, Protein: 13 g, Fat: 30 g, Saturated Fat: 17 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g, Trans Fat: 0.2 g, Cholesterol: 278 mg, Sodium: 431 mg, Potassium: 145 mg, Fiber: 0.3 g, Sugar: 24 g, Vitamin A: 1187 IU, Vitamin C: 0.01 mg, Calcium: 118 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Casserole, French Toast

Baked French Toast FAQs

What is the best bread to use for a baked French toast casserole?

Hearty and crusty one- or two-day-old bread is always best for French toast. Brioche, French bread, ciabatta, sourdough, or challah are all great options. Do NOT use regular sandwich bread unless you want your casserole to be soggy. 

Should I bake the casserole covered or uncovered?

For the best results, bake this casserole uncovered. This gives the streusel topping time to caramelize and become crunchy.

Why is my casserole soggy?

French toast will become soggy if it’s made with sandwich bread, fresh bread, or if the bread pieces weren’t soaked long enough. Remember to make this with any of the recommended breads I listed and coat each piece evenly in the egg/cream cheese mixture. If there is excess liquid, it will settle on the bottom of the pan and make the bottom bread pieces soggy. 

I hope you enjoy this cinnamon French toast recipe as much as I do! Be sure to save this recipe or Pin it for later so you always have something special to whip up when the holiday season arrives. If you try it out, leave a rating or comment to let me know what you think. 

As always, thanks for visiting the Street Smart Nutrition blog. Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!

 Disclosure: This post was originally published in March 2019. It has since been updated with edits to the recipe, and to improve the overall quality of the information and/or images.