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This brioche French toast casserole is the kind of cozy breakfast that works just as well on a slow Sunday morning as it does on Christmas, Easter, or any holiday gathering. And because you can prep it the night before, it’s the kind of recipe that instantly lowers your stress level, especially when you’re feeding hungry kids first thing in the morning.
Why you’ll love this brioche French toast casserole
- SO easy – If your family loves French toast but you don’t love standing at the stove flipping slice after slice, this baked version is going to be your new go-to.
- Make-ahead magic — Assemble everything the night before and bake in the morning.
- Not overly sweet — Uses maple syrup + fruit instead of heavy sugar toppings.
- Kid & toddler approved — Soft, custardy texture and mild flavor make it perfect for little ones.
- Year-round friendly — Fresh berries in summer, cinnamon and apples in fall, or fruitless and simple anytime.
- Holiday-ready — Serves a crowd, scales beautifully, and makes busy mornings easier.
- Flexible — Works with brioche, challah, or sturdy bread; add fruit, chocolate, or even a streusel.
On most mornings, we stick to our go-to banana French toast, but for special occasions like birthdays, mother’s day, or Christmas morning, I like to add a touch of indulgence with soft and buttery brioche bread.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a big production. Just toss all the ingredients into a casserole dish, stick it in the fridge, and bake it to perfection the next day. You can never have enough make ahead breakfast recipes, right?
So, whether you’re serving it up for your little ones’ breakfast party or sneaking a moment of peace with your coffee and a slice, get ready for a breakfast upgrade that’s as easy as it is delicious.
And if you are looking for another “fancy” yet easy breakfast or brunch idea, you have to try this stuffed French toast with strawberries.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this brioche French toast casserole
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
- Expert Tips
- Favorite Ways to Enjoy Brioche French Toast Casserole
- How to Serve to Babies and Toddlers (From a Pediatric Dietitian)
- Brioche French Toast Casserole FAQs
- More Easy Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas
- Baked Brioche French Toast Casserole Recipe
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Brioche – You can use either a fresh loaf from the bakery or thick-sliced sandwich bread, depending on whichever is more readily available. I recommend using day-old or slightly stale brioche for best results.
- Eggs- provides structure and richness to the custard mixture
- Milk – whole milk is preferred especially because this recipe doesn’t include heavy cream. You can use low-fat milk or a non-dairy alternative if preferred, but the texture will not be as custard-like.
- Fresh berries – I like to add berries (or any fruit) before baking as it allows them to release their juices and infuse the entire dish with fruity flavor. You can certainly leave them out and add at the end.
Variations
- Bread – try this recipe with challah bread (the best alternative), french bread, Texas toast, sourdough bread, etc.
- Drizzle maple syrup over the slices before serving, and if desired, dust with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.
- Fresh fruit – feel free to add whatever fruit you fancy. Sliced bananas, apples, peaches, mangoes…they will all be delicious! You can also add some nuts for added texture. See apples for babies for prep tips.
- Adjust Sugar and Spice Levels: Depending on your taste preferences, you can adjust the sugar and spice levels in the custard mixture.
How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
Step 1: Cut the brioche bread into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
Step 3: Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes, ensuring that all the bread is coated.
Step 4: Add berries (optional) and press down slightly on the bread to help it absorb the custard. Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 more minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Cool slightly and drizzle with some maple syrup or dust with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Use day-old bread: Using slightly stale brioche helps it absorb the custard without becoming too mushy. This ensures a better texture in the finished casserole.
- Soak Overnight for Flavor: For enhanced flavor and a more custard-like texture, soak brioche in the custard mixture overnight in the refrigerator. This allows the bread to fully absorb the flavors and results in a richer dish.
- Allow for Cooling Time: After baking, let the casserole cool slightly before serving. This helps the custard set, making it easier to slice
Favorite Ways to Enjoy Brioche French Toast Casserole
Here are a few tasty ideas to jazz up your baked French toast casserole:
- Fresh fruits – adds great pop of color, texture, and sweetness
- Fruit compote or jam – give this sugar free strawberry jam a try!
- Whipped cream
- Maple syrup, honey, or date syrup
- Yogurt – try this fruit yogurt dip or flavored yogurts like this vanilla yogurt or strawberry yogurt
- Peanut butter drizzle
- Powdered sugar
This is where this recipe really stands out.
Because this version isn’t overly sweet and uses whole milk instead of heavy cream, it’s a great option for little ones when served safely.
How to Serve to Babies and Toddlers (From a Pediatric Dietitian)
For babies (9–12 months)
- Cut into long strips or small handheld pieces.
- Skip syrup on top and serve with fruit or yogurt instead.
- Make sure texture is soft (it naturally is).
For toddlers (1–3 years)
- Cut into bite-size pieces.
- Add berries on top for color and fun.
- Serve with a side of yogurt for protein.
For older kids
- They can add their own toppings — maple syrup, fruit, or even a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Brioche French Toast Casserole FAQs
If you don’t have stale bread, you can toast or bake the bread. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Then place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 300°F for 10-15 minutes. Allow the bread to cool before proceeding with the recipe.
To reheat, you can use the oven or microwave. In the oven, cover the casserole (I like to use this silicone mat) and warm it at a low temperature to avoid drying it out. In the microwave, heat it in short intervals to prevent uneven heating.
You can assemble the casserole and refrigerate no more than a day in advance. Soaking the bread in custard mixture for too long will result in a super soggy casserole.
Yes! Refrigerate overnight and bake in the morning.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
If you plan to store it for a longer period, consider freezing individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Easy Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Baked Brioche French Toast Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread (16-18 oz)
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh berries or fruit of choice
Instructions
- Cut the brioche bread into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes evenly in the greased 9×13 baking dish with butter or oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the brioche cubes, ensuring that all the bread is coated.
- Add berries (optional) and press down slightly on the bread to help it absorb the custard. Cover the dish tightly and allow the brioche and custard mixture to soak for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 more minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Cool slightly and drizzle with some maple syrup or dust with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness, if desired.
Notes
- Use day-old bread: Using slightly stale brioche helps it absorb the custard without becoming too mushy.
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
I made this for Christmas morning and New Years Day and I love it! Such a beautiful bread pudding texture. I dry the cubes in the oven a bit and then cool before adding the liquid.
Loved it!! My husband made it for us for Mother’s Day and it was a hit with all of us . He put less maple syrup because we tend to not like things very sweet.
So happy to hear that you guys enjoyed it!! Hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day :).
I’ve been looking for years for a good French toast casserole. This one is it—excellent! Not too sweet. Lovely custard with the fruit. Easy! Thank you!
So happy to hear that!! Thank you for taking the time to share!
It was delicious! Linnea put it perfectly.
Is step 5 supposed to be step 1? I’m confused how do you grease the baking dish when the mixture already sit in baking dish overnight.
So sorry! Just corrected. You want to grease the dish and add the ingredients. Refrigerate then just bake!
This is AMAZING!! I’ll never make another overnight french toast recipe. This should be everyone’s go-to. Perfect amount of crispiness and custard. Perfect amount of sweetness and the berries are such a great addition. So many recipes like this overload the casserole with heavy cream, butter, and granulated sugars. This one uses so much less sugar yet is still insanely delicious. I didn’t make this for a special occasion – just a Monday morning 🙂 I used Challah bread because I had a loaf of it in my freezer (I thawed it out completely before using).
p.s. I think Step 5 is meant to be Step 1 😀
I’m so happy to hear this!! Oh actually it’s correct. If you want to make it in advance and refrigerate then you can preheat when ready to bake!
Delicious! The whole family loved it. I added strawberries and bananas.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
I made this on Christmas morning and then again on the morning of New Year’s Day because it was so good! My 13-month-old devoured it. It was the first time she clearly signed for more of something! The first time I used fresh strawberries and the second time I used defrosted/drained/rinsed frozen cherries. Both were excellent! Like many of Min’s recipes, this one will go into our regular rotation. Thanks so much for sharing, Min!
This was absolutely delicious! Through absolutely no fault of the recipe, I was totally unprepared for how long I was supposed to let it sit. However, I can confirm that the recipe is a forgiving one and it turned out beautifully with only 35 minutes of letting it sit. It was the perfect amount of crisp and custardy and the sweetness was perfect too.
Oh good to know! Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe :).
Would this work with frozen berries?
Haven’t tried but I would add without thawing so the casserole doesn’t turn out soggy
I was going to use all frozen, but since no one had reported back with a confirmed positive experience, I didn’t want to be the first to try it :-). So, I found a middle road and did a half cup of frozen blueberries and a half cup of fresh strawberries. I let mine sit overnight before baking and added all fruit just before baking without defrosting. No issue of sogginess using that method.
Yay!!! So happy to hear!!