Love traditional French toast but not standing at the stove flipping slice after slice? Then this easy overnight sourdough French toast casserole might just be one of your favorite new breakfast recipes.
It's a cozy, crowd-pleasing breakfast dish you can prep the night before, then bake the next morning. It's perfect for a lazy weekend morning and a great time saver if you're hosting overnight guests. Kid-approved, under 15 minute prep time.

This French toast casserole has crisp, buttery edges, a soft middle with a dreamy, custardy texture, and a lightly crunchy cinnamon topping that bakes up golden brown.
It's a perfect make-ahead breakfast for special occasions like Christmas morning, Easter brunch, birthday sleepovers, or anytime you want a delicious breakfast without any stress.

Why I Love This Breakfast Casserole

• Quick + Easy: With just a few simple ingredients (bread, eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla), it's fast to throw together.
• Make Ahead: all the comfort of French toast, none of the pan babysitting. It can be made 1-2 days ahead.
• Uses Leftovers: Great way to use day-old bread or stale bread that's hanging around. (This works with almost any bread you have, so use up odds and ends if you have them.)
• Feeds a Crowd: The ideal choice for hosting because it feeds a group and feels like a special treat. (A great way to feed a group of kids after a big sleepover!)

Ingredients

This special breakfast needs no special ingredients!

• Bread - Day old or stale loaf of sourdough bread. I love sourdough because it has structure and a little tang, which balances the sweetness. If you've got fresh bread, let it sit out for an hour or two first. If you do not, stale bread is actually the best way to get that perfect soak without turning mushy.
• Eggs - The ingredient that binds the casserole and gives it the nice custardy texture.
• Dairy - Milk and cream pair up to give this luxurious flavor and creaminess.
• Flavors - Cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar make this the ultimate breakfast comfort food.
• Toppings - Optional but delicious, dust the top with powdered sugar and serve it up with fresh berries and maple syrup.

Substitutions

1. Bread - Try french bread, brioche, challah, whole grain bread, or even white bread in a pinch (it will be softer, so shorten the soakig time if it's super fresh).
2. Dairy - You can substitute coconut milk for the milk if you want a dairy-free vibe (use full-fat canned coconut milk for richness, or carton coconut milk for lighter).

Variations

Once you've mastered the recipe, try one of these yummy variations!

1. Cream cheese pockets - Add small dollops of cream cheese over the soaked bread right before baking for little creamy surprises.
2. Citrus twist - Whisk in a tablespoon of orange zest to the custard mixture for brightness. For a spring brunch, omit the cinnamon.
3. Seasonal spice - Swap some cinnamon for the fall favorite, pumpkin spice, in the topping.
4. Add fruit - 1 cup of berries or peeled and diced apples or peaches stirred in before baking are delicious.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1. Cut sourdough into cubes and place them evenly in a greased 9 x 13 in (23 x 33 cm) casserole or baking dish.

Step 2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla. (Whisking well helps avoid streaky egg bits.) For an extra smooth consistency, whisk until the sugar looks mostly dissolved and the mixture is uniform and pale.

Step 3. Pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the bread. Press down gently so the top layer gets coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Step 4. Quick Tip: Forgot to prep ahead? Let it soak 10 to 20 minutes at room temp, then continue. Overnight is better, but this still works.

Step 5. Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.

Step 6. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knifes to cut in cold butter until crumbly.

Step 7. Transfer to a baggie or lidded container and refrigerate overnight too.
Why cold butter matters: Cold butter melts more slowly, which helps the topping stay crisp instead of greasy.

Step 8. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the sugar topping evenly over the casserole. Bake until the top is crisp and golden brown and the center is set (no wet custard pooling at the bottom). Check doneness. The middle should look set and feel springy, not sloshy.
Tip: If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with a piece of aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.
Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, then serve with powdered sugar, fresh berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup. It's a total family favorite for a slow weekend breakfast.

My Top Tips

Overnight soaking gives the bread time to fully absorb the egg-and-dairy custard. Then, as it bakes, the egg proteins set, turning the soaked bread into that soft, sliceable custardy texture. Meanwhile, the sugar and butter in the topping brown and crisp (hello, irresistible crunch and a hint of sweetness).

Use day-old bread on purpose. It absorbs custard without falling apart, which is the best way to avoid a soggy casserole.

Press the bread down after pouring. Especially if you use a taller artisan sourdough or homemade sourdough bread, which can have big air pockets.

Serving + Storing

Make it brunch-worthy. Serve with fresh fruit, coffee, and a simple side like bacon or sausage. Feeding adults? For special occasions, add mimosas or a glass of Prosecco.

Store safely. Leftovers make a great microwaveable breakfast or part of a packed lunch. Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Freeze in portions. Slice, wrap, and freeze for quick breakfasts later. Reheat these in the oven or in a covered frying pan over low heat.

Pin this for later

This one is the perfect way to make brunch feel effortless. Pin it now for Christmas morning, Easter brunch, birthdays, and every cozy weekend where you want a warm breakfast casserole without lifting a finger until bake time.

Recipe

📖 Recipe

Sabrina Currie

Easy Overnight Sourdough French Toast Casserole

This easy breakfast casserole uses pantry and fridge staples, is quick to put together the night before and bakes up into a delicious French toast breakfast everyone will love!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 loaf sourdough bread about 10 oz loaf which is an average sized loaf.
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• ⅓ cup whipping cream
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

• 4 tablespoons cold butter
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt

Method

 

1. Cut loaf into cubes and place evenly in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread in the casserole, cover the dish with cplastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl for topping. Cut in the butter until crumbly and place in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350º
5. Take the baking dish and topping out of the refrigerator. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the bread. Bake until the top is crispy and the bottom is no longer wet, about for 45-55 minutes.

Notes

Serve with powdered sugar, syrup, or the topping of your choice.