This Overnight French Toast Casserole is prepared the night before for an easy, crowd pleasing breakfast. This breakfast casserole has all the flavors of French Toast with a sweet maple custard that is soaked into bread. It is great for holiday mornings or for when you need to feed a crowd.
Oh, how I love a good breakfast casserole! For the perfect breakfast buffet, serve up a few varieties – this Overnight French Toast Casserole would go perfectly with this Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe, and this Sausage Breakfast Casserole. You’ll have something for everyone!
My Favorite French Toast Casserole Recipe
Every year to ring in the new year, my family rents out a cabin. There are lots of games played, lots of food eaten, and lots of fun times had.
One of the things that takes the most coordination is the food. We usually take turns with meals, but there are lots of mouths to feed.
I always love taking a breakfast, because then I have a chance to make a few breakfast casseroles. And it’s even better when I make overnight breakfast casseroles so that all I have to do is bake them up in the morning!
This Overnight French Toast Casserole is my favorite of them all. The cream cheese gives it a different little twist, and you can never go wrong with maple in my book. When I make this for just my family, it’s always gone in a flash, and the same goes when I make it for a crowd. It really is a crowd pleasing recipe!
But this overnight breakfast casserole is really perfect all year long. It makes the perfect Christmas breakfast, or make it as a special back to school breakfast. No matter when you make it, it will be a hit!
Ingredients
Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients and amounts as well as full instructions.
- white bread – I use just regular white bread that you can get at the grocery store. Nothing fancy at all. It will take about 2/3 of a regular sized loaf. You could also use French bread.
- cream cheese – I have only ever tried this with regular cream cheese, although I would guess that a less-fat cream cheese would probably work.
- eggs – I always use large eggs.
- milk – I used 2%, because that is what we keep on hand. Whole milk or 1% would probably work just fine, too.
- half and half – this is a mixture of milk and cream. You can usually find it next to the cream at the grocery store. You can also make your own mix of cream and milk.
- maple syrup – I have made this casserole with both real maple syrup and pancake syrup. I definitely prefer the real maple syrup version. But my kids, who are used to pancake syrup, prefer the pancake syrup version.
- vanilla – I am a fan of real vanilla extract.
- powdered sugar – you don’t have to sprinkle on the powdered sugar, but I always do!
How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Start by putting your cubed bread into a prepared baking dish.
- Beat the cream cheese, then add in the eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition.
- Add in the milk, half and half, half of the maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Pour that mixture over the cubed bread. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, you’ll bake the French toast.
- Once the casserole comes out of the oven, pour the remaining syrup over the hot casserole.
Overnight French Toast Casserole Video
If you want to watch how to make this breakfast casserole, click on the video below.
Tips and Tricks
- When you are mixing together the custard mixture, the cream cheese may not mix in completely. I usually still have some small balls of cream cheese in the mixture. Don’t worry too much about them, as they won’t affect the flavor or texture of the finished casserole.
- Make sure to set the casserole out for 30 minutes before baking, or your casserole might bake unevenly and take more time to bake.
- You can serve more maple syrup at the table, if desired, although I think it is plenty sweet.
- If you don’t want to make this the night before, you can make it the same day, but you’ll want to give it a few hours in the refrigerator for the bread to really absorb the liquid.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
Brioche French Toast with Salted Caramel and Bananas
Baked French Toast Casserole with Apples and Raisins
Creme Brulee French Toast
Eggnog Croissant Bread Pudding with Caramel Eggnog Syrup
Blueberry Banana French Toast Bake
Cranberry Orange Baked French Toast Casserole
Eggs Benedict Strata
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 cups of white bread that has been cut into 1-inch square pieces
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk, I used 2%
- 2/3 cup half and half
- 1 cup maple syrup, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the cubed bread into the dish.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add in the milk, half and half, 1/2 cup of the maple syrup and the vanilla and beat until combined. (There may still be some small chunks of cream cheese, but that is normal.) Pour the mixture over the bread cubes, pressing the bread down to make sure it is all soaked with the liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of maple syrup over the casserole and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Serve warm.
RMD says
I am not sure how to measure bread in cups. Can anyone help?
Deborah says
You’ll need about 2/3 loaf if using a regular 24 oz loaf of sliced bread. If you are using French bread, it will be a 1-lb loaf.
Heather says
Are there any comments of anyone that has actually made the recipe?
Melissa Church says
Can I omit the half n half in the over night french toast recipe or substitute with something else?
Sheila Gunderson says
Thank you soooooooooo much for this guide so helpful for me, the kids LOVED it!!!!!
Ashley says
This looks absolutely divine! I have been craving french toast lately too! Pinning this one for future use! 🙂
Heidi / foodiecrush says
How could you go wrong with adding cream cheese? Brilliant! I’m coming back to get this recipe for sure. When will you do the savory? THX for the mention sweets!
Chels R. says
You must of been reading my mind because I was dreaming about Souffle’s the other night. It must be all this food network I’ve been watching because now I really want to make one. This sounds incredible. I love make ahead meals!
grace says
any recipe that calls for 1.25 cups of maple syrup gets an automatic bookmark–this is great!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
This is like a puffy bread pudding that’s been soaked in eggs, sugar, and cream cheese and that sounds like a perfect recipe to me!
Kristy says
This looks fabulous and would be an instant hit around here. My kids prefer the taste of pancake syrup to maple syrup as well. 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh my that looks divine. I want some now!!!
Bev Weidner says
I feel you! And I also need to feel this in my MOUTH. Freakin’. yum.
Rosa says
Delicious looking! A great way of using bread leftovers.
Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Rosa
Dee W says
That looks amazing. I’m saving this so I can make it this weekend.