Brioche French Toast Casserole

Name: Brioche French Toast Casserole
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 loaf brioche bread (17 oz loaf & slightly stale); 8 eggs; 2 cups milk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark); 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or any sub); 2 tsp cinnamon; 6 tbs salted butter (cold)

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Brioche french toast casserole is the perfect Christmas morning breakfast, make-ahead breakfast, freezer meal, or Sunday brunch idea! Buttery and sweet brioche bread soaked in a sweet custard, baked to perfection to make a delicious and easy breakfast.

brioche french toast casserole in a round scalloped dish with a plate of butter pads and jar of maple syrup next to it

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What is Brioche French Toast Casserole

brioche french toast casserole with a slice being lifted out of the dish so you can see the inside of the casserole

Brioche bread is an enriched french bread meaning it has lots of butter and eggs making it nice and fluffy. Brioche is perfect for a french toast casserole since it has a soft texture perfect for soaking up the custard.

Brioche french toast casserole is a super easy make-ahead breakfast dish that can be made in 5 minutes of hands on time. This breakfast casserole is perfect for Easter, Christmas or Mother’s day brunch.

Equipment You’ll Need

slice of brioche french toast casserole with syrup being poured overtop

This easy brioche breakfast casserole only requires a casserole dish and basic kitchen utensils. However, if you don’t have a casserole dish, you can use a pie dish, loaf pans, brownie tins, or any other baking vessel.

Recipe Highlights

Brioche french toast casserole will be one of your new family favroites since it’s such an easy dish, but tastes so special!

slice of brioche french toast casserole on a plate with a fork and the casserole dish next to it with a gold spatula coming out of it

Make-ahead option
Freezer meal breakfast idea
Delicious and sweet
Can top with various toppings
Can be whipped up in 10 minutes
Can feed a crowd
Perfect for busy holiday mornings

How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole

This buttery and sweet brioche french toast casserole uses basic ingredients but tastes so decadent.

ingredients to make brioche french toast casserole with labels saying what they are

Ingredients and Substitutions

Brioche bread loaf – you can use homemade or storebought brioche bread for this recipe, just be sure it’s slightly stale so it doesn’t get soggy.
Eggs – lots of eggs makes for a beautiful custard and makes this a filling dish.
Milk – use any kind of milk for this recipe, but know that whole milk will produce the best custard-like texture. Milk alternatives may turn out thinner.
Heavy cream – again, you can use an alternative, but the creamier the better!
Brown sugar – white sugar also works, but you won’t get the delicious flavor from the molasses in the brown sugar. If you use white sugar, be sure to double the amount of vanilla extract to make up for the flavor.
Vanilla extract – using vanilla bean paste is a great way to make for a richer french toast casserole with tons of flavor.
Cinnamon – cinnamon french toast using brioche bread is so tasty! Feel free to use nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or any other spices that sound delicious to you.
Sea salt – sea salt will bring out the sweetness in the custard.

Crumble Topping Ingredients

The crumble topping for this cinnamon french toast casserole is optional, but highly recommended! The crumble topping creates a caramelized crust on top of the brioche bread that is to die for!

Brown sugar – every good crumble starts with brown sugar. Use good quality, organic dark or light brown sugar.
All-purpose flour – any type of flour works great.
Cinnamon – cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice all taste delicious in a crumble topping.
Cold salted butter – be sure your butter is nice and cold to make the crumble easier to mix up. Grass-fed butter is much more nutrient dense so go with that if you can.

Step by Step Instructions (with photos)

Place bread cubes in the prepared baking dish

brioche bread cut into cubes and placed in a baking dish for french toast casserole

Prepare the custard and pour it evenly over the bread cubes.

pouring custard overtop brioche bread for french toast casserole

Prepare crumble topping and sprinkle the crumble topping over the custard-soaked brioche.

sprinkling crumble topping over custard soaked brioche bread in a casserole dish

Either bake right away or refrigerate.

unbaked brioche french toast casserole in a scalloped baking dish

Bake at 350F covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for about 30 minutes until set.

close up of baked brioche french toast casserole with a spatula inside

How to Store Brioche French Toast Casserole

The best part about this brioche french toast casserole is that it stores and reheats well! So you can bake it now, or make it and bake it later and it’ll taste delicious either way.

flat lay picture of brioche french toast casserole with a slice taken out and set on a plate with pads of butter and maple syrup

Refrigerator

Store baked brioche french toast casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store the unbaked casserole in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then bake or freeze.

Freezer

Freeze your baked french toast casserole in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating

Reheat leftovers in a 325F oven until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator first.

Make-ahead Brioche French Toast Casserole

To make this brioche french toast casserole ahead of time for an easy breakfast in a pinch, simple prepare the casserole per the instructions, then wrap tightly, label and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, defrost in the fridge overnight and bake as directed.

In a Pinch Ideas

There are several ways to make this easy french toast casserole even easier!

easy make ahead french toast casserole using brioche bread with a side of butter and maple syrup

Make an extra casserole and freeze it for later.
Skip soaking the bread overnight and just bake right away. It comes out delicious!
Use whole bread slices instead of cutting the bread into cubes.
Skip the crumble topping or just top with a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Brioche French Toast Casserole Tips

Tips for making this fluffy brioche french toast casserole even better.

close up of brioche french toast casserole after being baked inside of a scalloped baking dish with a side of syrup and butter

Soak for at least 30 min – letting the casserole soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in the fridge will bring out the flavors and create a great texture.
Use stale bread – stale bread ensures the french toast doesn’t become soggy.
Bake long enough – don’t pull the french toast casserole out too early or it’ll be to runny and mushy. Make sure it’s nice and set with a good crust on top.

How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole Healthier

If you want to ensure that this brioche french toast casserole is as healthy as possible for your family, here are my tips.

holding up a slice of brioche french toast casserole on a golden spatula above the dish with the entire casserole

Homemade bread – making your own bread eliminates all the preservatives and added sugar in storebought bread. Even better if you use sourdough bread or a healthy wheat like einkorn flour. Here is a recipe for einkorn sourdough bread that is very similar to brioche bread.
Quality ingredients – using pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed butter, organic sugars, etc. provide you with the most nutrients. Make each ingredient count by using quality ingredients.
Natural sugars – using natural, instead of refined, sugars such as maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or unrefined cane sugar will make this french toast casserole even healthier.

Brioche French Toast Casserole Serving Suggestions

There are so many occasions where this brioche french toast casserole comes in handy! Here are just a few ideas:

french toast casserole using brioche loaf

Busy weekday breakfast
Breakfast for dinner
Christmas morning breakfast
Easter morning breakfast
Mother’s day brunch

Brioche French Toast Casserole Variations

Customize this easy and simple french toast casserole with any combination of the below ingredients.

Mascarpone cheese
Berries, peaches, apples, or any other fruit
Pumpkin puree and/or pumpkin pie spice
Dust the top with powdered sugar
Drizzle the top with maple syrup
Top with homemade whipped cream
Add chopped nuts to the top or inside the casserole
Raisins
Chocolate chips
Top with a berry compote

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Brioche French Toast Casserole FAQ

Whats the difference between brioche french toast and regular french toast?

Brioche french toast uses brioche bread rather than regular bread; whereas, regular french toast uses a regular loaf of bread. Brioche bread is an enriched bread that is softer, and more butter than regular bread.

What is the best bread to make french toast out of?

Enriched bread like brioche and challah are great options for fluffy and flavorful french toast. You can also use crusty bread like french bread, texas toast, and sourdough. Either way, be sure your bread is slightly stale so your french toast doesn’t come out soggy.

How do you fix soggy french toast casserole?

To fix a soggy french toast casserole, simply bake it longer so the custard is fully set. The issue may be, too, that you’re using fresh bread – be sure to use slightly stale bread to prevent a soggy french toast casserole.

What is brioche bread good for?

Brioche bread is great for french toast, french toast casserole, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and tons more.

Pin it For Later – Brioche French Toast Casserole

Print the Brioche French Toast Casserole Recipe

Kyrie | Healthfully Rooted Home

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Total Time 55

Course Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients

Casserole

1 loaf brioche bread 17 oz loaf & slightly stale
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Crumble Topping (optional)

1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
1/4 cup all-purpose flour or any sub
2 tsp cinnamon
6 tbs salted butter cold

Instructions

Grease 9×13 baking dish (or divide into two smaller dishes).
Cut your bread into 1-inch cubes and place them in your baking dish.
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes. Toss the bread cubes if needed to evenly incorporate the custard.
Stir together the crumble topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the brioche and custard.
You can bake right away or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
To bake, preheat your oven to 350°F, cover the casserole with foil, set it on the center rack, and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until set. There should be a prominent crust on top, the bread will be nice and puffy and there may be a slight jiggle in the middle.
Let the brioche french toast rest after baking for about 5 minutes to set.

Video

Notes

How to Store Brioche French Toast Casserole

The best part about this brioche french toast casserole is that it stores and reheats well! So you can bake it now, or make it and bake it later and it’ll taste delicious either way.