Hoco Brunch Bake: Cinnamon French Toast Casserole for the Crew
Cinnamon French Toast Casserole is a make-ahead baked custard bread bake that turns stale bread into a warm, cinnamon-spiced brunch centerpiece.
Pack it with cubed bread, eggs and a brown sugar streusel, bake it for about an hour, and serve it at your next hoco brunch for the whole crew. Save it for later!
| Prep | Cook | Total | Servings | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 min | 45 min | 1 h | 10 servings | Medium |
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make-ahead friendly: Assemble it the night before so your hoco brunch morning is just bake and serve.
- Feeds a crowd: One 9×13 dish covers a full table of friends and family.
- Budget bread: Turns day-old bread into something worth putting out for guests.
- Kid-approved: Sweet, cinnamon-spiced, and easy for picky eaters to love.
- One dish: Less cleanup than standing over the stove flipping slices one at a time.
Cinnamon French Toast Casserole Ingredients
- Day-old bread: French bread or brioche works best because it soaks up custard without falling apart. If your loaf is fresh, cube it and let the pieces dry out overnight, the same drying trick we use for bread cubes in our The Best Crispy Seasoned Croutons.
- Eggs: The backbone of the custard, giving it a soft, set texture after baking.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: Together they make the custard rich. Swap in more milk and less cream for a lighter bake.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Sugar sweetens the custard, and brown sugar melts in the topping into a sticky crust.
- Ground cinnamon: Warms the whole dish and is what makes this a cinnamon French toast casserole instead of plain bread pudding.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a little warmth behind the sweetness.
- Butter: Cold butter cut into the streusel makes little crumbly pockets that turn golden and crisp in the oven.
- Maple syrup: For pouring warm over each slice at the table.
Find exact amounts in the recipe card below.
Ways to Change It Up
- Add fruit: Fold diced apples or pears into the bread cubes, similar to the fruit base in our Vegan Apple recipe.
- Pumpkin spice twist: Swap half the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice and stir pumpkin puree into the custard, the same warm spices in our Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cookies.
- Lighter topping: Skip the maple syrup and finish slices with a spoonful of our Healthy Cream Cheese Greek Yogurt Frosting instead.
- Protein boost: Stir in cooked turkey sausage crumbles for a sweet-savory version.
- Slow cooker version: Assemble in a greased slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours instead of baking.
How to Make Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
- Dry the bread: cube the loaf and let it sit out overnight, or toast cubes at 300°F for 10 minutes until slightly firm.
- Whisk the custard: combine eggs, milk, cream, sugar, half the cinnamon, vanilla and salt until smooth.
- Soak: pour custard over bread cubes in a buttered dish, press down gently so every piece gets coated, then cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Make the streusel: cut cold butter into brown sugar, flour and the remaining cinnamon until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Bake: sprinkle streusel over the soaked bread and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is deep golden brown.
- Rest and serve: cool for 10 minutes before slicing, then drizzle warm maple syrup over each portion.
Pro Tips from Our Kitchen
- Use stale bread: Fresh, soft bread turns mushy instead of holding its shape after baking.
- Press the bread down: Make sure every cube touches the custard so you don't end up with dry patches.
- Watch the edges: If the top browns before the center sets, loosely tent the dish with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Test the middle: A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, not pooled with wet custard.
- Let it rest: Ten minutes out of the oven firms up the layers so slices hold together on the plate.
What to Serve With It
For a savory contrast on the brunch table, set out a bowl of our Smoky Chipotle Lentils Recipe. Kids tend to gravitate toward our 5 Ingredient Cereal Bars, and a scoop of Easy Greek Yogurt Strawberry Ice Cream turns leftovers into dessert. Fresh fruit and strong coffee round out the spread.
Storage and Reheating
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap cooled squares tightly and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Warm portions in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes, or microwave individual slices for 45 to 60 seconds.
Cinnamon French Toast Casserole FAQ
Can I make this the night before a hoco brunch?
Yes, that's actually the point. Assemble the dish up to the streusel step, cover, and refrigerate overnight, then top with streusel and bake the next morning.
Can I use a different bread?
Any sturdy, day-old bread works, including challah or sourdough, as long as it's a bit dried out before soaking.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes, split the mixture between two 9×13 dishes rather than using one larger pan, since a deeper layer of custard needs extra bake time to set in the middle.
Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
A make-ahead baked French toast casserole with a cinnamon brown sugar streusel topping, built for feeding a crowd at brunch.
Ingredients
Method
- Dry the bread: Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and let them sit out uncovered overnight to dry slightly. If you're short on time, spread the cubes on a baking sheet and toast at 300°F for about 10 minutes until firm but not browned.
- Grease the dish: Rub the softened butter over the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish so the casserole doesn't stick. Add the dried bread cubes in an even layer.
- Whisk the custard: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, half the cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Whisk until there are no streaks of egg white visible.
- Soak the bread: Pour the custard evenly over the bread cubes in the dish. Press down gently with a spatula so every piece absorbs some liquid.
- Chill the casserole: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the best texture. This soaking time is what gives the casserole its soft, custardy center.
- Preheat the oven: When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and remove the dish from the fridge while it heats up.
- Make the streusel: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and remaining cinnamon. Cut in the cold, cubed butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
- Top the casserole: Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the soaked bread, covering as much of the surface as you can.
- Bake until golden: Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the center feels set when lightly pressed. If the top browns too fast, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Check the center: Insert a knife into the middle of the casserole; it should come out mostly clean with just a little moisture, not pooled liquid.
- Rest before slicing: Let the casserole cool on the counter for about 10 minutes so the layers firm up for cleaner slices.
- Serve warm: Cut into squares and serve with warm maple syrup drizzled over the top.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Pumpkin Oreo Balls: Easy Halloween Treats No One Can Resist: a no-bake sweet to add to the same brunch spread.
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark for Holiday Baking Trays: a crunchy, sweet-salty snack for the dessert table.
- Easy Vegan Banana Bread: another make-ahead baked good that travels well to a crowd.
