This French Toast Souffle Recipe is an easy and delicious breakfast or brunch dish. It has all the flavors that you love about french toast, baked into a comforting casserole. Top it with a slather of Texas Roadhouse Butter and maple syrup. It's perfect for breakfast, brunch or brinner!
Of course, you'll want to serve with this Air Fryer Bacon - yum!
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients you’ll need
- Creative variations to try
- Instructions
- Essential tools for this recipe
- Watch and learn: recipe video
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
- Deb’s tips for the perfect dish
- How to store leftovers
- More breakfast casseroles you'll love
- Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- French Toast Soufflé Recipe
Why you'll love this recipe
This is the best french toast casserole! It's a delicious breakfast for special occasions like Christmas morning or Mother's day or brunch with the your besties! I first made it for my family several years ago. It's just so easy and effortless and it ALWAYS gets rav reviews!
This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover bread but still whip up something delicious. My favorite thing about this casserole is that it's the perfect way to feed a crowd without spending a lot of time in the kitchen!
Ingredients you’ll need
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Creative variations to try
- You can add different fresh fruit like apples, pears, blueberries, or bananas. Fresh Berries are also a great option! Just make sure to toss them in sugar before adding them to the casserole dish.
- You can also top your casserole with a streusel topping to give it more texture. Just mix together some melted butter, flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Sprinkle it over the casserole before baking.
- Spices like cloves, nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice would also add some great flavor when you mix them into the milk mixture.
- You can change the flavor of this family favorite casserole by using almond extract instead of vanilla.
- If you want to add a sweet citrus flavor, you could add some orange zest to the casserole before you bake it for a bright cheery taste.
- I've also diced 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and added iodine the bread mixture. This is especially good with fresh berries!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Tear up the breadinto 1-2” pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate mixing bowl add the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, salt, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and whisk.
- Pour over the bread, and refrigerate. Soak overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- When you're ready to bake it, prepare the casserole dish and pour the egg bread mixture into it, spread evenly.
- Now mix the flour with remaining brown sugar.
- Sprinkle over the top of the bread.
- Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Essential tools for this recipe
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Watch and learn: recipe video
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
If you want to make sure that your casserole is not soggy, start by using day old or stale bread. Then make sure that you soak the bread for a maximum of 60 minutes. Using a thicker bread will help it maintain texture also.
I've found that the best bread to use for french toast bake is a dense crusty bread like Brioche, Challah, Pullman Loaf, or French Bread. You could also use sourdough bread or Italian bread for this wonderful recipe.
The most common mistake is adding to much sugar to the custard. Make sure to measure the sugar carefully.
Deb’s tips for the perfect dish
When I am baking a breakfast casserole like this one, I like to use a ceramic or glass baking dish. This ensures that the mixture cooks evenly and prevents it from getting too brown.
- I also like to use a combination of butter and light brown sugar for my casserole instead of the stronger flavor in dark brown sugar.
- You can assemble this casserole ahead, cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it the next morning.
- And finally, don’t forget the syrup! I like to use pancake syrup but pure maple syrup would also be great on top of this breakfast bake.
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Leftover french toast casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Freezer - To freeze the leftovers, wrap tightly with foil or store in a freezer-safe container. This will last up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then make according to the directions below.
Reheat - To reheat, place the casserole in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
More breakfast casseroles you'll love
I'm such a fan of a good breakfast casserole. But not just for breakfast! It's an easy recipe to put together before work and enjoy afterwards with minimal effort! My kinda meal!!
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- I love to add a little protein and vegetables to breakfast, so I like to serve this simple casserole with this Easy Frittata with Roasted Vegetables.
- If you are looking for a simple protein source to add to this casserole then look no further than these Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs.
- My family loves when I serve this simple dish with Cracker Barrel Fried Apples. They are tasty, fresh, and full of sweet cinnamon flavor. Plus, they make a great topping to the casserole.
If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!
French Toast Soufflé Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1-¼ cups light brown sugar divided
- 8 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-½ cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- powdered sugar and syrup for serving
Instructions
- Tear up the bread loaf into 1-2” pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl add the melted butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, eggs, salt, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix with a whisk eggs and ingredients to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture over the bread, evenly and refrigerate. Allow to sit/soak for 30/60 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13” casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour the egg bread mixture into prepared casserole dish.
- In a small bowl mix flour with ¼ cup brown sugar.
- Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with powdered sugar and syrup.
Michelle Bogart says
OMG, I LOVE French Toast. And nobody can make it eggy enough for me. I end up pouring the egg mixture on my bread as I am cooking it just to add some more. The most annoying part of this dish is tearing up all the bread.
But the end result is amazing. A perfect egg amount and the brown sugar makes its own syrup. It was the perfect amount of sweetness - even my son thought so and he doesn't like things too sweet. I thought so and I DO like things sweet! We are all looking forward to eating the rest tomorrow morning. I will be repeating this - annoying bread tearing and all. 🙂
Bowl Me Over says
Hahaha!! Annoying bread tearing, I get that. I'll tell you a little secret... when I made this for Christmas morning, I used a bread knife instead. Game changer, LOL. So glad you enjoyed this recipe. We LOVE it!! I have a new breakfast casserole coming out soon that you're going to love as well; thanks, Michelle!
Karlene K says
FANTASTIC!! I made a half recipe of this for New Year's Day for our 2 person household. As Deb suggested I used pumpkin pie spice then used heavy cream for the milk. I also added chopped walnuts to the strusel. Thank you for a great recipe!
Bowl Me Over says
Oh man that sounds good Karlene! Yum, I love this easy casserole!!
Lois says
This looks like a great meal for breakfast on Christmas morning. Will have to give it a try. Can’t wait to taste it.
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
This looks seriously amazing! I've got to make it!!