Overnight French Toast Casserole with cinnamon, vanilla and a secret ingredient. As healthy as french toast can be while still being an easy and delicious breakfast to feed a crowd.
“Overnight breakfasts” have been a popular thing for a while now.
I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to jump on the bandwagon because the concept is right up my alley.
Breakfast and brunch foods are some of my favorites, but morning-me is not someoneequipped to cookup french toast on the regular.
Sometimes I I don’t even have the energy to make coffee until I’ve had coffee. #morningproblems
Suffice to say I’m not a morning person and this is whyI adore brunch restaurants so much.
With THIS casserole it doesn’t have to be a special occasion to get your french toast fix.
You spend 5 minutes putting it together the night before, and popit in the fridge til you wake up.
Then the oven will do the work for you while you’re sipping your morning coffee.
So I have a “secret ingredient” I like to include in my french toast that gives it a unique flavor.
Even better if it’s one of those orange juices that is mixed with another fruit juice. I like Simply Orange Juice with Mango, no pulp.
It adds a unique sweetness to it. Depending on my mood I will adjust the amount of OJ I use but for this casserole I’d suggest 1/2 cup, and even a full cup if you decide you really like the flavor.
But first let’s start with the bread. I used a brioche sliced loaf of bread from Trader Joe’s.
I find that fluffy, egg-based breads work best (so challah bread is a good substitution) but sometimes I see Italian bread used also.
Whichever bread you use, you’ll want to tear it up into pieces. The bread pieces should fill a 9×13 casserole dish.
In a bowl, you’ll whip together eggs, milk, half and half, OJ, and vanilla. Pour that over the bread pieces and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Then put in the refrigerator overnight (or at least a few hours) to allow the bread to soak up all the egg mixture!
After baking for 30-45 minutes (longer if you prefer crispy and less if you prefer soft), drizzle with maple syrup. I like mine around 35 minutes.
Depending on how hungry you are it should yield 6-8 servings.
Don’t you want to just smash your face in it?
It can’t just beme?
Like a pie eating contest. A french toast eating contest. That should totally be a thing.
Another overnight french toast recipe: Blueberry Cheesecake French Toast! Or if you can’t wait overnight, try this summer berry stuffed french toast recipe.
Yield: 8
Overnight French Toast Casserole with cinnamon, vanilla and a secret ingredient. As healthy as french toast can be while still being an easy and delicious breakfast to feed a crowd.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
1 large loaf brioche bread (or challah bread)
6 large eggs
1 cup milk of your choice (I use almond milk with vanilla)
1/2 cup half and half (or more milk)
1/2 cup orange juice (I use Simply Orange with Mango*), no pulp
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, (optional if using almond milk with vanilla)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
maple syrup, for drizzling
Instructions
Tear bread into pieces, slightly larger than bite sized. Place in 9x13 or 3 quart casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, whip together eggs, milk, half and half, orange juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread pieces.
Cover and place in refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole for around 30-35 minutes until lightly browned if you prefer a softer texture, up to 45-50 minutes if you prefer crispier (but watch for burning!)
Remove from oven and drizzle maple syrup on top. Serve warm.
Notes
The bread I used was 12 thick slices of brioche sandwich bread.
Prep time does not include time in refrigerator.
*The orange juice with mango is my *secret* ingredient but orange juice in general will add the extra kick of sweetness!
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Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.
Ideally it's best if you can soak the bread in the french toast batter overnight however, if this cannot be done I suggest leaving it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. As we want that custard like middle, cut very thick slices of bread.
It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.
Freeze cooked French Toast Casserole for up to three months. Remove it from the freezer the day before you want to serve it and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the pan with foil, then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Ideally, the bread should be slightly stale. A drier bread will soak up all the custard. Bread can be left out with the wrapper open the day before cooking. If you find yourself in a pinch, dry your bread slices in a 275°F oven for 10 minutes before soaking them in the custard.
Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast. You want the bread to soak up the egg mixture, but you don't want it to become sodden before you cook it.
Why Is My Breakfast Casserole Runny? The key to a breakfast casserole that is moist and delicious but not runny is to make sure you have the proper ratio of bread, eggs, and milk. If there is too much liquid for the bread to absorb, the result could be a runny casserole.
Incorrect oven temperature - Casseroles that are baked at an oven temperature that is too low may not cook evenly, resulting in a soggy top and a firm or crunchy bottom. Too much liquid - Casseroles that have too much liquid may not be able to absorb all of the moisture, leading to a soggy top.
Expert Tips. Be sure to wrap the casserole dish tightly before putting it in the refrigerator to sit overnight. You don't want to risk drying it out by letting air escape. Take your French toast up a notch by topping in whipped cream and fresh cut berries.
The best way to reheat French toast is in the oven, as it ensures even heating while promoting a crispy exterior and moist interior. Preheat the oven to 400°F, place the French toast on a baking sheet, and reheat for 4-5 minutes per side.
Can you leave French toast out overnight? French toast should always be kept refrigerated because of the custard batter it's dipped in. When you're ready to reheat it, you can pop it back into the oven at 350°F and warm for 15 to 20 minutes.
For a solid French toast, aim for sturdy bread with a uniform texture and a soft crust. Hearty sandwich bread, brioche, challah, and shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are all great choices.
Oven-drying of cut slices — super-lightly toasting it — works best of all, but in a pinch, you could also cut the bread the night before and let it sit on a cooling rack until morning, or simply lightly toast in the toaster. The key is to dry the outside while leaving the inside moist.
There are several possible reasons for soggy French toast. The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.
How can you store fresh bread and rolls so they stay soft for as long as possible? Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft.
A toast rack is the perfect way to do this, but you can also just prop the slices against each other like a little tent. You may also consider wrapping your deli-meats and any salad items separately and only adding them to your sandwich when you are ready to eat.
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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