This easy French toast bake is perfect for holidays and simple enough for an every day breakfast. Make it the night before and bake in the morning!

Get ready for the yummiest French toast bake ever! This delightful version has a custard-y (but not soggy!) French toast base topped with a sweet cinnamon streusel. It’s amazing!

Square serving of French toast bake on white plate with fresh berries and powdered sugar.

Easy French Toast Bake

I’m always a bit dubious when it comes to French Toast, because I am mentally and tastefully allergic to soggy bread.

However, I have learned that I can really love a soft, custard-like French Toast casserole if it is also sturdy with the perfect ratio of bread to liquid.

In order to achieve the perfect baked French Toast with nary a soggy bread bottom in sight, here are some tips:

  1. Stick to the egg/milk/bread guidelines in the recipe.
  2. Refrigerate the casserole for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
  3. Bake even just a few minutes longer than you might think.

Now, if you don’t mind extra-soft French Toast, by all means, do your French Toast thang and alter as needed. But if you are like me and want all the happiness of French Toast without the soggy bread factor, all the details in the recipe will help you get there.

The Best Bread for French Toast Bake

For this recipe, you want about 10 to 12 thick slices of bread. By thick, I mean about 1-inch slices. And by bread, I mean any of the following varieties:

  • French bread
  • cinnamon or cinnamon-swirl bread
  • brioche bread
  • Texas Toast
  • croissants

My disclaimer for the croissants are that they won’t absorb the liquid quite as well as they other types of bread and may result in a softer French Toast casserole (but the trade-off is a decadent, buttery French toast layer that is extraordinarily delicious).

Baked French toast bake in white pan.

Cinnamon Streusel on Top

The base of the French toast bake has a hint of sweetness.

The cinnamon streusel is a bit more sweet, but not overly so.

The combination is a breakfast bake that is sweet enough, in my opinion, to forego the need for syrup.

However, if your definition of sweetness and my definition of sweetness differs (and it likely will 😉), you can easily adjust the amount of sugar in the egg mixture to sweeten up the casserole a bit more.

Or, serve with a drizzle of syrup or dusting of powdered sugar.

Spatula scooping up French toast bake in white pan.

A Perfect Holiday Breakfast

Because this breakfast dish can be (and should be) assembled ahead of time, it makes a great option for when you have company or you are low on time but need kind of a “big deal” breakfast.

For someone (me!) that hasn’t been the biggest French toast fan in the past, this baked French toast is a game-changer. The buttery sweet crunch of the streusel with the soft, creamy French toast is phenomenal.

I love serving this French toast bake with a smattering of fresh berries. It’s an extra special breakfast with minimal effort, and I can’t help but smile about that.

Fork skewering two bites of baked French toast on white plate.

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Fork skewering two bites of baked French toast on white plate.

French Toast Bake with Cinnamon Streusel

5 stars (28 ratings)

Ingredients

French Toast:

  • 10 to 12 thick slices French bread, cinnamon bread, brioche bread or Texas Toast (see note)
  • 5 large eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • ⅓ to ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch table salt

Cinnamon Streusel:

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • Fresh berries, powdered sugar, syrup, for serving (optional)

Instructions 

  • Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes (more or less; it doesn't have to be exact). You'll want about 8 to 9 cups of lightly packed bread cubes. Scatter the bread cubes in the prepared pan. They won't necessarily be in a single layer, but they should be evenly distributed.
  • Blend or whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread.
  • Cover the dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
  • For the streusel, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until the butter and dry ingredients are evenly mixed and small clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to bake the French toast.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Sprinkle the streusel evenly across the top of the French toast. Bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes (more or less, depending on how "well done" you want the French toast). If the topping starts to brown too quickly while baking, place foil loosely across the top of the pan and continue baking until the French toast is done to your liking.
  • Serve warm with fresh berries, a sprinkle of powdered sugar and/or a drizzle of syrup.

Notes

Bread: you’ll need about one medium-size bread loaf (18 to 20 ounces) for this recipe. If the bread has a thick, hard crust, trim it away before cutting into cubes. 
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 298kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 158mg, Sodium: 152mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 24g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe