Cinnamon French Toast Casserole with Cinnamon Streusel

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Weekend mornings are made for this sweet Cinnamon French Toast Casserole. Made with an oh-so easy and decadent cinnamon and vanilla egg custard, pillow-y challah, and crunchy cinnamon streusel. It’s baked until just set, the top is nice and caramelized, and served warm with a spoonful of chantilly cream, as well as a generous drizzle of maple syrup! Every piece of toast is soft, buttery, extra cinnamon-y, with the streusel adding an extra delicious crunch. It’s so simple to make and sure to be a breakfast treat the whole family will love!

About The Recipe

When it comes to breakfast, my mom and I always try to eat something healthy. Whether that’s a breakfast sandwich with eggs, avocado toast, or a big bowl of oatmeal. Though, every once in a while, we will crave something sweet or extra decadent.

But, if you knew us when I was younger, this was definitely not the case. I grew up on waffles, pancakes, pop-tarts, cereal, biscuits, and french toast!

Those were breakfast-staples. We all loved having a sweet start to the day!

And, with Mother’s Day this coming up next week, I wanted to do something a little nostalgic and special this whole week leading up to it.

I absolutely adore making my mom breakfast on Mother’s Day. It’s been a “tradition” since I was a little girl! So, to kick off the week, I wanted to make something that my mom has always loved…french toast!

Though, since we already have my mom’s classic cinnamon french toast recipe on the blog, we knew we needed to do something a little different, but equally delicious.

Which is where the inspiration for making a casserole came from!

This casserole is everything you love about french toast, but made even BETTER.

It can be made in-advance or same day, the bread is custardy in the middle, while the edges are crisp, and every bite is FULL of flavor!

The secret? Topping this casserole with a cinnamon streusel!

It not only adds a deliciously cinnamon-y and buttery flavor, but it also adds a little bit of french to every piece of toast. It seriously makes ALL the difference and tastes SO. GOOD.

Reasons You Will Love This French Toast Casserole:

• This casserole can be baked right away, or made ahead of time and refrigerated overnight!
• Every bite is oh-so custardy, crunchy, extra cinnamon-y, and perfectly sweet.
• The perfect breakfast for holiday’s or weekends.
• A crowd-pleaser!
• Any bread can be used for this recipe.
• Ready in less than 2 hours!

Equipment Needed

• Sheet Pan
• Large Oval Casserole
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Streusel:

• All-Purpose Flour – Using flour in a streusel is essential, as it allows the streusel to hold it’s shape and keep from becoming like hard candy on top of the french toast.
• Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness.
• Ground Cinnamon – Adds flavor.
• Salted Butter – Remember to use room temperature butter for the streusel!

For The Casserole:

• Challah – When it comes to french toast, challah is our go-to! It not only is sturdy enough that it can withstand being soaked for long periods of time, but it also absorbs liquid quickly and bakes beautifully.
• Large Eggs – This recipe uses a quick custard to soak the bread. This is what gives the french toast is iconic texture and flavor!
• Whole Milk – Milk is essential in a custard! Remember to set the measured out milk ahead of time to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Heavy Cream – To add richness, we added a bit of heavy cream to the custard.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds a sweet undertone.
• Granulated Sugars – Helps add sweetness!
• Salt – Enhances the flavor of the custard.
• Ground Cinnamon – This is the majority of the flavor! This adds a sweet spiciness to the french toast that makes this dish simply irresistible.

How To Make French Toast Casserole

Step 1: Make the streusel

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Step 2: Toast bread

Place challah slices on sheet pan. Bake until lightly browned on both sides.

Layer slices of challah in casserole. Set aside.

Step 3: Prepare custard

Combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

Pour over challah slices. Let stand for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Step 4: Bake

Top with streusel. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best bread to use for French Toast?

In our experience, we have had the most success with our Homemade Brioche! Of course, you can definitely use store-bought, but it may taste a little different or be a little sweeter. We’ve also noticed that Challah and French Bread work well!

Oh, and as odd as it may sounds, even our Sourdough Hamburger Buns work well with this recipe!

Can I refrigerate overnight?

Actually, you can! Once the custard is poured over the bread, cover the casserole with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, get it out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking!

Why did my casserole sink after baking?

This is normal, don’t worry! In simple terms, heat + steam = beautifully risen casserole…but after it’s taken out of the oven and the cooler air hits it, the french toasts immediately starts deflating. No more heat = sunken casserole. Though, this is not something you need to worry about. They all do this and it’s still delicious!

Topping Ideas

If you’re like me, you like to jazz up any recipe you make with fun additions to make it taste EVEN BETTER. Well, we’ve got you covered! Here’s a quick list of some of the most delicious toppings for this cinnamon french toast casserole.

• Chantilly Cream
• Caramel Sauce
• Maple Syrup
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Cinnamon Ice Cream
• Chocolate Chips
• Chopped Nuts

How To Store

Once this is baked and cooled, you can store this casserole covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat it, you can either place the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes (or until fully reheated) or cut off a slice, place it on a plate, and microwave it on high powder for 30 seconds – 1 minute, or until reheated.

Substitutions

• If you don’t have challah, you can use brioche or any thick sliced white bread.
• Want something a little more than cinnamon? You can use any baking spice mix you like for this casserole! Whether that’s pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or even gingerbread spice.

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like: Cinnamon French Toast, Berry Croissant Bake, Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding, No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls

Expert Tips

• Don’t skip toasting the bread! it really helps the bread absorb the custard.
• When making the custard, make sure it is thoroughly mixed!
• This casserole can be made same day or a day in advance.
• If you choose to refrigerate overnight, remember to remove the casserole at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Bake times may vary depending on the casserole you use, how your oven bakes, how thick or thin the bread slices are, etc.

When you make this Cinnamon French Toast Casserole with Cinnamon Streusel, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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