This Brioche French Toast Casserole is made with layers of fluffy brioche bread, butter, brown sugar, and warm spices, all topped with a decadent pecan streusel. It’s the perfect easy breakfast casserole for your next holiday brunch.
I've always been a sweet breakfast kind of girl. Eggs and bacon are great, but give me waffles, pancakes, and French toast any day of the week.
Classic French toast casserole is the perfect make-ahead breakfast, especially for a holiday brunch, Mother's Day, or just a relaxing Sunday morning. And it's one of my favorite recipes to make for a crowd.
In this easy brioche French toast casserole recipe, soft, buttery brioche bread is soaked in a rich, warmly spiced egg custard. Then, the whole dish is topped with a crispy pecan streusel topping for a truly decadent breakfast treat.
Serve it with a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and a hot cup of coffee for the perfect weekend breakfast or brunch.
I hope you give it a try this holiday season and enjoy it as much as I do!
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Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Brioche Bread- Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweetened, brioche is the perfect choice for a French toast bake. While these days I love making my own sourdough brioche, store-bought works just as well. Look for a loaf that’s about 14 to 16 ounces, and cut it into large 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes for the ideal texture.
- Eggs- Be sure to mix the egg custard thoroughly to prevent any small bits of egg from ending up in your casserole. The eggs help the French toast casserole puff up beautifully as it cooks.
- Milk- I prefer using 2% milk for this casserole. It’s creamy enough to add richness without making the dish too heavy.
- Brown Sugar- The deep, caramel flavor of brown sugar complements the warm spices perfectly. I like to add a bit of brown sugar to both the streusel topping and the egg custard.
- Butter- Butter adds richness and moisture to this brioche French toast casserole.
- Pecans- I love the crunchy texture the pecan streusel topping gives this dish. Swap them for walnuts, almond slivers, or pumpkin seeds if preferred.
- Spices- Cinnamon and nutmeg give this casserole a warmly spiced flavor that's perfect for a chilly morning.
Tips for Success
- Use stale bread. Stale or day-old brioche bread or buns work best for French toast casserole because they absorb the custard without becoming too mushy.
- Whisk the egg custard thoroughly. To avoid ending up with little bits of scrambled egg in your French toast casserole, be sure to whisk the eggs and milk together until the mixture is completely smooth and homogenous.
- Press the bread into the custard. After pouring the custard over the bread cubes, use your hands or a fork to gently press any pieces that didn’t get soaked down into the liquid.
- Plan for a longer bake time if making ahead. Starting with a chilled casserole can add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.
- Let it rest before serving. After baking, let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the custard to fully set and makes it easier to slice and serve.
How to Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
Here is how to make French toast casserole with brioche bread.
Step 1: Make the pecan streusel topping. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt 8 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set the mixture aside.
Step 2: Prepare the butter-sugar mixture. In another microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, whisk in ⅓ cup of brown sugar until smooth. Pour the butter-sugar mixture into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. Evenly distribute the brioche cubes over the butter mixture in the dish.
Step 3: Make the egg custard. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined. Pour the custard over the brioche cubes, pressing down on any dry pieces to ensure they soak up the liquid.
Step 4: Finish assembling the casserole. Crumble the pecan streusel mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
Step 5: Bake the casserole. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes, until the casserole puffs up and is slightly jiggly. It will deflate as it cools. Allow the casserole to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
How to Store
Store any leftover brioche French toast casserole in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. For longer storage, place the casserole in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy it again, thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator.
To reheat, cover the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and warm it in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Make Ahead Tip: You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover it and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
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📖 Recipe
Brioche French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pecan Streusel Topping
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup pecans measured, then finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Brioche French Toast Casserole
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup + ¼ cup packed brown sugar divided
- 14-16 ounces (1 whole loaf) brioche cut into 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the Pecan Streusel Topping
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt 8 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the brown sugar, flour, pecans, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set the mixture aside.8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup pecans, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Brioche French Toast Casserole
- In another microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, whisk in ⅓ cup of brown sugar until smooth. Pour the butter-sugar mixture into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish.4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, ⅓ cup + ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- Evenly distribute the brioche cubes over the butter mixture in the dish.14-16 ounces (1 whole loaf) brioche
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined. Pour the custard over the brioche cubes, pressing down on any dry pieces to ensure they soak up the liquid.⅓ cup + ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 6 large eggs, 2 cups 2% milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Crumble the pecan streusel mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the custard. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes, until the casserole puffs up and is slightly jiggly. It will deflate as it cools.
- Allow the casserole to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Quick Tip: Whisk the egg custard thoroughly to avoid any bits of scrambled egg in your casserole.
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it. If baking from chilled, add 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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