Home > Recipes by Category > Breakfast & Brunch > Breakfast Casseroles > Baked French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping
Baked French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping
This French toast casserole is wonderfully decadent, making it perfect for holidays or overnight guests!
There is perhaps no better occasion for an off-the-charts, blowout breakfast feast than Christmas morning. You’ve spent weeks decorating, making lists, buying gifts and wrapping. And in a flash, much like the letdown after waiting an hour in line to ride a 2-minute roller coaster, it’s over. The gifts have been opened and there is wrapping paper strewn about all over the floor. How fabulous to then meander into the kitchen and be able to sit down to a decadent, celebratory breakfast that took almost zero time in the morning? Ahh, the beauty of the make-ahead breakfast casserole.ย This one is truly extra-special!
This French toast casserole is the epitome of indulgent, and I absolutely love it. Embrace it – Christmas only comes once a year!
You can assemble the casserole the day before, and the next morning all you need to do is top it with the praline topping (which takes less than 10 minutes to make) and then pop it into the oven. If you get your timing right, you can get it into the oven and by the time you’re done opening presents, it will be ready and you can sit down to a beautiful, hot breakfast.
MY OTHER RECIPES Do you have any Christmas breakfast traditions at your house?
One year ago: Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips
Two years ago: Italian Sesame Seed Cookies (Giuggliulena)
Five years ago: Date, Coconut & Walnut Truffles
Did you make this recipe?
This French toast casserole is wonderfully decadent, making it perfect for holidays or overnight guests!
- 1
loaf French bread
(13 to 16 ounces)
- 8
eggs
- 2
cups
half-and-half
- 1
cup
milk
- 2
tablespoons
granulated sugar
- 1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
- ยผ
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- ยผ
teaspoon
ground nutmeg
Dash of salt
For the Praline Topping:
- 1
cup
unsalted butter
(at room temperature)
- 1
cup
light brown sugar
- 1
cup
chopped pecans
- 2
tablespoons
light corn syrup
- ยฝ
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- ยฝ
teaspoon
ground nutmeg
Pinch
of salt
Generously butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Slice the French bread into 20 one-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in the baking dish in two rows, overlapping the slices.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt with a whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour the mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Praline Topping: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well, using a pastry blended or your fingertips.
Spread the praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 637kcal
Fat: 45g
Saturated fat: 21g
Cholesterol: 250mg
Sodium: 378mg
Potassium: 342mg
Carbohydrates: 69g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 37g
Protein: 15g
Vitamin A: 24.4%
Vitamin C: 0.8%
Calcium: 18.8%
Iron: 17.7%
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on December 22, 2011.
I always make an apple french toast casserole and a shrimp and grits casserole for Christmas morning. You have inspired me to change up my french toast casserole. Thanks!
If you want to make the shrimp and grits, this is the recipe I use, but this has far too much salt for me. I use the sodium free chicken broth instead. Also, if you like heat skip all the salt and pepper altogether and use the same portions of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or drop in a couple of dashes of Tabasco sauce. It’s so good. Double the recipe, everyone will eat seconds or thirds. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cheesy-shrimp-and-grits-casserole-10000000522445/
Delicious! The bread looks so puffy and pleasant. This would make for a wonderful breakfast with some genuine maple syrup.
This sounds so amazing! I wish I had a slice right now! How do you do it? How do you make all of these wonderful goodies and not get as big as a house? I have such a hard time! I lick the batter, eat the dough, eat the baked good, scoop up some chips, I can’t stop! I’d eat my computer if I knew I could get one taste of your baked french toast! Do you eat everything you make?
Hi Jennifer, I do eat some of everything I make, but not every last bite. I do a lot of sharing with family, my boyfriend, many times my mom will ask to take things to work for her coworkers, etc. Some things I will freeze for easy desserts later. I basically have an “everything in moderation” approach to eating, and don’t really overdo it on any one thing.
My husband’s aunt made something very similar to this for Easter and it was soooo good. I just emailed her to ask if she will be making it for Christmas Brunch also!
Ooohhh, that looks good! One of my favorite Christmas traditions as a kid was making waffles dying the batter red and green. We had a waffle iron, but for some reason Christmas morning was about the only time we used it.
I love baked french toast, it’s so nice for when you have company you don’t have to stand at the stove the whole time. This recipe looks so wonderful!
Mmmm. I make this every year for Christmas morning! So easy!
This is beautiful and would certainly give me that boost of energy to get through Christmas Day!
This is exactly what Christmas morning should taste like!
Holy Cow! For me that praline topping is the keeper and the fact that you bake it.
I may switch the half and half out with the eggnog. Thank you for sharing this find.
Our tradition for Christmas breakfast is walnut cinnamon rolls and grapefruits.
As we age, the grapefruit has been replaced with an egg breakfast casserole due to (Lipitor) drug interactions.
My great-grandfather owned a bakery and it would not be Christmas without his stollen. It’s not really Christmas for me until they come out of the oven!
this sounds delish! cannot wait to try!
have a great day!!!
I made this recently and it’s one of the BEST things ever. EVER! :)
Hi everyone, it looks so yummy, I have a question though, I prefer crunchy French toast, is this mushy toast or does it bake crunchy? Thanks! Happy Holidays!
Hi JoAnn, The top is nice and crunchy; the bottom is softer. I hope that helps!
I have been SO wanting to make a baked french toast! This recipe looks like the perfect start :)
This sweet casserole is making me drool – I want this on christmas, eve, morn and on new years too!
This sounds sooo good….a great way to start off the day. Would for sure need to have seconds.
Yummmm. I love French Toast casserole. I made one last weekend, but just with a crumb topping. I wish I’d had the recipe for the praline topping then! It looks awesome!
Oooo! Christmas morning here we come!
I have to add that I found your post for breakfast sausage, egg & cheese casserole today. Looks like I am making two prepare ahead yummies for Christmas this year!
Thanks for all your hard work!
Oh my goodness, this looks incredible. I may eat the whole pan if I make this. And I think I’m okay with that :P SO delicious looking!
This is delicious looking! I am in love with french toast, so any excuse to change it up brightens my day!!…for realz.