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Hi Bold Bakers!
Breakfast may just be the best meal of the day (not including dessert)! Don’t you just love a lazy weekend morning where you’re allowed to wake up as slowly as you want, when you can take your time enjoying your coffee, and the smell of something warm and cinnamon-y is baking in the oven?
The only downside is having to make breakfast when you just want to enjoy your morning. My Overnight French Toast recipe solves that problem!
My homemade Overnight French Toast makes your morning absolutely effortless because all of the work is done the night before. Let’s be honest — it isn’t that much work the night before, either! The bread spends all night soaking up all of the liquid and delicious flavor, and the next morning you have a sweet, custardy French Toast that has a beautiful crunch from nuts and the toasted tops.
The hardest part of this breakfast or brunch will be pouring the mimosas.
What Is Overnight French Toast?
Overnight French Toast is the perfect breakfast for both a big crowd or just a family meal. All of the work is done the night before. In the morning, instead of standing in over a hot pan cooking one slice at a time, you pop all of your French Toast into a baking dish and let your oven do the work.
It’s easy, custardy, crunchy, and covered in maple syrup.
What You Need To Make Overnight French Toast
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 9×13 inch (22×33 cm) baking dish
- Mixing bowl
How To Make Overnight French Toast
You know that feeling when you’ve cleaned before you leave for vacation and come home to a spotless house? This is kind of like a mini-version of that. Past-you does all the work so that future-you can relax and enjoy it! Does that make sense? Don’t worry, the recipe is easier to follow than that example (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below)!
- First, butter your baking dish.
- Butter one side of your bread. Cut into large cubes, crust and all. Add to your baking dish
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, salt, and orange zest.
- Pour this liquid over the bread and press down gently on the bread, helping it to absorb the liquid.
- Cover and let the bread soak up all that delicious liquid overnight.
- The next morning, uncover your French Toast and toss with pecans (if you are using.)
- Put the baking dish into a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. The French Toast should look puffed, golden, and set in the center. If the top starts to over-brown before the center is set, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Serve the French Toast warm with maple syrup or fresh fruit and berries!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Overnight French Toast
- Make sure you use nice and thick bread slices. Since they will be soaking in the liquid for a long time, you want to make sure they have enough structure to hold up!
- This recipe easily doubles for a big crowd, but bake them in two small baking dishes instead of a larger one — this will ensure more even baking.
- You don’t have to use pecans! Use any nuts you have on hand. You can also make this recipe without nuts, but having them as a topping really does give it such a great texture!
- The French call French Toast “pain perdu,” which means wasted bread. What does that mean? Make sure you’re using dry bread! If you can’t wait for your bread to go stale, bake the slices of bread on wire racks for about 5 to 8 minutes at 300°F — or slice your bread and leave it out for a day before you pour on the liquid.
- If you want to avoid that “eggy” taste, use only the egg yolks of some or all of the eggs.
How Do I Store Overnight French Toast
Before baking, cover and store the Overnight French Toast in the refrigerator. After baking, store any leftovers for up to two days in the refrigerator. Rewarm your leftover French Toast in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 minutes before serving.
Make More Breakfast!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Overnight French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (2oz/57g) butter, softened
- 10 thick slices of brioche or challah bread
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup (2oz/57g) sugar
- 2 ½ cups (20floz/565ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (4floz/115ml) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 large orange
- Berries on top (optional)
Instructions
- Butter a 9x13 inch (22x33 cm) baking dish.
- Butter one side of your bread. Cut into large cubes, crust and all. Add to your baking dish
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, salt and orange zest.
- Pour the mixture over the bread and press down gently on the bread to absorb the liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until puffed, golden and set in the center. If the top begins to overbrown before the center is cooked, tent with foil to prevent burning.
- Serve warm with maple syrup and fresh fruit or berries.
- Store any leftovers for up to two days in the refrigerator. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 15 minutes before serving.
This sounds like what in Australia we call a “Bread and butter Pudding” 👍
This recipe was a huge hit Christmas morning. We have a new tradition in our house now. Thanks so much.
I made this today for breakfast, I must say it tasted heavenly. I seved it with cheesecake yogurt and topped it with golden syrup. I followed the recipe and soaked it last night . The only difference is I tweaked it a bit , added 1 ripe banana ,blended with egg mixture and reduced sugar in it.
I used chopped almonds, sultanas and figs on top and baked .
Thanks Gemma for this delicious recipe. Loved it!
Exactly the recipe I’ve used for years except I use croissants. Cut in half lengthwise soak in the mixture and into the pan. About 10 large croissants.
This looks delicious especially with the fresh fruit added. Thanks for the recipe and the tips to make it perfect!
Hi Gemma, Your recipe says to use slices of bread, the photos seem to show cubed bread. Either way it would work, but do you recommend buttering one side of the bread and then cubing it? Or using whole slices?
Hi Gemma. Would it work if I divided this into six individual oven proof dishes? If so, would I need to reduce the temp and cooking time?
Thanks
Best regards from Provence France
Andrew
Copied this to make when my cousin and his wife arrive at end of month. I know it will be delightful, Gemma.
Thanks for making their visit easy on me.
Served it with cheesecake yogurt and drizzled some golden syrup
Lovely recipe.