Breakfast
$0.92per plate
Prep
15 min
Breakfast · French Toast Casserole
French Toast Casserole
This french toast casserole is the whole griddle-standing routine turned into one 9x13 dish you assemble the night before. Cubed day-old bread soaks in a cinnamon-vanilla custard overnight, a brown sugar streusel goes on in the morning, and 45 minutes later eight people eat for about $0.65 each. Soaking is the entire point: bread that sits in custard overnight drinks it all the way to the middle, so the finished casserole is soft and set through rather than dry on top and soggy underneath. It is the sweet counterpart to our savory breakfast casserole, and it belongs on the same table as a pan of crispy breakfast potatoes.
$0.65per plate
Estimated recipe total
$5.20 · serves 8
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr 10 min
Serves
8
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/french-toast-casserole
Equipment
- 9x13 baking dish
Variations
- Use brioche or challah for the richest version, or plain sandwich bread for the cheapest.
- Scatter 1 1/2 cups of blueberries or thin apple slices over the bread before the custard goes on.
- Dot 4 oz of cubed cream cheese among the bread for a richer, tangier casserole.
- Skip the streusel and dust the baked casserole with powdered sugar instead.
1 How to make it
1
Cube the bread and butter the dish
Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them in the dish. Day-old or slightly stale bread is what you want here, because dry bread has room to absorb custard. If your bread is fresh, spread the cubes on a sheet pan and dry them in a 300 F oven for 10 minutes first.
2
Whisk the custard and pour it over
Whisk the eggs, milk, the 1/3 cup brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until completely smooth with no ribbons of egg white left. Pour it evenly over the bread, then press the cubes down with a spatula so every piece is wet. The top layer always wants to float; pushing it under now is what keeps it from baking into dry croutons.
3
Cover and chill overnight
Cover the dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours and ideally overnight, though not longer than a day. This is the soak that gets custard into the middle of each cube. In a hurry you can bake after 30 minutes on the counter, but the center will be less custardy and the texture more like baked bread than french toast.
4
Make the streusel
In a bowl, stir the flour and the 1/2 cup brown sugar together, then rub in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until the mixture holds together in coarse crumbs the size of peas. Keep it cold and lumpy. Butter that has gone soft and smooth will melt straight into the custard instead of baking into a crisp topping.
5
Bake until set and golden
Heat the oven to 350 F. Take the dish out of the fridge while the oven heats, scatter the streusel evenly over the top, and bake uncovered 45 to 50 minutes. It is done when the top is deep golden, the center is puffed and no longer jiggles as a liquid, and a knife slid into the middle comes out clean. If the top browns before the center sets, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
6
Rest before cutting
Let it stand 10 minutes before serving. The custard finishes setting as it cools, so cutting straight from the oven gives you loose, runny squares. Serve with a little maple syrup if you like, though the streusel already sweetens it.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Bread choices. Brioche and challah make the richest version, French or Italian loaf the sturdiest, and plain sandwich bread works fine and is the cheapest. Avoid anything with a heavy seeded crust, which stays chewy after soaking.
- Add fruit. Scatter 1 1/2 cups of blueberries or thin apple slices over the bread before the custard goes on. Frozen berries can go in straight from the freezer; do not thaw them first or they will bleed through the custard.
- Cream cheese pockets. Dot 4 oz of cubed cream cheese among the bread before pouring the custard for a richer, tangier casserole. It melts into pockets rather than spreading evenly.
- Skip the streusel. Leave it off and dust the baked casserole with powdered sugar instead, or brush the top with a little melted butter before baking so it still browns. Without the streusel the dish is noticeably less sweet.
3 Budget tips
- This is the best use there is for bread that has gone stale. A day-old loaf from the bakery discount rack costs a fraction of fresh and works better here.
- Eggs and milk are the other two lines, and both are cheapest bought in the largest size you will actually use before it turns.
- Eight servings for $5.20 makes this one of the cheapest ways to feed a houseful of people breakfast, which is why it is worth doubling for a holiday morning.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days. It slices cleanest once fully chilled. The streusel softens in the fridge but crisps back up in the oven.
Freezer
Freeze the baked and cooled casserole, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months, either whole or in portions. You can also freeze it unbaked after the overnight soak; thaw fully in the fridge before baking or the center will not set in time.
Reheating
Reheat individual squares in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, or cover the dish with foil and warm at 350 F for 20 minutes. Pull the foil for the last 5 minutes to bring the streusel back.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
420
Protein
14g
Fat
12g
Carbs
60g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Values shift with the bread and milk you use. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Do you have to let french toast casserole sit overnight?
Not strictly, but it is much better if you do. The overnight soak is what carries custard into the middle of each bread cube, which is the difference between french toast and baked bread. If you are short on time, let it sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature and expect a drier, more bread-like result.
What bread works best for french toast casserole?
Day-old sturdy bread. Brioche and challah are the richest, French or Italian loaf holds its shape best, and ordinary sandwich bread is the cheapest and still works. The one thing that matters is that the bread is dry, so it has room to absorb the custard rather than turning to paste.
How do you know when it is done?
The top should be deep golden, the center puffed and no longer moving like liquid when you nudge the dish, and a knife in the middle should come out clean. If the top is browning too fast, tent it with foil and keep baking until the center sets.
Can you freeze french toast casserole?
Yes. Freeze it baked and cooled, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months, whole or in squares. You can also freeze it unbaked after the soak, but thaw it completely in the fridge first, otherwise the outside overbakes before the middle sets.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $5.20 for the bread, eggs, milk, sugar, flour, and butter, divided across eight servings, which is roughly $0.65 each. Stale bread is the biggest line at $1.50 and the eggs are next at $1.52.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 9x13 baking dish. A 9x13 dish is the standard size for casseroles and baked pasta, so one dish feeds the whole table. Best for casseroles, baked pasta, stuffed peppers, and baked oatmeal.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
- Instant-read meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of doneness, so lean or cheap cuts stay juicy instead of overcooking. Best for chicken, pork, and meatloaf, where a few degrees decides juicy or dry.
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