This Brioche French Toast Casserole is basically bread pudding for breakfast, with buttery brioche soaked overnight in a rich half-and-half custard and a brown sugar bourbon caramel sauce poured over the top right before it bakes. It’s about 10 minutes of work the night before, and all you do in the morning is slide it into the oven.
★★★★★
"This was so easy to make and, over the top delicious! It's the best-tasting french toast recipe I've ever had! I will definitely be making this again!"
-Jeri
Note from Erin
Every year on Christmas Eve I put together two casseroles, this one and my Green Chile Egg Casserole. Between the two it’s about 20 minutes of work, and then they sit in the fridge overnight, which honestly feels like an extra gift on Christmas morning.
Right before we open presents, I slide both casseroles into the oven. We slice up the oranges the kids always get in their stockings, and breakfast is done.
Helpful Ingredient Tips
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
- Brioche Bread: This recipe didn’t start out with brioche. The first version used French bread, but I love how much more decadent it is with brioche bread.
- Bourbon: You can swap it for 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier. Honestly, the sauce is still delicious if you leave it out completely.
Tips to Make the Best French Toast Casserole
1) Cube Brioche
- Using stale bread helps keep the casserole from being soggy. When I use fresh bread I like to toast the cubes at 250°F for about 30 minutes to dry them out a little.
2) Whisk Custard
- If you’ve got picky kids like mine, whisk the eggs into the custard really well so there are no little bits of egg in the casserole.
- The cinnamon will float to the top of the custard. That’s okay, it doesn’t need to be stirred back in.
3) Soak the Bread
- Gently press the bread cubes down into the custard so the ones on top get soaked too.
- Give it at least 2 hours in the fridge (overnight is better). You can bake it right away, and it’ll still taste good, but the custard won’t soak in evenly.
- Set the dish on the counter while the oven preheats so it isn’t going in ice cold.
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4) Make the Sauce & Bake
- Make the sauce while the oven preheats so it’s warm when it goes on.
- Pull the pan off the heat as soon as the butter and brown sugar start bubbling, then stir in the bourbon. It’ll bubble up hard for a few seconds, so just keep stirring until it settles.
- It’s done when the bread has puffed up and the top is golden brown, usually 40 to 45 minutes.
Top Tip for the Best Caramel Flavor
Pour the caramel sauce over the casserole right before it goes into the oven. The custard has already soaked into the brioche by then, so the caramel only soaks in a little and bakes right into the top.
I’ve forgotten it before and poured the caramel over after the casserole was fully baked. It was okay, but baking it with the casserole spreads the caramel flavor through the whole dish, and everything comes together so much better.
What to Serve
I like this next to something savory, like my Sausage Croissant Breakfast Casserole or a simple Migas Casserole, with a bowl of fresh berries on the side. If you want to top it with whipped cream, Bourbon Whipped Cream goes right along with the caramel sauce.
Variations
- Apple: I love this one in the fall! Slice 3 large apples and cook them in the butter and brown sugar for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened. I like to move the cinnamon from the custard into the apples, then spoon them over the bread before baking.
- Orange: Swap 1 cup of the half and half for orange juice, add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the custard, and use Grand Marnier in the sauce instead of bourbon. It’s lighter and brighter than the original, which is nice on a brunch table that’s already heavy.
- Cream cheese: Beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, then drop tablespoon-sized dollops over the soaked bread before baking. The dollops bake into little cheesecake-like pockets.
Recipe
Brioche French Toast Casserole with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Recipe by:Ingredients
- 1 loaf (16 ounces) brioche bread
- 6 eggs
- 2 ½ cups (625 ml) half and half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup (170 grams) butter
- 1 ⅓ cups (279 grams) packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (29.5 ml) bourbon (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Slice the bread into 1-inch cubes. Arrange bread in the baking dish.1 loaf brioche bread
- In a large bowl, whisk the half and half, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour over the top of the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.6 eggs, 2 ½ cups half and half, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- When ready to bake, place the casserole dish on the counter and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- While the oven is preheating, combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and mix in the bourbon.¾ cup butter, 1 ⅓ cups packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons bourbon
- Pour the brown sugar sauce over the top of the casserole, then bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- A mixture of whole milk and heavy cream can be used instead of half and half.
- French bread can be used instead of brioche.
- Replace the bourbon with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier, or leave it out.
- To reheat a large portion, place in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.
- Individual portions can be microwaved at 50% power for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
More Breakfast Recipes
- Green Chile Egg Casserole
- Moist Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
- 5-Ingredient Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Applesauce Pumpkin Bread
This recipe was originally published on December 18, 2020. It was updated on November 2, 2022, to use brioche and half and half for a richer casserole.
Audrey says
This was absolutely delicious!
Erin says
So glad to hear that!
Anaiah says
Can't believe I've never made a french toast casserole before! The bourbon brown sugar sauce was a perfect addition.
Erin says
It's time to give it a try! I hope you love it!
Jeannie says
I need to try this french toast casserole so intriguing!
Erin says
You will love it!
Alexandra says
Incredibly delicious - and will be on repeat in our household! Yum!
Erin says
That's wonderful! Enjoy!
Jeri says
This was so easy to make and, over the top delicious! It's the best-tasting french toast recipe I've ever had! I will definitely be making this again!
Erin says
So glad to hear it, Jeri! Thank you for sharing!
Ashley says
We've been in a breakfast rut lately, but bourbon french toast sounds like exactly what we are looking for! I cannot wait to try your recipe! It sounds incredible.
Erin says
It is a great way to get you out of that rut! Check out the biscuits and gravy recipes on the site as well. We just enjoyed them for brunch last week!
Sandi Jardine says
Made this recipe halved because this was just for us at home this Thanksgiving ing morning.
Delicious and turned out gorgeous and perfectly in an 8x8” light colored metal pan.
Erin says
So happy you enjoyed this breakfast casserole, Sandi! I hope your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Leann says
This is a fantastic recipe! I will make it often. My family loves it! I did throw some course, chopped pecans on top before it baked.
Erin says
I'm so glad you and your family loved it, Leann! Chopped pecans are a great addition for extra crunch and flavor!
Patricia Golembiewski says
Can this be made, cooked and frozen
Erin Gierhart says
Yes, cool it completely before wrapping securely and placing in the freezer.