Croissants baked in creamy custard with cinnamon sugar makes the best French toast casserole. The perfect make-ahead breakfast recipe and just the recipe you need for feeding a crowd.

Around the holidays I’m always looking for easy ways to feed people first thing in the morning. Brunches are easy to do because I’ve had a cup of coffee and feel a bit more awake but breakfast can be tricky. Especially if you need to feed a whole bunch of people. Especially on Christmas morning! Breakfast casseroles like this French toast bake come in super handy. They can be prepped ahead and baked right before serving and will be a hit with everyone you serve it to.

Ingredients

Full French toast casserole recipe can be found in the recipe card.

Croissants. This a great use of leftover or stale croissants.
Eggs.
Cream. Heavy cream or whipping cream.
Milk. Whole milk or full cream milk.
Sugar. Brown sugar can be substituted for white sugar.
Cinnamon.
Vanilla extract.
Flaked almonds.
Berries, to serve.
Maple syrup, to serve.

Cinnamon sugar croissant French toast casserole

How to make French toast casserole

Make the custard: Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside. Grease a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33cm casserole dish or oven proof pan with melted butter or cooking spray.
Prepare the croissants: Slice the croissants in half with a sharp bread knife then place the bottoms in a casserole dish. Pour over half of the custard. Mix together 4 tablespoons sugar with 2 teaspoons cinnamon and sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar over the croissants. Place the tops of the croissants on top and pour over the remaining custard. Press the croissants down into the custard to allow them to soak up as much of it as possible. Sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon sugar. Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.
Bake: Uncover and place in the oven. Allow to bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top. The custard should be mostly absorbed with no runny mixture left. Remove the baked French toast casserole from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then scatter over the almonds and berries and dust over some powdered sugar (optional). Serve with maple syrup.

Which bread to use for French toast casserole?

If you don’t want to use croissants, feel free to replace them with a loaf of French bread, brioche, challah or even sliced white bread. I would cube the bread or slice into thick slices. Layer the bread cubes or slices to a baking dish, pour over the egg mixture and bake until golden brown and cooked through.

Can I make this ahead?

Absolutely! The casserole can be prepped the night before allowing you a more relaxed morning plus the flavors get to mingle. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Bake for an extra 5 minutes the next morning until hot throughout.