Crock Pot French Toast Casserole

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Holidays are made for leisurely mornings and lavish breakfasts like my crockpot French toast casserole. This is great for when I want something warm, hearty, and satisfying without spending all morning in front of the stove. I make it with sourdough bread, a rich egg and cinnamon custard, and a brown sugar crumble topping.

This crockpot French toast casserole looks and tastes impressive, but it is surprisingly low-effort. Yes, it requires planning, but if you have a sudden craving and cannot commit to the overnight soaking, I recommend making my vegan French toast. Nothing wrong with a little instant gratification. For the casserole, I allow my bread to soak in a spiced custard overnight, so by the time morning arrives, all I need to do is transfer it to the crockpot. 

This recipe, crockpot French toast casserole, was inspired by my vegan blueberry French toast muffins and traditional savory strata. I want something for winter mornings that could cook unattended, while I wrap myself in a blanket and sit on the couch. The first time I served this to my kids, the youngest excitedly exclaimed, “Yay! Pudding for breakfast.” I did not dare to argue. Ha! 

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🥘 Ingredients

For this crockpot French toast casserole recipe, I keep the ingredients list fairly simple. I rely on a few key components to build a classic French toast flavor. This is what I use:

Sourdough bread: I like using diced pieces of sourdough bread for its sturdy texture, which holds its shape well even after soaking overnight. 

Eggs: Whole eggs give my custard a richness and provide added structure during the cooking process. 

Milk: I use dairy-free milk in this recipe, but any milk or plant-based milk works well. 

Vanilla extract: I add pure vanilla extract to round out the custard and bring warmth to the dish.

Spices: I use cinnamon and nutmeg to give my casserole that classic French toast flavor. The cinnamon is used in both the custard and the topping. 

Crumble topping: Brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and softened butter are combined to form my crumble topping, which gives a subtle caramel-like sweetness that melts into the bread. 

🔪 How To Make

All it takes is a few simple steps, some planning, and time for my crockpot French toast casserole to come together. This is how I do it:

Make the custard: In a large bowl, I combine my eggs, milk, vanilla, and spices, whisking together until fully mixed.

Soak bread: Next, I add my diced bread into the custard, making sure each piece is well coated, and transfer to the greased crockpot dish, and refrigerate overnight. 

Make the topping: Before I begin cooking the casserole, I mix my butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a small bowl

Add crumble: I remove my soaked mixture from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for a few minutes. Then I sprinkle my brown sugar mixture over the top.

Cover, cook, and rest: I cover the slow cooker with a lid and cook on low for 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours. Once the casserole is cooked, I allow it to sit for 20 minutes before cutting.

Serve: I drizzle my French toast with maple syrup or some vegan honey and dust it with powdered sugar. This is delicious with fresh berries, too!

📖 Variations

This crockpot French toast casserole is a basic recipe, and one of the things I love is all the different ways I can adapt it. These are 3 variations I have tested, and can recommend to you with absolute confidence: 

Blueberry French toast: I add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries into the soaked bread mixture, and stir through just before cooking. My kids love the bright purple splotches and sweet jammy flavor. 

Nutty crumble: If I want my topping to have a bit more depth and texture, I mix 1/2 cup of roughly chopped pecans or walnuts into my crumble mixture. My husband loves the subtle toasted nut flavor and the satisfying crunch. 

Savory French toast casserole: For a version that is somewhere between a strata and a frittata, I omit the vanilla extract, nutmeg, cinnamon, and crumble topping. Instead, I add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. I sprinkle shredded cheese over the top before cooking.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I love serving this crockpot French toast casserole as the main dish at a family brunch. Since it is so decadent and rich, I try to offset that with a few other side dishes that are fresh and bright. I recommend serving this casserole with a bowl of my breakfast fruit salad and a kale smoothie for everyone. 

I know I have been selling this as a breakfast or brunch dish, but I would be lying if I told you that it cannot work as a dessert. A few weeks ago, we had an extremely light dinner, with the sole purpose of having this French toast casserole for dessert. I served it with some of my vegan whipped cream and a drizzle of my vegan caramel sauce. Just when you thought it could not get any more indulgent. Ha! 

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing: I transfer the cooled portion into a freezer-safe baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Do not freeze this in the crockpot insert.

Reheating: I reheat individual portions in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds. For larger portions, I place them in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and warm in the oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through. 

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