Crock Pot French Toast Casserole
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. Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting and try out this recipe.
Servings: 8
Calories: 332kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread diced
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Topping
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss through the diced bread, making sure to completely coat all pieces of bread. Cover and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the topping ingredients together.
- Lightly spray the crock pot with oil. Pour the soaked bread into the crock pot, evenly crumble the topping mixture over the bread.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.
- Allow to sit for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
- Serve topped with maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this crockpot French toast recipe is to always use bread that is at least 1 or 2 days old. Fresh bread holds too much moisture and breaks down during soaking. This causes the casserole to become dense and soggy. Stale bread absorbs just the right amount of liquid and keeps its shape throughout the slow cooking.
- Spray generously: I coat the inside of the crockpot thoroughly with cooking spray before adding the bread. Skipping this step makes the casserole stick and tear apart when serving.
- Cut uniform pieces: The bread should be cut into 1-inch cubes, allowing them to soak and cook at the same rate.
- Low and slow: Cooking for 2 hours on high is an option, but I prefer cooking on low for 4 hours. The lower temperature gives the custard time to set gently, which produces a softer, more balanced texture.
- Always rest before serving: This resting time gives the casserole a chance to firm up as it cools slightly, which makes for easier and neater plating.
- Minimum 4-hour soak: I always recommend soaking the bread overnight, but if this is not possible, then soak it for at least 4 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g