Cozy, baked French toast casserole is a mouthwatering, comforting breakfast that you can make right now or the night before. Butter, maple syrup, and cranberries are simmered together in a cast iron skillet, topped with homemade sourdough bread and a creamy custard, then baked to completion.

cranberry French toast casserole in a cast iron skillet

Throughout the week, I typically make simple breakfasts like oatmeal, einkorn cream of wheat, or a breakfast smoothie

But during these long, cold, winter days, I just crave something warm and cozy. This baked cranberry French toast casserole hits the spot. 

During the holidays, I stock up on cranberries (they store really well in the freezer if you don’t plan on eating them right away). They are such a delicious and under-appreciated fruit. 

They aren’t just for making a sauce to accompany turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Cranberries are incredibly versatile year round, and particularly delicious in this sourdough cranberry bread.

I’m here to normalize the use of cranberries all year long.

The combination of sweet and sour cranberries, plus the deliciously tangy flavor of the sourdough bread, creates an incredible combination that will cause your taste buds to sing.

two cast iron skillets with cranberry French toast casserole made with sourdough bread

Tips for Making Cranberry French Toast Casserole:

  • You can use whatever milk you have on hand: cow, goat, coconut, almond. Any will work. I like using whole, raw milk, either from our own goats or cow milk we pick up from a local farm.
  • I use homemade sourdough bread in this recipe. While I love making bread from scratch multiple times a week, I know this isn’t practical for everyone. You can easily use a store-bought, crusty, sourdough bread instead of making it yourself.
  • If you know you have a busy morning ahead, you can easily make this recipe the night before. See below to find the instructions on how to do so.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

cranberry French toast casserole on a red and white antique plate with a fork. A cast iron skillet with more casserole in the background.

Do I have to use cranberries to make this recipe?

No. It is totally optional, and you can easily make this recipe without them, or swap them out for blueberries.

overhead photo of a cast iron skillet with baked French toast casserole with cranberries on top.
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Tools you will need:

Cast iron skillet. You could also use a glass or ceramic baking dish, plus a saucepan or skillet.

Large bowl

Whisk

Measuring cups and spoons

Cutting baord

Knife

How To Make Cranberry French Toast Casserole

The day before, make sourdough bread.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

women slicing bread on a cutting board.

Slice and cube a loaf of crusty sourdough bread and set aside. As I said above, I love using homemade, sourdough artisan bread, but if you haven’t made any, you can use your favorite store-bought crusty bread, whether it be sourdough, French bread, or challah. However, you don’t want to use plain, pre-sliced white bread – it won’t hold its shape. 

butter, honey, maple syrup, and cranberries in a cast iron skillet.

In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add a stick of butter, maple syrup, honey, and cranberries (optional). Cook for a few minutes, until the butter and sweeteners have come to a simmer and the cranberries start to pop open. 

butter, maple syrup, cranberries and bread cubes in a cast iron skillet.

Turn off the stove and add cubed bread over top of the butter mixture.

eggs, milk and vanilla in a large antique bowl.

In a large bowl, create the custard by combining eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir well.

pouring custard over sourdough bread in a cast iron skillet

Pour custard mixture over cubed bread in the skillet. 

adding cranberries to the top of sourdough French toast casserole in a cast iron skillet

Sprinkle cranberries over top evenly (optional).

Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard is set and the tops of the bread chunks start to turn golden brown.

a antique red and white plate with forks and a cast iron skillet in the background with French toast casserole and cranberries.

How To Make Overnight French Toast Casserole

Slice and cube a loaf of crusty sourdough bread and set aside. 

In a cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add a stick of butter, maple syrup, honey, and cranberries (optional). Cook for a few minutes, until the butter and sweeteners have come to a simmer and the cranberries start to pop open. 

Pour butter mixture into a baking dish and add cubed bread over top.

In a large bowl, create the custard by combining eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir well.

Pour custard mixture over cubed bread.

Sprinkle cranberries over top evenly (optional).

Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 F. 

Place French toast casserole into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the custard is set and the tops of the bread are golden brown.

close up of sourdough French toast casserole on an red and white antique plate.

Find More Farmhouse Breakfast Ideas:

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram and I’ll share your creations.

Cranberry Sourdough French Toast Casserole

4.63 from 16 votes
Butter, maple syrup, and cranberries are simmered together in a cast iron skillet, topped with homemade sourdough bread and a creamy custard, then baked to completion.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
overhead photo of sourdough cranberry French toast casserole in a cast iron skillet
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Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup cranberries
  • 1 loaf artisan sourdough bread
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Slice and cube a loaf of crusty sourdough bread and set aside.
  • In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, add a stick of butter, maple syrup, honey, and cranberries (optional).
  • Cook for a few minutes, until the butter and sweeteners have come to a simmer and the cranberries start to pop open.
  • Turn off the stove and add cubed bread over top of the butter mixture.
  • In a large bowl, create the custard by combining eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir well.
  • Pour custard mixture over cubed bread in the skillet.
  • Sprinkle cranberries over top evenly (optional).
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard is set and the tops of the bread start to turn golden brown.

Notes

  • You can use whatever milk you have on hand: cow, goat, coconut, almond. Any will work. I like using whole, raw milk, either from our own goats or cow milk we pick up from a local farm.
  • I use homemade sourdough bread in this recipe. You can easily use a store-bought, crusty sourdough bread instead of making it yourself.
  • If you know you have a busy morning ahead, you can easily make this recipe the night before.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.63 from 16 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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21 Comments

  1. Tarrie says:

    Thanks for this recipe! However, you mention putting butter, honey and maple syrup in a skillet, but no mention of the amount. So if it is just for the top why add it to the rest of the skillet ingredients?

  2. Tarrie says:

    Thanks for all the great sourdough recipes. I noticed in this one you mention maple syrup but your list of ingredients don’t mention it.

  3. Lavonne Greene says:

    how much maple?

    1. Lisa Bass says:

      Just enough to use as syrup on the top, like a pancake.

  4. Donna Cook says:

    Can you tell me how much maple syrup to use? I don’t see it listed in the ingredients. Thanks!

    1. Lisa says:

      It’s just used to put on the top of your piece of casserole, like you would a regular piece of french toast!

      1. Tarrie says:

        I know you say to be used on top but you also mention to combine it with the honey and butter. So it looks like it is to be poured on top of the bread

        1. Hm says:

          5 stars
          I’ve made this recipe many times. Would love to know the answer from Lisa, as the recipe is miswritten; but I’ve always just used 1/4 cup of syrup and 1/4 honey in the butter mixture. It turns out great.