This sourdough French toast casserole is rich and sweet, baked with tangy sourdough bread and a creamy custard. The brown sugar topping blurs the line between breakfast and dessert!
From traditional French toast to strawberry-stuffed French toast, the breakfast page on my blog makes it pretty clear that we love French toast in all its forms.
This sourdough French toast casserole is no different. I love that it is made with simple ingredients and is full of protein and gut-healthy fermented grains, yet it’s decadent enough to double as dessert.
This recipe is a great way to use up stale sourdough bread, or maybe even a sourdough loaf that didn’t turn out how you’d like. There have certainly been occasions where my crusty sourdough bread wasn’t quite what I wanted, but that’s where sourdough stuffing, bread pudding, breakfast strata, simple bread crumbs, and sourdough croutons come in.
And now this delicious breakfast casserole is another great option.
I like to serve it with cottage cheese scrambled eggs, fresh zucchini frittata, or a bowl of homemade Greek yogurt with fruit.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cozy and delicious – The warm flavor and delightful texture make this the coziest breakfast. Drizzle maple syrup or a homemade blueberry sauce over the top and dig in.
Great for meal prep – I love the option for making this dish ahead of time. There’s nothing quite like having breakfast ready to bake the next day. It makes for an easy breakfast and a head start to everything else on my list.
Versatile recipe – I’ve included a handful of variations below, from fall flavors to fresh fruits. Combined with the versatility of toppings, this delicious breakfast recipe can truly be made your own.
Ingredients
Homemade sourdough bread – My favorite kind of bread is sourdough brioche. You could also try my sourdough sandwich bread, French bread, or this easy sourdough challah.
Whole milk – I like using full-fat milk because it gives it a richer, more custard-like depth of flavor.
Cream – You can use half and half or heavy cream.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Modifications and Variations
- To make this dish extra special, grab a block of organic cream cheese, cut it into one-inch cubes, and toss it in the dish just before baking. It’s indulgent and creamy, perfect for a Sunday morning brunch served alongside fresh fruit.
- For a fall-inspired pumpkin spice version, add one 15-ounce can of pumpkin, 1/2 teaspoon of cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the egg and milk mixture.
- Give it a burst of fresh fruit flavor by adding two cups of fresh or frozen blueberries, chopped apples, sliced strawberries, etc. This variation also tastes great paired with the cubed cream cheese.
- Other variations of this recipe on the blog are mascarpone-stuffed French toast bake and cranberry French toast casserole.
How to Make Sourdough French Toast Casserole
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish. Cut the loaf of sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes, placing the bread cubes in the prepared dish
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Step 3: Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread and allow it to stand for 10 – 15 minutes. See Tips for an overnight option.
Step 4: Prepare the topping by whisking the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and combine with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.
Step 5: Spread the topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
Step 6: Bake for 45 – 55 minutes until the middle is set and the top is golden brown. Check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, organic honey, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.
Tips
- This is a perfect way to use up leftover sourdough bread or a bread recipe that doesn’t turn out right. Stale bread will actually work better than fresh because the sturdier texture can absorb the custard mixture without completely disintegrating.
- For an overnight option, just prepare the dish through step 5, cover, and refrigerate. Bake the next morning for the perfect make-ahead breakfast.
- Turn it into a dessert by serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze it. Cool completely before wrapping in foil or plastic wrap and storing in the freezer. It will keep for a few months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
Sure, try a whole wheat, brioche, or Italian bread boule. Store-bought sliced bread will generally end up too soggy.
Use a hearty loaf of bread, particularly one that is a bit stale or a couple of days old. If there’s a lot of extra custard mixture pooling in the bottom after the bread has soaked, you can strain it off to keep the casserole from becoming too soggy.
While I haven’t made it myself, I see no problem with using your favorite gluten-free loaf and replacing the flour in the topping with a gluten-free flour.
More Breakfast Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Fluffy Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Ricotta Cheese Pancakes
- Sourdough Pumpkin Coffee Cake
- Sourdough Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Easy Sourdough French Toast Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 10 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish. Cut the loaf of sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes, placing the bread cubes in the prepared dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread and allow it to stand for 10 – 15 minutes. See notes for an overnight option.
- Prepare the topping by whisking the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and combine with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.
- Spread the topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 45 – 55 minutes until the middle is set and the top is golden brown. Check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, organic honey, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.
Notes
- Please double-check amounts when using the multiplying feature in the recipe card.
- This is a perfect way to use up leftover sourdough bread or a bread recipe that doesn’t turn out right. Stale bread will actually work better than fresh.
- For an overnight option, just prepare the dish through step 5, cover, and refrigerate. Bake the next morning for the perfect make-ahead breakfast.
- Turn it into a dessert by serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! Not too sweet, ingredients I trust, and loved by the whole family!
I liked it very much, not too sweet but very tastefull!
Trying this for the first time and have been baking for an hour so far but the center is still soupy. Not sure where I went wrong! 😩
Maybe it needs to bake a little bit longer! Usually before baking it’s not very soupy, it’s just soaked with the egg mixture.
Hi Lisa! In the video you added half a cup of melted butter over it before baking. Butter is not mentioned though in your written recipe. So which is it?
Thank you!
You can add butter if you like!
Wonderful
Would freezing this before baking work or would it be soggy?
I’m not sure I’ve never tried it.
I batch prep this recipe without apples, raisins (we don’t like them), and butter and freeze before baking and I think it tastes great. My favorite part is the soft part in the middle but I wouldn’t describe it as soggy. I don’t add the apples because that is the part I think would get mushy. The top still ends up crispy after baking. I put it in the fridge the night before cooking. In the morning I stir it (it is usually still a little frozen but that is ok, just cook longer), add in apples if we want, add the melted butter to the top and bake it. I’m about to freeze several more. I love this recipe as an easy breakfast I can prep ahead.
Thanks for sharing Taylor!
Trying this recipe this morning!
Hope you enjoy it!
There is no salt in this recipe. I added some to mine.do you add some to yours, Lisa?
I typically don’t. Did adding salt bring out the flavors more?
Do you think I can make this with coconut milk? I’m lactose intolerant? I can handle butter but not milk.
Yes. You should be able to substitute the milk for a milk alternative no problem.
We had this for dinner last night after discovering that I was missing an ingredient for the meal I had planned! All 5 of my kids had seconds! My daughter whipped up some cream to top it with, and everyone loved it. I just used the end of a few loaves that had dried out a bit, and I subbed in blueberries for the raisins. Delish! Next time I’ll probably use a little less butter on top since it overflowed in my oven. Thanks for the recipe!