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French Toast Bread Pudding

If you need an amazing baked breakfast recipe that is absolutely delicious and borders on dessert, then you need to make this French Toast Bread Pudding! It's a great way to make breakfast for a crowd without standing over the stove, and it is always a hit.

This baked French toast makes a great holiday breakfast or brunch recipe and is very easy to prepare. It also makes a great bread pudding that can be served as dessert if you love the flavors of French toast and want to enjoy that after dinner.

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover bread that has gone a little too dry to eat on its own.

French toast bread pudding with glaze in a baking dish.

Baked French Toast

I love easy breakfast recipes like baked French toast because you can prepare everything the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning. It takes a while to bake, so it's ideal for starting first thing in the morning while the rest of your family wakes up slowly and gets ready for breakfast.

This baked French Toast casserole is made with your typical French toast ingredients, but with the addition of heavy cream for a little more decadence, plus cinnamon and walnuts (optional, but so good!).

Since we have a small family and this recipe makes about 8 servings, I love making this baked French toast for breakfast, and then reheating the leftovers the next day and serving this as dessert, topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream... maybe some whipped cream as well, because WHY NOT?!

Slice of glazed French toast bread pudding

More breakfast ideas: Red Velvet Waffles

What kind of bread to use for French toast bread pudding

The best bread to use for baked French toast is old bread that has gone a little dry and stale because it soaks up the egg + milk mixture so well and tastes absolutely amazing baked.

If you start with super soft fresh bread, it will get a little too soggy when soaked (though still delicious when baked, you might just have to bake a few minutes longer to get it to firm up more).

If you have 1-2 day old Texas toast, Italian bread, French bread, brioche, or baguette, any of those will be perfect. (By the way, check out this Baked Blueberry Baguette French Toast!) I love using bread that has a little bit of a crispy crust because it makes for a great texture when soaked, but that is not necessary.

If you don't have day-old bread, you can leave it out on the counter uncovered overnight and it will likely be the right consistency for baking French toast.

I recommend getting thick bread, if you can, so that the cubes are about 1-inch in size. If you have thinly sliced bread, that will be OK too, but it's not as ideal.

Related recipe: Ciabatta Stuffing with Day-Old Ciabatta

Ingredients for French toast bread pudding

Related recipe: Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Ingredients

For the French toast bread pudding:

  • 9-12 pieces day-old plain Texas Toast (or other thick day-old bread, increase or decrease based on the size of your dish)
  • 2 teaspoons melted butter
  • 2 cups milk (any kind)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or substitute with more milk or half and half)
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (divided in half - optional)

For the glaze:

  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
  • 2-3 tablespoons of milk, heavy cream or water (possibly more: SEE NOTES)
  • 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (regular vanilla is also fine if you don't want artificially flavored vanilla)

You'll also need:

Related recipe: Cinnamon Maple Pancakes

Instructions

Please note these instructions assume you are preparing the French toast in the morning, however you can prep the night before and preheat the oven and bake in the morning.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or vegetable oil.

Step 2: Chop stale bread into cubes and place it into the baking dish. Start with less bread pieces (from about 9 slices) and add more, if needed, to soak up the liquid in step 4. If using walnuts, mix in ½ cup walnuts in with the bread.

Step 3: Beat melted butter, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and eggs in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the sugar and cinnamon and whisk.

Liquid ingredients whisked together in a bowl.

Step 4: Pour the mixture over the bread in the baking dish. Use a spoon or spatula to press the bread down to soak it in the liquid. Give it a few minutes to absorb the liquid, and if too much liquid is remaining, gently stir in additional bread cubes. If adding walnuts, top the casserole with the other ½ cup chopped walnuts.

Bread cubes with French toast liquid mixture poured on top.

Step 5: Cover with foil, create 2-3 slits in the foil to vent.

Foil with slits covering the baking dish.

Step 6: Bake covered for 45 minutes, then bake uncovered for another 45 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.

Baked French toast casserole

Allow to cool a little before glazing if you want the glaze to stand out as a white glaze instead of getting soaked into the bread pudding, but either way is delicious!!

Step 7: Prepare the glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk and add more if needed. Drizzle or pour the glaze over the top of the French toast bread pudding.

Glazing the French toast bread pudding.

Storing leftover French toast casserole and reheating

If you don't finish this all in one sitting, you're in luck!! Baked French toast lasts in the fridge for several days (just make sure to keep it in a sealed container) and reheats really well in the microwave or in the oven.

To reheat in the microwave, I recommend reheating single portions so that it heats all the way through. To reheat in the oven, just cover with foil and bake at 350F for 5-10 minutes, depending on how much leftover bread pudding you have.

What to serve with baked French toast for breakfast

If you're looking to serve this French toast casserole for breakfast, then this is great with some fresh berries, maybe a little whipped cream if you want to get decadent, and some simple scrambled eggs and breakfast sausage on the side if you really want to make it a filling breakfast.

What to serve with French toast baked pudding for dessert

If you're enjoying this for dessert, then I love serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top so that the ice cream melts into all the nooks and crannies of the cinnamony bread pudding. So good!!

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

Baked French toast casserole in a baking dish with glaz.

French Toast Bread Pudding

This French Toast Bread Pudding makes an amazing breakfast or dessert! It reheats well and is always a hit. You can prepare the French toast casserole in the evening and bake in the morning.
4.88 from 24 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Servings: 7
Calories: 473kcal
Author: Kate

Ingredients

For the French toast bread pudding:
  • 9-12 pieces day-old Texas Toast or other thick-sliced day-old bread, increase or decrease based on the size of your dish
  • 2 teaspoons butter melted
  • 2 cups milk (any kind)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (or substitute with more milk or half and half)
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (divided in half - optional)
For the glaze:
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar confectioner's sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream or water (see instructions)
  • teaspoon clear vanilla extract (regular vanilla is also fine)

Special equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325F. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or vegetable oil.
  • Chop stale bread into cubes and place it into the baking dish. Start with less bread pieces (from about 9 slices) and add more, if needed, to soak up the liquid in step 4. If using walnuts, mix in ½ cup walnuts in with the bread.
  • Beat melted butter, milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and eggs in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the sugar and cinnamon and whisk.
  • Pour the mixture over the bread in the baking dish. Use a spoon or spatula to press the bread down to soak it in the liquid. Give it a few minutes to absorb the liquid, and if too much liquid is remaining, gently stir in additional bread cubes. If adding walnuts, top the casserole with the other ½ cup chopped walnuts.
  • Cover with foil, create 2-3 slits in the foil to vent. Bake covered for 45 minutes, then bake uncovered for another 45 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan.
    Allow to cool a little before glazing if you want the glaze to stand out as a white glaze instead of getting soaked into the bread pudding, but either way is delicious!!
  • Prepare the glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk and add more if needed. Pour the glaze over the top of the French toast bread pudding.

Notes

  • Make sure not to use garlic Texas toast!!
  • Leftovers keep well in the fridge in a sealed container for several days, and reheat well in the microwave or oven.
  • Plan ahead: this French toast casserole takes time to bake.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe Rating




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Marvie

Tuesday 15th of November 2022

I have made this in my popover muffin pan (deeper), and used thick sliced brioche. I also stirred in a few craisens & golden raisins using a little Mrs. Butterworth syrup. (THESE ARE TO DIE FOR!)

Kate

Monday 19th of December 2022

That sounds so good!!

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