Brioche french toast casserole is a baked sweet bread pudding with a caramel and pumpkin spice topping. This easy french toast casserole is made with bakery brioche, eggs, milk, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin spice. It's the perfect recipe for Christmas morning breakfast, a weekend brunch, or dessert (just serve it with some vanilla ice cream).
The inspiration for this recipe is my brioche french toast for one. Now you can share it with more than one. This brioche french toast casserole is a delicious breakfast using simple ingredients!
What You Will Love
This is the perfect breakfast recipe for special occasions like Christmas or Easter morning. Just prepare this overnight french toast casserole recipe the night before, and pop it in the oven the next morning. It's also a great brunch recipe for weekend mornings or mother's day.
The egg, milk, and brown sugar form a custard mixture that soaks into the buttery brioche bread. The brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin spice topping add a caramel pumpkin spice flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Brioche loaf: I highly recommend bakery brioche or challah bread for this recipe. You can also use french bread.
- Milk: Use whole milk, 2% milk, or fat-free milk. I recommend using cow's milk because I haven't tried making it with alternative milk. If you do, drop a comment and let us know how it turned out.
- Eggs: Whole free-range eggs.
- Brown sugar: Use brown sugar, light brown sugar, or white sugar. The problem with brown sugar is that it clumps and hardens together if sitting in an open bag in the pantry. Save yourself the hassle, and substitute white sugar if your brown sugar is clumped.
- Butter: My favorite butter is Kerrygold salted butter.
- Pumpkin spice: This is a ground spice found in most U.S. grocery stores in the spice section. Substitute equal parts ground cinnamon if you don't have it.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
Quick Overview
Make the custard mixture by mixing the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Slice the bread into chunks and add them to a casserole dish. Pour the custard mixture into the bread. Top with sliced butter, sugar, and pumpkin spice. Bake at 375℉ (190 ℃) for about 30 minutes.
How To Make Brioche French Toast Casserole
Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs.
Add the milk to the whisked eggs.
Add half of the brown sugar, half of the pumpkin spice, all of the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Whisk everything together really well.
Cut the brioche bread into large chunks (about 1.5" in size). Add the bread cubes to a greased 9" x 13" baking dish.
Pour egg mixture onto the cubed bread. Allow the bread to soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Slice the butter. Lay it on top of the bread in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar and pumpkin spice on top of the casserole.
Bake in a 375℉ (190 ℃) oven until golden brown (about 30 minutes). Dust with powdered sugar.
Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, homemade sausage, or bacon.
Tips and Tricks
Let the custard mixture soak into the bread for a minimum of 20 minutes. This easy french toast bake can be made ahead the night before too.
Use good-quality bakery bread. I don't recommend using sliced bread in the grocery store bread aisle.
Weigh the sugar. Brown sugar is deceptive when measured by volume. When it's not packed, it takes up twice the volume.
The brioche french toast casserole might puff up in the oven; this is normal!
Variations and Substitutions
- Substitute challah bread or french bread for brioche bread.
- Use ground cinnamon instead of pumpkin spice.
- Substitute white sugar or light brown sugar for brown sugar.
Storage
This french toast recipe can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container (or add plastic wrap on top) in the fridge overnight. Bake the next morning.
FAQs
The breakfast casserole should not be soggy. It should have a custard-like texture and a golden brown top.
Serve french toast casserole with sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, and some maple syrup.
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Brioche French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 14 ounces brioche bakery brioche bread
- 9 eggs
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar packed tightly, can substitute white sugar
- 3 cups milk any type
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice substitute ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- powdered sugar optional
- fresh berries optional
- maple syrup optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, crack the eggs. Add half of the sugar, half of the pumpkin spice, all of the milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until full combined. Set aside.
- Cut the brioche loaf into large chunks (about 2" in size).
- Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish. Add the cubed brioche bread. Pour the egg and milk mixture over the brioche bread. Allow the brioche to soak up the mixture for a minimum of 20 minutes. See note 1.
- Thinly slice the salted butter. Add a single layer of butter over the bread. Sprinkle the remaining sugar and pumpkin spice over butter slices.
- Place the brioche french toast casserole in a pre-heated oven at 375℉ (190 ℃) for about 30 minutes. The casserole is done when the egg mixture is cooked.
- Dust the casserole with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup and fresh berries.
Video
Notes
- The brioche bread casserole can soak overnight in the fridge. This is a great recipe for Christmas morning or holiday breakfasts. Prepare the casserole the night before (including the butter and sugar topping) and cover it in in the fridge. In the morning, continue with the baking step.
- Substitute ground cinnamon for pumpkin spice.
- The brioche bread may puff up in the oven.
Susan
This was super yummy but I’ve got a few tips. The brioche bread matters. Don’t use the brioche sliced bread found on the bread aisle… use brioche from a bakery. The butter and brown sugar topping was ok, but I might actually melt the butter and sugar together over the stovetop then pour it on top instead.
Overall great flavors with the pumpkin spice- maybe you can try cinnamon too. Adding this to tried it and loved itz
Lily
Thank you for sharing the mods you made to the recipe. I'll try it your way next time!