This challah French toast casserole has been my Easter and Mother’s Day brunch standby for years, and it’s the dish I trust to feed eight people from one pan without me touching the stove before coffee. The eggy, slightly sweet character of challah gives you a custardy interior with golden, slightly chewy edges that hold up on the spatula.
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The trick I’ve landed on: slightly stale challah every time. Slice it the night before assembly and let it sit out uncovered for a few hours. Fresh challah turns spongy in the custard; slightly stale challah holds its shape, soaks evenly, and gives you that custardy-middle, golden-edged top that actually slices into clean portions instead of falling apart on the spatula.
Want the richer, butterier version instead? See my overnight brioche French toast casserole for that one. For the full holiday spread, the stress-free Mother’s Day brunch menu maps out timing, what to make ahead, and what to bake last.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 15 minutes of active prep. Slice, layer, pour, fridge. The oven does the rest.
- Affordable and easy to find. Most grocery store bakeries carry challah bread, especially around Friday afternoons. Pick up a loaf or two for under $10.
- Light enough for second helpings. The custardy texture is rich without being heavy, so nobody walks away from brunch feeling like they need a nap.
- Make-ahead. Assemble it the night before and bake it while the coffee brews.
- Holds up beautifully on the buffet. Slices cleanly, stays presentable for an hour even at room temperature.
- Uses up holiday challah. If you keep challah in the rotation for Friday dinners, leftover loaves were made for this casserole.
Ingredients
- Challah bread — Bakery challah bread from the in-store bakery section is usually a step up from the pre-packaged loaves on the bread aisle. Look for a sturdy braided loaf with a yellow, eggy interior.
- Whole milk — The sweet spot for this casserole. See substitutions below for half-and-half, heavy cream, or dairy-free options.
- Brown sugar — The molasses gives you that caramel-edged crispy top. Don’t swap white sugar.
- Plus eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and butter (softened for greasing the pan, melted for brushing the top). Standard pantry.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bread: If you can’t find challah, brioche is the closest match. See my overnight brioche French toast casserole for the version made specifically with brioche. A sturdy enriched bread like Texas toast also works.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the best texture. Half-and-half or heavy cream will give you a richer, denser custard if that’s what you want. Unsweetened oat or almond milk works for a dairy-free version.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How to make Challah French Toast Casserole
STEP 1: First, take a 13×9-inch baking dish and coat it well with softened butter. Set aside.
STEP 2: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in bowl.
STEP 3: Evenly distribute 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar blend across the bottom of your buttered dish. Lay down 6 pieces of bread (use the heels of the bread here) in a single layer. Cut slices in half to fit. Brush these slices with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, then sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar mixture.
STEP 4: Layer another 6 pieces of bread over the first set, brush them with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and then sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the sugar mix.
STEP 5: Stack the last 6 bread slices on top and coat them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
STEP 6: In a separate glass mixing bowl or bowl with a pour spout, whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined.
STEP 7: Pour the milk mixture over the bread (the bread will not be fully submerged). Refrigerate for up to 24 hours or bake right away. Before baking, sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar mixture over the bread.
STEP 8: Remove from refrigerator. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 45 to 50 minutes until slightly puffed, golden brown, and bubbling around the edges. The custard is fully set when the internal temperature reaches 175 to 190°F (79 to 88°C). If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil after about 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, and serve.
Expert Tips for Challah French Toast Casserole
- Stale challah bread is non-negotiable: Slice the loaf and let it sit on the counter uncovered for at least a few hours before assembly. Dry bread soaks up custard evenly without falling apart, which is why King Arthur Baking explains stale bread is the secret to good French toast. If you forgot, lay the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 300°F for 10 minutes to dry them out.
- Don’t worry if the custard doesn’t cover the bread. The bread is designed to soak from the bottom up while it sits in the fridge. The top layer staying drier is what gives you the crispy, golden top after baking. If you try to submerge the bread, you lose the texture contrast that makes this casserole work.
- Start checking at 40 minutes. The casserole is done when the top is puffed and deeply golden. If you have an instant-read thermometer, aim for 175 to 190°F in the center (160°F is the USDA safety minimum for egg dishes, but 175°F+ is where the custard is fully set with no wet middle).
- Rest 15 minutes before slicing. Pull it out of the oven and walk away. The custard finishes setting as it cools. Cut too soon and you’ll get a wet, scrambled-looking middle instead of clean custardy slices.
Storage
Refrigerator
Leftovers keep for 3 days in an airtight container. The custard tightens up in the fridge, so the casserole gets denser. That’s normal, not ruined.
Reheating
Individual portions go in the oven at 325°F for 10 minutes, covered loosely with foil. The microwave works in a pinch, but the bread goes rubbery.
Make-Ahead and Freezing
This casserole holds in the fridge unbaked for up to 24 hours per the USDA’s safe egg handling guidelines for raw egg dishes. It also freezes unbaked for up to 2 months and freezes baked leftovers for up to 3 months. See the recipe card below for step-by-step instructions on make-ahead, freezing, halving, and doubling.
What to Serve With Challah French Toast Casserole
This dish is perfect for any special occasion: Thanksgiving brunch, Easter, Mother’s or Father’s Day, Christmas morning, New Year’s Day, or just a leisurely Sunday. Because it’s rich and sweet, the rest of the menu should bring salt, protein, and acid to balance it out.
For the savory side of the table, my crustless ham and cheese quiche with leeks pairs perfectly (same oven temperature, holds its own). Bacon, breakfast sausage, or basic scrambled eggs also work if you want something easier.
For something fresh, a colorful fruit salad cuts through the richness. Berries, sliced melon, or a citrus salad with mint all work. The acid resets your palate between bites. To dress it up, top a bowl of yogurt and fresh fruit with my maple pecan cinnamon granola for crunch.
For drinks, a cold brew, fresh-squeezed orange juice, or a sparkling cider mimosa bar (sparkling apple cider with orange juice and a splash of pomegranate or peach puree) gives you the same Sunday brunch energy.
If you’re plotting the full meal, the Mother’s Day brunch menu I mentioned above maps the whole spread, including timing.
FAQ’s about Challah French Toast Casserole
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Challah French Toast Casserole
Challah French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Dish (3.5 to 4 quart capacity)
- Large Mixing Bowl with Pour Spout
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup packed (165 grams) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
- 1 1-1.5 lb challah bread loaf, cut crosswise into 1-inch then each slice cut in half (about 18 pieces total)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup for serving.
Instructions
- Generously butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish (or any 3.5–4-quart) or spray with nonstick spray.
- Whisk brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of brown sugar mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Place 6 bread pieces in an even layer in the bottom of the dish. Brush bread with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar mixture.
- Place 6 bread pieces in a single layer over the first layer. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, then sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar mixture.
- Place remaining 6 bread ppie over previous layer and brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Pour milk mixture over bread. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. (Or bake immediately if you don't have time to soak.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove the pan from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before baking to take the chill off. Sprinkle the top of the bread with the remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar mixture.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 45 to 50 minutes until slightly puffed, golden brown, and bubbling around the edges. The custard is fully set when the center reaches 175 to 190°F (79 to 88°C). If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil after about 45 minutes.
- Transfer the casserole to a wire rack and let it cool for 15 minutes. Casserole deflates slightly as it cools.
- Serve warm with powdered sugar, a drizzle of maple syrup, and fresh berries if desired.
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This had absolutely delicious flavor. I followed this meticulously, but it seemed that the custard did not reach the top layer of bread. I worried that it didn’t seem to puff up that high don’t know what to do – would like to make again.
Hi Debra! I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor! About the custard not reaching the top layer – that’s actually intentional with this recipe. As mentioned in step 8 in the blog post, “the bread will not be fully submerged in the milk mixture,” which creates that nice contrast between the custard-soaked bottom and the slightly crisp top. – I will add this point to the recipe card so it is clearer.
As for the puffing, the recipe is designed to be just “slightly puffed” as mentioned in the description, so it sounds like yours turned out as expected! French toast casseroles typically don’t rise dramatically like a soufflé would. It also tends to puff slightly during baking and then goes back down rather quickly due to the weight of the bread.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for your feedback!