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How to make a deliciously easy French toast casserole, a make ahead recipe that’s perfect for a crowd and makes a quick breakfast on busy mornings.
Sometimes on weekends, and especially on holidays and birthdays, we’ll make blueberry buttermilk pancakes or our favorite recipe for cinnamon French toast.
A French toast casserole is a win win for those special times when we don’t necessarily feel like going to all the work of making actual French toast.
Ingredients
Casserole:
20 ounces sandwich bread*, cubed
1 cup pecans, chopped
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup maple syrup*
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Topping:
4 tablespoons salted butter, sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Grease a 9″x13″ baking dish.
Cube the bread into small 1-inch cubes, and layer with the pecans in your baking dish.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, real maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and pecans in the baking dish.
Cover and chill for a good 4 to 6 hours or overnight.*
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, remove it from the fridge, and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
Meanwhile, using a pastry blender, mix the sliced butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small mixing bowl.
Crumble or clump the topping over the entire casserole.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for about 25 to 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake it for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Once it’s thoroughly cooked through, remove it from the oven and let it cool for just a few minutes.
Then slice and serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.