If you want to impress your weekend guests and take it easy in the morning, make this incredible overnight Creme Brulee French toast casserole the night (or two!) before! This incredible overnight Creme Brulee French Toast casserole is an easy make-ahead breakfast dish that almost tastes like dessert but serves like a brunch bake.
It is crispy on top, tender in the middle, and loaded with the caramel flavor of classic Creme Brulee. There is not a smidge of soggy bread in this casserole! Serve it with fresh fruit and whipped cream for an extraordinary brunch dish!
Creme Brulee is one of my favorite desserts. It's a rich custard made with eggs, cream, and sugar. It’s usually baked in an individual serving dish or ramekin. Once it’s baked, sugar is sprinkled on top and torched, forming a crispy, caramelized crust—my favorite part!
One of the most fun parts about eating Creme Brulee is cracking the top of the crust with your spoon and then plunging it in to eat the yummy custard. The dessert version of crème brûlée is a little fiddly and takes some time to temper the eggs for the custard, bake them properly, and torch them correctly.
Great news!! THIS OVERNIGHT FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE IS EASY TO MAKE AND TASTES AMAZING! Oh, sorry. Was I shouting? Yes, I was; this Creme Brulee overnight French toast is one of the easiest and most delicious brunch dishes I have ever eaten!
My husband and I may be “retired,” but that simply means we finally get to spend more time doing the things we love at home. He tinkers, builds, and hunts for treasures, and I cook, write, and share recipes from my kitchen.
When Papa spotted this unusual vintage 13” x 9” Pyrex dish at a garage sale, he brought it home knowing I’d find the perfect use for it. And he was right — it’s now my favorite pan for making this overnight Creme Brulee French Toast casserole. The caramelized edges bake up beautifully against the glass, and it makes me smile every time I pull it from the oven.
I love Pyrex for baking because the food bakes beautifully, looks handsome, and clean-up is a breeze! You can buy new Pyrex baking dishes today, and I suggest trying them!
The backdrop in these photos was another of his creations, pieced together from scraps of old shutters and wood. It’s colorful, rustic, and just quirky enough to remind me of the joy in simple, homemade things — much like this make-ahead brunch casserole itself.
The recipe begins with a smooth caramel layer made in a saucepan with butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. When it’s ready (it takes about three or four minutes), pour it into the greased baking dish.
Remove the crusts from day-old bread and cut the bread into cubes about an inch in size. I used three-day-old Texas toast. You can use French bread or any other firm bread, but it must not be fresh. It needs to dry out a bit to soak up the custard. I cut mine into cubes and let it sit on the counter while I prepared the other parts of the recipe.
The original recipe called for a nine-inch loaf of bread, but it didn't provide a specific measurement in cups, so I added the bread cubes to the baking dish as I determined the amount to use. I used about 15 pieces of Texas toast, but brioche, challah, Italian bread, or any other type of firm white bread will work.
Of course, I had to dump the bread cubes out because the caramel layer goes on the bottom! 🤣
Next, whisk up the custard layer with half-and-half, eggs, and vanilla. When it’s all well combined and frothy, pour it over the whole casserole.
Cover the baking dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate the bread cubes for at least eight hours to soak up all the goodness from the caramel and the custard. My overnight French toast sat in the fridge for two days before I baked it.
Once the casserole has been refrigerated overnight, bake it on the center rack of a 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If it begins to brown too quickly, cover it lightly with foil until it is done.
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you know I am a sucker for garnishes and what they do to enhance the visual appeal of a dish. I sprinkled the top of my Creme Brule French toast with a bit of coarse sanding sugar and sliced almonds for crunch. It’s unnecessary, but it’s a Betty thing; I can’t help it, and I think it looks great!
Some fresh fruit and perfect bacon would round out this lovely brunch dish and make it a showstopping menu for overnight guests! If you are planning a holiday weekend, here are some other recipes that would work well for you. Party Chicken Wrapped in Bacon, Cheese Potato Casserole, Marinated Vegetable Salad, and Fabulous Fried Apples!
Here is an easy and delicious brunch dish you can make ahead and bake in the morning. It has a tender center and a crunchy top infused with caramel flavor.
*The original recipe called for a nine-inch loaf of bread without an actual measurement in cups, so I put the bread cubes in the baking dish as I figured out how much to use. I used about 15 pieces of Texas toast, but brioche, Italian bread, or any other type of firm white bread will work.
💛 Every recipe I share here is made in my very own kitchen. I’m a directions-reader by nature, so you’ll always find clear, step-by-step instructions tested and written to work the first time you try them. Because making a meal shouldn’t be stressful — it should feel like you have a friend there with you.
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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