Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Name: Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole with Pecan Streusel
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 oz (450 g) brioche or challah loaf, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes, crusts left on (about 12 cups); 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the dish; 8 large (400 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, cold; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold; ½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup; ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine salt; 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; ½ cup (60 g) pecans, coarsely chopped (optional); ½ cup (120 ml) warm maple syrup, warmed, for passing at the table (optional); 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Cubes of toasted brioche soak overnight in a maple-cinnamon custard, then bake under a buttery brown sugar and pecan streusel. It has a custardy center, crisp edges and a crunchy top, and all the work is done the night before.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Wait: 8 hr 55 min
Total: 10 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 (9×13-inch) casserole, 8 generous servings

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the casserole
16 oz (450 g) brioche or challah loaf, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes, crusts left on (about 12 cups)
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the dish
For the custard
8 large (400 g) large eggs, at room temperature
2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, cold
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold
½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
For the streusel
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
½ cup (60 g) pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
To serve
½ cup (120 ml) warm maple syrup, warmed, for passing at the table (optional)
1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
2 large rimmed baking sheets
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4-liter)
Whisk
Medium bowl for the streusel
Aluminum foil
Instant-read thermometer
Serrated knife

Steps

Before you start

Plan on 8 to 16 hours of chilling. Assemble the casserole the evening before and bake it the next morning.
Use a sturdy, enriched bread such as brioche or challah. Plain sandwich bread turns mushy. Day-old bread is fine and will dry faster.
Take the casserole out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking so the center heats evenly and cooks through.
Use a dish at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep. The cubes puff up as they bake.

1
Toast the breadOven 300°F / 150°C
- Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Cut the brioche into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and spread them in a single layer over two rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 minutes, switching the sheets between racks halfway, until the cubes feel dry and firm on the outside but are still pale.
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Ready when: Cubes feel dry and crisp on the outside with only the faintest golden color; they should not be browned
Tip: Don't skip this on fresh bread. Dried cubes soak up the custard evenly instead of collapsing.
2
Cool and prep dish
- Let the cubes cool on the pans for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, rub the softened butter over the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.
- Tip the cooled cubes into the dish and spread them evenly.
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Ready when: Cubes are cool to the touch
3
Whisk the custard
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until no streaks of white remain, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the milk, cream, maple syrup, ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Keep whisking for about 1 minute, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks uniform and slightly frothy.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg and no grains of sugar remain
Tip: Use room-temperature eggs so they blend smoothly with the cold dairy.
4
Pour and press
- Pour the custard slowly and evenly over the bread cubes.
- Press the cubes down with a spatula so every piece is moistened, then let the dish sit for 5 minutes and press again.
- Most of the liquid should be absorbed, with a little pooling at the bottom.
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Ready when: No dry cubes remain on top and the bread looks glossy and evenly wet
Tip: If a few cubes still look dry after the second press, spoon some of the pooled custard over them.
5
Make the streusel
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, pressing and pinching, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized clumps.
- Stir in the pecans, if using.
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Ready when: Mixture holds together when squeezed and looks like coarse, clumpy crumbs
Tip: Work quickly so the butter stays cold. Warm butter makes a greasy, flat topping.
6
Chill overnight
- Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil.
- Cover the streusel in its bowl separately.
- Refrigerate both for at least 8 hours and up to 16 hours.
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Ready when: Bread is fully saturated and swollen, with no pool of liquid on the surface
Tip: Keep the streusel separate until baking so it stays crisp.
7
Rest and preheatOven 350°F / 175°C
- Take the casserole and streusel out of the refrigerator and let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes.
- About 15 minutes into this, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center.
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Ready when: Oven is at 350°F (175°C) and the dish is no longer ice cold
Tip: A cold dish straight from the fridge can leave the center underbaked when the top is done.
8
Bake coveredOven 350°F / 175°C
- Cover the dish with foil and set it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes.
- The casserole will puff slightly and the custard will start to set around the edges.
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Ready when: Edges look puffed and set; the center still jiggles when the dish is nudged
9
Add topping, bake uncoveredOven 350°F / 175°C
- Remove the foil and scatter the streusel evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes more.
- The topping should be deep golden and crisp, and the center should be firm to a light touch.
- An instant-read thermometer in the center should read 160°F (71°C).
- If the topping browns too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil.
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Ready when: Streusel is deep golden brown and the center registers 160°F (71°C) and doesn't look wet when a knife is inserted
Tip: Check at 25 minutes. Pecans can scorch if left too long.
10
Rest and serve
- Let the casserole rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes so the custard firms up for clean squares.
- Dust with powdered sugar, if using, cut into 8 portions and serve with warm maple syrup.
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Ready when: Squares hold their shape when cut
Tip: Warm the serving syrup for about 20 seconds in the microwave.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the 30-minute counter rest. A cold center is the most common reason the middle is wet while the top is done.
Use a thermometer rather than the clock. The center is done at 160°F (71°C), and ovens vary.
Add fruit if you like: scatter 1½ cups (about 190 g) of fresh blueberries or diced apple over the bread before pouring on the custard.
Cut the bread cubes the same size so they soak and bake evenly.

Make ahead

"Assemble the soaked casserole and the streusel up to 16 hours ahead and refrigerate them separately, covered, as written. You can also toast the bread cubes up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Refrigerator: cover and store leftovers up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap individual squares tightly and freeze up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat squares in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, until hot in the center."

Substitutions

brioche or challah loaf → Challah, French bread or thick-sliced Texas toast. Use the same weight. Leaner breads like French bread soak up more custard, so give them the full 8 hours.
whole milk → Half-and-half plus water, or 2% milk. Whole milk gives the richest result; 2% works but is slightly less creamy. Use the same total volume.
pecans → Walnuts, sliced almonds or rolled oats. Use the same amount. Oats make a nut-free topping.
pure maple syrup → Honey. Honey is sweeter and browns faster, so watch the top near the end of baking.