Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (2024)

Posted by Ruth Soukup | Breakfast Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Our Most Popular Recipes | 28

Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (1)

Searching for an easy and delicious brunch or breakfast recipe? This Overnight French Toast is the perfect easy make ahead recipe, and is always a hit!

I’ve made a version of this amazingly decadent french toast recipe for so many different gatherings–and shared it with so many of my friends over the years–that I honestly can’t believe I haven’t posted it here until now. It is absolutely delicious yet super simple to make and practically fool-proof.

Best of all, it can be prepared the night before so that all you have to do is crumble on the streusel topping, pop it in the oven, and heat the syrup. It is my number one go-to recipe for any big breakfast or brunch, and we will for sure be adding this one to our Easter Brunch menu this year!

Overnight French Toast with Warm Maple Butter Syrup

Here is what you need:

Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (2)

Overnight French Toast

1 loaf day-old french bread, cut into 1/2″ slices
Cooking spray or softened butter
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half & half
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla
Streusel Topping
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp flour
3/4 cups chopped pecans (optional–my family doesn’t like it with nuts!)
Warm Maple Butter Syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup real maple syrup

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Step 1: Lay out the slices of bread to dry out for a few hours. Grease casserole dish with cooking spray or butter; arrange bread slices in layers in dish.

Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (4)

Step 2: Beat eggs with wire whisk; add in half & half, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, & vanilla. Whisk well until brown sugar is dissolved.

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Step 3: Pour egg mixture over bread slices so that all slices are moist and well coated. Cover the dish with saran wrap, making sure the saran wrap touches the wet slices. Push down on saran wrap to further soak bread slices. Place dish in refrigerator overnight.

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Step 4: The following morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the streusel topping by combining softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, & nuts. Sprinkle over french toast. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes until bread is puffy and top is golden brown.

Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (7)

Step 5: While french toast is baking, make the maple butter syrup by heating butter and syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and syrup is warm. Remove french toast from oven; drizzle serve over individual plates of french toast. Serve immediately.

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Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (9)

Print

Overnight French Toast with Warm Maple Butter Syrup

Quite possibly the perfect brunch recipe!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Overnight French Toast with Warm Maple Butter Syrup

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 9 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf day-old french bread cut into 1/2″ slices
  • Cooking spray or softened butter
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups half & half
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Streusel Topping
  • 6 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cups chopped pecans optional–my family doesn’t like it with nuts!
  • Warm Maple Butter Syrup
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup real maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Lay out the slices of bread to dry out for a few hours. Grease casserole dish with cooking spray or butter; arrange bread slices in layers in dish.

  2. Beat eggs with wire whisk; add in half & half, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, & vanilla. Whisk well until brown sugar is dissolved.

  3. Pour egg mixture over bread slices so that all slices are moist and well coated. Cover the dish with saran wrap, making sure the saran wrap touches the wet slices. Push down on saran wrap to further soak bread slices. Place dish in refrigerator overnight.

  4. The following morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the streusel topping by combining softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, & nuts. Sprinkle over french toast. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes until bread is puffy and top is golden brown.

  5. While french toast is baking, make the maple butter syrup by heating butter and syrup in a small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and syrup is warm.

  6. Remove french toast from oven; drizzle serve over individual plates of french toast. Serve immediately. Serves 6; for larger crowds, simply double the recipe!

Other breakfast recipes:

  • Easy Breakfast Nachos
  • Easy Breakfast Pizza
  • Easy Overnight Oatmeal

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Ruth Soukup

Founder at Living Well Spending Less

Ruth Soukup is dedicated to helping people everywhere create a life they love by follwing their dreams and achieving their biggest goals. She is the host of the wildly popular Do It Scared podcast, as well as the founder of Living Well Spending Less® and Elite Blog Academy®. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Do It Scared®: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Obstacles, and Create a Life You Love, which was the inspiration for this book. She lives in Florida with her husband Chuck, and 2 daughters Maggie & Annie.

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Overnight French Toast Recipe | Easy Make-Ahead French Toast (2024)

FAQs

Can you make French toast ahead of time and reheat? ›

Yes, you can reheat French toast with syrup, but it's better to add the syrup after reheating to prevent sogginess.

Can you leave French toast soaking overnight? ›

One of the great things about this overnight French toast recipe is its simplicity. The bread slices are layered in a casserole dish, covered in an egg mixture, and left to soak overnight, making it a hassle-free option for a morning feast!

Is overnight French toast soggy? ›

It could be because of the bread you used. If the bread you start with is too soft (such as white sandwich bread), it won't absorb all of the wonderful custard that it should, and it might end up soggy. If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some.

Can you make French toast and save for later? ›

Just go ahead and make more French toast and keep it in the fridge. When you're ready to eat it heated up in the toaster. Works great.

How do you store French toast overnight? ›

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours.

How do you reheat French toast overnight? ›

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a wire rack on top of a baking or cookie sheet. Lay the French toast slices on the wire rack, ensuring none are touching. Heat the French toast for roughly 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through just as if using a baking sheet and foil.

How long is too long to soak French toast? ›

Ideally it's best if you can soak the bread in the french toast batter overnight however, if this cannot be done I suggest leaving it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. As we want that custard like middle, cut very thick slices of bread.

What happens if you soak French toast too long? ›

The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.

Can you make toast a day ahead? ›

Broil for about 1 1/2 minutes on the buttered side, or until golden brown. Flip and brown the other side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Can you use week old bread for French toast? ›

Notes On Ingredients

You also want your bread to be slightly dried out, as this allows more egg custard can be absorbed, so it is best to use day-old bread if you have it. Half and Half: Half and half is perfect for creating a rich, creamy French toast.

Can you make toast ahead of time? ›

So try to not make your toast too far in advance of when you want to eat it. What is this? When you're ready to serve your toast, use a toast rack instead of putting it on to a plate. The side of the toast touching the plate will 'sweat', producing moisture that will soften the bread.

How long does cooked French toast last in fridge? ›

Storage Tips

Baked French toast will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To Reheat. Pop your French toast in the microwave to reheat it quickly, or place it in a 350 degree F oven to restore the crispiness of the top and edges. To Freeze.

How long does homemade French toast last in fridge? ›

In the Refrigerator: Store your leftovers (or make this ahead of time) and place your cooked French toast in a ziplock bag or airtight container. These will last in the refrigerator for about 5 to 7 days. In the Freezer: Cook your French toast, then let it cool completely.

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