Sandra This Paula Deen Overnight French Toast Casserole is a gooey and rich recipe, which is made with crusty sourdough bread and a brown sugar streusel. It’s the perfect holiday breakfast, ready in about an hour, plus soaking time.
Paula Deen Overnight French Toast Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- Butter, for greasing and serving
- 1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
For the Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
For Serving:
- Warm syrup
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
How To Make Paula Deen Overnight French Toast
- Prep the Casserole: Generously grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with butter. Tear or cut the bread into chunks and distribute it evenly in the pan.
- Make the Custard: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Then, whisk in the milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until everything is well combined. Pour this custard mixture evenly over the bread chunks.
- Soak Overnight: Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the bread to soak up all the rich custard.
- Make the Streusel Topping: In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the pieces of cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine pebbles. Store the topping in a plastic bag in the fridge.
- Bake the Casserole: When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the prepared streusel topping evenly over the top.
- Serve: Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread-pudding-like texture, or for 1 hour or more for a firmer, crisper casserole. Scoop out individual portions and serve warm with a pat of butter, a drizzle of warm syrup, and a sprinkle of fresh blueberries.
Recipe Tips
- What’s the best bread to use? A sturdy, crusty bread like sourdough or French bread is essential. Its firm texture can soak up the custard overnight without turning into complete mush, which would happen with a soft sandwich bread. Using day-old, slightly stale bread is even better.
- Why soak it overnight? The overnight soak is the most important step for the best texture. It gives the stale bread time to fully absorb the egg and cream custard, ensuring the inside of the casserole is moist and rich, not dry.
- How do I get a crunchy streusel topping? The key is to use very cold butter, straight from the fridge. Cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until it’s crumbly. Keeping the topping cold in the fridge until you’re ready to bake helps it stay crumbly and not melt into the casserole.
- Can I bake it right away? Yes. As the recipe notes, if you’re short on time, you can bake it immediately after assembling. The texture will be slightly different, but still delicious!
What To Serve With Overnight French Toast Casserole
This is a rich and decadent breakfast or brunch dish that stands well on its own. It’s perfectly complemented by the suggested toppings of butter, syrup, and fresh berries. For a larger brunch spread, serve it alongside savory items like:
- Crispy bacon or breakfast sausage links
- A simple fruit salad
- A side of scrambled eggs
How To Store Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Refrigerate: Cover leftovers tightly with foil or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual slices in the microwave, or place the entire casserole, covered with foil, in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through.
Overnight French Toast Casserole Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/12th of casserole
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Protein: 15g
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Sugar: 50g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes. A rich, eggy bread like challah or brioche would also be a fantastic choice for this casserole, resulting in an even more decadent dish.
This can happen if you use a bread that is too soft and fresh, which can dissolve in the custard. Using a sturdy, stale, crusty bread is the best way to prevent this.
Yes. You can fully assemble the casserole and prepare the topping the night before. Store them separately in the refrigerator. In the morning, just sprinkle the topping on the casserole and pop it in the oven.
Try More Recipes:
- Paula Deen Baked French Toast Recipe
- Paula Deen French Toast Casserole Recipe
- Paula Deen Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake Recipe
Paula Deen Overnight French Toast Casserole Recipe
Description
The perfect make-ahead breakfast casserole, featuring cubes of crusty bread soaked overnight in a sweet, rich custard and baked with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar streusel topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Fill it with cubed or torn bread pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugars, and vanilla to create the custard.
- Pour the custard evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In a separate bowl, make the topping by cutting the cold butter into the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until it resembles pebbles. Refrigerate.
- In the morning, preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the casserole.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, until golden and set.
- Serve warm with butter, syrup, and blueberries.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to let the bread soak overnight; this creates the perfect custardy texture.
- Using a sturdy, day-old crusty bread like sourdough or French bread is essential to prevent a soggy casserole.
- For the best crumbly streusel, use very cold butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips.
- This dish is a perfect, stress-free option for a holiday morning since all the prep work is done the night before.
