Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole
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If you want French Toast without all the mess, this recipe is for you! Cubes of Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread covered in a sweet custard mixture on top of a caramel-like base, and then baked to perfection. It’s a simple and easy, indulgent breakfast.

This is the perfect recipe to enjoy on Christmas morning or a brunch celebration. While I love classic holiday breakfast items like Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls, sometimes you want something decadent without spending too much time in the kitchen, and this is the perfect recipe for that! You can prep it ahead of time, and then when you are ready to eat, just pop it in the oven, and you will have the most delicious French Toast casserole without all the work of traditional french toast! And, if you are looking for a savory option, try my Sourdough Breakfast Casserole which has the same cooking method, but is filled with hearty sausage and veggies.

Reasons you will love this recipe
- This recipe is a great way to use up stale bread because the custard mixture will soak into the bread and soften it.
- The casserole can be made ahead of time and then baked the morning of, freeing up your morning to enjoy with your family, especially if it is Christmas!
- This Sourdough Bread French Toast Recipe can easily feed a crowd with minimal effort.
- This recipe uses homemade sourdough bread, but if you do not have a sourdough starter, you can make this recipe with store-bought or yeast bread as well. If you are getting it from the store, the best bread to use for this recipe would be something like french bread or brioche.

Recommended tools to make this recipe
9×9 baking dish – This is the perfect sized dish to bake the Sourdough Bread French Toast Recipe.
Bread knife – A good bread knife makes all the difference when you are slicing up so much bread. This is my favorite knife that I love to use for all of my bread slicing needs.
Kitchen scale or Measuring cups and spoons – The recipe has both grams and cups, so you can use either method for measuring your ingredients.

Recipe to make homemade sourdough bread
If you want just a plain sourdough bread recipe, I have two tried and true sourdough bread recipes that I go to time after time. The recipe I use just depends on my time frame and how long I want the bread to ferment. For an easy recipe with a very forgiving timeline, try my Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe For Beginners. Or, for a quicker loaf that you can make in just one day, try my Same Day Sourdough Bread Recipe.
For this Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole, I highly recommend using a Cinnamon Swirl Sourdough Bread. The cinnamon brings the french toast up a level that is just so delicious! You can do this by adding ½ cup sugar and 1T cinnamon to your dough after the first rise. Spread out the dough thinly and add the cinnamon sugar. Roll up the dough and then bake in a loaf pan. Or you could also add cinnamon chips to your dough.

Ingredients for Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole
- Sourdough Bread – I like to use a cinnamon swirl or cinnamon chip sourdough bread. This is a great way to use up old bread that is a little hard because the rest of the ingredients soften the bread.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt added to the casserole.
- Brown Sugar – Using brown sugar adds a richness that compliments the maple syrup.
- Maple Syrup – A classic ingredient for French toast, so it is a must-have! It is used in the custard mixture, and then you can serve some on the side in case people want an extra drizzle.
- Eggs – The eggs bind the casserole together and also creates the custard texture that is creamy and silky.
- Half and Half – Using half and half in the batter adds richness and creaminess that makes this recipe feel super decadent.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla compliments and helps bring out the other flavors in this recipe.
- Salt – Any type of salt works great. The salt balances out all of the sweet and rich flavors.

Instructions to make Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole recipe
The very first step is to make a loaf of sourdough bread. I like to use cinnamon sugar bread for an extra delicious flavor but you could go plain as well. You can do this by adding ½ cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon to your dough after the first rise. Spread out the dough thinly and add the cinnamon sugar. Roll up the dough and then bake in a loaf pan. Or you could also add cinnamon chips to your dough.
After the bread is baked, dice 1 loaf of bread (about 900-950 grams) into 1-inch cubes. I prefer to use day-old bread or bread that is a little stale because the bread will soak up the liquid really well in the egg custard mixture.
Add ½ cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium heat and mix just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture on the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan.

In a large bowl, add the 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cup half and half, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk together until combined.
Add the bread cubes to the egg batter and mix until the bread is moistened.

Then, dump the bread and egg mixture in the pan on top of the sugar mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge for 2+ hours. Ideally overnight. This allows the bread time to soak up all of the liquid.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the cover and bake the Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. It is ready when the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Remove from the oven and serve. Enjoy with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup or fresh berries if desired.

How to Store Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole
To store, add the leftover Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can add it back to a 350F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Or you can also simply add it to the microwave until it is warm.

More sourdough breakfast recipes

Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
Sugar mixture
- 114 grams butter ½ cup
- 220 grams brown sugar 1 cup
- 30 grams maple syrup 2 Tablespoons
Egg Mixture
- 6 large eggs 300 grams
- 360 grams half and half 1 ½ cups
- 5 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
Instructions
- The very first step is to make a loaf of sourdough bread. I like to do a cinnamon swirl loaf by adding ½ cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon to the dough. After the first rise, spread out the dough thinly and spread the cinnamon sugar on top. Roll up the dough and bake in a loaf pan. Or you could also add cinnamon chips to the dough.
- After the bread is baked, dice the loaf into 1-inch cubes. You can use day-old bread or bread that is a little stale because the bread will soak up the liquid in the egg custard mixture. 900-950 grams 1 large loaf sourdough bread (I prefer to make a cinnamon sugar loaf)
- Add ½ cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium heat and mix just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture on the bottom of a 9×9 inch pan. 114 grams butter, 220 grams brown sugar, 30 grams maple syrup
- In a large bowl, add the 6 eggs, 1 ½ cup half and half, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ tsp salt. Whisk together until combined. 6 large eggs, 360 grams half and half, 5 grams vanilla extract, 3 grams salt
- Add the bread cubes to the egg batter and mix until the bread is moistened.
- Then, dump the bread and egg mixture in the pan on top of the sugar mixture.
- Cover with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge for 2+ hours. Ideally overnight. This allows the bread time to soak up all of the liquid.
- In the morning, preheat the oven to 350℉. Remove the cover and bake the Sourdough Bread French Toast Casserole in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. It is ready when the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Remove from the oven and serve. Enjoy with a dusting of powdered sugar, drizzle of maple syrup or fresh berries if desired.