French Toast Bake

I love French toast, but it's not ideal for serving a crowd. Enter: this French toast bake! Make it for the holidays, Mother's Day, or any weekend brunch.

french toast bake in a baking dish

This French toast bake was my solution to a pressing problem. When I make a big, decadent brunch, I want French toast to be on the menu. I mean, eggy bread that’s soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, and warmly spiced with cinnamon… what’s not to love? But here’s the thing: French toast is a perfect breakfast for two. When I make it, I enjoy flipping slice after slice until I have a stack that’s big enough to serve just me and Jack. When I’m serving a crowd, on the other hand, all that flipping starts to add up.

Enter: this French toast bake recipe. It still satisfies that gooey-in-the-middle, crisp-on-the-edges, cinnamon-y craving, but it cooks in the oven. No flipping required! Make it for the holidays, Mother’s Day, or anytime you need an easy, delicious breakfast for a group.

Sliced challah bread

Baked French Toast Recipe Ingredients

Just like classic French toast, this French toast bake comes together with a few basic ingredients:

  • Good bread – The better your bread, the better your French toast bake will be! I like to use thick slices of challah, but sourdough or brioche would work well too.
  • Eggs – A French toast essential! They add moisture and richness to this recipe.
  • Almond milk – I use almond milk because it’s what I keep on hand. If you prefer a different type of milk, feel free to swap it in. Cow’s milk, soy milk, or my homemade oat milk would all be great choices.
  • Brown sugar – For sweetness. You’ll whisk some into the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle more on top of the French toast bake.
  • Cinnamon – It adds warm, cozy flavor to this recipe. Like the brown sugar, you’ll use it in both the egg mixture and the topping.
  • And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Egg and milk mixture in a bowl with whisk

How to Make This French Toast Bake

This baked French toast recipe is super easy to make! Here’s how it goes:

  • First, make the egg mixture. Combine the eggs, almond milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth.
  • Next, dip in the bread. Make sure the bread slices are well-coated in the egg mixture. As you dip them, place them one-by-one in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
  • Then, add the topping. Generously sprinkle the tops of the slices with more brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • You’re ready to bake! Transfer the baking dish to a 350° oven, and bake until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown and crisp.

Enjoy!

cinnamon french toast bake

Cinnamon French Toast Bake Serving Suggestions

I love to top this baked French toast casserole with pomegranates and toasted almonds, but feel free to get creative here. Enjoy it plain, with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with whatever fruit you like. Blueberries, raspberries, or the stewed apples from this apple crumble recipe would be absolutely delicious! Of course, drizzle on some maple syrup before you eat.

This recipe makes a hearty breakfast on its own. However, if you’re craving a larger brunch, feel free to pair it with something more. It’s excellent with fruit salad, sunny side up eggs, a veggie frittata, or my healthy breakfast casserole. Don’t forget the mimosas to drink!

french toast bake

More Sweet Brunch Recipes

If you love this baked French toast recipe, try one of these brunch treats next:

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French Toast Bake

rate this recipe:
4.95 from 19 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
This cinnamon french toast bake is perfect for a serving a crowd! Make it for the holidays, Mother's Day, or any weekend brunch.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup almond milk, or any milk
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 10 to 12 1-inch slices challah bread, about 1 loaf, cut on a slight diagonal
  • Non-stick spray or olive oil

For the topping:

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ heaping teaspoon cinnamon

For serving:

  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils, or desired fruit
  • Maple syrup, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray or olive oil.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and sea salt.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
  • Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture and overlap them, slightly tilted, in the baking dish. If one side of your loaf is higher than the other, alternate the slices as you place them in the dish so the tops are vertically equal. This will help them bake and brown more evenly. Sprinkle with the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown and crisp.
  • Top with the toasted almonds and fruit and serve with maple syrup, if desired.

 

41 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. J
    02.21.2023

    4 stars
    Hi! We tried this tonight and it was delicious! Do you have a tip for keeping the bread from sticking together? Thank you!!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Hi, so glad you enjoyed it!! With this method, the bread does stick together. For separate slices, I’d make this stovetop French toast recipe instead.

  2. Lynn
    02.11.2023

    For making in advance , should I bake and reheat or do everything up until baking? Thx formfeedback.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.16.2023

      Hi Lynn, we haven’t tested making this recipe ahead, so I can’t guarantee the results, but I’d recommend assembling the dish ahead of time and baking it just before serving. If you’re looking for a tested make-ahead recipe, I recommend this French toast casserole instead!

  3. Rob K
    07.23.2022

    5 stars
    This is ridiculously easy and obscenely delicious. I had house guests earlier this month and made this for them one morning – the three of us ate pretty much the whole thing (along with some bacon and mimosas). Really fantastic; thanks for posting this!

  4. Belinda
    06.07.2022

    Hi can I prepare this dish ahead of time?
    Thanks

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.11.2022

      Hi Belinda, yes, I would make it the night before and keep it in the fridge.

  5. Carolyn
    05.06.2022

    It’s not stated in the instructions for this recipe, but is this dish meant to be served in broken up pieces or slices?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.07.2022

      Hi Carolyn, the bread is sliced into 1-inch slices.

      • Carolyn
        05.08.2022

        Jeanine, yes, I know it’s sliced into 1″ slices which go into the baking dish. My question is: Is this dish meant to be SERVED in slices or broken up pieces?

        • Jeanine Donofrio
          05.09.2022

          It’s served in slices for the most part, if they stick together or fall apart while scooping, that’s ok too.

          • Carolyn
            05.09.2022

            Thanks, Jeanine! That clarifies it for me.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.