Brioche French Toast Casserole with Pecans
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This overnight brioche French toast casserole is the ultimate brunch for a crowd! With sticky pecans, fluffy brioche bread, and warm spices, it’s a huge crowd-pleaser for brunch parties or the holidays. As a bonus, this casserole is super simple and make-ahead. Just mix it up and bake it in the morning while you sip your coffee!
French toast casserole always screams “Christmas” or “Easter” or “hangover brunch with friends thanking pre-party Sara for thinking ahead”. You know, celebration stuff.
Basically, no matter what event we’re hosting, baked French toast always seems to make an appearance at my family’s get-togethers. So this year, I decided to make my own version to serve with pesto veggie breakfast casserole and this crumbly brown butter banana coffee cake.
Back when I was in pastry school, we used to make loaves upon loaves of brioche. Like, more brioche than anyone could ever eat. So after a while, we got creative with using leftovers and French toast was my fave! Brioche is a type of French bread that’s made with enriched dough, a.k.a. a dough made with eggs, sugar, and butter. The crumb is super rich, tender, and fluffy – amazing for that custardy texture.
And, because you know I love a sticky bun situation, I added some caramelized nuts for crunch and good measure. This casserole is decadent, rich, cozy, and perfect with a cup of coffee. (And maybe an Ibuprofen. 😅)
Grab a loaf of brioche
You can use either store-bought or homemade brioche in this recipe. Find it in the bakery or bread aisle of the grocery store. If you can’t find brioche, Challah, sourdough, or another soft white bread will do.
For the custard and topping, get some pecans, unsalted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, Morton’s Kosher salt, eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, bourbon, cinnamon, and cardamom. the bourbon is optional but so good! You can also use rum or orange liqueur.
For French toast that’s custardy (but not soggy), make sure you’re using stale bread. Just slice the bread and let it dry out for a day or so before making the casserole.
Sticky pecans
Make the casserole
To keep the French toast from coming out soggy, make sure to bake it long enough! The custard should be set but still have a bit of a ‘wobble’ to it. An inserted knife should also come out clean (without any liquid-y custard on it). If the casserole is under-baked, it could end up soggy. If it’s baked for too long, it will be dense.
Store & reheat leftovers
Place leftover slices of French toast in an airtight container or cover the pan with foil. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat the French toast, you can have a couple of options.
- Microwave – for small amounts, microwave the slices for 1-1 1/2 minutes.
- Oven – if you’re reheating large amounts, cover the pan with foil. Bake the casserole at 350°F (177°C) until it’s hot, about 20-30 minutes.
How to make stale bread
You will definitely want to use stale bread or the French toast could end up soggy! You can either use old bread, or you can let it dry on a wire rack overnight. Or, to quickly dry out the bread in a few minutes:
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C).
- Place the slices of bread directly on the baking rack.
- Then, bake the bread for 20-30 minutes until it’s completely dry but not toasted.
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Brioche French Toast Casserole with Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of stale brioche bread (1 1/4 pounds/567 grams)
- 2 cups roughly chopped pecans (212 grams)
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter (100 grams)
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (105 grams)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving (114 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- Butter, powdered sugar, & berries, for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- First, grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Then, slice the brioche into thick, 3/4-1 inch slices. If the bread isn't stale, bake the slices directly on an oven rack at 200°F (93°C) for 20-30 minutes until the bread is very dry but not toasted.
- Next, heat a large skillet over medium. Add the pecans and toast them, stirring often, until they're golden and smell nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the toasted nuts into a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
- Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the butter, stirring frequently. At first it will simmer and foam up. Keep stirring for about 4-5 minutes until the butter smells caramelized and has brown bits on the bottom.
- Once the butter is browned, add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it until the caramel is thickened and the sugar is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Add the pecans and stir for another 1-2 minutes until the pecans are glazed. Spread half of the sticky pecans in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
- In a large shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, bourbon (if using), cinnamon, cardamom, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt until smooth.
- Soak the bread slices for 10-15 seconds per side until the bread is wet but not falling apart. Arrange the slices of bread in two rows, alternating them back and forth in a shingles pattern. Pour any remaining custard over the bread. Then, spoon the other half of the sticky pecans over the French toast.
- Cover the dish with a lid or tinfoil. Refrigerate the casserole for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- When you're ready to bake the French toast, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes until the edges are caramelized and the custard is set but just a bit wobbly. (If the French toast starts to get too browned, tent it with tinfoil.)
- Let the French toast casserole sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Then, slice and serve with butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, berries, or other toppings you like. Enjoy!
