Brioche French Toast Casserole with Pecans
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!
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 9x13 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!
Notes
Stale bread is the key to good French toast! Bread that is dried out will soak up more custard without falling apart.
The bread is fully soaked when it feels wet but not soggy. Make sure you coat both sides of the bread with custard!
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.
If you're throwing a brunch party, set up a French toast bar! Add bowls of fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are my favorite!), scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, whipped cream, maple syrup, and other toppings you like. Then, everyone can customize their own French toast!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 444kcal, Carbohydrates: 21.6g, Protein: 9.2g, Fat: 36.6g, Saturated Fat: 9.7g, Cholesterol: 168mg, Sodium: 215mg, Potassium: 221mg, Fiber: 2.9g, Sugar: 11.1g, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 2mg
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