Make Ahead Freezer French Toast Casserole

Freezer French Toast Casserole is hands down the best way to enjoy a delicious breakfast without all the work! It’s sweet, flavorful, and tastes perfect topped with fresh fruit, syrup, or powdered sugar. Make it as an easy breakfast idea, or serve it for dinner! This recipe can be made immediately, or prepped ahead of time to freeze.

Growing up, breakfast really wasn’t my family’s thing. What we did do, though, is breakfast for dinner! I used my mom’s French toast recipe and turned it into a freezer friendly version that’s perfect for morning or evening meals.

Since you can make it ahead of time, this is also great for serving to guests that are staying with you. That way you can all sit and enjoy! 

Or serve it as a delicious Christmas morning brunch. Mmm…

What I really love about this recipe is how sweet and flavorful it comes out. There’s plenty of sugar, and the oats give the French toast a little extra je ne sais quoi. 

To stay ready for easy weekday breakfasts (and dinners), Sunday brunch, or special occasions I like to keep a couple bags of this make ahead French toast casserole in my freezer. 

Can you freeze French toast casserole?

Absolutely! French toast casserole is perfect for making ahead and freezing for another day. When freezing French toast casserole, make sure that you store it in a sealed container or bag to make sure it stays fresh. Frozen French toast casserole can be stored in the freezer for three to six months.

Only a Few Ingredients Needed

All you need to make this is 6 slices or Texas Toast bread (or any thick sliced day old bread), ¾ cup of milk, 6 ounces of evaporated milk (½ of a can), 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of each cinnamon and vanilla extract, ¼ cup for butter, ½ cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of each maple syrup and and evaporated milk, and ½ cup of oats.

How to Make Fresh French Toast Casserole – Step by Step

1. First, preheat your oven. Then grease your pan. For this recipe I used an 8×8 inch baking sized pan (2 qt baking dish) but if you want to double it you can use a 9×13 pan.
2. Next, chop your bread (or pull it into pieces) and place into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, add the milk, evaporated milk, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Mix them well together with a whisk.
4. Pour the liquid mixture over top of your bread and carefully mix until the bread pieces are thoroughly covered and soaked.
5. Pour the soaked bread pieces into the greased pan.
6. Make up your topping. And spoon it all over the top of the bread.
7. Bake uncovered until it’s all golden and bubbly and smelling up your house with the amazing aroma of breakfast casserole.

Freeze breakfast casserole before or after baking?

I like to freeze my casserole unbaked. If you bake first, the French toast casserole will still freeze well, but won’t bake up nicely. The end result is a little bit drier than you’re going to want to serve to your family or guests.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• For best results, use crusty or partially dried out day old bread. 1 to 2 days old works best. If you use soft, fresh bread the center of your French toast casserole will be more soggy in the middle.
• To dry out soft bread, let it sit out of the packaging exposed to air for several hours. Another option is to cut the bread up into cubes and toast it in the oven. Preheat on low (200 degrees) and bake for about 10 minutes.
• The egg mixture actually soaks in great as well when refrigerated overnight. You can do either – bake it right away or make it ahead and stick it in the fridge to bake the next day. Both work great.
• Serve topped with fresh sliced fruit, cool whip or whipped cream, syrup, or powdered sugar. 
• Want some extra flavor? Try adding: a small apple (diced), orange zest, diced pineapple, diced peaches, blueberries, chopped pecans, or almonds.

Why is my French toast bake soggy?

No one likes soggy bread! French toast casserole is one of those recipes that has a lot of variables. Maybe your eggs are a bit bigger, your bread was too fresh, or if you’ve made it ahead of time, it hasn’t fully thawed. 

There’s an easy way to fix soggy French toast, though. Just increase your baking time until the casserole has reached your desired level of doneness.

Love French Toast? More Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole Recipes to Freeze:

I love French toast! It’s seriously one of the best freezable breakfast casserole recipes ideas – I swear I could eat it every day! If you love French toast as much as my family does, you’ve got to try these freezer friendly recipes. First, this Maple Glazed French Toast Casserole is rich and delicious. For the kids, I love these Freezer French Toast Sticks.

If you’d like a more unique French toast casserole, try these Vanilla Orange Custard Freezer French Toast and Coconut French Toast Recipe recipes. Finally, this Make Ahead Egg Nog French Toast is a must for the holidays. 

Did you enjoy this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out in your kitchen! Tag me in your photos on Instagram @happymoneysaver and use the hashtag #happymoneysaver!

This post was published on February 9th, 2017 and was updated with clearer instructions, tips and pictures on December 10th, 2020.