Go Back
–+ servings
Golden baked overnight brioche French toast casserole with rich vanilla custard center, crunchy cinnamon pecan streusel topping and warm maple syrup

Fluffy Brioche French Toast Casserole

This Fluffy Brioche French Toast Casserole turns golden, buttery brioche bread into an ultra-decadent holiday breakfast or weekend brunch bake. Soaked overnight in a silky vanilla bean cinnamon custard and crowned with a shatteringly crisp brown sugar butter pecan streusel, it bakes up soufflé-light on the inside with a crunchy caramelized crust—making morning entertaining completely effortless.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 generous squares
Calories: 440
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Brioche Base & Custard Soak
  • 1 large loaf 16 oz / 450g enriched brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (day-old preferred)
  • 8 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 cups 480ml whole milk
  • 1 cup 240ml heavy whipping cream (or half-and-half)
  • 1/3 cup 70g granulated sugar or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Crisp Cinnamon Pecan Streusel Crumb
  • 1/2 cup 100g packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup 65g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup 115g cold unsalted butter, cubed into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup 85g raw pecans, roughly chopped
Serving Accompaniments
  • Warm 100% pure amber maple syrup
  • Powdered confectioners sugar for dusting
  • Fresh seasonal berries blackberries, raspberries, strawberries

Method
 

Step-by-Step Cooking Walkthrough
  1. Grease a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish generously with softened butter. Arrange cubed brioche bread evenly throughout the prepared dish.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt until completely smooth and frothy.
  3. Slowly pour the custard mixture evenly over the brioche cubes. Gently press down on the bread cubes with a spatula to ensure every piece absorbs the rich liquid. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight (at least 6 hours, or up to 24 hours).
  4. In the morning, remove casserole from refrigerator and let rest on the counter for 20 minutes to take the chill off while preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  5. Prepare the streusel topping: in a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fingers until coarse pea-sized crumbs form. Stir in chopped pecans.
  6. Scatter the pecan streusel evenly across the top of the soaked casserole.
  7. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes until puffed, golden brown on top, and the center is set (a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean without wet egg custard).
  8. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into squares. Dust with powdered sugar, drizzle generously with warm maple syrup, and serve with fresh berries.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 440kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 11gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 680IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 2.4mg

Notes

Chef Secret: Use stale or lightly toasted brioche bread! Fresh bakery brioche can turn soggy when soaked in custard. Cubing the bread and letting it sit uncovered on a baking sheet for a few hours (or toasting in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes) ensures the bread absorbs the custard like a sponge without collapsing into mush.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!