Chocolate French Toast Casserole
Chocolate French Toast Casserole is the BEST brunch dish. Crusty bread gets soaked in an egg custard and then topped with a delicious crumble plus chocolate chips. Prep this the night before and then brunch is a breeze the next day!
Make-Ahead French Toast
I’m a big fan of make ahead meals. When company comes to visit, I like to have easy dishes to throw in the oven. I love to cook and be in my kitchen, but I also hate missing out on down time with my guests or boys when we are just hanging out chatting.
Holidays are also a perfect time for prep dishes ahead of time. There is so much celebration and I love it – but it can be exhausting if you are the chef. I do believe that the best meals are the homemade ones, so with a little planning and imagination, we can all eat well and have time to relax too.
Making meals in advance is key to less stress. For others, try our Baked Blueberry French Toast Casserole or Cinnamon Apple French Toast Bake.
Why This Recipe Works:
- FEEDS A CROWD – This chocolate French toast easily feeds 12 people. That means you can enjoy your company instead of flipping individual pieces of French toast! Win/win.
- DELICIOUS FLAVOR – If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll love this warm gooey breakfast full of dark chocolate chips on top. How can you not?
- PREP AHEAD – We love making French toast casserole the day before and adding the topping right before baking. Everything can easily be stored in the refrigerator and then viola, breakfast is served!
What You’ll Need:
For the bread layer:
- Bread – I used my Chewy French Bread for this casserole. You could use anything you like, but it’s best to use a hearty, crustier bread that is a few days old.
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
For the Topping:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Kosher Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Dark Chocolate Chips (or any chocolate chips you prefer)
How to make Chocolate French Toast Casserole:
Step 1
Prep. Prep a 9×13 casserole dish with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking immediately).
Step 2
Cube bread. Slice some crusty bread into bite-sized cubes. We like to use our leftover Chewy French Bread. Add to casserole dish.
Step 3
Make custard. In an 8-cup measuring cup, combine the custard ingredients – the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Step 4
Add custard to bread. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and nestle as much bread underneath. Some of the bread won’t be completely covered and that is ok.
Step 5
Prep topping. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to combine until mixture is crumbled. Sprinkle topping over the top of the bread layer. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over top the crumble.
NOTE: If making this recipe the night before, wait to add the topping until right before baking.
Step 6
Bake. In a preheated 350-degree oven, bake casserole uncovered for 38-40 minutes, or until done to your liking.
Step 7
Serve. Serve French Toast Bake with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of butter, and some warm syrup. This casserole looks stunning (and tastes great) with powdered sugar on top!
Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Heat leftovers in microwave.
How to prepare this casserole ahead of time:
- After the egg custard is poured over the bread, cover tightly with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight (or for a couple of hours).
- The following day (or when ready to eat), prepare the crumbly topping and sprinkle over top the casserole. Add chocolate chips and bake as directed.
- Likewise, you could prepare the topping ahead of time and store in the refrigerator as well.
What to serve with Chocolate French Toast Casserole:
- COFFEE – Make a batch of our Toddy Cold Brew Coffee or make some Peanut Butter Coffees Smoothie
- EGGS – We love serving French Toast with our Omelette Casserole, Sausage Egg and Cheese Muffins, or Healthy Vegetable Frittata Recipe.
- FRUIT – Pair this dish with our Blueberry Smoothie Bowls or Cherry Smoothies.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, stale bread works best because it absorbs the custard mixture more effectively without becoming soggy.
If the top is browning too quickly, add aluminum foil to the casserole for part of the baking.
We like adding powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup, or a combination of these!
You can use either semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips.
Other French Toast Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Chocolate French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 14 cups cubed bread – French bread or sourdough bread
- 10 large eggs
- 3 cups 1% milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter – cubed
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- powdered sugar dusting
- butter and warm syrup – to serve
Instructions
- Prep. Prep a 9×13 casserole dish with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if baking immediately).
- Cube bread. Slice some crusty bread into bite-sized cubes. We like to use our leftover Chewy French Bread. Add to casserole dish.14 cups cubed bread
- Make custard. In an 8-cup measuring cup, combine the custard ingredients – the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.10 large eggs, 3 cups 1% milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Add custard to bread. Pour the custard evenly over the bread and nestle as much bread underneath. Some of the bread won't be completely covered and that is ok.
- Prep topping. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to combine until mixture is crumbled. Sprinkle topping over the top of the bread layer. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over top the crumble.NOTE: If making this recipe the night before, wait to add the topping until right before baking.3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- Bake. In a preheated 350-degree oven, bake casserole uncovered for 38-40 minutes, or until done to your liking.
- Serve. Serve French Toast Bake with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of butter, and some warm syrup. This casserole looks stunning (and tastes great) with powdered sugar on top!powdered sugar dusting, butter and warm syrup
Notes
- After the egg custard is poured over the bread, cover tightly with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight (or for a couple of hours).
- The following day (or when ready to eat), prepare the crumbly topping and sprinkle over top the casserole (plus the chocolate chips). Bake as directed.
- Likewise, you could prepare the topping ahead of time and store in the refrigerator as well.
What temperature do you preheat the oven to?
350 degrees
Can you make this two days in advance or will it be too soggy? I basically want to make this Tuesday night for thanksgiving morning! Thanks!
While I haven’t ever prepped two days in advance, I think it work fine. Good luck!
Oh my gosh! I saw this recipe on Foodgawker & saved it the other day. Made it last night & baked it this morning. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! Went straight into the keeper pile, thank you so much! 😀 I made ours with cinnamon raisin pecan bread, and because we had no syrup on hand for serving, I increased the brown sugar in the casserole portion from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup. Perfection. Thank you again, and I’ll definitely be back for more recipes!
Hi Lindsay! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for your sweet feedback!! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I love French Toast and this is the best breakfast recipe ever! So goood!