A French toast bake is always easier than dipping and cooking individual slices of French toast. Not only is this casserole easier, it’s quite the treat! Today’s baked cream cheese French toast casserole is stuffed with sweet cream cheese and topped with a brown sugar crumble topping. It’s a wonderful recipe for a brunch or breakfast gathering because you can prep the casserole the night before.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
Today’s cream cheese French toast casserole is one of my favorite all-in-one, always crowd-pleasing, homerun breakfast recipes. You don’t need an excuse to make it—the dish tastes just as lovely on an ordinary Saturday morning as it does for Christmas brunch. If you’re not into cream cheese, simply leave it out. You could skip the crumb topping, too. Some readers even layer in 1 cup of fresh blueberries for a blueberries & cream version. You can also add mixed berries like we do in our berries & cream French toast.
As long as you stick with the bread & egg/milk layers, it’ll be a hit.
One reader, Anna, commented: “I have made this twice now and it is unbelievably delicious! The cream cheese flavor and texture are both outstanding, and the streusel on top is the perfect touch! Everyone that tried it had rave reviews! I will definitely continue to make this. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Megan, commented: “I made this several years ago for breakfast on Christmas morning and now my kids and husband have to have it every year! It’s easy and delicious! I make a strawberry reduction to go with it! ★★★★★“
This Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole Is:
- Totally decadent and indulgent
- Stuffed with sweet cream cheese
- Topped with a crumb cake-like streusel
- Perfect for anyone who loves lots of texture and flavor in each bite
- A delicious Christmas/holiday/special breakfast recipe
- Easy to prepare and feeds a crowd
- A convenient make-ahead brunch option
Three Layers to Love
This isn’t your ordinary bland & soggy breakfast casserole. Rather, there are three glorious texture-packed layers:
- French Toast Bread: Pour a fabulously rich custard sauce made from eggs, whole milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon over thick pieces of bread. Use whole milk for the richest taste and texture. The bread soaks this up, especially if the bread is stale (see next section). The soaking time is longer than it is when making regular individual french toast, so everything gets fabulously flavorful.
- Cream Cheese: To make this casserole extra special, add cream cheese. Combine cream cheese with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract to make a sweet filling. Make sure you use brick-style cream cheese—the kind sold in individually wrapped bricks. We’ll layer spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture with the bread to create cream cheese stuffed french toast. It doesn’t get much better for breakfast!
- Crumb Topping: Immediately prior to baking, sprinkle the casserole with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping made from brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold butter. While optional, I don’t recommend leaving it out because it adds a crisp-crumbly texture.
Success Tips for French Toast Casserole
These success tips also apply to pumpkin French toast casserole and apple cider French toast, both delicious seasonal twists on today’s recipe.
- Quality Bread. Bread is the main ingredient in any baked french toast casserole, so don’t skimp here. Flimsy sliced bread won’t do you any favors and the casserole usually ends up tasting flat and soggy. Rather, go for a fancy beauty like challah, brioche, or croissant bread. French toast made with challah, brioche, or croissant bread tastes 4873% better than french toast made with any other bread. (I did the math.)
- Stale Bread. When you have the quality bread you need, let it sit out for a few hours to get a little stale. Like sausage & herb stuffing and bagel breakfast casserole, french toast casserole is best when the bread is somewhat stale.
- Overnight is Best. Assemble the bread/cream cheese/custard layers and then before baking it, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. This time gives the crusty bread a chance to soak up the cinnamon-spiced egg custard. You can leave the prepared french toast casserole in the refrigerator anywhere from 3-4 hours to 24 hours. I find the longer the bread soaks, the tastier the casserole. So, go to sleep. It will be amazing.
In Pictures: How to Make Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when it’s your turn in the kitchen.
As pictured above, spread half of your stale bread cubes into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or any 3- to 4-quart baking dish, like this white baking dish you see here in the photos. Make the cream cheese filling and drop random spoonfuls on the bread layer:
Layer the remaining bread cubes on top of cream cheese. Make the egg custard mixture. For this you need eggs, whole milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. (Note that cinnamon floats to the top, so that’s why it looks like a lot of cinnamon!)
Pour this over the bread. (Using a bowl with a pour spout is especially helpful here!) At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the casserole for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Make the crumb topping using a pastry blender or two forks, and sprinkle over the casserole before baking.
Right before serving, drizzle the entire casserole with maple syrup or try a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or spoonfuls of blueberry sauce. This is french toast done right! It’s like French toast, crumbly coffee cake, and cheesecake combined. Yes!!
What to Serve with Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
The following suggestions can complete your brunch or breakfast meal, especially if you’re making this dish as an easy make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast, Easter (along with these other favorite Easter brunch recipes!), mother’s day, father’s day, New Years Day, or any special morning.
- Something savory such as quiche, frittata, this simple egg breakfast casserole, a hash brown breakfast skillet, a batch of breakfast egg muffins, or eggs benedict
- Scrambled eggs or omelets
- Fresh fruit salad or even this fresh berry quinoa salad
- Bacon, breakfast sausage, or ham
- Smoked salmon
- Ham and potato casserole which can also be prepared ahead of time
- A lunch/brunch dish such as strawberry bacon salad
See hundreds more breakfast recipes.
Print
Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This baked cream cheese french toast casserole is stuffed with sweet cream cheese and topped with a brown sugar crumble topping. It’s a wonderful recipe for a brunch or breakfast gathering because you can prep the casserole the night before.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-14 ounce) loaf french bread, brioche, or challah*
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar (do not leave out)
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) pure vanilla extract, divided
- 8 large eggs
- 2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup (133g) packed light brown sugar
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (69g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- optional: maple syrup and/or confectioners’ sugar for topping
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or any 3-4 quart oven-safe dish (pictured) with nonstick spray. Slice then cut the bread into cubes, about 1 inch in size. Spread half of the cubes into the prepared baking pan.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Drop random spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture on top of the bread. Layer the remaining bread cubes on top of cream cheese. (I like to make sure some cream cheese is still exposed on top just for looks.) Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and remaining vanilla together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours and up to 24 hours. Overnight is best.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove pan from the refrigerator.
- Prepare the crumb topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. I usually bake it for 45 minutes because I like it softer. Drizzle with optional maple syrup or dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prep the dish through step 3 up to 24 hours in advance. (See step 3.) You can also prepare the crumb topping 1-2 days in advance, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over the soaked bread immediately before baking. To freeze, prepare the recipe through step 3 and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then continue with step 4. You can freeze the prepared casserole with the crumb topping or add it on right before baking, but keep in mind that fresh crumb topping always gives the dish a little more texture. You can also freeze the leftover baked and cooled casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, and then reheat to your liking in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) until warm throughout, at least 20 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan or any 3- to 4-quart Oven-safe Baking Dish (pictured) | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls or Mixing Bowls with Pour Spout | Whisk | Pastry Blender
- Bread: Day-old, crusty bread is perfect for french toast casseroles. Slice and cut it into 1-inch cubes and let it sit out uncovered all day. You’ll have about 12 cups of cubed bread– a little more or less is fine.
- Cream Cheese: Since the cream cheese is only mixed with a little sugar and vanilla, make sure you are using quality cream cheese that tastes good. I use and love full fat Philadelphia brand brick-style cream cheese for this dish.
- Half Recipe: This recipe can easily be halved in an 8-inch or 9-inch baking pan. The bake time will be slightly shorter, around 30-35 minutes.
- Can I add berries? Some readers have added blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries sprinkled throughout the casserole. Feel free to scatter 1 cup of fresh berries over the spoonfuls of cream cheese before topping with the remaining bread cubes. I do not recommend frozen berries.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hey Sally, I’ve made this a zillion times and it always turns out perfect! I was wondering if it would work with apples and apple butter?
Hi Amy, here’s our apple cider French toast casserole recipe!
I’ve made this several times now and it’s absolutely amazing! Just for a fun experiment, the last time I made it, I used Hawaiian bread and half-n-half, and used 1/2 t cake batter flavor, replacing part of the vanilla. Everything else was the same, including the topping and maple syrup. In my opinion it ended up tasting like bread pudding and my husband said, “WOW, bring THAT to Thanksgiving!” Daughter’s annual Thanksgiving is where my husband always wants to win the unspoken competition between family cooks. He always delights if everyone wants the recipe, and so far, Sally, you never disappoint with your recipes. I hope you don’t mind me experimenting a little, but it is fun to change things up a little, right?
Very fun, yes! Your version sounds wonderful, and definitely like a Thanksgiving-worthy dessert!
I was looking for some new ideas for French Toast casserole. Why do you specify that “confectioners’ sugar (do not leave out)” My historical recipe doesn’t even include confectioners’ sugar or any of the other sugars specified in the recipe or the topping. I usually only have Maple syrup available for serving.
Hi Fran, the confectioners’ sugar is mixed with the cream cheese for a cheesecake-like filling. You can omit the cream cheese if you wish. Or you may enjoy this blueberry French toast casserole instead.
The crumb topping was difficult. The butter just got stuck in the pastry cutter and forks. By the time I got it incorporated it was a sticky dough consistency. Tried adding 2tbsp of flour, didn’t help. Had to put in freezer wnd ended up using more that 1/3 cups of flour and for recipe that already takes more than 45 mins to bake this was just too much time spent. After baking for 45 mins was still very liquid and at this point it was way too late in the morning everyone was hungry and I threw it away.
Hi Haley, did you use cold butter? It sounds like your butter got too warm and melted into the other crumb topping ingredients. Make sure to start with cold butter.
Can you make this without the cream cheese?
Hi Anjie, you can omit the cream cheese if you wish. Or you may enjoy this blueberry French toast casserole instead.
I m using a slightly larger rectangle pan and there are empty (dry) spots where the liquid should be. Will this affect the final product? I’m baking it tomorrow morning.
Very yummy! My mom said it was the best French toast casserole/bread pudding type dish she’s ever had! I used homemade sourdough brioche for my bread and it held up very well.
This was my first time making a French toast casserole recipe. I made it for the men’s group breakfast at church. My husband was being honest and said the guys didn’t care for the cream cheese in it. I think I have to agree. I absolutely love cream cheese and anything made with cream cheese, but I just don’t think it adds anything to this recipe. I was also hoping the bread would be a little more crunchy on top, but it was soft like a bread pudding. Maybe broiling it for a few minutes would crisp up the bread a bit. Anyway, it had good flavor, but not sure I would make it again.
I have made this for church breakfast and it was a favorite.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. This was my first time making a French toast casserole. It was glorious! I am not a baker at all. I like to cook but not that much baking experience. I made this casserole for the Mother’s Day brunch I hosted. It was such a great choice! I used brioche buns. I followed the recipe exactly and it was even better than what I hoped. Just amazing! Thank you so much. I had absolutely no leftovers. The casserole was a hit! Thank you!!
I’ve made this recipe dozens of times. I’ve made it with baguette, challah, cinnamon swirl bread, brioche, and now day old homemade croissants which made it amazing! I’ve also made a half recipe and added berries many times. This recipe is perfection! Thanks, sally!
It looks so good and I love to cook
I am hosting a brunch for a large group of 25 to 28 women. I would like to serve your Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole. I haven’t made it before. My question is will this recipe double successfully? If yes, what size pan(s) would you suggest for this doubled recipe.
Thanks so much! I look forward to this adventure!
Hi Becky, you can certainly double this recipe and make in two pans or one larger pan. If doing the latter, we’re unsure of the best size and exact bake time, but you may need to cover the edges of the pan part way through the bake time so that the edges don’t over bake before the center is finished. It may be best and easiest to just bake 2 separate 9×13-inch pans. Hope it’s a hit!
This was absolutely delicious! I used challah bread too. Thanks Sally!
We’re so glad this was a hit, Marissa!
Can you use gluten free bread for the cream cheese French toast recipe
We haven’t tested that, Joyce! It should work fine, though may be a different texture.
Made this dish for my daughter’s brunch baby shower. It’s the best French toast casserole I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t change a thing. Awesome recipe.
Absolutely delicious! I make this for my family every weekend!
Hi! Could you make this in a cupcake tin for individual servings? How might that affect the baking time?
Thanks!
Hi Katie, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but that should work just fine. Be sure to evenly distribute the ingredients among the muffin tins. We’re unsure of the exact bake time needed. Let us know what you decide to try!
Phenomenal. This is the best bread pudding I’ve ever had, by a mile!
Tasty recipe and good twist on bread and butter pudding.
This was absolutely delicious! I cut up croissants for the bread and soaked for 2 hours (time crunch). It turned out perfect and my family loved it. Will definitely make this again.
I’ve made this several times for us, and for breakfast potlucks. I’ve started adding a pinch of fresh grated orange zest to the cream cheese mixture. It adds a nice depth to the sweetness.
I’ve made this just enough times that people now request this dish for birthdays, holidays, and even before coming to visit. I used to make a different baked french toast recipe that had twice the cream cheese and sugar. I was wary about cutting back, but Sally doesn’t disappoint (ever). This recipe is much healthier but tastes just as decadent. It’s an absolute winner!
You never let me down. Nervous about trying a new recipe for guests. Tried it and it was a big hit. Followed tecipe with no tweaks. Delicious. Thank you.
This was a wonderful recipe! Everyone was swooning! I used challah, as suggested, which is such a sturdy bread that it held up to all the liquid. I actually used a huge challah loaf and I doubled the recipe- although I still used a 9 x 13 in pan. However, I was worried about it being too wet so I actually only one and a halved the egg/milk mixture portion of the recipe and I ended up glad I did bc it turned out perfect.
I forgot to check if I had certain ingredients so I had to “make” brown sugar with white sugar and molasses and I also had to use 8 oz mascarpone along with my cream cheese but neither of these substitutions had negative effects. Thanks Sally!