Overnight French Toast
Updated Feb. 3, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for baking dish
- 1pound enriched bread, such as brioche, challah or panettone sliced ¾-inch thick
- ¼cup golden raisins (optional)
- 6large eggs
- 2½cups whole milk
- ½cup heavy cream
- ⅓cup light brown sugar
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
- ½teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓cup pecans, chopped (optional)
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
- Maple syrup, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
445 calories; 21 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 369 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Butter the front sides of the slices of bread and shingle the slices upright in the dish, overlapping as necessary. Nestle the raisins, if using, evenly between the slices of bread but not on top.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt until well combined. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and press the bread gently to absorb. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Step 3
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the top. Bake until puffed, golden and set in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. While baking, if the top begins to get too dark, tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with maple syrup.
Private Notes
Comments
I’ve made this and many similar recipes. At this point, i just throw it together at, using what I have. My top tips, which are necessities to me, are: 1. Use day old bread OR slice&toast 10 mins @275. Fresh bread won’t absorb like stale can. 2. LET IT SOAK OVERNIGHT! Remove from fridge 30-60 mins before baking. 3. DO NOT just pour on top! *Dip each slice into liquid mixture 5ish seconds each side, saturate it*, as you would regular French toast. Assemble into dish & pour remaining mixture over.
Based on other comments, I cut the liquid in the recipe down to 2 cups, split 50/50 between heavy cream and fat-free milk. I used a 13x9" pan. My bread was challah. Baked for 60 minutes -- it came out perfectly delicious, and my guests were thrilled. I did not have to turn the slices to get good results. I did tent the top with foil after about 45 min -- the tops of the slices got a nice slightly crispy brown by then. I will definitely make this again.
If the heavy cream and whole milk both do you wrong like they do me, subbing for the same amount coconut milk will still produce an excellent result. I used Native Forest.
Having made this successfully twice, here are my tips: 1. It’s an OVERNIGHT French Toast, so 10-12 hours of soaking time is critical. Don’t need to change the liquid amounts at all, and it’s fine to have some of the custard liquid puddled in the bottom as long as the next two make-sure points are followed. 2. Use high quality, non-store-bought brioche or challah bread that has been left to sit a few days out to get stale. Cut into thick slices. 3. Butter one side of the slices, per directions but place this side DOWN in your large baking dish (I use a glass one). The butter side is less absorbent and having it down-side first allows the butter to “hold” custard in each bottom slice for the long soak. Plastic wrap/cover overnight. In the early morning a couple hours before baking, drain out the custard, flip the slices, then pour the custard back over. Allow to come to room temperature for an hour, or keep on the stovetop as the oven heats up. Feel free to do another drain and pour-over before baking. At this point a thick, stale bread should still feel firm but permeated with custard, not “falling apart” soggy. I have never covered mine when baking and there’s a lovely variation of crunchy top parts, softer bottom layers, still some structure to the pieces. Other great additions include a tsp or two of grated orange zest to the custard, and dried cherries stuck between slices with the pecans. I love this for a holiday morning brunch, and leftovers microwave easily.
This was disappointing, even after incorporating previous baker's tips. If i were to do this again I would cube the bread, let it soak overnight and stir it again in the morning prior to baking.
Following another recipe’s instructions I simply cut the challah into large cubes which absorbed the liquid nicely. I also added a topping from the Pioneer Woman’s recipe. This is absolutely a delicious brunch dish and makes hosting a breeze.