This french toast bake stands out from the rest with warm cinnamon and sweet bourbon! An easy make ahead breakfast!!
Make breakfast easy on yourself with this super EASY and delicious overnight french toast bake! Whip it up the night before, pop it in the refrigerator, and just bake the next morning. Easy peasy! But this isn’t any ordinary french toast bake… this one has warm cinnamon running all through it, and is spiked with a bit of bourbon!
Okay, so breakfast food is pretty much some of the BEST food around. Well, I think so anyway 😉 Problem is, I’m not exactly a morning person, so I don’t really feel like getting up extra early to get breakfast together. But yet, I still need want that great breakfast food! Grrrrrrr. So what’s a gal to do?
Make this amazing french toast bake!
The best part is that this french toast bake can, and should be, made ahead of time. I typically put the dish together after I’m finished cleaning up from dinner, so that gives it a good 12 hours to hang out, for the flavors to really come together.
Then in the morning, I can stumble out to the kitchen, slide the pan into the oven and go back to snooze for a bit. The casserole bakes for 45 minutes to an hour, so that’s plenty of time to catch a few extra zzz’s.
I LOVE the cinnamon bourbon flavors in this dish, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to swap them out for your favorites. It’s also great with just vanilla extract.
We love this french toast bake for everyday occasions, but it’s also perfect for the holidays!
If you can whisk eggs and slice bread, you can easily make this! That’s how easy it is. Using day old bread is actually best for this, so it’s a perfect use up for bread that would otherwise get thrown out!
Making the crunchy topping is made easy by zipping it up in the food processor, but you could also use a pastry cutter, two forks, or even your hands.
I hope you guys give this one a try… I know you’ll love it! Serve it drizzled with warm maple syrup 🙂
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread or sourdough is also good
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp bourbon
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- CRUNCHY TOPPING:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter cubed and kept chilled, one stick
Instructions
- Spray a 13x9" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Slice loaf of bread into 1 inch cubes and place in prepared baking pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, bourbon, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk to combine well.
- Pour mixture in an even layer over the bread, soaking it.
- Tightly cover baking pan with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
- TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
- To a food processor, add all topping ingredients except for the butter. Pulse it a couple times to combine. Add in cold cubed butter and pulse until butter is cut into the mixture and it resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
- Place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator overnight.
- TO BAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Take baking pan out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so while the oven is preheating.
- When oven is ready, remove plastic wrap from baking pan. Take the plastic bag with the topping out of the refrigerator and sprinkle evenly over the top of the bread.
- Bake for 45 -60 minutes. If you like your casserole to be soft, bake for 45. If you like it to have a good crunch to it, bake it for 60.
- Serve drizzled with warm maple syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar if desired.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Craving more Breakfast Foods?
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Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes with Bacon, Caramelized Onions and Herbs
Vanilla Cinnamon Buttermilk Pancakes
Bakery Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Mascarpone Glaze
Sharon says
This was a very easy dish to prepare. The only thing I didn’t do was the topping with the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I actually forgot about it and feel that having it on top would’ve made it too sweet.
It was delicious as it was with the maple syrup.
I also did a make a head spinach and feta egg casserole. The sweet and savoury items for breakfast were definitely hit with my company that arrived from overseas.
MBD says
Every time I make this, someone asks me for the recipe. It’s easy, and tastes so good. I have used regular bread in a pinch and it turned out fine.
Marie says
Love this! Easy, delicious recipe to make for a crowd
Sue says
Second time I have made this. Everyone loved it. I made it with chocolate chip bread because I did not have French and it was very very good. A keeper for the morning holidays.
Lisa says
Hi! I’m making this for a bridal shower brunch I’m hosting and was thinking of adding peaches. Would you add them the morning of or let them sit overnight?
Amanda says
Peaches would taste great in this! I haven’t tested using peaches, so I can’t say for sure, but I would probably add them the night before 🙂
Valarie Holstein says
This is delicious! My daughter is picky. She enjoyed it so much that she is making it to share with friends for new year’s eve. I will happily take it to work potlucks.
Ali says
Do you think this would be good if I made it with challah, or does the hardier French bread make a difference in terms of texture that I would miss?
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Ali 🙂 I think challah would be fantastic!
Stacy says
Does anyone know if you could put this in the freezer to make a week or so ahead? It looks delicious!
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Stacy 🙂 I’ve never frozen at, as I just make it up the night before… but I think it should work just fine. I’d make it up, cover it with foil tightly and freeze. The night before you want to eat it, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed 🙂
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
So not only did you serve up an amazing breakfast recipe but you’ve also raised a two year old that says “please???” You are ah-maze-ing. Thanks for joining us at #SaucySaturdays and happy happy new year!
The Chunky Chef says
Awww thanks girl!! He’s very selective of when he uses “please” lol 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful New Year’s Eve!
CakePants says
This looks amazing! I’m a big fan of make-ahead breakfasts, and this one looks perfect for Christmas and New Year’s! I like that you’ve made it totally acceptable to have bourbon at breakfast 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you so much!! Leave it to me to add bourbon to a breakfast dish 😉
linda says
This recipe is incredible Amanda, this would be a fantastic recipe to serve for brunch. Thanks for sharing it at Fiesta Friday. Enjoy your weekend! 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Linda!! 🙂
Noel says
I love overnight breakfast recipes!! the problem is the rest of my family doesn’t want to eat in the mornings! I’ll probably make this as breakfast for dinner
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Noel!! Great idea to have this for “brinner” 🙂 I hope you all love it!
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says
Wow! Just wow! This is genius and so perfect for the holidays!
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Krista!! I love these make ahead breakfasts for the hectic holiday mornings 🙂
Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie says
MMMM! I love French Toast Bakes! You really had me at “bourbon!”
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Becky!! 😀
Paula - bell'alimento says
Girl you had me at bourbon. Everything is better with bourbon ; )
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Paula!! I totally agree… bourbon is pretty much amazing 🙂
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Oh yeaaaaah…now THAT’S my kinda breakfast!
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Dorothy!! 🙂
Stephanie says
This sounds absolutely incredible! I can almost smell it now…mmmmm!
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Stephanie!! 🙂
DessertForTwo says
Bourbon for breakfast?! Yes, sign me up! 🙂
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you!! Bourbon for breakfast is definitely amazing 😉
Meg @ With Salt and Wit says
We are morning people here and we would flip over this breakfast! And as my husband needs another reason to enjoy some bourbon 😉
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you Meg!! Haha, I’ve been going bourbon crazy this season… my husband keeps teasing me 🙂
Steve says
This recipe looks amazing!
The Chunky Chef says
Thank you!! I’ll be serving it Christmas morning 🙂 Well, an egg beater version for Mom 🙂