Description
This Overnight French Toast Casserole is the perfect breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Thick slices of French bread get soaked overnight in a rich sweet egg mixture. The next morning it gets topped with a delicious pecan praline topping, baked, and served warm with syrup. What a perfect Christmas morning treat!!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
CASSEROLE
- 2 16–ounce loaves French bread
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half & half
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Syrup for serving
PECAN PRALINE TOPPING
- 2 sticks real unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
CASSEROLE
- Generously butter a 9 x 13 baking or casserole dish.
- Slice the bread into about 18 to 20 slices, about 3/4-inch in thickness. Don’t use the end pieces. You should have plenty of bread with some leftover. Arrange the bread slices in two rows in the buttered dish, overlapping the slices. Set aside.
- Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk until they are foamy and light and lemony in color. Add the half & half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the mixture evenly over the bread slices, making sure to cover all of the bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
PECAN PRALINE TOPPING (make the next morning)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove the casserole from the refrigerator.
- Add all of the topping ingredients to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the casserole. Bake until golden brown on top, approximately 40 minutes.
- Serve warm with syrup.