Make-ahead casseroles are lifesavers when you’re feeding a crowd, especially during the holiday season. Just throw a few ingredients together in a casserole dish, store it in the refrigerator overnight, and pop it in the oven right before you’re ready to eat! So simple, right?
Make-Ahead Challah French Toast Casserole
And this recipe is also a favorite because it’s a great way to use up any challah or panettone bread that’s past its peak.
For this casserole, I threw in what was left of a gorgeous holiday challah loaf from one of our favorite local bakeries, Wayfarer Bread and Pastry, as well as the last bits of From Roy panettone bread.
By the way, if you haven’t tried From Roy’s Panettone yet, I highly recommend it! #notsposored
Adding a Salted Frosted Flakes Topping to the French Toast
To make this even better, I decided to add @Chrissyteigan‘s salted, frosted-flakes topping. And I have to say, this tweak of hers is pretty brilliant.
To make the topping, you mix 3 cups of frosted flakes (I used the Whole Food ones) with some butter and salt. And then you add them to the top of the casserole right before cooking.
I was a little worried the frosted flakes would make the dish too sweet. But the salt cuts the sweetness. And these crunchy nuggets really do take the dish to the next level.
Things to Know Before Making this Challah French Toast Casserole
Although this is a super simple recipe, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Don’t crowd the baking dish: You want to make sure all of your bread gets a chance to absorb the custard mixture and doesn’t get dried out during baking. I would recommend using a 3-quart (13×9″) baking dish.
- You can easily adapt the recipe to your tastes: Don’t want to use the frosted flakes topping? Don’t. You can top with nuts, like pecans — or nothing at all. Want to add to dried fruit? Go ahead and tuck in some raisins, or dried fruit of your choice, between the bread layers. Want to use dairy-free milk? Just sub out the milk and cream for a milk substitute of your choice.
- If the top is cooking too quickly, add a foil tent: I had to add an aluminum foil tent to the top of my casserole for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent it from getting too brown.
One more thing — you don’t have to soak the casserole overnight but it does need at least three hours before baking.
Looking for more make-ahead breakfast casserole dishes? Two of my other favorites are this favorite family savory recipe, Auntie Anne’s Company Breakfast, and this blueberry French toast casserole with cinnamon sugar topping.
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Challah French Toast Casserole
Description
This easy, make-ahead casserole is it’s topped with crunchy, salted frosted flakes. And it’s so good!
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- Butter to prepare the dish
- 1 pound enriched bread like challah or panetonne, sliced into 3/4 inch slices.
- 6 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups of whole milk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla exrtact
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Maple syrup for serving, if desired
For the Topping:
- 3 cups frosted flakes
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the French Toast:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter the baking dish.
- Add the bread slices upright in the dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla and combine well.
- Pour the milk mixture over the bread and press the bread, gently, to absorb.
- Cover with plastic wrap and rerigerate overnight or for at least three hours.
- When ready to cook, take out of the refigerator and let rise to room tempature for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the topping and add to the top of the casserole.
- Bake until puffed, golden and set in the center, about 50-60 minutes.
- If the top starts to brown too much, add a tin foil tent.
- Remove from the oven, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with maple syrup, if desired.
To Make the Topping:
- In a bowl, combine the cereal, butter and salt.
- Spread evenly over the casserole.