Chocolate Chip French Toast Casserole Recipe

French toast has always been one of my favorite breakfasts, and I don’t get to have it often enough! Sure, there’s Mother’s Day brunch and a few other special occasion breakfasts {and don’t forget our favorite hidden gem breakfast spot at Disneyland- Flo’s V8 Cafe!} but aside from that, I haven’t had nearly enough french toast in my life.

Why should french toast only be for the holiday season and maybe a couple of other days in the entire year??

Well with this easy and delicious french toast bake recipe, it doesn’t have to be! This recipe is the perfect way to enjoy one of THE best breakfast dishes out there any time you want. And the best part? It’ll be a huge hit with the entire family!

Read on to find out everything you need to know about this easy french toast casserole recipe, including some ways to make it custom to your preferences, how you can make it in the slow cooker if you’re pressed for time, and more.

What’s the Difference Between French Toast and French Toast Casserole?

There are a few differences between traditional french toast and a casserole version of the same dish.

For starters, french toast is made by dipping slices of bread in a milk and egg mixture, then frying them in a pan. Meanwhile, french toast casserole includes marinating the bread in an egg mixture for hours and then baking it in the oven. Instead of using full pieces of bread, the casserole also uses pieces of bread that have been cut up, and is served in squares or slices.

Either way, you’re getting a delicious flavor that’s a great way to wake up in the morning! And in either case you can add your favorite toppings, like maple syrup, fresh fruit or {especially in this case!} chocolate chips!

Why Does this Breakfast Casserole Need to Go in the Fridge Overnight?

You’ll notice that one of the steps of this recipe is to refrigerate the casserole for a minimum of 8 hours, and preferably overnight. That’s because letting the bread sit in the custard mix for awhile lets the bread fully absorb the mixture, making the bread soft and flavorful.

As a bonus, preparing this overnight breakfast casserole the night before you enjoy it makes for a stress-free breakfast, making this the perfect breakfast recipe for busy weekdays or especially holiday mornings like Christmas morning!

Can You Make French Toast Casserole in the Slow Cooker?

Want to make this a different way? You can definitely make it in the crockpot, using these directions:

1. Grease the pot of your slow cooker with cooking spray
2. Cut your bread into small pieces and arrange them in the slow cooker
3. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract
4. Pour egg mixture over the bread in the slow cooker, making sure to coat all of the bread
5. Add your chocolate chips over the mixture
6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours, until the casserole is set and the bread is golden brown

This is a great way to make this recipe quickly if you don’t have 8+ hours to wait for the bread to soak up the mixture, perfect for a weekend breakfast!

What Toppings Can I Add to French Toast Casserole?

The sky’s the limit! This recipe as written does already include chocolate chips, but you can either skip those and add whatever you want instead or add toppings that compliment the sweetness of the chocolate chips, like toasted walnuts. Some other great toppings to make this the BEST French Toast Casserole for your tastes include:

• Maple syrup
• Powdered sugar
• Fresh berries or other fresh fruit
• Whipped cream
• Nutella
• Cinnamon sugar
• Brown sugar
• Orange zest
• Toasted nuts, including walnuts, pecans or almonds

Can You Make French Toast Casserole Without Eggs?

This dish definitely needs something LIKE eggs to help create the rich custard that the bread soaks up. However, that does not have to be actual eggs!

Many egg replacements would work in this recipe. You can go the easy route and just buy a plant-based egg substitute from the grocery store, like Just Egg. You could also use a vegan egg substitute like silken tofu. If neither of those work for you, you can try using a non-dairy milk and cream substitute, like almond milk or coconut milk,

Can I Use Regular Bread Instead of Brioche Bread?

Yes, sort of.

The brioche bread is way thicker than regular white bread or even sourdough bread, which makes it the best bread for soaking in the custard mixture. Regular bread might get kind of soggy during this process. You can give it a fighting chance by using stale bread or by lightly toasting the bread before using it.

Regular bread also won’t be able to soak up quite as much, which means it’ll have less flavor. You can try to make up for this by adding a little extra sugar, vanilla extract or cinnamon, but depending on the bread you use it may or may not work. For best results, I really recommend using brioche bread.

Can I Freeze French Toast Casserole?

Yes! This casserole can definitely keep well in the freezer. To store it for up to 3 months, allow it to cool completely after baking, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or an airtight container with a lid, and place it in the freezer.

When you’re ready to reheat it, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. The next morning, reheat the casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, until heated through.

What Supplies Do You Need to Make Chocolate Chip French Toast Casserole?

To make this French Toast Casserole, you’ll need:

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• 13×9 casserole dish
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk

Step by Step Guide

Ready to bake? Grab the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post and come back here to get started!

Cut the chocolate chip brioche bread into small bread cubes and place in a greased 13×9 baking dish, making sure to spread out

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar until combined

Pour the mixture over the top of the bread, then press the bread into the sauce.

Cover the dish and put in the fridge for at least 8 hours {overnight is even better!}

When ready to bake, remove the casserole from the fridge and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 45 minutes, until the custard is set and no longer jiggles.

Hungry for More?

Want more delicious breakfast recipes? Try these:

• Air Fryer Donuts Made With Biscuit Dough
• Brown Sugar Blueberry Muffins
• Easy Egg Breakfast in a Jar Recipe
• Cinnamon Roll Pecan Muffins
• Mini Freezer Bagels
• DIY Apricot Cashew Coconut Energy Bars
• Pumpkin Monkey Bread Muffins
• Mini Egg Bites
• Mocha Muffins