A French toast bake is always easier than dipping and cooking individual slices of French toast. Not only is this casserole easier, it’s quite the treat! Today’s baked cream cheese French toast casserole is stuffed with sweet cream cheese and topped with a brown sugar crumble topping. It’s a wonderful recipe for a brunch or breakfast gathering because you can prep the casserole the night before.
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips.
Today’s cream cheese French toast casserole is one of my favorite all-in-one, always crowd-pleasing, homerun breakfast recipes. You don’t need an excuse to make it—the dish tastes just as lovely on an ordinary Saturday morning as it does for Christmas brunch. If you’re not into cream cheese, simply leave it out. You could skip the crumb topping, too. Some readers even layer in 1 cup of fresh blueberries for a blueberries & cream version. You can also add mixed berries like we do in our berries & cream French toast.
As long as you stick with the bread & egg/milk layers, it’ll be a hit.
One reader, Anna, commented: “I have made this twice now and it is unbelievably delicious! The cream cheese flavor and texture are both outstanding, and the streusel on top is the perfect touch! Everyone that tried it had rave reviews! I will definitely continue to make this. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Megan, commented: “I made this several years ago for breakfast on Christmas morning and now my kids and husband have to have it every year! It’s easy and delicious! I make a strawberry reduction to go with it! ★★★★★“
This Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole Is:
- Totally decadent and indulgent
- Stuffed with sweet cream cheese
- Topped with a crumb cake-like streusel
- Perfect for anyone who loves lots of texture and flavor in each bite
- A delicious Christmas/holiday/special breakfast recipe
- Easy to prepare and feeds a crowd
- A convenient make-ahead brunch option
Three Layers to Love
This isn’t your ordinary bland & soggy breakfast casserole. Rather, there are three glorious texture-packed layers:
- French Toast Bread: Pour a fabulously rich custard sauce made from eggs, whole milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon over thick pieces of bread. Use whole milk for the richest taste and texture. The bread soaks this up, especially if the bread is stale (see next section). The soaking time is longer than it is when making regular individual french toast, so everything gets fabulously flavorful.
- Cream Cheese: To make this casserole extra special, add cream cheese. Combine cream cheese with confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract to make a sweet filling. Make sure you use brick-style cream cheese—the kind sold in individually wrapped bricks. We’ll layer spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture with the bread to create cream cheese stuffed french toast. It doesn’t get much better for breakfast!
- Crumb Topping: Immediately prior to baking, sprinkle the casserole with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping made from brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cold butter. While optional, I don’t recommend leaving it out because it adds a crisp-crumbly texture.
Success Tips for French Toast Casserole
These success tips also apply to pumpkin French toast casserole and apple cider French toast, both delicious seasonal twists on today’s recipe.
- Quality Bread. Bread is the main ingredient in any baked french toast casserole, so don’t skimp here. Flimsy sliced bread won’t do you any favors and the casserole usually ends up tasting flat and soggy. Rather, go for a fancy beauty like challah, brioche, or croissant bread. French toast made with challah, brioche, or croissant bread tastes 4873% better than french toast made with any other bread. (I did the math.)
- Stale Bread. When you have the quality bread you need, let it sit out for a few hours to get a little stale. Like sausage & herb stuffing and bagel breakfast casserole, french toast casserole is best when the bread is somewhat stale.
- Overnight is Best. Assemble the bread/cream cheese/custard layers and then before baking it, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. This time gives the crusty bread a chance to soak up the cinnamon-spiced egg custard. You can leave the prepared french toast casserole in the refrigerator anywhere from 3-4 hours to 24 hours. I find the longer the bread soaks, the tastier the casserole. So, go to sleep. It will be amazing.
In Pictures: How to Make Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when it’s your turn in the kitchen.
As pictured above, spread half of your stale bread cubes into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or any 3- to 4-quart baking dish, like this white baking dish you see here in the photos. Make the cream cheese filling and drop random spoonfuls on the bread layer:
Layer the remaining bread cubes on top of cream cheese. Make the egg custard mixture. For this you need eggs, whole milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. (Note that cinnamon floats to the top, so that’s why it looks like a lot of cinnamon!)
Pour this over the bread. (Using a bowl with a pour spout is especially helpful here!) At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the casserole for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Make the crumb topping using a pastry blender or two forks, and sprinkle over the casserole before baking.
Right before serving, drizzle the entire casserole with maple syrup or try a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or spoonfuls of blueberry sauce. This is french toast done right! It’s like French toast, crumbly coffee cake, and cheesecake combined. Yes!!
What to Serve with Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
The following suggestions can complete your brunch or breakfast meal, especially if you’re making this dish as an easy make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast, Easter (along with these other favorite Easter brunch recipes!), mother’s day, father’s day, New Years Day, or any special morning.
- Something savory such as quiche, frittata, this simple egg breakfast casserole, a hash brown breakfast skillet, a batch of breakfast egg muffins, or eggs benedict
- Scrambled eggs or omelets
- Fresh fruit salad or even this fresh berry quinoa salad
- Bacon, breakfast sausage, or ham
- Smoked salmon
- Ham and potato casserole which can also be prepared ahead of time
- A lunch/brunch dish such as strawberry bacon salad
See hundreds more breakfast recipes.
Print
Baked Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This baked cream cheese french toast casserole is stuffed with sweet cream cheese and topped with a brown sugar crumble topping. It’s a wonderful recipe for a brunch or breakfast gathering because you can prep the casserole the night before.
Ingredients
- 1 (12-14 ounce) loaf french bread, brioche, or challah*
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) confectioners’ sugar (do not leave out)
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) pure vanilla extract, divided
- 8 large eggs
- 2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup (133g) packed light brown sugar
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (69g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- optional: maple syrup and/or confectioners’ sugar for topping
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or any 3-4 quart oven-safe dish (pictured) with nonstick spray. Slice then cut the bread into cubes, about 1 inch in size. Spread half of the cubes into the prepared baking pan.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined. Drop random spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture on top of the bread. Layer the remaining bread cubes on top of cream cheese. (I like to make sure some cream cheese is still exposed on top just for looks.) Set aside.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar, and remaining vanilla together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours and up to 24 hours. Overnight is best.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove pan from the refrigerator.
- Prepare the crumb topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. I usually bake it for 45 minutes because I like it softer. Drizzle with optional maple syrup or dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.
- Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can prep the dish through step 3 up to 24 hours in advance. (See step 3.) You can also prepare the crumb topping 1-2 days in advance, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Sprinkle over the soaked bread immediately before baking. To freeze, prepare the recipe through step 3 and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then continue with step 4. You can freeze the prepared casserole with the crumb topping or add it on right before baking, but keep in mind that fresh crumb topping always gives the dish a little more texture. You can also freeze the leftover baked and cooled casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, and then reheat to your liking in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) until warm throughout, at least 20 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan or any 3- to 4-quart Oven-safe Baking Dish (pictured) | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls or Mixing Bowls with Pour Spout | Whisk | Pastry Blender
- Bread: Day-old, crusty bread is perfect for french toast casseroles. Slice and cut it into 1-inch cubes and let it sit out uncovered all day. You’ll have about 12 cups of cubed bread– a little more or less is fine.
- Cream Cheese: Since the cream cheese is only mixed with a little sugar and vanilla, make sure you are using quality cream cheese that tastes good. I use and love full fat Philadelphia brand brick-style cream cheese for this dish.
- Half Recipe: This recipe can easily be halved in an 8-inch or 9-inch baking pan. The bake time will be slightly shorter, around 30-35 minutes.
- Can I add berries? Some readers have added blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries sprinkled throughout the casserole. Feel free to scatter 1 cup of fresh berries over the spoonfuls of cream cheese before topping with the remaining bread cubes. I do not recommend frozen berries.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have begun to turn to Sally’s whenever I need a new, good recipe for company. For this morning’s brunch, I made this casserole. Got it ready last night, put the topping on this morning and popped it in the oven. It was delicious! My husband loves it! So did my company. Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
I’ve been making French toast casserole for my family’s birthday breakfasts for years. It never occurred to me to add cream cheese, I stumbled across this recipe while on your Pinterest, and I decided to give it a try! We are all glad I did! The cream cheese texture and tanginess makes it a completely different experience. Thank you!!
Made this for New Year’s Day brunch with my family. Sooooo good! We had a fruit salad and bacon on the side and it was a 10/10 meal. Will definitely make again.
I add a little more powdered sugar to the cream cheese filling. This recipe is perfect otherwise. Thanks so much!
I rarely eat sweets, but made this for Christmas Eve, and it will stay in my memory as the most delicious treat ever! Used sourdough bread (from a bakery) to offset total sweetness, and real maple syrup on top. Served with bacon and coffee…. Who could ask for more! Followed recipe exactly. Make sure to measure bread, so not too dry. Can’t wait for next Christmas! Thank you!!!!
I have made this twice now and it is unbelievably delicious! The cream cheese flavor and texture are both outstanding, and the streusel on top is the perfect touch! Everyone that tried it had rave reviews! I will definitely continue to make this.
I made this for Christmas morning and my son loved it so much he boxed up a serving and took it to his friend across town.
This went down a treat in my house. The mix of crunchy on top and creamy underneath was just great. Thank you
I made this several years ago for breakfast Christmas morning and now my kids and husband have to have it every year! It’s easy and delicious! I make a strawberry reduction to go with it!
Hello there!
I am making this recipe for tomorrow and I went to a local bakery and bought challah bread. I weighed out 14 ounces and cut the bread into cubes, but it only measures out to 8 cups and only makes one layer on the 9 x 13 pan. This bread is very dense and not fluffy so I’m wondering if it’s a problem. I’m afraid if I do another 12 to 14 ounces of bread that it will turn out dry. Any recommendations on what I should do?
Hi Rachel, the 14 oz loaf that you have will be perfect. We wouldn’t add more.
So easy. Everyone really enjoyed. Made the blueberry sauce too.
That added more deliciouness!
Is there any way to male this without the eggs? I’ve made french toast before just using oatmilk and spices and it was good but I’m wondering how bad this would be withoit the eggs? Would egg replacer work or is there something else I could add to do what the eggs do for this?
Hi LiAnne, we haven’t tested it without the eggs or with an egg replacer, so aren’t sure what to recommend. If you are looking for an egg-free brunch recipe, we have this ham potato casserole. Obviously very different, but still delicious!
Haven’t made this recipe but I do an egg free French toast casserole with chickpea flour (besan) and coconut milk. The trick is to toss the cubed bread all the sauce you make in a bowl, then do the layers as called for in the dish. Otherwise; all the chickpea flour gets layered on top of the bread in the casserole. If done right, it’s delicious! I plan on modifying this recipe to make it egg free next weekend and can report back, if you want.
Hi! Any suggestions for cinnamon alternative (allergy).
Thanks!
You could simply leave it out, or even use a small amount of nutmeg for a warm, slightly sweet spice.
I’ve never been more excited to try a recipe! I’ll be short on time, while making other goodies, so could I cut up croissants instead of making croissant bread?
Hi Jenn, we haven’t tested our baked French toast casserole recipes with croissants, so we can’t offer much advice. Let us know if you give it a try!
Croissants are too delicate for this. It turns out mushy.
Signed,
Learned the Hard Way
Thanks so much for sharing and saving me the frustration!!
I have made this twice and it’s absolutely delicious and easy to make. I now have people wanting to pay me to make it for them for their Christmas morning breakfasts. Let’s all keep in mind that I’m not in the catering business but that speaks to the greatness of this recipe.
So glad it’s a hit, Nickie!
Would this recipe cook properly in a crockpot? I would like to make this for an office brunch where oven is not accessible.
Thank you
Hi Carolyn, You can use this recipe, but use the slow cooker instructions found in the recipe Notes for our pumpkin French toast casserole.
Brought this recipe (tweaked – sugared cranberries and I toasted my bread in the oven first because I didn’t buy it early enough for it to get stale) to a work brunch today and then I had to go print the recipe for a few people.
I have to say, your recipes (and I’ve used many) are well thought out and work if you weight your ingredients properly. Sally’s is my go to when I’m looking for a specific baked item. I appreciate you. I also appreciate the slam dunks I get at work when I bring in treats!
So glad this was a hit, Cheryle!
This recipe is AMAZING! It’s become a staple for our family and we love it! I’m bringing it for a Christmas Brunch and want to make it festive and plan on using cranberries. Would berries alone be too tart? Or should I use the cranberry jam recipe from Sally’s Brie puff pastries?
Hi Charli! That’s up to your tastes. You could also add sugared cranberries on top – festive and delicious!
I have made this, and it is truly delicious. I want to half the recipe to give to my daughter, but I want to use an 9×5 loaf pan. I bought an adorable ceramic one with dog/cat paws. Should it be baked 30 mins then checked for doneness? She will be baking herself since she can’t be with us Xmas morning.
Hi Terry! A loaf pan may not be best for this recipe, since the casserole will be much thicker and the texture will change (less of the topping will get crisp). If you do try it, we are unsure of the bake time needed, but let us know how it goes!
I just wanted to let you know I tried the 9×5 loaf pan for my daughter. I cut the recipe in half using about 4-cups of challah bread. She brought it home and Xmas morning left it out for about 20 mins and baked for 50 mins. It worked fine.
This recipe is AWESOME!!!!! Thank you for sharing it!!!
Wow, a crowd pleaser! I added blueberries that I had on hand and needed to use. Amazing! Thank you again for another 5 star recipe!
I buttered the bottom of the pan and under the bread, I added a layer of sliced apples that I had previously prepped with cinnamon and flour and lightly sautéed in butter. Made for a tailgate brunch. It was a hit!
Did you layer the apples on top of in between the bread? Trying this recipe for thanksgiving brunch and I wanted to add apples
Can you use slices of bread instead of cubed bread?
Hi Judy, you can! See this recipe for baked apple cider French toast for an example.
I made this with some cubed homemade cinnamon rolls that came out way to dry. Since the cinnamon rolls already had cinnamon sugar in them I a halved the sugar and cinnamon in the custard mixture. I also added some pecans on top near the end of the bake time. It was great!
hi
I accidentally put 3 teaspoons of vanilla in the cream cheese. Should I scrap it and start over?
Hi Anne, the cream cheese mixture may not be quite as thick, but it should be fine.
Wondering if there is nutritional info to go with the recipe
Hi Colleen, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Has anyone tried this with sourdough bread?
I enjoyed this at my friend’s house. It is like eating bread pudding for breakfast. I do not think it needs the maple syrup but that is just me. I have made these kinds of recipes with sourdough bread. It just does not work the way brioche or challah works…or croissant bread, whatever that is. ENJOY IT
I just assembled mine with a strawberry and cream sourdough bread. Will be baking it tomorrow so will update.
I did it with sourdough bread once and I didn’t like it as much as with the other suggested breads. It was just too hard of a bread for me for french toast. Maybe if I had soaked it longer or used fresh sourdough (I used day old leftovers) it would have been better.
Thinking I’d make inc this next weekend. I have a loaf of French bread and a loaf of Italian bread in my freezer. Which do you recommend using? I like Italian bread best, but didn’t know if it’s best for this. Thanks!
Hi Terri! We would use the Italian bread – you want something nice and crusty.
I’ve made this a few times as-is and it’s amazing.
I’m wondering your thoughts on using leftover cornbread instead of French bread?
Hi Diana, we haven’t tried! Let us know how it turns out if you do.
This was the first time I have made a french toast casserole and the family loved it! I am sure it will be requested at future gatherings.
Substituted marscapone for the cream cheese and turned out amazing. Welcome to my recipe rotation!