Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Breakfast

written by Ashley Fehr

4.50 from 8 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 10 servings

Jump to Recipe

Last updated on March 1, 2023

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Overnight french toast baked with sticky caramel sauce that you don’t have to feel guilty about! The perfect overnight breakfast for any holiday.

Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • Why you want to make this Caramel Overnight French Toast:
  • What’s the best bread for French toast?
  • Tips for making the best baked French toast:
  • Overnight Caramel French Toast Recipe

It’s our first really cold day here (we’re even expecting snow tonight!) and part of me is ready to sit around the fireplace with a mug of Crockpot Hot Chocolate and the other part of me is longing for a little more fall.

This Overnight Caramel French Toast? It’s going to be doing a lot of consoling this winter.

There are so many good things going on in this overnight French toast, it’s really hard to focus on any point that makes it particularly awesome. There’s just too much to love about it!

Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (3)

Love easy breakfasts? Try this Air Fryer French Toast or this French Toast Casserole next!

Why you want to make this Caramel Overnight French Toast:

  1. You can make it ahead — in fact, you need to make it ahead so that the bread can soak up all of that custardy goodness. Which means in the morning you just have to pop it in the oven and there’s literally nothing else to be done.
  2. It’s light — I’m not going to tell you this Caramel French Toast is healthy. But it’s also not as unhealthy as you might expect. For one good thick slice, it’s around 265 calories, complete with crisp caramelized sugar crust and gooey caramel. If that’s not a holiday miracle, I don’t know what is! (For reference, I first snagged this recipe from Cooking Light but have adapted it since then. So if Cooking Light calls this “light” French toast, we go with it).
  3. That crispy caramelized sugar top and gooey bottom are just an epic combination — especially because they sandwich perfectly cooked French Toast.
  4. It’s baked! Which means, no flipping, no wondering if it’s baked. It cooks perfectly in the oven with no extra work on your part.
  5. You can make an extra large batch and bake it on a sheet pan if you’re serving a crowd.
Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (4)

We are totally nuts about breakfast here, but we rarely eat a hot breakfast like pancakes or french toast unless we’re eating brunch. Or brinner.

Because who has time for that? When I can finally drag myself out of bed in the morning, it’s for a serious mug of coffee and something to eat, like, now.

I am not about to spend an hour or more slaving over the stove to make a hot breakfast, no matter how badly I want it.

Just waiting 5 minutes for the coffee to brew is hard enough.

So when I stumble upon a solid, make ahead breakfast that everyone loves? It’s a keeper!

What’s the best bread for French toast?

There are a few answers to this question, but what it comes down to is a couple of factors:

  • You want it extra thick sliced — I prefer to buy a loaf of unsliced French bread so I can cut my own. If you use slices that are too thin, they will soak up too much of the liquid and be soggy.
  • You don’t want it too fresh — stale bread that’s been sitting on the counter for a couple of days is best because it’s drier and can soak up more eggy deliciousness. This is a great recipe for using up that leftover bread! (Don’t have stale bread but need some French toast? Pop your slices in the toaster or in the oven on low to dry them out a bit before making your French toast.
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Tips for making the best baked French toast:

  • Think ahead: french toast is best with stale bread, and a long rest in the fridge to ensure the bread has soaked up all the egg mixture.
  • Use a large enough pan: try not tot squish your bread pieces together or they may not bake evenly
  • Easy removal: the caramel on the bottom can get sticky as it cools. Your best bet for getting nice clean pieces from the pan is to grease your pan and not to wait too long before serving. Also be sure to bake your French toast in the middle of the oven — the heat comes from the bottom element in most cases and if you bake it close to the bottom, your caramel may burn.

*This recipe and post were updated from the original from December 2014.

Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (6)

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Overnight Caramel French Toast

written by Ashley Fehr

4.50 from 8 votes

Light Overnight Caramel French Toast: so decadent and super easy! The perfect treat for a relaxing morning.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Breakfast

Servings 10 servings

Calories 265cal

Ingredients

  • 10 slices French bread
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tbsp light or heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Spray a 13×9" baking dish or large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick spray.

  • In a small pot, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Cook over medium heat until mixture is bubbly, 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in cream and pour into prepared baking dish.

  • Arrange bread slices on top of caramel in dish.

  • In a bowl, combine milk, flour, vanilla, salt and eggs with a whisk. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over bread. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 265cal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 178mg | Sugar: 41g

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Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (9)

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jamie Allen says

    Soooo good! This was super easy to put together and it is sooo yummy! I wish the caramel was a little thicker but who cares as good as this taste. I will totally be making this again!

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      thanks Jamie!

      Reply

  2. jen groezinger says

    Hey Ashley!! I never usually respond to all my food pages..but your is my Fav!! (Sshh lol) Im def. Going to try this!!! I love cooking..this looks great! Bbut Ive never used corn syrup before..can i use maple syrup?
    Thanx Girl! ??? – Jen G

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Jen! I’m so glad! I think you probably could, but I haven’t tested this recipe with anything else!

      Reply

    • Jamie says

      Hi, This is almost exactly like Creme Brulee French toast that I make at my Hoyt House Bed and Breakfast. I always use maple syrup in the creme brulee crust so it should be just fine. Everyone loves it. I’m going to add a few of these touches to my Creme Brulee French Toast too☺

      Reply

  3. Jacqueline M Mullis says

    The first step says to put the bread into the oiled 13×9, but then later, it says to put the bread on top of the caramel sauce. Which is it? Haha

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      You’re right! Sorry about that! The bread goes on top of the caramel sauce

      Reply

  4. Sarah Mitchell says

    I love recipes like this. They are perfect for those early hectic mornings where everything is moving fast. Plus this one gives me a break from those savory breakfast bakes.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Thanks Sarah! We love it too!

      Reply

  5. Mary May says

    Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker? Talk about hungry and wanting it NOW, and lazy !! That’s me, buds. Looks likewake up and smile.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      I haven’t, but I’d love to hear from someone who has!

      Reply

  6. CJ says

    The ingredients in the recipe do not list the bread.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Please reread the recipe then, and I’m sure you’ll find yourself corrected.

      Reply

  7. Michele says

    Made this for Christmas morning brekkie and substituted half the milk with eggnog. Will make it again but will put the bread down first, then pour caramel over that as a good chunk of it hardened to the bottom of the baking dish. Still, it was quite yummy.

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      I’m sorry to hear that! It does firm up pretty quickly as it cools but I’ve never had a problem with it sticking while the French toast was warm. I’m glad it tasted good!

      Reply

  8. Brenda says

    How is the bread arranged? Two layers?

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      In a single layer. You can use a baking pan or rimmed sheet pan.

      Reply

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Overnight Caramel French Toast - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

FAQs

Where was French toast mad? ›

The first known recorded recipe for French toast comes from Rome around 300 A.D. The Roman author Apicius included it in his cookbook titled "Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome". For centuries, the French themselves called this dish "Roman Bread". Today, French toast has spread to much of the world.

What happens if you soak French toast too long? ›

The first is using fresh bread, which soaks up too much of the egg mixture and doesn't cook through, remaining eggy and soggy in the middle. Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast.

Should you soak bread for French toast? ›

Ideally it's best if you can soak the bread in the french toast batter overnight however, if this cannot be done I suggest leaving it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour. As we want that custard like middle, cut very thick slices of bread.

Should I dry bread before making French toast? ›

Ideally, the bread should be slightly stale. A drier bread will soak up all the custard. Bread can be left out with the wrapper open the day before cooking. If you find yourself in a pinch, dry your bread slices in a 275°F oven for 10 minutes before soaking them in the custard.

What do the British call French toast? ›

The British call french toast “eggy bread," “gypsy bread" or “french-fried bread." And sometimes they serve it with ketchup.

What do French people call French toast? ›

The usual French name is pain perdu (French: [pɛ̃ pɛʁdy] 'lost bread', reflecting its use of stale or otherwise "lost" bread. It may also be called pain doré 'golden bread' in Canada.

What is a fun fact about French toast? ›

French toast got its current name through a grammatical error. Albany, New York, innkeeper Joseph French introduced the dish to America in 1724. He intended to name his creation “French's Toast” but inadvertently left out the apostrophe and S. The phrase “French toast” first appeared in print in 1871.

Can you make French toast ahead of time and reheat? ›

Freezer and Make-Ahead Tips

Freeze cooked French Toast Casserole for up to three months. Remove it from the freezer the day before you want to serve it and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the pan with foil, then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Do you soak both sides of French toast? ›

Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together in a shallow bowl. Lightly butter a griddle or skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Dunk bread in the egg mixture, soaking both sides. Transfer to the hot skillet and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

How do you keep French toast thick? ›

Choose the Right Bread: Use thick slices of day-old bread, such as brioche, challah, or French bread, for your French toast. Stale bread absorbs the egg mixture better without becoming too soggy. Dry the Bread: If your bread is fresh, lightly toast the slices in a toaster or oven before dipping them in the egg mixture.

How do you keep French bread soft overnight? ›

How can you store fresh bread and rolls so they stay soft for as long as possible? Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft.

How do you keep toast crispy overnight? ›

A toast rack is the perfect way to do this, but you can also just prop the slices against each other like a little tent. You may also consider wrapping your deli-meats and any salad items separately and only adding them to your sandwich when you are ready to eat.

What to do if French toast casserole is soggy? ›

If you find yourself with a soggy casserole, for whatever reason, try baking it a bit longer until it firms up some. What's the best bread to use for baked French toast? A loaf of crusty sourdough or French bread makes the best bread for French bread.

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