Crème Brûlée French Toast

Name: Crème Brûlée French Toast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 535 min
Ingredients: ½ cup unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons corn syrup; 1 cup brown sugar, packed; 5 large eggs; 1 ½ cups half & half; 2 teaspoons vanilla; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 loaf of Challah bread (could substitute French bread)

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Crème Brûlée French Toast is an easy to make overnight breakfast casserole with a delicious brown sugar bottom and an egg challah bread filling. Make ahead, bake and serve for a truly special breakfast or brunch!

Crème Brûlée in a white casserole dish with a slice on a plate with strawberries and blueberries.

Crème Brûlée French Toast is an overnight breakfast casserole that’s perfect for special occasions. It’s simple to put together and a definite must-add to your brunch menu.

If your looking for a special breakfast dish, don’t miss this Panettone French Toast Casserole with a similar brown sugar bottom. And, if you have leftover bagels to use up, don’t miss this Overnight Bagel French Toast recipe. For a delicious cannoli treat, try this Cannoli Pound Cake!

The BEST Crème Brûlée French Toast!

My mom actually started making Creme Brûlée French Toast from a recipe she found years ago. After one taste, you’ll see why this dish is a staple at our family gatherings. The best part is that it is totally make ahead and completely goof proof.

It all starts with melting butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar to form the decadent crème brûlée style topping (which actually goes on the bottom of the pan). Then you layer on thick pieces of Challah bread and add a rich egg custard on top.

The whole thing sits in the fridge overnight and all you have to do in the morning is bring it to room temperature and pop it in a 350 degree oven. The aroma itself is incredible, but the taste will send you over the moon.

When I tell you that this dish is a staple, I mean it. I serve this baked French toast almost every brunch I host, as well as Christmas morning breakfast, Easter brunch, and pretty much once a weekend month just for good measure.

Crème Brûlée French Toast in a white serving dish with a slice right next to it.

My kids devour it and it’s great as leftovers too… if you have any left over. You can serve it with a side of warm maple syrup, fresh berries, or a dollop of whipped cream.

If you want to lighten the recipe up, you could even substitute fat-free half & half for the regular half & half. I have done this many times before with equally good results. Serve with berries and you have a semi guilt-free breakfast!

Another great thing about this dish is that you can make it up to 24 hours in advance. So no waiting until the kids go to bed so you can put together your make-ahead breakfast. This one can be done during the day, just make sure you plan for it to refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Ingredients

The ingredients for Crème Brûlée French Toast are: bread, half and half, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, butter, eggs, and brown sugar.

Bread: I highly recommend using Challah bread for this recipe. You can find it in most grocery stores. It has an eggy texture that works perfectly with this recipe. A loaf of french bread works as a substitute here.
Half and half: The creaminess of the half and half makes this recipe extra special. If you are looking to cut calories, I have made it with fat free half and half with great results.
Corn Syrup: You will need to use a small amount of corn syrup with the brown sugar bottom mixture. This will help keep the brown sugar and butter from getting grainy. The corn syrup can be omitted if desired.

How to Make Crème Brûlée French Toast

This overnight breakfast casserole is the perfect make-ahead dish. It’s great for holidays or special brunches and requires little prep or work.

process shots showing how to make recipe including the brown sugar mixture in the white casserole dish and slices of challah bread on top.

Step 1: Make the brown sugar base. To start, in a small sauce pan, heat the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Whisk continually until the mixture melts and comes together. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Step 2: Cut the challah bread in to about 6 large slices, about 1 ½ inch thick. Arrange the bread on top of the brown sugar mixture in the baking dish. You will need to squeeze the bread in there and stuff in smaller pieces to fill in any gaps.
Step 3: Make the custard. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, vanilla, and salt. Pour the custard over the bread making sure all of the pieces are soaked. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
Step 4: In the morning, remove the casserole from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes. The Crème Brûlée French Toast will puff up and brown, and all of the custard will be cooked into the bread.

Crème Brûlée French Toast slice on a white plate with strawberries in the background.

Let the dish rest for about 5 minutes before serving. To serve, cut out a square and use a large spoon to spoon it on to the plate. Flip the Crème Brûlée French Toast over so that the brown sugar bottom is on the top. Spoon any extra sauce from the bottom of the pan on top.

Recipe Tips

Be sure to bring the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup to a low simmer. Whisk it well to get rid of any graininess from the brown sugar.
Can’t find Challah bread? You can use French or Italian loaves, or any other hearty sweet bread in its place.
Prep the entire recipe the day before. This can be anywhere from 8 to 24 hours in advance. Just cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
If you can, remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking to take the chill off.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

What bread works best for french toast casserole?

You want to use a thick and hearty bread for french toast casserole, otherwise you risk it breaking down and getting mushy. The best breads are day old Italian or French bread, challah bread, or leftover bagels.

How far in advance can you prep french toast casserole?

French toast casseroles can be prepared the night ahead and baking the morning. If you are using a hearty bread, you can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance and just store it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Crème Brûlée French Toast on a white plate.

More Make-Ahead Breakfasts

If you love the ease of overnight breakfast casseroles, be sure to check out these fan favorites:

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