Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole
13 Comments Jun 15, 2022
Updated Mar 21, 2024
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Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole – all the flavors of traditional French toast but with minimal prep and a reasonable cook time. This French toast recipe comes in handy if you need an easy breakfast for busy mornings.
Who doesn’t love a good crockpot breakfast recipe! We also make pumpkin butter and sausage green chile egg casserole.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works?
If you’re like most people, making French toast for breakfast sounds like a great idea. That’s until you find yourself standing for long periods of time dipping bread pieces into the egg wash, cooking them over a hot stove, and garnishing them with the finishing touches.
After a few pieces, all of a sudden it doesn’t sound like such a good idea. With crock pot French toast, you cut out half of what’s necessary to get the same results. This is mixed and combined and is done in as little as 2 hours (hands-free 2 hours). You and all those on the receiving end will love this crockpot french toast casserole and make a great holiday breakfast. If you love bread pudding, then this is the recipe for you!
Recipes Ingredients
- Bread: Thicker Texas-style toast is most ideal for this recipe. It’s also okay if the bread is stale (this actually works even better!)
- Eggs: Similar to the traditional stovetop recipe, eggs are used to solidify and firm up the bread.
- Milk: This will keep the bread and eggs from sticking and add a nice softness to the bread.
- Vanilla Extract: Also contributes a milk sweet and vanilla flavor.
- Cinnamon: Gives the toast a little kick but is not overwhelming.
- Pecans: Used as a filler while adding a natural nutty flavor.
- Nutmeg & Salt: Additional flavor balancers.
- Topping – A sweet topping is made to go on top of the french toast casserole, made of salted butter, brown sugar, and additional cinnamon.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In the crockpot combine eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup.
Step Two – Whisk until all ingredients are combined.
Step Three – Evenly spread the bread cubes over the egg mixture. Press all the pieces slightly into the mixture.
Step Four – Sprinkle the pecans on the top.
Step Five – Evenly sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, and salt on top of the pecans.
Step Six – Place the butter cubes evenly on top of the sugar. Cook on high for 2 hours or you can cook it at low for 3-4 hours.
Variations
- Without Pecans: If you don’t like pecans, you can leave them out completely.
- Substitute Milk: Instead of whole milk, you can easily substitute it for vanilla almond milk.
- Bread Options: While Texas toast is the go-to bread, you can also use French bread, brioche bread, or even challah bread.
What to Serve with this French Toast Casserole
- Fruit: You can’t go wrong with serving a side of fresh fruit with this casserole. In fact, you can place it right on top. Some of the most complimentary fruit are sliced bananas, diced strawberries, and pineapple chunks.
- Syrup: Whether you go for store-bought, homemade, or pure maple syrup, drizzling it on top right before eating adds a nice sweet flavor and smooth texture.
- Eggs: French toast has always paired well with eggs – scrambled, over easy, or sunny side up.
- Meat Side: This toast will also go well with a meaty side such as sausage patties, links, or bacon strips.
Recipe FAQs
It can be reheated in a microwave or oven. Excellent when you put a portion in a ramekin, heat up in the air fryer for 3 to 4 minutes on a manual setting at 325 degrees F.
Yes, stale bread is best for French Toast casserole, for the bread will hold better when soaked in milk mixture. If all you have is fresh bread, use that!
We believe that texas toast or challah bread is the best for french toast. We often use texas toast since we can always find it at our local grocery store.
More Slow Cooker Breakfast Recipes
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Slow Cooker French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed bread, I used stale Texas toast, but you could use any bread you like, sourdough, French bread, ciabatta, or challah.
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups of milk
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup cubed salted butter, I use salted butter, but you could use unsalted at room temperature
Topping mixture
- 1/2 cup light packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cut the bread into inch cubes, bite-size. Set aside.
- In the crockpot combine eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.
- Evenly spread the cubed bread over the milk mixture. Press all the pieces slightly into the mixture.
- Sprinkle the pecans on the top.
- In a small bowl mix cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
- Evenly sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the pecans.
- Place the cubes of butter evenly on top of the sugar.
- Cook on high for 2 hours or you can cook it at low for 3-4 hours.
- *NOTE* At the 2 hour mark, open and see if there is a lot of liquid left, add a 15 minutes. This maybe due to the type of bread you used.
- Let cool for 4-5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Can I double the recipie?
I’m unsure if it will set in the middle, that’s the problem I find with anything dessert like in the slow cooker when I double it.
This was great!
In order to figure out how long it will take to cook a crockpot recipe in your oven, you have to consider the following… Also note- items in a crockpot are covered so any recipe you’re trying to bake in a conventional oven will need a cover.
Slow cookers have been around for almost an entire century, and are used to cook stews and other foods to perfection. However, several slow cookers have different settings that cook at very different temperatures. This can make preparing crockpot and slow cooker recipes confusing. What range of temperatures do slow cookers have and how can you know which setting to use?
Slow cookers usually cook at around 190℉ (88℃) on the “low” setting, and 300℉ (149℃) on the “high” setting, with a wide range between those temperatures. These temperatures may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, and you might find a large difference between two separate cookers.
If you’re going to post recipes can you be respectful enough to reply to the questions people are asking
Hi Susan, sometimes I get behind on answering questions. I could turn off the comments as most sites do nowadays.
How long to bake in a conventional oven?
I have not tested, I apologize.
I was just wondering if you could possibly make this slow cooker french toast recipe in bread oven instead because I don’t have a slow cooker?if so do I make it just like this recipe calls for or is there any difference in the way make it?
I’m sure it will work in the oven, but I do not have times. I apologize.
I can’t wait to try your delicious recipes
Hi! What size crock do you recommend? Thank you!
6 quart oval.