Bourbon Pecan Overnight French Toast Casserole
Bourbon pecan overnight French toast casserole has soft, custardy challah underneath a buttery brown sugar pecan topping with just a splash of bourbon. Assemble it the night before and bake it straight from the fridge for an easy Christmas morning, Easter brunch or holiday breakfast.
I’m a huge fan of French toast but this bourbon pecan French toast casserole started as an Easter morning joke several years ago. Most people give up chocolate or soda for Lent but this year my husband chose to abandon his beloved bourbon for 40 days.
While I was meal planning for Easter Sunday, I thought it would be absolutely hysterical to include bourbon as part of his breakfast so that he could literally break his Lenten fast first thing on Easter morning.
Since a little nip of bourbon in a cup would be frowned upon at the family table, slipping some into the French toast bake was just the right way to go!
We were just a few bites into our breakfast when Tim asked me if I was going to share this recipe here with you. I told him I’d likely make it again another time to take pictures.
He stopped mid-bite and said:
“The light is perfect now, there’s still half a pan. You need to take the picture Right Now so you can share it.”
If that isn’t high praise for the recipe, I don’t know what is!
However, if you’re looking for classic French toast you make fresh in the morning, this fluffy French toast is the best.
Why This is the Best Recipe
Looking for an easy overnight breakfast casserole to prep ahead for your brunch? This is the best one because:
- Perfect Texture: The bottom stays soft and custardy while the exposed challah and buttery pecan praline topping become golden and crisp.
- Bake Straight from the Fridge: Assemble it at night and put the cold casserole right in the oven the next morning.
- Easy Holiday Prep: Just slice the bread and pour the egg mixture over the top. Assembly will take just a few minutes the night before.
Ingredients
I love how simple the ingredients are for an overnight French toast casserole. It is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for a special occasion.
- Bread: I used a braided loaf of challah but I have several easy substitutions for you in the notes below.
- Bourbon: This gives the dish a distinctive flavor but if you want to avoid alcohol, just substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
- Chopped Pecans: I love the crunch these give to the final dish but if you need a nut-free breakfast, you can simply omit them.
- Eggs
- Half & Half
- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Light Corn Syrup
- Vanilla
Best Bread for French Toast Casserole
The best bread to use for any French toast recipe is a light egg bread like challah.
You can find this Jewish braided egg bread at many grocery stores, or you could plan ahead and make a loaf really easily the day before with my bread machine challah recipe.
If you can’t find challah bread, a loaf of Hawaiian bread or a sliced brioche also works wonderfully.
The best part is, your bread does not need to be fresh from the store. I find that a few days stale actually makes for a better casserole because the drier bread can soak up the custard even more nicely than a fresh one can.
How to Assemble the Casserole
Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Slice your challah bread (or other loaf) into thick 1/2-inch wide pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and salt.
Working in an assembly line, dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture and then layer it in the baking dish at a slightly upright angle. Overlap each piece as you lay them in the dish.
Once the slices have all been dipped and arranged, pour the remaining egg mixture over the top.
Chilling Instructions
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 16 hours in advance.
You want the casserole to rest for some time so that it has a chance to properly soak up the vanilla bourbon custard.
Want to Save This for Later?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
How to Make the Praline Topping
Before you put the casserole in the oven, be sure to spoon the praline topping over the top.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and bourbon. Whisk them until smooth. Bring it to a simmer and then add the pecans. Heat them through for 30 seconds.
Spoon the mixture over the top of the casserole and then cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.
Baking Instructions
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the casserole topped with praline for 25 minutes.
Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes more or until it is golden brown and bubbling.
Just keep an eye on the dish towards the end. The added sugar and pecans can burn quickly if left unattended too long.
How to Keep It From Getting Soggy
If you use good quality bread like the sturdy challah I recommend and slice it by hand into thicker half-inch slices, this French toast bake does not get soggy.
The custard makes the bottom soft and fluffy while the exposed bread and pecan praline topping remain crisp.
Bourbon Substitutions
When you’re baking for a family with kids, a huge concern can be about adding bourbon to the French toast bake.
There is 4 tablespoons in the casserole and another 2 tablespoons in the praline topping which makes the flavor of the bourbon definitely come through.
While the flavor does mellow considerably with baking the casserole and boiling the praline topping, if you have concerns about the bourbon for your family I recommend simply omitting it.
You can skip the bourbon altogether and the recipe will bake up just fine. You can replace it with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract if you want to boost the flavor a bit more.
However, if your concern is that you don’t prefer the bourbon flavor but are open to using a liqueur, I recommend swapping in amaretto for a warm almond flavor or Grand Marnier for a slight citrus kick.
Make Ahead Tips
The French toast casserole is best served once it has been freshly baked so if you want to make it ahead, I would just focus on the assembly the night before.
However, leftovers will reheat nicely in the oven or microwave so nothing goes to waste.
Serving Suggestions
When I baked this, I served it with a side dish of my baked peppered bacon. The savory side was just perfect. A batch of my turkey breakfast sausage would taste amazing if you prefer a lighter meat.
If you would like to play with a simple variation, you could drizzle my blueberry maple syrup over the top or really boost that bourbon flavor with a drizzle of bourbon sauce.
Overnight French Toast Bake with Pecan Praline
Ingredients
For the French Toast:
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/3 cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pound challah bread slices sliced 1/2-inch thick
For the Praline Topping:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions Start Cooking
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and salt in a large bowl. Make sure the eggs are well incorporated into the mixture.5 eggs, 1 1/3 cup half and half, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 cup bourbon, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Dip each slice of challah bread into the egg mixture. Let the excess liquid drain off and lay it into the casserole dish at a slightly up-right angle. You are not trying to lay them flat in the dish, they should overlap up against each other slightly.1 1/2 pound challah bread slices
- Keep adding slices to the dish until the bottom is completely covered with bread. You may have to readjust some of the slices to make sure there aren't any big holes in the casserole. Pour the remaining egg mixture evenly over the top of the bread slices. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 16 hours in advance.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and bourbon and whisk them in until smooth. Bring the mixture to a slight simmer. When the praline starts to bubble, add the pecans and stir them in to heat through for 30 seconds. Spoon the topping evenly over the casserole and then cover with aluminum foil.8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 2 tablespoons bourbon, 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Bake the French toast for 25 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the casserole is slightly bubbling and the top is golden brown. Be careful that the pecans don't burn, it can happen quickly at the end.
- Let the French toast bake cool for 10 minutes before serving. This will help the praline to firm up before slicing.
Save This Recipe to Your Recipe Box
Find this delicious recipe next time you visit by saving it to your very own recipe box on my site. All your favorites stored in one easy place!
About Tiffany
Tiffany is a home-cooking enthusiast, three-time cookbook author, and creator of the sites Peanut Blossom, Peanut Blossom Book Club, and Don’t Just Fly. She believes that family dinner can be manageable, fun, and — most importantly — tasty. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and can often be found baking a loaf of bread with her beloved bread machine, reading a good book, or planning her family’s next adventure.
Delish! Followed recipe and it came out perfect! Just enjoyed it for Christmas morning. Thank you for sharing! Have a happy day!
Can you freeze this without the topping. Then the night before let it defrost in the refrigerator and then bake it in the morning?