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This small batch French toast casserole bakes soft and custardy under a crisp cinnamon-sugar top, with apples and pecans tucked between the bread. Made from scratch, it’s perfectly sized for one or two people.
Featured Comment
“Just wonderful! Made it earlier this week and both my husband and I really liked it. The apples and the pecans added texture. I had large croissants and only had to use one. Highly recommend.”
– Debbie
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Cool Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Equipment: 5×5-inch baking dish and roasting pan
- Cook Method: Oven
- Servings: 1 to 2
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: This tastes like classic cinnamon French toast made richer with brown sugar and maple, with sweet apple and pecan in the finish.
It’s really a breakfast bread pudding, baked in a water bath so the custard stays creamy right out to the edges, and you can put it together the night before.
Why You’ll Love This Small Batch French Toast Casserole
A spoon breaks through the crisp cinnamon-sugar top into bread that has soaked up a maple custard and baked soft and rich, with bits of tender apple and crunchy pecans. It tastes like French toast, and the oven does the work. It’s made for one or two people.
I first made this French toast casserole with croissants years ago, and they’re still my first choice. The butter baked into them melts into the custard, so the bread drinks it up and bakes into something soft and rich all the way through. Brioche, challah, or French bread all work too, and so does day-old sandwich bread, so make it with whatever’s on the counter.
The custard is milk, cream, an egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla, whisked together and poured over the bread. Bake it as soon as it’s put together, or assemble it the night before and the only job left in the morning is sliding it into the oven.
Looking for more single serving breakfast recipes? Start with my French Toast For One, cooked in a skillet, then try the savory Breakfast Casserole For One, Baked Oatmeal For One, or, for dessert, Small Batch Bread Pudding.
Ingredients
Everything in this individual French toast casserole is a kitchen staple, and the bread is whatever you have. For ways to use any leftover ingredients, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Bread: The bread soaks up the custard and gives the casserole its body. Two medium croissants, or one large, make the 2 cups of cubes you need, and brioche, challah, French bread, or day-old sandwich bread all work in the same amount. Measure the cubes after cutting so the dish bakes evenly. For a gluten free French toast casserole, use a sturdy gluten-free bread.
Milk: Milk thins the custard so it soaks into every cube. Any kind works, skim, 2%, or whole.
Egg: One large egg sets the custard as it bakes, so the casserole holds together when you spoon into it.
Heavy cream: Cream makes the custard richer. If you’d like a lighter casserole, leave it out and use milk in its place.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the custard and adds a light molasses flavor. Pack it into the measuring spoon.
Maple syrup: Maple syrup adds sweetness and the flavor that makes this taste like French toast. Honey, agave nectar, or our Small Batch Pancake Syrup can stand in.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the custard. Use pure vanilla extract if you have it.
Sugar and cinnamon: Mixed together and sprinkled over the top, they bake into the crisp cinnamon-sugar crust. Granulated or coconut sugar both work, and you can swap the cinnamon for Small Batch Pumpkin Pie Spice in the fall.
Apple: Diced apple softens as it bakes and adds a little sweetness between the bread cubes. Peel it first so you don’t get bits of skin in the custard. Any apple you have works. For a berry version, see Recipe Variations.
Pecans: Pecans add crunch against the soft custard. Walnuts or almonds work the same way. Leftover apple and pecans go into Mini Slow Cooker Applesauce For One, an Apple Muffin For One, or Small Batch Apple Fritters.
Butter: Small bits of salted butter dotted over the top melt into the bread and give it a golden finish.
Recipe Variations
Change the fruit, the timing, or the serving size of this mini French toast casserole with one of these swaps.
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Assemble the casserole in the baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while the oven heats, then bake it in the water bath as directed.
Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Swap the diced apple for ¼ cup fresh blueberries and tuck them between the bread cubes the same way. Keep the pecans, or leave them out.
Eggnog French Toast Casserole
Use eggnog in place of the milk, measure for measure, and leave the rest of the custard as is. The brown sugar and cinnamon already lean toward the holidays, and the eggnog adds nutmeg and extra richness.
French Toast Casserole For Two
Double every ingredient and bake it in a 6×8-inch baking dish set inside the roasting pan. An 8-inch round dish or two 5×5-inch dishes also work.
How To Make A Small French Toast Casserole
This baked French toast for one comes together in a few steps. Ingredient amounts and full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Coat a 5×5-inch baking dish with butter or baking spray and spread the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, egg, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the custard over the bread so every cube is wet.
- In another small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the top. Scatter the diced apple and pecans over the bread, tucking some of them between the cubes.
- Dot the top with the bits of butter.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Set the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan. Boil water in a kettle and pour it into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set.
- Lift the baking dish out of the water bath, set it on a wire rack, and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
Use day-old bread. Bread that’s a day or two old is a little drier, so it soaks up more custard and still holds its shape as it bakes.
Let the bread soak while the oven heats. Pour the custard over the bread before you turn the oven on, and the bread has time to absorb it all the way through instead of only on the outside.
Bake it in a water bath. The hot water surrounds the dish with gentle, even heat, so the edges stay tender and the custard bakes creamy from the center out. Boil the water in a kettle so it’s already hot when the dish goes in.
Check the center before you take it out. The casserole is done when the top is golden and the custard in the center is set. If you press the center with a spoon and liquid custard pools up, give it 5 more minutes.
Use the right size dish. This recipe fills a 5×5-inch dish that holds about 22 fluid ounces. To check yours, fill it with water from a measuring cup. In a larger dish the casserole spreads thinner and bakes faster.
Troubleshooting
Here’s how to get this French toast bread pudding exactly the texture you want.
Why is my French toast casserole soggy?
A French toast casserole comes out soggy when the custard in the center hasn’t finished setting. Put it back in the water bath for 5 more minutes, then check that no liquid custard pools up when you press the center with a spoon. Fresh, soft bread can also leave it soggy, because it can’t hold the custard the way day-old bread can.
Why does my French toast casserole taste eggy?
A French toast casserole tastes eggy when the egg isn’t fully whisked into the custard. Streaks of egg white bake into little bits of cooked egg on the bread. Whisk the custard until it’s smooth and one even color before you pour it.
Why is my French toast casserole dry?
A French toast casserole turns out dry when some of the bread didn’t soak up the custard or it baked too long. Pour the custard slowly so every cube gets wet, and start checking at the 30-minute mark. A dish larger than 5×5 inches spreads the casserole thinner, so it dries out faster.
Why isn’t the top of my French toast casserole crisp?
The top of a French toast casserole crisps only when it bakes uncovered. Covering the dish traps steam and softens the cinnamon-sugar crust. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bread, then bake it uncovered.
Serving Suggestions
A single serving French toast casserole is sweet enough to eat on its own, and a topping or a savory side turns it into a full breakfast.
- Whipped cream: A spoonful of homemade whipped cream softens into the warm cinnamon-sugar top.
- Caramel: A drizzle of warm caramel sauce makes it a dessert-style breakfast.
- Something savory: A bacon, egg and cheese cup brings salty bacon and egg to balance the sweet casserole.
- Something cold: A green smoothie is a fresh, cold drink next to the warm dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nearly. Both bake cubed bread in a sweet egg custard. French toast casserole is a breakfast dish built on French toast flavors like cinnamon and maple, while bread pudding is usually a denser dessert made with more milk in the custard. This recipe started out as my breakfast bread pudding.
No. This small French toast casserole bakes as soon as it’s assembled, and the bread soaks up the custard while the oven heats. To make it ahead, see the overnight version in Recipe Variations.
Croissants are my favorite bread for French toast casserole, because the butter baked into them melts into the custard. Brioche, challah, and French bread also work, and day-old bread of any kind soaks up the custard best.
Yes. A water bath surrounds the baking dish with gentle, even heat, so the custard bakes creamy and the edges don’t overcook before the center sets.
Yes. Let the baked casserole cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it in a 350°F oven until it’s warm in the center.
Leftover French toast casserole keeps for up to 2 days covered in the refrigerator. Reheat it in the oven or microwave until it’s warm in the center.
Yes. This small French toast casserole makes one large serving or two smaller ones from a single 5×5-inch dish. For a full French toast casserole for two, double the recipe and bake it in a 6×8-inch dish.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Breakfast Recipes Worth Waking Up To
If you’ve tried this single serve French toast casserole please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Small French Toast Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed bread such as croissants, brioche, French bread, or challah
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup peeled, diced apples
- ⅛ cup pecans
- ¼ tablespoon salted butter -cut into bits
Instructions
- Coat a 5×5-inch baking dish with butter or baking spray and spread the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, egg, cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the custard over the bread so every cube is wet.
- In another small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the top.
- Scatter the apple and pecans over the bread, tucking some of them between the cubes.
- Dot the top with the bits of butter.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and bring a kettle of water to a boil.
- Set the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Carefully set the roasting pan on the oven rack and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set.
- Lift the baking dish out of the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
what a great way to use up cinnamon rolls that were getting stale on me. it was so easy to put together and the finished product was delicious. I didn’t do the water bath just baked it at 3:50 in a 5 inch covered baking dish. and as usual it made more than I could eat and so this evening I use some of the leftover casserole as shortbread and had Strawberry Shortcake. waste not want not.
This was so easy to make! I used walnuts because I didn’t have any pecan. It’s delicious!
how to best measure a baking dish to determine its size?
To measure your baking dish, use a ruler or measuring tape across the base. If you want to confirm the volume, fill the dish with water using a measuring cup and count how many cups it holds. The dish I use for this recipe holds 22 fluid ounces.
I love this recipe. It’s easy to follow and comes together in minutes. I make it the night before and bake it in the morning. This time I’m replacing the apples with sliced strawberries and blueberries. I’ve still sprinkled pecans on top. It’s a perfect Sunday morning treat for breakfast.
I love hearing this. I’m so glad it’s been working well for you, and your fruit swap sounds wonderful.