Don’t let leftover sourdough bread go to waste – make sourdough french toast casserole, the ultimate make ahead breakfast! There’s no such thing as a ruined sourdough loaf, you can turn burnt, stale, overproofed, or underproofed sourdough bread into sourdough breadcrumbs or this delicious sourdough breakfast casserole.
Quick Recipe Overview: Sourdough French Toast Casserole
⏱ Ready In: ~1 hour (plus optional overnight soak)
🍽 Serves: 8–10
🔥 Calories: ~320 per serving (varies by toppings)
🛒 Main Ingredients: Sourdough bread, eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla
🥗 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; can be made dairy-free
💛 Why You’ll Love It: Make-ahead friendly, cozy flavor, crowd-pleasing texture
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“This French toast casserole is amazing! The icing is just perfect to finish it out, and it is all around just great!” – Beth
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect overnight prep for stress-free mornings, but can be thrown together quickly before breakfast.
- Uses sourdough bread for richer flavor & texture, never let leftover sourdough bread go to waste!
- Feeds a crowd with one simple dish – the abundance of eggs in this recipe rounds out the macros for added protein.
I’ve used many different kinds of sourdough bread in this recipe and they all work wonderfully. One of the keys is that dry bread actually works better than fresh bread. Using fresh, moist bread can yield a casserole that has a texture more similar to bread pudding – which is delicious if you don’t mind a bit of a texture difference! So don’t let that dry bread go to waste, this modified french toast recipe is a great way to use it!
I may receive a small commission for items purchased through affiliate links in this post at no additional cost to you.
In this video, I used half of a cinnamon raisin artisan loaf, chopped into bread cubes to make French toast bake – so delicious!
Key Ingredients
- Sourdough Bread – Day-old cubes absorb the custard perfectly while adding a subtle tang. Use any kind of sourdough bread, from soft sandwich bread to crusty artisan bread.
- Eggs – Create the rich custard base and adds protein to round out this dish.
- Milk or Cream – Adds creaminess and soft texture.
- Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar – Natural sweetness with warm depth.
- Vanilla & Cinnamon – Classic French toast flavor.
Sourdough French Toast Casserole FAQs
Yes, this casserole is perfect for overnight prep. Assemble it the night before, cover, and refrigerate. In the morning, bake as directed for an easy, stress-free breakfast.
Sourdough adds rich flavor and structure, preventing the casserole from becoming mushy. Its fermentation also breaks down compounds like phytic acid and fructans, which may improve digestibility for some people.
Use slightly stale bread, allow time for soaking, and bake until the center is set. Avoid overly soft sandwich bread, which can become mushy.
Yes. Bake and cool completely, then freeze tightly wrapped. Reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through, or freeze unbaked and thaw overnight before baking.
Expert Tips
- Use day-old bread for best custard absorption.
- Let it soak overnight for a richer, creamier texture.
- Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Add streusel topping for bakery-style crunch.
- Get Creative with seasonal twists. Caramel apple in the fall, strawberry in the spring, etc.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.
- Reheat in oven for best texture.
- Freeze baked portions up to 2 months.
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐ 5-star ⭐ rating below! If you have questions or suggestions – drop a comment!
Sourdough French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice the sourdough bread (at least day-old bread works best) into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
- Add the milk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place half the sourdough bread cubes in a greased 9×9 casserole dish and pour half the egg and milk mixture over top. Then add the rest of the bread cubes and pour the rest of the egg and milk mixture over top.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the fridge for at least an hour before baking for best results.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 45 minutes, or until the top of the bread in the casserole is golden brown and the middle is no longer liquid.
- While the French toast casserole is baking, prepare the icing in a separate bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream and beat on low for another 2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour the icing over the casserole straight out of the oven and serve hot with fresh fruit and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutrition
Notes
- Slightly stale sourdough works best.
- Overnight soaking improves texture and flavor.
- Add berries, pecans, or cream cheese cubes for variation.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!About the Author
Welcome to Hopewell Heights, I’m Steph – seasoned sourdough baker, homesteader, homemaker, homeschooling mom of 5, and creator behind this Heritage American food blog. I hope you enjoy my family’s favorite, from-scratch recipes!
This is my go to when I have leftover or burnt/overproofed bread! No such thing as a sourodugh fail when you can turn it into french toast casserole!
This French toast casserole is amazing! The icing is just perfect to finish it out, and it is all around just great!
I researched the same recipe because I absolutely loved it when I made it a few weeks ago. I didn’t make it with the glaze last time though, but I will be doing so tomorrow when I bake it off 🙂