Baked French Toast

From the kitchen of Carly

Soft Italian bread soaks up a custardy egg mixture overnight, then bakes into golden, caramelized slices with custardy centers. Skip the griddle and oven-bake for effortless breakfast that feeds a crowd. Serve with maple syrup.

Baked French Toast

Baked French toast sits overnight in its own custard bath, so the bread soaks through completely and the top gets irresistibly golden and puffy in a hot oven. It's a weeknight breakfast that tastes like you woke up early, except you didn't. One baking dish, no pan hovering required.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1loaf of soft-crust supermarket Italian bread
  • 1/2 stickunsalted butter, softened
  • 2 largeeggs
  • 1 2/3 cupwhole milk
  • 3 tbspsugar
  • 1pure maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Slice 12 diagonal cuts from the loaf, each about 1 inch thick, and set the end pieces aside for another purpose.

  2. Butter one side of each slice generously, then arrange them buttered-side up in a single layer inside a buttered 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Squeeze the slices slightly to make them fit if needed.

  3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined, then pour the custard evenly over the bread. Cover the dish and refrigerate until the bread has soaked up all the liquid, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day depending on how dense your bread is.

  4. When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 425°F.

  5. Pull the dish from the fridge and let it come to room temperature, then scatter the sugar evenly over the top of the bread.

  6. Slide the dish, uncovered, onto the middle rack and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the slices are puffed and the tops are a deep golden brown. Serve right away with maple syrup.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Diagonal cuts matter: they're thinner at the edges, which means faster absorption and a more elegant presentation than perpendicular slices.
  • Don't skip the overnight chill. The bread needs time to drink in the custard, otherwise you'll get soggy bottoms and dry tops. If you're short on time, 1 hour minimum, but 8 hours is ideal.
  • Room temperature is non-negotiable before baking. Cold custard won't set properly and the bread won't puff. Let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
  • Soft-crust Italian bread is the key here: sturdy enough to hold custard without collapsing, tender enough to become custardy inside. Skip the dense artisan loaf for this one.

Variations

  • Overnight soak twist: use brioche or challah instead of Italian bread for a richer, more cake-like crumb.
  • Spiced version: add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of vanilla extract to the custard mixture.
  • Savory direction: skip the sugar entirely and add fresh thyme, gruyere, and a light salt boost to the eggs and milk for a breakfast that doubles as brunch.
  • Brown butter upgrade: brown the butter before brushing it onto the bread for a nutty, caramelized depth that elevates the whole dish.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes to restore some lift without drying out the custard.