This Crockpot French Toast is an easy, hands-off breakfast that’s perfect for holidays and weekend brunches. Made with dried French bread, eggs, milk, cream, and vanilla, this slow cooker French toast casserole takes just 10 minutes of hands-on preparation. It’s a delicious way to feed a crowd without spending the morning standing over the stove.
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. It checks off so many of my boxes. I am an absolute sucker for a great French toast casserole. Sweet, eggy bread is heaven to me. But in this great iteration, we are making it in the slow cooker. It really only takes a few minutes to throw together, and then your crockpot does the rest of the work, leaving you with a delicious dish for your brunch guests to fawn over.
How to Make French Toast in the Crockpot
Here is a brief overview of how this slow cooker French toast casserole comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Dry your bread. This is key for soaking up the delicious egg mixture. Read more on this below.
- Make the egg mixture. Whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until all the eggs are fully broken down and the mixture is smooth.
- Coat the bread. Toss the egg mixture with the bread until all of the bread is fully coated. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.
- Cook the French toast. This will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high or 3 to 4 hours on low. Your casserole is done when the edges begin to brown and pull away from the edges of the crockpot, and the center reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Bread for French Toast
As mentioned in my French toast recipe, you have several options. Here we are using French bread. It cubes really well and is so easy to work with. Some other great options are brioche bread, sourdough, and challah bread. You can even use gluten-free bread if you are serving someone with that dietary restriction.
Drying Bread For French Toast
The key to the best French toast is to start with dry bread. Using dry or stale bread allows it to really soak up the egg mixture. You can do this by cutting up your bread the day before you make this casserole and leaving it out on the counter overnight. To dry it out quicker, pop the bread in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. If you dry your bread in the oven, make sure to toss the bread once during baking and use it right away.
You are looking for approximately 10 cups of dried bread cubes. If you buy a 16-ounce loaf of French bread, cut it all into cubes and use all of it.
Serving
We love to serve this French toast recipe topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup. Serving alongside blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries as you see here is absolute perfection. I like to make some air fryer bacon to round out the meal. On special occasions like Christmas morning, we love to make some non-alcoholic mimosas for the kiddos.
Making Crockpot French Toast Ahead of Time
This is a great recipe to make the night before and cook in the morning. You can prepare it through the first part of step three, or by combining the bread and the custard in a bowl, cover, refrigerate it overnight. In the morning, transfer it to the slow cooker and cook the French toast on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours. Please note that because it will be cold when it starts cooking, it will likely need the longer end of the cooking range.
Crock Pot French Toast Variations
- Cinnamon: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the egg mixture.
- Almond Extract: Use almond extract instead of or in addition to vanilla extract.
- Chocolate Chips: Just like in my croissant bread pudding, a handful of chocolate chips is delicious in this recipe.
- Nuts: Add nuts such as pecans or walnuts.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Leftover French Toast Casserole
Store any leftover French toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To freeze, portion the cooled casserole into individual servings. Then freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. You can remove just what you plan on eating from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, air fryer, or oven until heated through.
Other Great Brunch and Breakfast Recipes
If you make this crockpot French toast casserole or any of my other recipes, let me know what you think! I love hearing from you.
Recipe Video
Crockpot French Toast
Ingredients
- 16 ounces French Bread cut into cubes, and dried, see note (453.6 grams)
- 8 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (354.9 ml)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (118 ml)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (99 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Please note: The preparation time for this recipe assumes that you have already dried your bread, which takes 30 minutes in the oven, or it can be left out overnight.
- Spray your crockpot with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until all the eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.8 eggs, 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Toss the egg mixture with the bread until all of the bread is fully coated. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker (I use a six-quart slow cooker).16 ounces French Bread
- Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours. You know your casserole is done when the edges begin to brown and pull away from the sides of the crockpot, and the center is set. The center should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer. Mine is done at 3 hours, but slow cookers vary in their temperature and cooking time.
- Cut, serve, and enjoy with powdered sugar and syrup.
Notes
Tonya says
Can you freeze the leftovers? What would be the reheating steps?
Yes! I would recommend freezing in individual pieces. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then heat, covered in the oven until warmed through.