Crockpot French Toast Casserole

5 from 3 votes

This delicious Crockpot French Toast Casserole is the perfect way to start your day with minimal effort and a whole lot of deliciousness. It has all the flavors of traditional French toast with none of the hassle!

Prep Time20

Cook Time2

Total Time2 20

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Calorie, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

1 loaf (12 oz) crusty bread like French bread, sourdough, challah, or whole grain bread, cut into cubes
2 cups milk, any type (I used 2%)
6 large eggs
¼ cup maple syrup or other sweetener of your choice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, divided use
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For serving: fresh berries, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, powdered sugar, chocolate chips

Instructions

Grease the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker with butter or cooking spray and place the bread cubes inside. If desired, you can use a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt together.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and stir to coat all of the bread. Press the bread down into the liquid.
Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon on top. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the surface.
Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours or until French toast is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
To serve, scoop portions of the casserole onto plates. Top with desired toppings like fresh berries, a drizzle of maple syrup, Greek yogurt or powdered sugar.

Notes

You can use different kinds of bread for this French toast casserole, including French bread, sourdough, challah, brioche, or whole grain bread.
Use slightly stale bread that's a little dry so that the casserole isn't soggy. Leave the bread out at room temperature, uncovered, for a day or two, to dry it out. You can also dry bread out in the oven by baking the pieces in a 275°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
You can assemble this crockpot French toast casserole the night before in the slow cooker bowl and refrigerate it. Then, turn it on the next morning.
This casserole is very lightly sweetened with a small amount of pure maple syrup to keep the added sugar at a minimum. You can substitute any sweetener of your choice or leave it out altogether.
I like to top the French toast with fresh berries for natural sweetness and serve warm maple syrup on the side. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt for a boost of protein.
You can customize this recipe with many different add-ins like bananas, apples, nuts, and chocolate chips. See "Recipe Variations" section in blog post for ideas.

Nutrition