Overnight Maple Clementine French Toast Casserole
Transform your lazy weekend mornings with this make-ahead French toast casserole that bakes to perfection while you enjoy your coffee. Bright notes of clementine and warm cardamom infuse this breakfast with irresistible aroma and flavor. In just 15 minutes of prep the night before, you’ll set yourself up for a stress-free morning and a breakfast that tastes like it came from your favorite brunch spot.
Overnight French Toast Bake
Looking for a breakfast that feels special but doesn’t require you to stand over the stove for hours? This overnight maple clementine french toast casserole is your answer. It’s perfect for beginners and ideal for holiday mornings when you’d rather be opening presents than flipping bread slices. The bright citrus flavor makes it especially fitting for winter brunches when clementines are at their peak. For something different, try serving it with a spoonful of cranberry jam for a tangy pop of flavor, or a dollop of clementine butter that would melt right into every nook and cranny of this freshly baked French toast.
Why I Love This Recipe:
What We Need
I’ve broken down the ingredient list for this overnight French toast by recipe steps. Start with the main French toast ingredients: brioche bread, eggs, whole milk, vanilla extract, cardamom, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Day-old bread works best here, as it holds its structure better when soaking overnight.
Next, make the cardamom maple syrup by melting butter, maple syrup, cardamom, and clementine zest together. This aromatic syrup gets poured over your French toast mixture before refrigerating overnight. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Featured Ingredient: Clementines
Clementines are the star of this French toast casserole. With a peak season that runs from November through February, they are perfect for all kinds of late fall and winter time recipes. Sweeter than your average naval oranges, their thin skin peels easy enough that even small children can do it.
A word of caution when zesting: you won’t need much pressure and there isn’t a thick layer of pith between the skin and the zest, so pay attention and do go too deep. Using a microplane zester makes this job much easier and produces fine shreds that distribute flavor evenly throughout your dishes.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
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- Mixing bowl
- Cutting board and bread knife
- Whisk
- Microplane for zesting
- 2 quart casserole dish
- Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
How to Make an Overnight French Toast Casserole
Between cutting, mixing, and assembly, this overnight french casserole takes about 15 minutes to prepare. The best part is that you get to do all of that, plus the cooking cleanup, before you go to bed. Not only does it require minimal effort in the morning, it means you can delegate the baking to whoever wakes up first.
Preparation the Night Before
Grab all of your ingredients, a cutting board, and bread knife. Cut the bread into 1″ chunks.
In a large bowl, crack the eggs then add the milk, vanilla extract, cardamom, baking powder, and salt 
Whisk the egg mixture together until it resembles a creamy raw scrambled eggs. Then add the bread cubes to the custard mixture and gently fold until all pieces are coated. A light touch keeps the bread from breaking down too much. 
While the bread is soaking up the custard, melt butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, then stir in maple syrup, cardamom, and freshly grated clementine zest. Pour the soaked bread mixture into your buttered casserole dish. Drizzle the prepared clementine maple syrup evenly over the top. Cover with foil or a lid and refrigerate overnight.
The Next Morning: Baking the Casserole
Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats to 350°F. Putting a refrigerator-cold pan into a hot oven can cause it to crack, but this rest time helps to prevent that.
Bake the french toast uncovered for 45-55 minutes. The edges should turn golden brown, and the center should be set without jiggling when you gently shake the pan. For absolute certainty, a probe thermometer should register 160°F in the center.
Same-Day Option
Short on time? Maple cardamom french toast is the same-day version that doesn’t require overnight chilling. While the overnight version allows the flavors to meld more deeply, the same-day version still delivers delicious results in about an hour.
Tips for Success
Great recipes are always made even better with a few helpful tips. Here are some to ensure your French toast casserole comes out perfect every time.
- Choose the right bread. Brioche, challah, or French bread all work well. Avoid very soft sandwich bread as it will break down too much.
- Dry bread is your friend. Day-old or slightly stale bread absorbs the custard without becoming mushy. If your bread is fresh, you can leave it out on a baking sheet for a few hours to dry slightly. This helps it maintain its structure during the overnight soak.
- Avoid a burnt top. If the top starts to darken too much but the center isn’t fully set, cover the dish with foil to protect the top from burning while the rest cooks through.
- Make sure the center is cooked through. To ensure it’s done, use a probe-style thermometer. It should read 160ºF when the dish is fully cooked.
Serving Suggestions
This maple clementine French toast casserole makes a beautiful centerpiece for a holiday breakfast or weekend brunch. The bright citrus flavor works well with fresh berries scattered on top, and a side of crispy bacon or breakfast sausage helps balance the sweetness. For a lighter option, serve with Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream and add fresh fruit for a balanced breakfast.
How to Store and Reheat
This French toast casserole is best enjoyed fresh from the oven. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container or cover the casserole dish with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat the entire casserole, cover with foil to prevent the top from burning and warm in a 325°F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. For individual portions, the oven at 325°F works best, but a microwave will do in a pinch (though the texture won’t be quite as good).
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Overnight Maple Clementine French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 loaf brioche or French bread
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
Cardamom Maple Syrup
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon clementine zest
Instructions
- Cut brioche bread into 1/2" to 1" chunks. Grease a 2 quart casserole pan with butter or cooking spray.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Add in bread and gently stir to coat bread. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- Make the cardamom maple syrup. In a small saucepan or a microwave safe container, heat the butter until just melted. Stir in the maple syrup, cardamom, and clementine zest. Drizzle the syrup over the french toast, coating as evenly as possible.
- Cover the dish with either a casserole lid or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, pull the dish from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 – 20 minutes to warm up while the oven preheats.
- Bake french toast uncovered at 350º for 40 – 50 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and the center is cooked through. To double check, a probe thermometer should register 160ºF in the center of the dish.
- Serve with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, more clementine maple syrup, or whipped cream.