Do a few minutes of prep work and have breakfast cooking for you overnight. This slow cooker french toast casserole is perfect for mornings you don't want to turn on your oven
Making Crockpot French Toast
It's no secret that my slow cooker is one of my absolute favorite appliances. And I use it year round.
Most people stash their slow cookers to the back of the cabinet only to be used in the winter. And that is just silly.
Why? Because it doesn't heat up your kitchen. And you don't have to turn on your oven or stove. This is incredibly exciting when you do not have air conditioner (like me).
And lucky for me, this month's Recipe ReDux is Beat the Heat with the Slow Cooker/Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker.: Whether you go slow or fast, just don't turn on the oven. Show us how keep the kitchen cool by using one of these appliances: Slow cooker, instant pot, pressure cooker.
And even luckier for me, I was already planning on making French Toast Casserole in the Slow Cooker.
Problem is that as I researched Crock Pot french toast casserole, I kept finding recipes that said "assemble and let sit for 4 hours. Then cook on low for 4 hours."
Um, what?
Are you telling me that I have to wake up four hours before breakfast and start cooking this? How is that easier?!
At least with a regular french toast casserole, you just have to bake for about an hour. There's no waking up at 5am for breakfast at 9am...
I felt so annoyed; then I decided that I'd test setting it on warm overnight while I slept, and it actually worked!
How to make French Toast Casserole in the slow cooker
And so here we are... a french toast casserole in the slow cooker that doesn't require weird hours to cook.
Just a little note that I tested it a few ways. The method I used in the photos and video are to start cooking it immediately after stirring together.
However, I found the texture to be best when you allow the mixture to sit in the fridge so the bread soaks up all the eggy goodness and the flavors have time to come together.
Either way, both will be delicious!
Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bread brioche, whole grain, challah (about 8-12 slices)
- 1 cup milk 2%, whole or non-dairy
- 6 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon oil avocado, coconut, or canola oil
Instructions
- Tear bread into a bowl.
- Whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the bowl. Make sure the bread is completely covered in the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours.
- When ready to cook, lightly grease the inside of a slow cooker. Add the mixture in an even layer and cover. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Keep on WARM for up to 2 hours.
- If the casserole has a lot of uncooked egg on top after 8 hours, turn the slow cooker to High for 30-60 minutes until done. Note that there will be some liquid on the edges from condensation and the melted sugar.
- Serve with maple syrup or powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
What to Use in This Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Meme
Rachel @ Delicious Balance
I have had French toast on my mind lately! Love this idea!!! Thanks for testing out the warming technique so I don't have to wake up in the middle of the night...opposite of convenient!
Meme
Yay! Thanks Rachel!! Oh my gosh, right?! It's SO not convenient to wake up to make this hahaha. Happy to be of service 😉
Bethany @ athletic avocado
I would LOVE to wake up to the smell of this french toast! I agree, everything in the slow cooker taste better 🙂
Meme
YES! It is such a lovely way to wake up 🙂
Karly
Breakfast of my dreams. My mouth is already watering and its like I can smell this already. Need to try this soon!
Meme
And you can dream about it while it's cooking 😉
Thanks so much!!
Farrah
Hooray for slow cookers!!! 😀 That casserole looks awesome, and guess who has allll the ingredients to make this already!!? Can't wait to try it out! *-*
Meme
Slow cookers are THE BEST!! Thank you! Woohoo!!!
Momof2
Does adjusting the size of the recipe require adjusting cooking time or temperature?
Meme
I would assume so, but I can't vouch for that since I have only tested the recipe with these quantities. I would leave the temperature the same and increase time for an increase. I wouldn't decrease the amount -- I would make the recommended amount and save leftovers for later 🙂
Hope that helps!
Andrew
How do you know when it is ready to eat? I left mine on for 10 hours overnight, but still looks like a clear liquid substance between the bread. It doesn't look "done" or set. Any advice? I did turn it back on high, upon finding it that way... but still waiting for it to set. Thanks
Meme
It will be set in the middle like a piece of french toast would be or a breakfast casserole from the oven would be. The bread should absorb most (if not all) of the liquid when you refrigerate it for a few hours before cooking it.
Mark
Do you actually cook this on the warm setting or the low setting?
Meme
Yes, I cooked it on Warm so it wouldn't overcook. But if you don't have a Warm option or don't want to use warm, you can try Low but might want to cook for less time (probably about 4-6 hours).
Holly Marie Pelton
Love this super simple and quick breakfast! It will make a perfect weekday breakfast for everyone in the house!
Liz
Hello morning sunshine! My mom LOVES FT! This has her name on it!
Lorie
I would happily wake up EVERYDAY for this breakfast!