Gluten Free French Toast Casserole

Make breakfast quickly and easily with this Overnight Gluten Free French Toast Casserole Recipe. It’s a crowd pleaser, and makes a beautiful brunch without any last minute stress.

French toast is one of the best breakfast treats ever. I make pumpkin French toast for the family at least once every fall because it almost tastes like heaven. 

But growing up in a large family, I really hated French toast. My dad went through a phase where he wanted it for breakfast every morning, and I was the designated breakfast maker. Listen, kids aren’t known for being go-getters first thing in the morning, and I was no exception. 

Cutting all that homemade bread, and standing at the stove flipping toast for ten people was not my favorite. 

Sure wish I’d have known about French toast casserole back then! It’s the exact opposite of the labor intensive traditional French toast. 

Instead of getting up early enough to flip slice after slice until everybody is full, you can simply prep the ingredients into a casserole dish the night before, and pop it in the oven in the morning. Set the table, and then sit back while it bakes! 

For me, it’s perfect when we have friends or family visiting for breakfast or bunch. 

Ingredients for gluten free French toast casserole

All you need for this gluten free recipe are a few simple ingredients, and you likely already have them in your pantry or refrigerator. 

• Milk
• Cream
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Gluten-free bread

What kind of gluten free bread to use

As you might guess, the kind of bread you use impacts the final dish. It’s best to use a drier, stale bread, and err on the side of crumbly rather than gummy as some gluten free breads can be when they get moist. 

I really like to use this gluten, egg, and dairy free bread for those reasons, and because it’s light and airy. This gluten free sandwich bread also works well, but if I make it specifically for french toast casserole, I will use less gum. 

A good store bought gluten free bread for this casserole is Canyon Bakehouse gluten free sandwich bread. 

Whatever you choose, it’s best to slice it and let it dry out for a few hours (if you have time) before proceeding with the recipe. 

Mix ins and spices

This overnight French toast casserole is delicious just as it is, but there really is no end of ways to dress it up with even more flavor! One of my favorites for summer is adding blueberries. 

Here are some more mix in ideas to sprinkle onto your casserole before baking: 

• 1 cup chopped strawberries
• 1 can of peaches (drained) or french, sliced peaches
• 1 cup blackberries

Nearly any kind of berry, and you can use fresh berries, or frozen.

Spices to add: 

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves (goes really well with peaches)

How to make gluten free french toast casserole

The beauty of this casserole is that it’s incredibly easy to make. Here are the simple steps: 

1. First, cut your loaf of bread into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes, then layer the bread cubes in a greased baking dish, and sprinkle with any fruit you plant o use (I used blueberries)
2. Then, whisk the custard ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, along with any spices you plan to use, and pour evenly over your bread
3. Cover, and refrigerate overnight
4. In the morning, remove the cover, and place in the center of your oven.
5. Turn oven to 350º, and bake casserole for 25 minutes until the top is golden-brown
6. Remove from oven and serve hot with butter, powdered sugar, pure maple syrup, honey etc. 

FAQs for making gluten free overnight French toast

This is a simple breakfast casserole, but I do have some tips and tricks for success. Making this gluten free French toast casserole should be easy!

Why is my casserole soggy? 

There are three main reasons for French toast casserole to be soggy. 

• First, it may be under baked. The eggs need to cook through to form the delicious custard effect of french toast. If you’re hesitant to bake it more because the top is getting overdone, try covering the casserole with foil. 
• Secondly, Too much liquid. Bread can only hold so much liquid without getting soggy, so make sure you don’t overdo your custard mixture, or stretch the milk with water
• Third, not enough egg. If you leave out an egg, it can have largely the same effect as adding too much liquid, resulting in soggy casserole. 

Why is my casserole dry?

Similar to the soggy problem, there are two main reasons: 

• First, over-baking. Heat evaporates moisture, leaving you with dry casserole. If the top of your casserole is drying out too much, cover it with foil for the last half of the baking time. 
• Second, too much bread/not enough liquid. While you don’t want soggy french toast bake, you do want some moisture, so don’t skimp on your eggs and milk!

How to make this French toast casserole vegan

While you can make this casserole dairy-free using almond milk, coconut milk, or another rich non-dairy milk, I don’t really recommend turning this gluten free overnight French toast into a a vegan dish. most vegan french toast casserole recipes are quite a bit different, often replacing eggs with tofu and cornstarch to achieve the silly custard-like texture. Instead, I recommend finding a recipe developed for vegans, such as this one from Nora Cooks.

How to store gluten free French Toast Casserole

This is a really easy recipe to make in huge batches for leftovers to reheat another day. 

To store it, let it cool completely, then refrigerate in a single layer (I use a shallow container like this) in a tightly lidded container. You can also freeze it in these containers. To thaw, just pop it in the refrigerator overnight. 

To reheat, put it in an oven-safe dish, and sprinkle with a little water, then bake at 350º for 10 minutes or so until heated through. 

More gluten free breakfast recipes to try

If you love gluten free overnight French toast, here are some more gluten-free breakfast recipes to try: 

• Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
• Strawberry Baked Oatmeal
• Breakfast Popsicles
• Gluten Free blueberry Scones
• Gluten Free Baking Powder Biscuits

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