This easy and delicious crock pot French toast is the perfect fix-it-and-forget-it treat for a leisurely weekend breakfast. The dish can be prepared in the morning and you can sit back and enjoy the aroma of warm cinnamon and sugar while enjoying a coffee and reading the Sunday paper. Alternately, it can also be assembled the night before and covered and stored in the refrigerator so that it’s ready the following morning.
The French toast cubes can be scooped and served directly from the slow cooker. Before taking that first bite, it can be topped just as you would your favorite classic French toast. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup is the classic combination. Feel free to customize this brunch treat and offer fresh fruit, jam, or a warm fruit compote as other topping options as well.
“The slow cooker French toast was super-fast and easy to fix. It isn’t overly sweet, but the confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup make up for it. I could see it as a breakfast or brunch dish, or drizzle it with caramel sauce for a bread pudding-like dessert.” —Diana Rattray
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 (16-ounce) loaf crusty French bread, day-old and cut into large cubes
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2 cups milk
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6 large eggs
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1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
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1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for serving
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2 tablespoons maple syrup, for serving
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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Place the cubed bread in the slow cooker.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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Pour the egg mixture over the bread and press down the bread to help it soak up the liquid.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the surface.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or low for 4 1/2 hours.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
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Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.
The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Make Ahead
It is possible to prepare a make-ahead, overnight version of this crockpot French toast. Coat the bread cubes in custard and then simply cover and refrigerate the dish overnight. The following morning, dot with butter and cook as directed.
Variations
- Toss the bread cubes with chopped toasted nuts before soaking with the custard mixture.
- Top the cooked casserole with fresh fruit, jam, or a warm fruit compote to serve.
- Use a crusty sourdough, challah, or any other kind of bread you like—just make sure it’s dry enough.
How to Store Crock Pot French Toast
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or warm in a 350 F oven, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot.
- To freeze, arrange cooled serving-size portions on a baking sheet and freeze. When frozen solid, transfer the portions to zip-close freezer bags.
- To reheat, place frozen portions of French toast in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 375 F for about 10 minutes, or until hot.
How Do You Keep French Toast Casserole From Getting Soggy?
The key to a crockpot French toast casserole is the ratio of bread to custard mixture. You will want to have enough custard to moisten all of the bread cubes, but not too much—which can cause the bread to get too soggy.
Also, it is important to use drier, day-old bread. Fresh bread is too moist and will absorb too much of the egg custard, resulting in a soggy casserole.
If your bread is too soft, you can always toast it in a low oven for 10 minutes or so to dry it out or leave it at room temperature, uncovered, once you have cubed it.
