Easy Sourdough French Toast Casserole with Chocolate Chips
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This easy sourdough French toast casserole with chocolate chips is the perfect sweet breakfast for the holidays, family breakfasts or just because! It will elevate your mornings, and has all the flavors of French toast in a casserole form. You will only need about 15 minutes to prep this French toast bake, and you can bake it up same day or the next morning.
If you love French toast, but want to make it more simple for feeding a crowd, look no further! This French toast casserole has a egg custard, sourdough bread, and chocolate chips to make it oh so delicious! This sweet breakfast casserole has easy to find ingredients that you probably already have on hand and simple steps, making it an easy breakfast to share with family, friends or just for yourself.
If you are looking for another delicious and easy French toast casserole, you have to check out my cinnamon roll French toast casserole. It taste just like a cinnamon roll, but in a French toast bake form!
Why you love this easy sourdough French toast casserole with chocolate chips
Simple: You only need a handful of easy to find ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep time to make this French toast casserole. And it can be made the night before baking it to create an easy and stress-free morning.
Perfect for a crowd: We love French toast but making individual slices can be a little more time consuming if you are making it for a crowd. This recipe is great option when you are craving the flavors of French toast but want something easier to make for a group.
Delicious: The top of this French toast casserole gets toasty and crunchy, while the middle stays soft and spongy. And the chocolate chips add sweetness, making this recipe perfect for anyone who loves chocolate!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Sourdough Bread: I love using sourdough bread for this recipe but you can switch it up and use another bread. Brioche and challah are classic options, but you could also use a French loaf. You should avoid sandwich bread as they may cause the casserole to become mushy.
Eggs: You will need 5 eggs to create the egg custard.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a little more flavor to the egg mixture.
Milk: Milk is whisked with the eggs to create the egg custard. You can use any percent milk. I used 2 percent milk but whole milk or cream would also work.
Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon adds flavor the egg custard.
Brown Sugar: One tablespoon of brown sugar is whisked into the egg mixture to add a touch of sweetness. You can swap for granulated sugar.
Chocolate Chips: I used dark chocolate chips for my French toast casserole, but milk chocolate works well too. You can leave out the chocolate chips if you wish.
Optional toppings: Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, fruit compote, and maple syrup syrup are all delicious add-ons!
How to make French toast casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. if you are baking the French toast casserole the same day. Grease a 9×9 square baking dish or 11×7 rectangle baking dish.
- Slice the sourdough bread into about 1/2-1 inch bite size pieces. Transfer the bread to the greased baking dish. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips.
- To make the egg custard, combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl. Whisk until fully combined. Pour the egg custard over the bread slices and chocolate chips. Gently toss the egg mixture with the bread and chocolate chips until all the bread has been coated.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up and up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, remove the cover, and place in the pre-heated oven at 350 degrees F. for 40-50 minutes, or until the egg custard is fully set and the internal temperature of the French toast casserole reaches at lease 160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven. Enjoy each slice with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, maple syrup, fruit or any other topping you love to enjoy with French toast.
How to prevent soggy French toast casserole
Although you likely will not encounter this problem with this sourdough French toast casserole, there are few reasons why a French toast casserole would come out soggy.
The main reason comes down to the bread. Not using the right bread can have a negative impact on the recipe. If you are not using sourdough bread, make sure to opt for a hearty bread that can hold up to the egg custard. And be sure that the bread is a few days old (not moldy!) and a little stale for best results.
Another cause for soggy French toast casserole is not baking long enough. You will want to be sure the egg custard is fully cooked when you remove the French toast bake from the oven. If you are unsure if your French toast casserole is done, you can check by using a cooking thermometer. Insert the the thermometer into the center of the casserole. When done, it should reach at least 160 degrees. F.
Do you have to soak overnight?
No, you can bake this chocolate chip French toast casserole same day if you wish! Just allow at least 30 minutes to rest in the refrigerator prior to baking. This will allow the sourdough bread to soak up some of the egg custard mixture.
What to serve with your French toast casserole
You can enjoy this sourdough French toast bake with any of the classic topping you might add to traditional French toast!
Some of our favorite toppings are chocolate sauce, whipped cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar and fresh fruit or fruit compote.
Expert Tips
- Stale bread works best for this recipe! Opt for a bread that is few days old to absorb all the egg custard.
- Do not worry if you see a little egg mixture not absorbed into the bread after resting. A small amount should be absorbed into the bread while baking.
- If you feel the top of the casserole is getting too brown during the baking process, you can cover with foil.
- You can store leftovers in the refrigerator covered for about 2-3 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat each slice in the microwave until heated through.
If you give this easy sourdough French toast casserole with chocolate chips a try, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
And be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations.
From my kitchen to yours, happy baking. I hope you love this easy French toast casserole as much as we do!
Easy Sourdough French Toast Casserole with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread (About 1 pound)
- 5 Eggs
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Cup Milk
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
- Optional: whipped cream (maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruit)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. if you are baking the French toast casserole the same day. Grease a 9×9 square baking dish or 11×7 rectangle baking dish.
- Slice the sourdough bread into about 1/2-1 inch bite size pieces. Transfer the bread to the greased baking dish. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips.
- To make the egg custard, combine the eggs, milk, brown sugar and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl. Whisk until fully combined. Pour the egg custard over the bread slices and chocolate chips. Gently toss the egg mixture with the bread and chocolate chips until all the bread has been coated.
- Cover with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up and up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, remove the cover, and place in the heated oven at 350 degrees F. for 40-50 minutes, or until the egg custard is fully set and the internal temperature of the French toast casserole reaches at lease 160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven. Enjoy each slice with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, maple syrup, fruit or any other topping you love to enjoy with French toast.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
