Wake up to the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven with this Gluten Free French Toast Casserole. Each bite is like the center of the cinnamon roll - the cinnamon, sugar, and powder sugar glaze. The best part, it uses gluten free bread!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make breakfast the night before!
- No need to stand by the stovetop, making one slice at a time.
- Everyone will love it, even the ones not on a gluten free diet
Featured Ingredients
- Gluten Free Bread - I love Canyon Bakehouse gluten free bread. It works well in this casserole. It maintains its texture and structure and doesn’t turn into mush.
- Eggs, Milk, White Sugar, and Vanilla - The creamy egg mixture soaks into the crispy gluten free bread.
- Butter, Gluten Free Flour, Brown Sugar, and Salt - Create a decadent cinnamon streusel mixture.
- Powder Sugar, Milk, and Vanilla - Used as a glaze to drizzle over the French toast casserole once baked and cooled.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Take out two baking sheets. Cut the gluten free bread into about 1-inch pieces. No need to remove the crusts.
Step 2: Spread the bread cubes into a single layer on the baking sheets and bake in a 200 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes or until the bread feels like dried toast.
Pro Tip: I like to do this after making supper when the oven is already on. I turn the heat down and cut the bread. Toast the bread while we eat dinner and clean up. By the time all of that is done, the bread is done.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs. Add the milk, white sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk and stir until combined into a silky custard-like mixture.
Step 4: In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, grease the bottom of the baking dish with cooking spray or softened butter. Add the cooled, toasted bread pieces.
Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow the bread to soak up the custard mixture for a minimum of six hours up to twelve hours.
Step 5: Melt ½ cup or one stick of butter in the microwave or a small saucepan on the stovetop. Add the gluten free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until all the flour and butter are incorporated together.
Set aside until ready to bake the casserole. If you mixed the streusel the night before, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use in the morning.
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, remove the baking pan from the refrigerator to take off the chill. Sprinkle the cinnamon streusel over the top of the custard-soaked bread. Gently stir the soaked bread cubes.
If the streusel is rock hard, pop it into the microwave for fifteen seconds to melt the butter a bit.
Step 7: Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly.
Step 8: In a small bowl, mix up the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the French toast casserole before serving. If time allows, cool the casserole before glazing. Cooling, even just for a little bit, will prevent the glaze from melting into the strudel topping.
If you want a less sweet French toast, drizzle only half of the glaze over the entire pan. Put the extra glaze out for others to add more to their individual pieces. Cut into pieces and serve with fresh fruit.
Tips and Tricks
Toast the bread cubes in advance! They will keep up to four days on the countertop in a sealed container or a zip-top bag.
Use up gluten free bread in your freezer. Does anyone else store odds and ends of gluten free bread in the freezer until you are ready to use it? Guilty. Break out that frozen bread. It is the perfect time to use that random gluten free bagel.
This casserole is perfect for Christmas morning! Enjoy a relaxing morning while it bakes.
Ingredient Swaps
- Bread - Want to make this with regular bread? It will work. Follow the same instructions to dry out the bread. It is important you do not mix gluten free bread with traditional bread. It will not be safe for anyone who wants to avoid wheat or gluten.
- Need a dairy free recipe? Use unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk and coconut oil for the butter.
Variations
Blueberry French Toast Casserole: Before baking and before adding the cinnamon strudel, sprinkle one cup of fresh blueberries over the soaked bread.
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole: Add pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon in the custard and strudel mixture. It will be perfect for a fall breakfast!
Cranberry Orange French Toast Casserole: Before baking, sprinkle a handful of fresh cranberries over the bread cubes. Sub out the milk in the glaze for orange juice to create a citrus-flavored glaze. Use some orange zest over the glaze to add even more orange flavor.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep the casserole covered with plastic wrap or an airtight cover in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat: Place an individual serving on a microwave-safe plate and reheat for thirty seconds or until warm. I actually do not mind eating this cold.
Freeze: If you want to freeze any leftovers, store them in a freezer-friendly container for up to four months. Defrost before reheating. Additional glaze may be needed.
FAQs
It will not have the correct texture. Soaking the dried-up bread gives it that signature French toast crunchy on the outside and creamy in the center texture.
The culprit was not using dried-out bread. Make sure the bread is dried out, stale like bread. Also, do not bake the casserole covered.
Sure! If you want to cut the sugar, skip the glaze or allow people to glaze their own pieces.
The classic pure maple syrup always works. Fresh berries sprinkled with powdered sugar. Mini chocolate chips and peanut butter are another idea.
What To Serve With French Toast Casserole
My favorite mornings are the ones when all that is on the agenda is sipping coffee while breakfast bakes in the oven! In order to accomplish that, I like to make overnight breakfast casserole with tater tots. It is the perfect combination of savory and sweet. Add a side of fresh berries too.
For a brunch menu, add a pan of gluten free cheesy potatoes, gluten free scotch eggs, and baked ham steaks. For the adults, make a couple of Bloody Marys.
Additional Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
- Gluten Free Raspberry Muffins - Delicious muffins with the flavor combination of fresh raspberries and lemon.
- Gluten Free Swedish Thin Pancakes - Crepe-like thin pancakes topped with fresh berries and whipped cream. Try Nutella for a rich, chocolatey treat.
- Gluten Free Breakfast Sandwiches - Make egg patties in advance to enjoy a breakfast sandwich on the go!
Still looking for a delicious breakfast recipe? Discover something new or an old favorite.
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Recipe
Gluten Free French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Pan
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 18 ounces loaf gluten free bread 8-9 cups of dried bread cubes (Note 1)
Egg Mixture Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk (Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Streusel Topping Ingredients
- ½ cup butter salted
- 1 cup gluten free flour (Note 3)
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Toasted Bread Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Take out two baking sheets and cut the gluten free bread into one-inch pieces. Leave the crusts on.
- Spread the bread cubes into a single layer on the baking sheets and bake in a 200 degree F oven for 60 minutes or until the bread feels like toast. If using right away allow the bread to cool. If not using right away, store the cool, dried bread in a zip-top bag.
Egg Mixture Instructions:
- Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, white sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk and stir until the eggs are beaten and combined.
- In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, grease with cooking spray or softened butter. Add the cooled, toasted bread pieces. Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture for a minimum of six hours up to twelve hours.
Streusel Topping Instructions:
- Next, mix the cinnamon streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Melt ½ cup or one stick of butter in the microwave or a small saucepan on the stovetop. Once melted, add the gluten free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until all the flour and butter are incorporated together. Set aside until ready to bake the casserole. If mixing the streusel the night before, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use in the morning.
- After soaking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Before baking the French toast casserole, sprinkle the cinnamon streusel over the top of the custard-soaked bread. Gently stir the soaked bread cubes to incorporate the streusel mixture. If the streusel mixture is cole, pop it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to loosen it up and make it easier to sprinkle.
- Bake the casserole at 350 degrees F, uncovered, for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly.
Glaze Instructions:
- In a small bowl, mix up the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the French toast casserole before serving. If time allows, cool the casserole before glazing. Cooling, even just for a little bit, will prevent the glaze from melting into the streusel topping. If you want a less sweet French toast, drizzle only half of the glaze over the entire pan. Put the extra glaze out for others to add more to their individual pieces. Cut into pieces and serve with fresh fruit.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds or until warmed through.
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