Make this delicious gluten free french toast casserole for breakfast this weekend! It is made the night before and baked in the oven the next morning for an easy, hands-off breakfast everyone will enjoy - even if they can eat gluten. This french toast casserole recipe has a cinnamon streusel topping drizzled with a delicious glaze, just like a cinnamon roll.
Using gluten free bread, which is already stale, well, it is. It is perfect for a french toast bake that needs dried-out bread. The egg mixture soaks into the dry bread and creates a perfect custard soaked bread with hints of cinnamon and sugar. This delicious french toast casserole is baked while you sip coffee. No need to stand over the stovetop making traditional french toast!
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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 gluten free mush.
- Eggs - The eggs combined with the milk create a delicious custard.
- Milk - Use whatever you love. I used 1% regular milk and unsweetened almond milk successfully.
- White Sugar - Sweetens the custard mixture to remind everyone of french toast.
- Vanilla Extract - Perfect to flavor the custard mixture while it soaks into the bread. Also used to flavor the glaze.
- Gluten Free Flour - This is used as the base for the cinnamon streusel. I love Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 in the blue bag.
- Brown Sugar - This is also used for the streusel and creates that cinnamon roll filling we love.
- Cinnamon - Using ground cinnamon is the perfect spice for that classic french toast flavor everyone knows and loves. It is used in both the custard and the streusel topping.
- Salt - Used to balance the sweetness.
- Butter - Because everything is better with butter. Butter is in both the custard and the streusel.
- Powder Sugar, Milk, and Vanilla - Ingredients 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. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
How To Make French Toast Casserole
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Take out two baking sheets. Cut the gluten free bread into pieces. Leave the crusts on. I like to cut the bread slices into one-inch pieces.
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 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.
In a large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs, 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 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.
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. 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.
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. If the streusel is rock hard, pop it into the microwave for fifteen seconds to melt the butter.
Bake the casserole at 350 degrees F, uncovered, for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and not jiggly.
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.
Ingredient Substitutions
- 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.
- Milk - Need a dairy free option? Use unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk and coconut oil for the butter.
Casserole 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 streusel mixture. It will be perfect for a fall breakfast!
Cranberry Orange French Toast Casserole: Before baking, sprinkle a handful of fresh cranberries over the french toast casserole. 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.
Pro Tips
Make Ahead Plan: Toast the bread up to four days in advance and store it in a zip top bag until ready to use.
Leftover Bread: Use up any gluten free bread you have 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.
Storing Leftovers
To Store: Keep the casserole leftovers covered with plastic wrap or an airtight cover in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To Reheat: Place an individual serving on a microwave safe plate and reheat for thirty seconds or until warm. I do not mind eating this cold.
To 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.
Meal Planning
Overnight french toast casserole is perfect for Christmas morning or any lazy weekend morning when you don’t want to bust out your pans in the morning. Make overnight egg casserole, too. Keep them in the fridge until you can bake them in the morning. Add fresh berries, and breakfast is done. Breakfast casseroles are a great way to celebrate holiday breakfasts when you need to feed many people quickly.
Are you planning a Sunday morning brunch? Add a bloody mary drink, cheesy potatoes, ham steaks, or breakfast meatballs to your brunch menu! All delicious options and easy recipes everyone will love.
Additional Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes
- Gluten Free Breakfast Sausage
- Gluten Free Swedish Pancakes
- Gluten Free Baked Oatmeal
- Gluten Free Scotch Eggs
Recipe
Gluten Free French Toast Casserole
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Pan
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 18 oz. loaf of gluten free bread 8-9 cups dried bread cubes
- 1 Tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Streusel Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter melted
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon milk or unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
Toasting 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.
French Toast Casserole Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs, 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 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.
Cinnamon Streusel 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 you mixed the streusel the night before, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use in the morning.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, remove the baking pan from the refrigerator to take off the chill. Before baking the french toast casserole, sprinkle the cinnamon streusel over the top of the custard-soaked bread. Pop the cold streusel in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to loosen it up and make it easier to sprinkle over the custard-soaked bread.
- 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 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.
- 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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