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The bright colours and tropical flavours of this make-ahead Mango French Toast Casserole make it perfect for a carefree weekend breakfast or a special brunch like Easter or Mother’s Day.
I love how easy it is to prepare this French Toast casserole the night before, pop it in the fridge overnight and it’ll be ready to bake whenever I get down to the kitchen and start looking for coffee.
It’s also super easy to put together in the morning.
Why We Love This Baked French Toast Casserole
- Making something homemade for breakfast can challenging on busy mornings! You can make this baked French Toast casserole ahead of time and serve it when you need it.
- It’s full of protein (eggs) and vitamins (fresh fruit) to start the day off right.
- Rich and airy, this beautiful dish is perfect for a company brunch or special occasion.
- If you need to throw something together last minute it works for that too. For Same-Day French Toast Casserole you just need to factor in time to allow the bread to soak.
- This is a great recipe to make with kids. They can help make bread cubes, whisk eggs and arrange the fruit.
- It’s a great way to use up day-old bread instead of letting it go to waste!
- It’s tasty! Kids love it. Grown-ups love it too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Day-old challah or brioche bread: The type of bread you use is super important as it forms the base and structure of the casserole. Day-old bread is preferred.
Large Eggs: Eggs make the Baked French toast casserole fluffy plus they contain lots of nutrients.
Milk: Milk is soaked up by the bread and helps form the custard.
Half and Half Cream: Cream adds richness and depth to the flavour.
Vanilla: Very important for the distinct aroma and flavour. I use real vanilla rather than artificial vanilla.
Maple Syrup: Add natural sweetness and a few minerals to the mix! Try to use pure golden or amber maple syrup.
Cinnamon: Fresh ground cinnamon adds traditional French toast flavour to the dish.
Orange Zest: Grated orange zest bumps up the aroma and intensifies the flavours of the tropical fruits.
Melted Butter: Butter adds a bit of fat for lift and to keep everything moist while baking.
Granulated Sugar: A little more sweetness to offset the fruit.
Mango: Sweet and juicy mango is like nature’s candy. Fresh or frozen both work well. Just thaw before using if frozen.
Kiwi: Kiwi fruit is one of my favourites for breakfast dishes! I love its pop of colour and tartness.
Strawberries: Fresh strawberries take this casserole over the top!
Icing Sugar: Dusting the baked French Toast provides a touch of extra sweetness to top things off.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact quantities and method.
1. Brush the inside of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with one-half the melted butter. For best results use an oval or rectangular dish made of stoneware, pottery, or Corningware rather than clear glass or metal.
2. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and whisk again until completely combined.
3. Add the cubes of bread to the bowl of egg and milk and mix until combined. Let sit for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Spread half the soaked bread on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Distribute and press down lightly on the bread with a fork so the bread completely covers the surface of the baking dish.
5. Sprinkle half of the mango chunks over the surface of the bread.
6. Top with remaining bread and press down lightly so the surface is even. It will be bumpy.
If you’re making it ahead, stop at this point. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
7. Brush top with remaining butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
8. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly browned. Check after 20 minutes and cover lightly with foil if browning too quickly.
9. Cool for 5 minutes, arrange remaining fruit including the mango, sliced kiwi, and strawberries on top. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
10. Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream.
Helpful Recipe Tips for Baked French Toast
- Soaking the bread overnight will allow the eggs and milk to soak into the bread fully. But it’s just as delicious if it’s made the same day.
- Pressing the bread down with a fork will make sure the egg mixture covers the entire surface of the dish.
- Your finished dish will look lumpy on top, but it will still taste good!
- If the dish starts browning fast, cover it loosely with foil so that you can bake it without burning.
- If your jarred cinnamon is over one year old, it’s time to replace it for the best possible flavour!
What to Serve With French Toast
- For those who want a little more sweetness, I recommend serving it with extra maple syrup on the side. You could also garnish with fresh whipped cream if you want to get fancy.
- As far as other side dishes, you don’t really need to serve the Mango French Toast Casserole with anything else since all of the major food groups are included in this dish. You’ve got the bread for carbs, eggs for protein, plenty of dairy ingredients, and a healthy serving of yummy fruit.
- If you really wanted, you could make some sausages or maple glazed bacon to add a little meat on the side. I like to keep it simple and serve as a one-dish breakfast.
- It goes really well with coffee, hot cocoa, spiced Christmas tea, a chilled glass of juice or our Venetian Blush Campari and Orange Cocktail.
Storing and Freezing
- You can store the baked Mango French Toast Casserole in the fridge for two or three days and reheat it in the microwave.
- Store baked individual servings for up to six months in sealed freezer bags. Just thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave before topping with fruit.
- You can also make the base of this casserole ahead and freeze it before baking. Then just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a microwave or oven (covered) before topping with fruit.
Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Spanish Breakfast Casserole
Quick and Easy Green Chili Eggs and Cornbread
Watercress Fritters – Guatemalan Mini Omelettes
Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes and Onion
Other Mango Recipes to Try
Sparkling Mango Cocktail from Los Cabos Mexico
Mango and Black Bean Casserole
Easy Mango French Toast Casserole to Make-Ahead
Equipment
- whisk
- Baking Dish - 9 x 13 inch oval or rectangular. Preferably stoneware, pottery or Corningware rather than clear glass or metal.
Ingredients
- 6 cups day-old challah or brioche bread diced into 1-inch cubes
- 5 eggs large
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Half and Half cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoons grated orange zest
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 cups mango chunks cut in one-inch pieces (divided) thaw before using if frozen.
- 2 kiwi fruit peeled and sliced crosswise
- 10 fresh strawberries stems removed and sliced
- icing sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Brush the inside of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with one-half of the melted butter.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and whisk again until completely combined.
- Add the cubes of bread to the bowl of egg and milk and stir just until combined. Let sit for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. While it's soaking, prepare the fruit.
- Spread half the bread on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Distribute and press down lightly on the bread with a fork so the bread completely covers the surface of the baking dish.
- Sprinkle one cup of the mango chunks over the surface of the bread.
- Top with remaining bread and press down lightly so the surface is even. It will be bumpy. If you're making it the night before, stop at this stage. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.
- Brush top with remaining butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly browned. Check after 20 minutes and cover lightly with foil if it's browning too quickly.
- Cool for 5 minutes. Then arrange remaining mango, sliced kiwi, and strawberries on top, and dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
- Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream.
Notes
- You can store the baked Mango French Toast Casserole in the fridge for two or three days and reheat it in the microwave.
- Store baked individual servings for up to six months in sealed freezer bags. Just thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave before topping with fruit.
- You can also make the base of this casserole ahead and freeze it before baking. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a microwave or oven (covered) before topping with fruit.
Nutrition
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Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.
Read more about Michele Peterson.
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