Easy French Toast Casserole

This recipe was absolutely delicious!

Easy French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
1 (8 ounce) loaf crusty French bread (I used egg bread), cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups milk
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste (Note, our taste runs to what spices we use in normal French Toast which is 2 tsp of Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg. Along with that my Husband adds about 15 grinds of Pepper and Salt.)
1 tablespoon brown sugar, or as needed

Directions

Step 1

Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.

Step 2

Stir 1 cup brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves into butter, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour into prepared baking dish and spread a 1 1/2- to 2-inch layer of bread pieces over the top.

Step 3

Beat milk, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl; pour milk mixture over bread into the baking dish and move bread as necessary to ensure all bread is absorbing liquid. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 4

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Remove and discard plastic wrap from baking dish and sprinkle remaining brown sugar (I added crumbled bacon) over the top of the bread mixture. (As many mentioned in the comments, they felt the temperature was too high. I compromised and went with 400 degrees for about an hour)

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Add syrup, if desired.