This Gluten Free French Toast Casserole is the most delicious breakfast or brunch. It is incredibly easy to make, can be prepared overnight, and uses just a few simple ingredients for a show stopping recipe. Everyone will love this recipe and you will love how simple it is.

this recipe

Make Ahead Gluten Free French Toast Casserole Recipe

This overnight gluten free French toast casserole recipe may look complicated but it could not be easier to make!

With just a few simple ingredients, and a little prep, you will have a delicious, decadent, and show stopping casserole that is perfect breakfast or brunch.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

What I love about this recipe is that you can do all of the prep the night before and in the morning all you have to do is pop the casserole into the oven and let it bake.

This recipe is great for busy holiday mornings or as the main dish at brunch. It’s elegant, has a great flavor, and I know you will love it.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for This French Toast Casserole Recipe

Gluten Free Bread: to keep this French toast casserole gluten free, the recipe calls for one pound of gluten free white bread. Feel free to use your favorite brand of gluten free bread for this dish.

Eggs: the base of the rich French toast custard is plenty of eggs to help bind all of the bread together.

Full Fat Coconut Milk: if you have never tried using full-fat coconut milk for French toast you are truly missing out. It has a delicious flavor and is perfectly rich and creamy. Traditional French toast casserole custards use heavy cream and full fat coconut milk mimics that richness.

Almond Milk: this recipe calls for plain, unsweetened almond milk but, if you prefer to have even more vanilla flavor, you could also use vanilla unsweetened almond milk.

Vanilla Extract: for that delicious vanilla flavor you know and love in French toast.

Cinnamon: you cannot have French toast without plenty of warm, spicy cinnamon. A little goes into the custard and a little more is sprinkled on time.

Melted Butter: this helps to give the casserole a rich, buttery taste. If you need to keep this recipe completely dairy-free, you can use melted coconut oil instead.

Orange Zest: this is an optional ingredient, but I LOVE the combination of cinnamon and fresh orange zest. The orange zest adds a brightness to the casserole that I think you will really enjoy as well.

Powdered Sugar: once the French toast casserole is baked, it receives a liberal sprinkle of powdered sugar.

How to Dry Out Your Bread

Ensuring that the bread for your casserole is pretty dried out is crucial for a delicious French toast casserole. Dry bread will absorb the custard mixture so you will not be left with a soggy dish.

This recipe works really well with old bread that has naturally dried out. However, if you do not have time to wait a few days for your bread to dry out, here are few quicker methods you can try.

Method #1: Cube your bread and spread it out onto a sheet pan. Let it sit out on the countertop for a few hours or overnight to let the bread dry out.

Method #2: If you are really short on time, you can let the bread dry out in the oven. Cube your bread and place it on sheet pan. Bake the bread for eight to ten minutes at 300 degrees.

How to Make Overnight French Toast Casserole

Step One: First, start by greasing a 9×13 baking dish with a little butter or oil. Then, add the dried out bread cubes to the baking dish.

Step Two: Next, make the creamy custard that will hold the casserole together. Add the eggs, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla extract, one tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, two-thirds a cup of coconut sugar, melted butter, and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Whisk all of the ingredients together until everything is well combined.

Step Three: Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread. Use your fingertips to press the bread cubes down slightly into the custard to ensure that every piece comes in contact with the custard mixture.

Step Four: Tightly cover the casserole dish and refrigerate overnight or up to twenty-four hours.

Step Five: Once you are ready to bake the casserole, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the casserole dish from from the fridge, uncover, and let sit on the countertop for thirty minutes to allow the baking dish to come to room temperature.

Step Six: While the oven is preheating combine three tablespoons of coconut sugar and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the casserole.

Step Seven: Place the casserole in the middle rack of the oven and bake at 350 degrees for fifty to fifty-five minutes until it is golden brown and set in the middle.

Step Eight: Let the casserole cool for ten minutes before serving. Top with sifted powdered sugar, fresh berries, and maple syrup.

Can You Make the Casserole the Same Morning?

Yes! This is not the preferred method but it can work if you are short on time or forgot to assemble the casserole the night before. Cover the casserole and place in the fridge for one to two hours before baking.

How to Prevent Soggy French Toast Casserole

Tip #1: Make sure the bread is dry enough before making the casserole. If the bread is not dry enough it will not soak up enough of the custard mixture which will lead to a soggy casserole. The bread does not need to be crisp, but it does need to be dry enough to absorb all of the liquid.

Tip #2: Ensure that the casserole has had enough time to soak up the rich custard. Allowing the casserole to sit overnight, or for more than one or two hours, helps to ensure that the bread has enough time to absorb all of the liquid.

How to Serve

This French toast casserole is great on its own but there are a few great serving options that can really take it to the next levels. Here are a few serving ideas:

• top the casserole with fresh berries
• add a few slices of banana to an individual slice
• I love to sprinkle on a bit of powdered sugar over the top of the casserole before serving
• last, but certainly not least, you’ll need a good drizzle of real maple syrup

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make this recipe dairy-free? – Yes! you can use coconut oil or ghee instead of melted butter. You will also need to make sure that the bread you choose is dairy-free as well.
• Can I use regular bread? Yes! If you do not have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, feel free to use to regular bread. A crusty loaf of sourdough would be delicious.
• Do I have to use dairy-free milk? – No! If you prefer you could use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream if you like.
• Can I use just one type of milk? – Yes! I would suggest using full-fat coconut if you are only using one type of milk.
• What is the best way to reheat the casserole? – I prefer to reheat the casserole quickly in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. It won’t dry out the casserole and it will still be delicious.

More Delicious Brunch Recipes

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Muffins

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal 

Loaded Breakfast Egg Muffins

Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Sweet Potato and Sausage Frittata

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes 

I hope you give this Gluten Free French Toast Casserole a try! This recipe makes for a delicious breakfast or holiday brunch that everyone will love!

If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.

Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Casey Colodny / THE MINDFUL HAPA