Baked French Toast Casserole with Cherries is a decadent dairy-free brunch dish with layers of sourdough bread, eggs, fresh cherries, almonds and chocolate chips. You only need 8 ingredients, and it’s prepped in advance for an easy morning meal!
This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated to reflect changes to the recipe. It also includes new photos and helpful tips for readers.
If you’re a longtime reader, you may already know that brunch is my all-time favourite meal. I love to prepare it and I love to eat it. And when it comes to entertaining, I love to host a relaxing weekend or holiday brunch.
I think I enjoy it so much because it’s probably the only meal where you can get away with an equal amount of sweet main dishes to savoury. I mean, a rich and decadent baked french toast is really like dessert for breakfast, right?!
Ingredients to make this french toast casserole recipe
Sourdough bread – Day old sourdough works best, cut into 1-inch cubes.
Cherries – Fresh cherries are pitted and halved, and baked right into the casserole.
Eggs – Six large eggs help bring the custard mixture together.
Nut milk – Adds creaminess to the custard mixture. While I used unsweetened cashew milk here, almond milk works too.
Almond extract – I love the way almond extract pairs with fresh cherries, but if you don’t have any, or you’re not a fan of the flavour, you can just use vanilla extract.
Coconut sugar – For added sweetness to the custard mixture and a sprinkle on top of the casserole before baking.
Slivered almonds – For a little added crunch and texture.
Chocolate chips – Dark chocolate chips add a rich, sweet taste and pair well with the cherries. I used dairy-free but you can use any kind of chocolate chips you like.
Best bread to use for an overnight french toast bake
Some recipes say that brioche or challah make the best french toast bake. While I’m sure they’re quite tasty, I usually go for a bread that is more readily available at my local grocery store.
I like the heartiness and flavour of sourdough bread. It’s sturdy enough that you just need it to be a day old to work perfectly in this recipe. I buy unsliced, so I can cut it into 1-inch cubes for this casserole.
If you can’t find sourdough, or simply don’t care for it, you can also use an Italian or French loaf or a rustic white loaf.
I buy a large loaf as it usually gets me the 12 cups of cubed bread needed for this recipe.
Whatever bread you choose, you’ll want it to be stale or at least a day old. If the bread you’re using is too fresh, you can always try lightly toasting the cubes in the oven first.
How to get the best texture for a baked french toast
The magic happens with the custard mixture – or the egg/milk mixture. You want just the right combination of eggs, milk and bread.
For this particular recipe, I find 12 cups of cubed bread, 6 eggs and 1.5 cups of nut milk is the perfect combination.
French toast casseroles have the best texture when they’re soft and custardy on the bottom, and have a crunchy bread layer on top.
If there is too much custard mixture, the bread will not absorb it all, and the french toast bake will turn out soggy. If there isn’t enough, the bread on top will be too dry.
You also don’t want to use too much milk because it will also lead to mushy french toast. Eggs bind the bread together, so you want plenty of those in the mixture. But be sure not to use too many as it will give your french toast an eggy taste.
How to make french toast casserole with cherries
- Cut your bread into roughly 1-inch cubes (it doesn’t need to be exact). Arrange half of them in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch greased baking dish.
- Pit and cut your cherries in half. Layer half of them on top of the bread.
- Next, layer on half of your almonds and chocolate chips.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar and almond extract. Pour half of the mixture over the bread, making sure to cover all the cubes.
- Layer on the remaining bread, cherries, almonds and chocolate chips, and pour on the remaining custard mixture. Again, making sure all of the bread is covered. Sprinkle some coconut sugar over the top of the bread.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 5-6 hours.
- Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crispy.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to let french toast casserole sit overnight? You don’t need to, but it does give the bread time to fully absorb the egg mixture, which results in a soft and custardy texture for the french toast. If you don’t have time to let it sit overnight, just let the casserole rest for about 20 minutes before baking it. This will give the bread some time to absorb the egg mixture.
How do you reheat a french toast casserole? You can reheat leftover pieces in the microwave until heated through. But to get the top crispy again, I suggest reheating it in the oven on 300F for about 10 minutes, or until heated through and the top is crunchy.
Can you use frozen cherries in this cherry french toast bake? Yes, just make sure they’re defrosted first and patted dry. Adding frozen cherries to the french toast may make it wet and soggy.
Can you use berries in place of the cherries? Of course! While this recipe is made with cherries, you can try making it with fresh blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or raspberries.
​​Additional recipe tips and substitutions
- If you don’t need this casserole to be dairy-free, you can use cow’s milk, or even half and half, in place of the nut milk.
- To keep this recipe dairy-free, just make sure the bread you’re using doesn’t contain dairy.
- The custard mixture is only lightly sweetened with coconut sugar as the chocolate chips add extra sweetness, and french toast is typically topped with maple syrup. However, if you like it sweeter, just add more sugar to the mixture.
- To reduce the sweetness, you can omit or cut down on the amount of chocolate chips you add to the recipe and forego the sprinkle of coconut sugar on top.
- If you’re not letting this french toast sit overnight, it will bake quicker, so be sure to check on it after 40-45 minutes.
Other brunch recipes you might enjoy
If you make this overnight french toast casserole, I would love to know what you think in the comments below.
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Pin this cherry french toast for your next weekend brunch!
Baked French Toast Casserole with Cherries
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked French Toast Casserole with Cherries is a decadent dairy-free brunch dish with layers of sourdough bread, eggs, fresh cherries, almonds and chocolate chips. You only need 8 ingredients, and it’s prepped in advance for an easy morning meal!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, day old and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cashew milk
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cut the bread into roughly 1-inch cubes (it doesn’t need to be exact). Arrange half of the cubes in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer on half of the cherries, chocolate chips and almonds.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/4 cup coconut sugar and almond extract. Pour half of the mixture over the bread, making sure to cover all the cubes.
- Layer on the remaining bread, cherries, almonds and chocolate chips, and pour on the remaining egg mixture. Again, make sure all the bread is covered.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar over the top of the bread.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 5-6 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the topping is browned and crispy.
Notes
- If you don’t have time to let the casserole sit overnight, just let it rest for about 20 minutes before baking. You’ll also need to reduce the back time to about 45 minutes.
- Be sure to check out the FAQ as well as the tips and substitutions section above the recipe for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.
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Oh wow this sounds amazingly delicious! I love the combination of the fresh cherries with the dark chocolate – I can’t think of a better pairing either, YUM!
Thanks Jessica! I’m seriously obsessing over the chocolate cherry combo this summer! Glad you like it!
Cherry is my favourite season too and I can’t think of a better pairing that dark chocolate – yum! I’m always looking for ideas for fresh cherries – I love this 🙂
Thanks Terri! I have really been enjoying the chocolate and cherry combo this year!
Oh my goodness I love chocolate and cherries. This sounds so decadent and fabulous! I must get some GF bread and try this asap!
I hope you get to try it! Thanks Lizzy! Let me know what you think if you make it!
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! This sounds amazing. I can’t wait to give this a try! Oh my gosh, seriously drooling over here…..
Haha! Thanks Jo! Sorry to make you drool, but glad you like it! 😉
Yummy french toast bake! Chocolates and cherry are my favorite combo. Delicious taste indeed!
Thanks so much! It’s a great combo for sure.
Wow! This is just amazing! I love that it’s not overly sweet. I will definitely be trying this!
Thank you Lisa! I would totally recommend giving this one a try! It’s not too sweet at all!.
Gosh darn, this looks so amazing! Thank you for the inspiration bc now I know what I’m doing with the cherries from my cherry tree! Also, amazing pictures once again!
Thanks Christina! Hold up! You have a cherry tree?? I definitely need to visit you! And the pacific northwest is on our bucket list, so win-win! 😉
What an absolutely decadent breakfast Leanne! So perfect for those summer cherries!
Thanks Mary Ann! Cherries and chocolate make the best decadent breakfast!
You had me at dark chocolate!! I’m a huge fan of breakfast recipes. This recipe looks amazing!
Thanks Terry! Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day! Glad you like this one!
This recipe looks incredible Leanne! I love French toast as it is but you take it to the next level! I also loved seeing the process photos! So beautiful.
Thanks Christie! I’m trying to include more process photos so I’m glad you liked them! Wish I could share this French toast with you!
I’m so excited about seasonal fruit and berries too. Cherries are still a bit expensive to use in cooking, but I’ve already eaten my first few pounds. And this recipe is fantastic! Chocolate and cherries combined with french toasts? I’m certainly in!
Thanks so much Ben! I agree. I’m going to be broke feeding my cherry addiction this summer. Luckily, they are more reasonably priced at Costco!
YES this sounds so decadent! i can imagine how tasty this would be at a weekend brunch (:
Thanks Heather! It’s a great sweet treat for a weekend brunch! Hope you’re having a fantastic summer!
I’m drooling. This looks soooo heavenly, Leanne! I can’t get enough cherries right now and this is the perfect excuse to buy more :). Hope you’re having a great week!
Thanks Kelsie! I’ve been re-stocking on cherries every weekend! So perfect for snacking, and french toast, of course! 😉
The weather is really weird this summer but I’ll keep it…I’m just glad school is out and the produce is phenomenal! This is such a delicious way to use those sweet, juicy cherries. Cherries and chocolate are a match made in heaven!
Cherries and chocolate are probably one of the best pairings ever! I hope you are having an awesome summer Marcie!
I do love cherry season and they look right at home in this cocoa dream toast!
Thanks Patrick! I think they look pretty comfortable in this toast too! 😉
Yay for French toast bakes!! Chocolate and cherry is one of my fave combos! I could totally top this with ice cream and have it for dessert too 😉
I love the way you think Katherine! Some chocolate cherry nice cream would be perfect on top of this French toast!
OH WOW this is such a delicious and beautiful breakfast Leanne. Love the combination of ingredients in this recipe and with the dark chocolate and cherries …absolutely amazing 🙂
Thanks Ashika! It’s my go-to brunch dish lately when I’m craving something decadent!
What a beautiful recipe, Leanne! Love that you didn’t make it overly sweet and especially love the suggestion of maybe sprinkling with a little sea salt – that sweet/salty combo always gets me! So excited for all the summer produce and you’ve certainly done those cherries justice with this one 😉 P.S. I don’t think I’d have any problem polishing this one off in a day…it wouldn’t last the 2-3 days, lol.
Thanks Dawn! I’ve made this French toast a few times now, and it’s difficult only eating one piece! It’s great for sharing, that’s for sure! Hope summer is treating you well!