Overnight Breakfast Casserole

This healthy overnight breakfast casserole recipe might just be my newest favorite meal!

5 ingredient overnight breakfast casserole

For this super easy breakfast French toast casserole, you simply combine all of the ingredients in a pan and let it sit overnight.

Throw the pan into the oven the next morning, and go about your day!

Homemade overnight breakfast casseroles are fantastic for brunch parties, potlucks, sleepovers, or weekend breakfast meal prep.

And they are also great for feeding a family or surprise house guests.

Any time when I am expecting company, I will do all the prep work the night before the crowd arrives. This gives me plenty of free time in the morning, never having to worry about making noise while preparing a fancy breakfast hot from the oven.

Also try this Protein Banana Bread

Overnight breakfast bake variations

Apple Cinnamon: Use chopped apples in place of the berries. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the milk, or use cinnamon raisin bread.

Chocolate Chip: Right before baking the casserole, liberally sprinkle mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate evenly over top.

Tropical: Replace the berries in the recipe below with an equal amount of canned diced pineapple. Use coconut milk as the milk of choice, and toss a half cup or so of shredded coconut in with the bread.

Banana Bread: Swap the berries for sliced bananas and the applesauce for two thirds cup of mashed banana. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the milk mixture, and sprinkle on chocolate chips if desired.

Pumpkin Pie: For a breakfast casserole that tastes like pumpkin pie, use canned pumpkin instead of applesauce and add a half teaspoon each of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the milk. Try blackberries or bananas, or omit the berries entirely.

Cinnamon Roll: Follow the instructions for the apple flavor above. After baking, drizzle the finished casserole with a cream cheese or powdered sugar glaze instead of syrup. To make your own three ingredient glaze, whisk one and a half cups powdered sugar or erythritol with two tablespoons milk of choice and a fourth teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Slowly add more milk if needed to thin it out.

Serving Suggestion: Tofu Scramble Recipe

Step by step recipe video

Above, watch the easy overnight breakfast casserole recipe video

Healthy breakfast casserole ingredients

The recipe calls for just five ingredients.

Delicious and simple, it gives you the best of both worlds.

To make the breakfast dish, you will need bread, berries, applesauce or banana, milk of choice, optional egg whites, liquid sweetener, and optional salt and pure vanilla extract.

Feel free to use up the fruit you have on hand. This time, I opted for a combination of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries.

Depending on the season, peaches, pears, mango, or pitted cherries would be lovely.

If you wish to use frozen berries instead of fresh berries, be sure to completely thaw them and blot away any remaining ice crystals or water before adding them to the casserole pan. This will prevent soggy results after baking.

Choose your favorite all purpose liquid sweetener. Options that work well include agave, honey, or pure maple syrup. I have not tried using granulated sugar here.

Use dairy free, plant based milk for a vegan breakfast casserole or gluten free bread for a gluten free casserole.

What type of bread is best?

For best results, I recommend going with a thick, crusty bread.

Brioche, French baguette, sourdough, or challah are top choices for overnight casseroles thanks to their sturdy texture. Vegans should note that brioche and challah often contain eggs.

White or whole wheat sandwich style bread technically works as long as you do not mind a moist and slightly gummy texture.

If time permits, let the loaf of bread sit out, uncovered, for a day before using. Otherwise, you can bake the slices at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for around fifteen minutes or until they dry out.

How to make an easy breakfast casserole

Overnight breakfast casseroles are actually best when made with slightly stale bread.

If your bread is not already slightly hard, let it sit unwrapped for a day before using. Or bake the slices on a baking sheet at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes or until they dry out.

This step removes moisture from the bread loaf, ensuring the final baked casserole will have a soft and fluffy texture.

To make the casserole, first grease a nine by thirteen inch baking pan. Or if you prefer a smaller serving recipe, halve all of the ingredients and use an eight inch pan.

Cut the bread into approximately one or two inch pieces, and layer the pieces evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Whisk the applesauce, milk of choice, optional eggs, maple syrup or other sweetener, and optional vanilla in a large measuring cup.

Pour this mixture over the bread in the pan.

Spread the berries evenly over top of everything, then cover the pan and refrigerate overnight. (If you prefer to bake right away instead of waiting, that is fine too.)

When ready to serve the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and uncover the baking pan.

Place the casserole pan on the center rack of the oven, and bake for one hour or until the bread is lightly golden. Let the pan cool slightly before slicing and serving.

French toast casserole tips and tricks

Top your finished easy breakfast casserole with pure maple syrup, sliced fruit, powdered sugar, or Coconut Whipped Cream.

Serve on plates or in bowls, and enjoy the recipe either cold or hot.

Cover leftovers with saran wrap or foil, and refrigerate for up to five days. Or portion into individual servings for meal prep, and refrigerate in covered containers.

You can also slice and freeze the recipe in an airtight covered container for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave or overnight in the fridge before serving.

This recipe makes a wonderful breakfast in bed. Serve it for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or for a lazy weekend surprise breakfast.

Breakfast casserole health benefits

One slice of this berry breakfast bake provides calcium, potassium, iron, twenty percent of the RDA for fiber, and close to seven grams of protein!

The recipe is packed with vitamins and nutrition, at just over 100 calories per serving.

It can be egg free, dairy free, gluten free, low fat, low calorie, oil free, refined sugar free, cholesterol free, and vegan.

The recipe was inspired by my Vegan French Toast and Baked Oatmeal Recipe.

More Healthy Make Ahead Breakfasts

Almond Flour Banana Bread

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Protein Bars

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Healthy Banana Bread