Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole (Vegan)
This vegan Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole is a guaranteed hit! It has the subtle flavors of pumpkin pie, with a crunchy pecan-maple topping. Super easy and perfect to make ahead, too!
WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE HOW IT’S MADE:
This Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole is full of festive flavors. Warm cinnamon, fragrant vanilla, and earthy pumpkin make this the perfect recipe to serve for a holiday brunch with family and friends. As a bonus, your whole house will smell like cinnamon as it bakes up, which will instantly put you in the holiday spirit!
I know how hectic the holidays are, so I’m going to make this one extra easy for you. The prep for this overnight French toast casserole is incredibly simple. Just like a traditional French toast casserole, you’ll assemble all the ingredients the night before so the bread can soak up the vegan custard. The next morning, whip up the maple pecan topping for the casserole and pop it in the oven.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Gluten free French loaf or challah – You can use traditional French bread, sourdough, or challah if you’re not avoiding gluten.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure you buy pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix.
- Flax eggs – Learn how to make flax eggs
- Coconut milk – Use the canned variety, not the refrigerated cartons or bottles. This adds creaminess to the recipe.
- Almond milk – Or use another plant-based milk you have on hand.
- Maple syrup – Buy real maple syrup, not breakfast syrup. It’s not the same!
- Ground cinnamon – You can use pumpkin pie spice instead if you want to lean into pumpkin season.
- Pinch salt
- Vanilla extract
Pecan Topping
- Almond flour – You can use coconut flour instead of almond flour, or regular flour if you aren’t gluten free.
- Maple syrup – You can sub any other liquid sweetener, such as agave.
- Vegan butter – This needs to be melted.
- Pecans – You can buy whole pecans and chop them or buy pecan pieces.
What Kind of Bread Should I Use?
You have options when it comes to the bread you use. Gluten free, gluten-full (okay, that’s not a word), whatever! The most important thing is that your bread should be stale. If it’s fresh and moist, your French toast casserole will turn out soggy.
Use day-old bread, or if that’s not an option, cut the bread into squares and let them sit at room temperature for a few hours to dry out or pop them in the oven at 300ºF for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the bread is dry but not toasted.
How to Make a French Toast Casserole
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make overnight French toast casserole:
Make the custard. Combine the pumpkin puree, flax eggs, coconut milk, almond milk, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk until the puree is fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
Assemble. Place the bread cubes in a greased casserole dish. Pour the custard over the bread and press down so they’re completely soaked. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
Prepare to bake. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and set it on the countertop to warm up a bit. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Make the topping. Combine the almond flour, maple syrup, vegan butter and chopped pecans in a small bowl and stir. Spread the mixture over the top of the casserole.
Bake. Bake the casserole for 45 to 60 minutes. Because this is a vegan French toast casserole and it doesn’t have any eggs, you can bake it until it reaches your desired texture. If you want it extra soft and creamy, you can take it out earlier!
Finish. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before serving. Serve with a drizzle (or generous pour) of maple syrup, if desired.
Tips for Success
This vegan French toast casserole is pretty straightforward, but these tips will help you make sure yours turns out perfect:
- Don’t make the topping in advance. It needs to be made in the morning so it’s fresh.
- About the cooking times. I prefer cooking this casserole for about 50 minutes, when it’s set but still soft on the inside. If you want it completely baked, definitely aim for 60 minutes.
- Watch the topping. The top may get a bit browned after the first 20 minutes, so cover the baking dish with foil, if necessary.
Add-In Ideas
The pumpkin-y flavors in this vegan overnight French toast casserole make it great for pairing with any of these add-ins:
- Diced apples
- Diced pears
- Raisins
- Pecans
- Pepitas
- Chocolate chips
Serving Suggestions
You may or may not need the maple syrup for serving. Taste a bit of the casserole first, because mine tasted lovely with out. A dusting of powdered sugar is extra festive, or serve this casserole with apple butter or coconut whipped cream!
For a well-rounded breakfast, add something savory: Tofu Scramble, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, or your favorite plant-based sausage or bacon.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can warm them up in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes (depending on the amount you’re heating up) or in the microwave until they’re warmed through.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, French toast casserole freezes perfectly! Wrap it well and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months. For best results, let it thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat according to the instructions above.
Enjoy friends! If you make this overnight French toast casserole, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
P.S. Here are some of the items I used to make this recipe if you’d like to use them too:
| WHAT YOU’LL NEED // SHOP MY FAVORITE INGREDIENTS & PREP PRODUCTS |
Overnight French Toast Casserole (Vegan)
Ingredients
Overnight French Toast Casserole (Vegan)
- 14 ounces gluten free French loaf or challah, broken or torn into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- 4 flax eggs* learn how to make flax eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup maple syrup, depending on how sweet you want it. 1/4 is minimum, 1/3 is more noticeable
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pecan Topping
- 7 tablespoons almond flour
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
- 3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Overnight French Toast Casserole (Vegan)
- Set the french loaf in a casserole dish (I used a 1.5 QT).
- Mix together the pumpkin puree, flax eggs, coconut milk, almond milk, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.
- Pour over the bread and press down so every bit gets soaked in batter.
- Cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge overnight, or at least 6 hours.
- Remove from fridge when set. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, mix the almond flour, maple syrup, vegan butter and chopped pecans. Stir together to combine and spread over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. I prefer about 50 which is set but still soft on the inside. If you want it completely baked, definitely aim for 60 minutes. The top may get a bit crispy after the first 20 minutes so cover with foil if necessary and keep baking.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is vegan.
- TO MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE Use a gluten free loaf.
- ALTERNATIVES You can sub any other liquid sweetener such as agave. You can put in more add-ins: blueberries, more spices, apples. You can use coconut flour instead of almond flour, or regular flour if you aren’t gluten free.
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can warm them up in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes (depending on the amount you’re heating up) or in the microwave until they’re warmed through.
- To freeze this casserole wrap it well and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months. For best results, let it thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat it according to the instructions above.
MORE VEGAN FRENCH TOAST RECIPES
Vegan Cinnamon French Toast (Sticks) Vegan Pumpkin French ToastDisclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Oh my goodness, so good!! Christmas morning has never been easier (just threw it in the oven after prepping it the night before) or tastier! We made it with soy and oat milk and chia eggs, since I’m not a big coconut fan and we had a lot of chia seeds, and it turned out amazing. The leftovers reheated nicely too. Can’t wait to make this one again soon!
This was delicious! A huge hit with my culinary friends at brunch! I couldn’t find a gluten free baguette at the market so I opted for Schar’s gluten free multigrain loaf. It turned into more a bread pudding and I LOVED it! I am definitely adding this to my staple recipes collection. Thank you!!! Also I am slightly allergic to coconut so I opted for oat milk and it was fabulous. Definitely boosted the fiber.
Awesome! We’re so happy that it was a hit! Thanks so much for this nice review
Recipe looks delicious. Is it possible to swap out the pumpkin puree for something else?
Hi Patricia thanks so much for reading! You can definitely try pureed sweet potatoes if anything. I hope this helps.
How would I make this is I only have Pumpkin Pie Mix? I have 4 cans of it and prefer to use it if I can make it work rather than buy purée. Thanks!
Hi Ami! For this recipe it should definitely be swappable. I hope this helps and that you enjoy!
I made this recipe for a brunch party I had this morning and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and wanted copies of the recipe!
Awesome thank you Vanessa! We’re happy it was a hit.