This simple, no-fuss, make-ahead Berry Breakfast Bagel French Toast Casserole is just the thing for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Prep it the night before and it’s ready to go in the oven when you wake up!
Weekends and holidays were made for breakfast casseroles! Some other reader favorites are our Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole, Biscuits and Gravy Casserole, and Green Chili Egg Casserole.
I am a HUGE breakfast fan. I’ve already posted some of my favorite breakfast recipes on here like Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Coconut Syrup, my favorite Breakfast Burritos, the unusual but totally delicious Peppery Scrambled Macaroni & Eggs, and classic Big, Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes. But I haven’t done a French toast recipe yet! Until today.
This easy, delicious, no-fuss berry breakfast bagel french toast casserole is perfect for holidays and weekend brunches.
It takes all of five minutes to cut up some slightly stale bagels and whip together an egg, milk and cream custard mixture that gets poured over the bagels in a large casserole dish.
Then it goes in the refrigerator overnight so the bagels can soak everything up and in the morning you just pop it in the oven to bake.
No standing by the skillet or stove, dipping slices of bread in and out of batter, monitoring and flipping the french toast as it cooks and keeping the finished slices warm while cooking the rest in batches. Instead you just slice into this baby and serve it up piping hot at the breakfast table!
I love using bagels in breakfast casserole because they are chewier than croissants or challah bread and don’t get mushy or soggy when soaking in the egg mixture.
And like most french toast, its actually turns good if the bagels are a day old and even a little bit stale. They soak up the custard better that way.
Plus, it’s great for the times when you get suckered into buying multiple sleeves of bagels at Costco, then get home and realize you are never, EVER going to be able to get through them all while they are still fresh.
Which totally never happens to me. Yeah, right – that’s actually how this recipe came about in the first place, lol. Every time, Costco, every time!
They know me so well.
I chose plain bagels for this berry breakfast bagel french toast casserole, but you could really use any type of bagel you like – cinnamon raisin, blueberry, plain or even whole wheat.
You could also sub in blackberries or raspberries for the strawberries or blueberries. I just love the easy, patriotic look of the red and blue berries with powdered sugar dusted over the top of the casserole before serving. Perfect for Memorial Day or the 4th of July!
Berry breakfast bagel french toast casserole is sweet, but not too sweet, thanks to the maple syrup and brown sugar that get whisked into the egg mixture before pouring it over the top of the cut up bagels.
Plus, there is a little more brown sugar in the crumb topping. And you dust it with powdered sugar just before serving. So…
If you REALLY want to sweeten things up, definitely make the super simple maple glaze that I included in the recipe and drizzle it over the casserole after baking. It’s just maple syrup and powdered sugar that you combine them with a fork so that the syrup doesn’t immediately soak into the french toast.
Maple Syrup + More Sugar = Buddy the Elf’s ultimate dream breakfast.
Kids and husbands everywhere will require the maple glaze and adore you for it, so be prepared.
Me? I’m good with just the dusting of powdered sugar.
It’s totally up to you and you could always serve the glaze alongside the casserole to be drizzled over individual pieces instead of the entire thing if you are a house divided on the level of sweetness you can handle first thing in the A.M. like us.
Leftovers heat up really well, if you are making this for just a few people, or you could easily cut the recipe in half and just do a square baking dish to serve 4 with no leftovers at all.
More Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love
- How to Make the BEST French Toast
- Easy Belgian Waffles
- German Pancakes
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
- Aebleskiver | Danish Pancakes
- Fluffy Toasted Coconut Pancakes
- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
- Copycat Waffle Love Liège Waffles
- Big, Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Berry Breakfast Bagel French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 6 day old bagels cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
Crumble topping
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
Maple glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with a little cooking spray. Cut the bagels into small, 1-inch chunks, then toss them into the baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, cream, syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Whisk it up really well with a fork, then pour the egg custard mixture over the bagels and press them down into the custard so everything gets a good soaking. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top, if using. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees when ready to bake the casserole. Prepare the crumble topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl, then pouring the melted butter of the top and stirring everything with a fork to combine. Sprinkle in small clumps over the top of the casserole before sliding it into the oven.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown on top. You might want to cover the casserole with foil during the last 20 minutes if it is getting too brown. It is done when the egg mixture that has soaked into the bagels is set without being soggy and everything is cooked through, but be careful not to overbake and dry it out.
- Prepare the maple glaze, if using, by whisking together the maple syrup and powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle the berries over the top and drizzle with the maple glaze, if desired. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into large squares just before serving.
Now this is the kind of breakfast that anyone would love to wake up to. Love all the fresh berries you added also. Would definitely be perfect for the long weekend coming up.
“Plus, it’s great for the times when you get suckered into buying multiple sleeves of bagels at Costco, then get home and realize you are never, EVER going to be able to get through them all while they are still fresh.”
-Story of my life!!!
Also, I’m with you on the breakfast fan thing. We eat more soup than anything, and realized the other day that I don’t have a single soup recipe on the blog, but I have 10 breakfast/brunch ones.
Glad I’m not the only one who experiences the post-Costco “what am I going to do with all this?” feeling.
Great way to use bagels and casseroles feed so many people. I love all the flavors on yoru recipe. Need to try it soon!
What a great idea. I’d never have thought of that. I’m not great in the mornings. I tend to just have a drink before work as I’ve never ready to eat before at least 9am, but on Sunday I like to have something s bit special. and this looks really special.
YUM!! This has to be the perfect breakfast idea over the weekend. Love it!!
I am also one of those people who can’t live without breakfast :). I like the idea of using bagels as soggy bread is not my favorite. Thanks for the recipe!
I just love this! They look like my kind of breakfast ! Loved the way how you presented it.. amazing links
Oh my goodness, totally drooling over this pudding, love the contrast of fresh fruit and french toast:-)
Heavenly! My husband and I love french toast and berries. This looks so good! Your photos are gorgeous, too!
Now that would be an amazing breakfast to wake up to.. I’m very lazy to cook breakfast especially on weekends. But this would be such a treat on the weekend. I do have left over breads for sure.
Oh my…doesn’t this look divine. Perfect for any weekend brunch…like Father’s Day. I am not a breakfast person, but brunch is another thing. This is PERFECT and right up my alley.
I think I’m in love!!! Love this! We make big breakfasts on the weekends but sometimes the thought of having to get up and cook it all makes me want to stay in bed! This make ahead casserole is the perfect solution – and I’ll be able to sleep an extra hour for sure!!!
Now that is a great way to use up all those bagels, the packages are always too big. I bet the children would love it also. Love the idea!
This looks awesome! It’s such a great idea for a make ahead breakfast!
Fresh fruit is a great way to put brunch over the top! I’m adding this recipe to the brunch menu for my next weekend gathering.
Delicious fresh toast with breakfast bagel, you made the stale bread into a great breakfast love idea of fresh strawberries and blueberries
I love the idea. We are breakfast people and truly enjoy the first meal of the day — although we sometimes get stuck in a rut with the dishes. We make our own bagels so they don’t get stale — we’ll have to buy some store bagels for this. The bagel French toast really looks delish!!
Wheat a beautiful breakfast casserole! I’ve made these with French toast before but never bagels. What a fun idea!
Nice twist on French toast. Never would’ve thought to use bagels. I enjoy using old challah bread!
Perfect for busy weekday! If some one will make me this special breakfast, i will be very happy 🙂 Looks very delicious with all berries:)
How I loved your recipe.. I have never made french casserole with bagels .I am so glad I landed on your recipe..gone try it soon 🙂
This is such a fabulous idea and I love how gorgeous the casserole looks. Perfect for a brunch with family or friends. I’m always looking at ways to use the leftover bagels and this is definitely going to be a favorite!
That looks seriously yummy.Greater Brekkie for a family I love these kind of breakfasts. Your photos are gorgeous. I am definitely going to try your lemon ricotta pancakes too
I love this idea for french toast! It’s probably one of my favorite breakfast items! I also loooooove bagels but I really have to be in the mood to eat one and they usually go bad before I get the chance to eat them all. This is a great way to use them up!
This looks absolutely perfect for weekends with the family! mine would go nuts over this!
This looks so colorful and delicious! I would never have thought to use bagels. This is genius.
I love that this uses bagels! We always have leftover bagels and this a great way to use them up! I love it!
This looks so fresh and colourful and I love that you do the (minimal) hard work the night before. Clever.
Do you think it’s possible to make this during the week and then freeze it for a weekend morning ?
Yes, I think that would work just fine. I’ve done it with other similar breakfast casseroles with good results.