Alright, you know those Saturday mornings when you want to eat something fancy but also, let’s be honest, hardly feel like getting out of your pajamas—let alone whisking, frying, or doing anything resembling hard work before noon? That’s where this Overnight Crème Brûlée French Toast slides in like a hero. I think I first made it because, well, I read the words "crème brûlée" and immediately wanted to pretend I was at a Parisian bistro (in my kitchen slippers). My family laughed at me the first time because I torched the top so much it was basically sugar glass. But hey, lessons learned.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make this when we’ve got guests staying over (or just a Sunday when someone’s feeling a bit dramatic about breakfast). My family goes wild for it since it’s custardy and rich and, oh, the smell—that toasty caramel thing? Heaven. Plus, it’s the ultimate lazy cook’s play: you do the heavy lifting the night before. No racing around measuring vanilla with one eye open. Not to complain, but whisking at 7 am is just not in my skill set.
What You’ll Need (with Some Cheeky Substitutions)
- 1 good loaf of sturdy bread (I usually grab challah, but brioche, or even a leftover baguette works—day-old is best, unless you’re in a hurry and what’s on the counter is what’s on the counter!)
- 5 large eggs (or, honestly, 4 if you forgot to buy another carton—done it before, didn’t notice much difference!)
- 1 cup whole milk (2% does fine, and I once used half cream, half oat milk when the fridge was low—nobody complained)
- ¾ cup heavy cream (pure indulgence, but you can top up with more milk if you’re pinching pennies)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I run through a lot of this so I use the big bottle from Costco sometimes, but my grandmother swore by Nielsen-Massey. All up to you)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (sea salt’s fine, just don’t use table salt—too salty!)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (if you use a bit more or less, it’s not going to ruin anything)
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Extra 2–3 tablespoon granulated sugar for the brûlée top
The How-To (Casual Edition)
- Grab a 9x13 inch baking dish (really, whatever will fit your bread slices. I’ve used a casserole dish in a pinch). Grease it—just a swipe of butter.
- Melt the brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan on medium. Stir, watch it so it doesn’t burn (I usually get distracted texting and things start bubbling faster than I expect). Pour this glorious sticky stuff into your dish, making a lovely base.
- Now, slice your bread into thickish slices—about an inch works well. Layer ‘em on top of your sugar base. Sometimes they overlap and that’s fine; it all smooshes together anyway. Don’t fuss over it.
- In a big bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, and salt. This is where I typically get a little bored and just slap it together; as long as the eggs are mixed through, you’re good. Pour that custard over the bread. Really soak every bit—poke down the bread if you need. (Yes, it’s gonna look soggy. That’s actually perfect.)
- Cover with foil and pop it in the fridge overnight. If I’m impatient (or have a forgotten sleepover guest to feed), I’ve skipped the overnight bit and let it sit an hour and it was still fine—just not as dreamy.
- Next morning, take it out and let it stand while the oven preheats (350°F or about 180°C if you’re metric-minded). This is the point where friends appear mysteriously in the kitchen. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Then uncover it and bake another 15 to 20 until it’s all puffed and golden. If the middle’s a bit jiggly, don’t panic—give it some extra minutes.
- For the famous brûlée top: sprinkle your granulated sugar over the whole thing. If you have a kitchen torch, wow, use it now! (Or see my workaround below.)
Notes from Many, Many Tries
- If it sits more than 12 hours, the base gets a bit syrupy but no one’s ever complained in my house.
- I burn the sugar topping about one in every five times; just embrace it—the slightly bitter taste is nice!
- When I tried using gluten-free bread, it fell apart. Maybe pick a GF loaf with a sturdier crust? (Or just do what you normally do.)
Variations I’ve Tested (Some Weirder Than Others)
- Add a dash of orange zest to the custard—surprisingly delicious, and kind of makes it breakfast-y?
- Swap in coconut milk for half the liquid: gets a sort of tropical twist. My brother loves it; my kids did not.
- I tried putting chocolate chips between the layers once. Actually, wouldn’t do that again; too rich, even for me!
Equipment Talk—With Workarounds
- Baking dish, like I said—use whatever you have. Once used a lasagna pan. Nobody noticed.
- Kitchen torch for the top. But if you don’t have one (and I didn’t until recently), just crank your broiler, keep a hawk eye on it, and stick the dish under for about a minute. Watch it! It can go form caramel to charcoal real quick.
- Mixing bowls. Or a big jug, honestly. It’s just eggs and cream at the end of the day.
Storing (But Honestly, Good Luck)
If you somehow have leftovers (weird but it’s happened), just cover the dish and put it in the fridge. It tastes pretty awesome cold too, kind of like bread pudding. Maybe 2 days max — after that it starts looking a bit sad. Usually doesn’t make it that far in my fridge.
Serving—Do It Your Way
I like to bring the whole bubbly, golden dish to the table and just scoop. Some folks in my house insist on a dollop of whipped cream, or even Greek yogurt if I’m feeling like being a little bit virtuous. Fresh berries are great too! On holidays, we go all out with a sprinkle of crushed pistachios, which sounds fancy but tastes even better.
Pro Tips (a.k.a. What I’ve Messed Up)
- Don’t rush soaking the bread, trust me. I once tried to skip that and it was dry in the middle. Let it soak up that custard.
- Browning the sugar on top: yes, you have to watch it like a hawk. I burnt my first one so badly I thought I’d ruined the dish. Turns out, most people liked the crispy bits. Go figure.
- Too much liquid? Just bake it longer. I always panic about the custard not setting; it always does about 10 minutes after you think it should.
Some Real-Life FAQ (Things People Actually Ask Me)
- Do I have to use challah or brioche?
Nah. Use whatever bread you’ve got; I sometimes use plain white sandwich bread if that’s what’s around. It’s a bit less rich but still does the trick. - Is the brûlée torch really required?
Nope, the broiler works too, just keep an eye (or two) on it—goes fast! - Can I make this dairy-free?
Oh, I’ve had a friend try it with oat milk and vegan butter and it actually worked—you just miss that super creamy thing whole milk & cream have. Still good though. - Why does my custard sometimes look a little scrambled?
Don’t bake it too hot, and let it come to room temp before baking if you can. Cold custard + hot oven sometimes makes weird things happen in there. Learned that the hard way.
Oh, and if you’re a bit of a baking nerd like me, I found some great custard advice on Sally’s Baking Addiction, and if you’re dying for a real-deal French dessert torch, King Arthur Baking has the one I use now (it makes me feel like a kitchen scientist every time I pull it out).
So go ahead, give this Overnight Crème Brûlée French Toast a whirl. And hey, if you end up with caramel in your hair—consider it part of the memory-making process. Bon appétit, pals!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (plus extra for topping)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
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1Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter. Arrange brioche slices in the dish, overlapping slightly.
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2In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, ¾ cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
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3Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, pressing gently to ensure all pieces are soaked. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
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4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, until puffed and golden.
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5Sprinkle the top evenly with extra granulated sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp. Let cool slightly before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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