Crockpot French Toast

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/7/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Crockpot French Toast

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 42 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 8 servings

This easy and delicious crock pot French toast is the perfect fix-it-and-forget-it treat for a leisurely weekend breakfast. The dish can be prepared in the morning and you can sit back and enjoy the aroma of warm cinnamon and sugar while enjoying a coffee and reading the Sunday paper. Alternately, it can also be assembled the night before and covered and stored in the refrigerator so that it's ready the following morning.

The French toast cubes can be scooped and served directly from the slow cooker. Before taking that first bite, it can be topped just as you would your favorite classic French toast. A dusting of confectioners' sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup is the classic combination. Feel free to customize this brunch treat and offer fresh fruit, jam, or a warm fruit compote as other topping options as well.

"The slow cooker French toast was super-fast and easy to fix. It isn't overly sweet, but the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup make up for it. I could see it as a breakfast or brunch dish, or drizzle it with caramel sauce for a bread pudding-like dessert." —Diana Rattray

slow cooker french toast
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 (16-ounce) loaf crusty French bread, day-old and cut into large cubes

  • 2 cups milk

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for serving

  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for crock pot French toast

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Place the cubed bread in the slow cooker.

    Cubed bread for crock pot French toast

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt.

    Milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt for crock pot French toast

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and press down the bread to help it soak up the liquid.

    Egg and sugar mixture poured over cubed bread in slow cooker

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the surface.

    Cubed butter added to crockpot French toast

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or low for 4 1/2 hours.

    Crock pot French toast cooking with butter cubes

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners' sugar and drizzled with maple syrup.

    Plate of crock pot French toast with confectioners' sugar and maple syrup

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Make Ahead

It is possible to prepare a make-ahead, overnight version of this crockpot French toast. Coat the bread cubes in custard and then simply cover and refrigerate the dish overnight. The following morning, dot with butter and cook as directed.

Variations

  • Toss the bread cubes with chopped toasted nuts before soaking with the custard mixture.
  • Top the cooked casserole with fresh fruit, jam, or a warm fruit compote to serve.
  • Use a crusty sourdough, challah, or any other kind of bread you like—just make sure it's dry enough.

How to Store Crock Pot French Toast

  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or warm in a 350 F oven, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot.
  • To freeze, arrange cooled serving-size portions on a baking sheet and freeze. When frozen solid, transfer the portions to zip-close freezer bags.
  • To reheat, place frozen portions of French toast in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 375 F for about 10 minutes, or until hot.

How Do You Keep French Toast Casserole From Getting Soggy?

The key to a crockpot French toast casserole is the ratio of bread to custard mixture. You will want to have enough custard to moisten all of the bread cubes, but not too much—which can cause the bread to get too soggy.


Also, it is important to use drier, day-old bread. Fresh bread is too moist and will absorb too much of the egg custard, resulting in a soggy casserole.


If your bread is too soft, you can always toast it in a low oven for 10 minutes or so to dry it out or leave it at room temperature, uncovered, once you have cubed it.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
328 Calories
10g Fat
45g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 156mg 52%
Sodium 492mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 138mg 11%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 226mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)