Chocolate French Toast Casserole

This delicious chocolate french toast casserole is soft and fluffy on the inside and comes with a topping of sugar and pecans for a crunchy finish. Made with moderate amounts of fat and sugar and ready in under 40 minutes.

If you are a fan of French toast you will love this chocolate french toast casserole.  Making a one-pot french toast recipe is super quick and easy. 

This is because instead of making individual portions, which can be time consuming, you can cook the entire french toast mixture in one dish. This will produce enough chocolate eggy bread to feed 4 hungry people!

Preparation takes minutes and the time needed for the bread to absorb the egg mixture depends on how soft/fresh your bread is (I used soft rolls and waited approximately 5 minutes).

Chocolate french toast ingredients and substitutions

• Bread: I recommend using soft bread such as brioche, plain white or whole wheat rolls (they will absorb the egg mixture quickly). Alternatively use sliced bread.
• Eggs.
• Milk: Use any.
• Cacao: Use either cacao or cocoa powder. I tend to use cacao as it's a little healthier.
• Chocolate chips: I used dark chocolate chips but milk or white chocolate chips (or chunks) will work well, too.
• Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and flavour to the french toast mixture.
• Demerara sugar: Adds crunch.
• Butter: Helps to make the top crispy.
• Pecans: These add a nice crunchy finish, but you can use walnuts or crushed hazelnuts instead.

Can I use stale bread

It's ok to use slightly stale bread in this recipe, although you might have to wait a bit longer for the egg mixture to get absorbed.  In my opinion, however, soft bread/rolls works best in this chocolate French toast recipe.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5. Lightly grease a medium size casserole dish (20x22 cm/8x9'') and set aside.

1. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cacao and brown sugar until smooth.

2. Place the bread chunks in your casserole dish, pour in the egg mixture and stir well.  Set aside for 2-3 minutes then give another stir (most of the mixture will have been absorbed). Scatter the chocolate chips over the top tucking gently in-between the bread pieces.

3. Press the pecans gently into the mixture. 

4. Sprinkle the demerara sugar and drizzle the melted butter over the casserole. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes (until the top is crispy and the pecans are lightly browned).

5. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

Delicious with maple syrup, fruit compote or fresh fruit (such as berries).

Can I make this recipe ahead

Yes, you can! You can prepare this chocolate french toast casserole ahead (the night before) and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. Bake in a preheated oven as per Instructions.

Top tips and FAQs

• Stir the egg and bread mixture gently so the bread pieces remain intact.
• If you prefer the bread pieces to cook separately use a larger casserole dish and arrange the bread in a single layer.  Your casserole will probably need less time in the oven.
• Best served immediately.   
• Not suitable for freezing.

Related recipes

• Banana French Toast Bake (Low Sugar)
• French Toast Muffins with Chocolate Chips
• Quick Blueberry French Toast Casserole

You may also like this collection of 18 healthy, easy vegetable breakfast recipes.

Keep in touch

If you make this chocolate french toast recipe I'd love to know how it turns out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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Recipe

Chocolate French Toast Casserole

This delicious chocolate french toast casserole is soft and fluffy on the inside and comes with a topping of sugar and pecans for a crunchy finish. Made with moderate amounts of fat and sugar and ready in under 40 minutes.

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: International, vegetarian

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  20/22 cm (8/9'') casserole dish

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 ounces (170 g) dinner rolls approx. 3 medium rolls (brioche, white or whole wheat rolls) torn into chunks
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ ⅔ cup (160 ml) milk any
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup (50 g) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, any
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons demerara sugar
• ▢ ⅓ cup (40 g) pecans
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5. Lightly grease a medium size casserole dish (20/22 cm, 8/9'') and set aside.

  In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, cacao and brown sugar until smooth.
• Place the bread chunks in your casserole dish, pour in the egg mixture and stir well.  Set aside for 2-3 minutes then give another stir (most of the mixture will have been absorbed). Scatter the chocolate chips over the top tucking gently in-between the bread pieces.
• Press the pecans gently into the mixture, sprinkle the demerara sugar and drizzle the melted butter over the casserole. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes (until the top is crispy and the pecans are lightly browned).
• Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Notes

• French toast bread: I recommend using soft rolls including brioche, plain white or whole wheat (they will absorb the egg mixture quickly). Alternatively use bread slices.
• Stir the egg and bread mixture gently so the bread pieces remain intact.
• If you prefer the bread pieces to cook separately use a larger casserole dish and arrange the bread in a single layer.  Your casserole will probably need less time in the oven.
• You can prepare this chocolate french toast casserole ahead (the night before) and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. Bake in a preheated oven as per Instructions.
• Cacao: Use either cacao or cocoa powder. I tend to use cacao as it's a little healthier.
• Best served immediately.  Delicious with maple syrup, fruit compote or fresh berries.
• Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 8mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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