Banana French Toast Bake

The texture is tender in the middle, with a lightly crisp top, especially once the brown sugar topping bakes.

If you like banana bread and baked French toast, this recipe lands right in between and builds naturally off a more traditional French toast casserole base.

This is an overnight French toast bake, which makes it especially good for weekends, holidays, or any morning when you want breakfast mostly done ahead of time. It also works well as part of a larger breakfast spread alongside other baked options like a blueberry French toast casserole or something savory to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients

French Toast

• 16 oz sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 6 bananas, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Topping

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

Banana French Toast Bake Recipe

Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the bread cubes to the dish, then add the banana pieces and gently mix to evenly distribute them.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, half and half, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until fully combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and bananas.

Gently press the bread and bananas down into the liquid so everything is well soaked. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and uncover it. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the French toast for 35 minutes.

While it bakes, prepare the topping by mixing together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the softened butter, then use a pastry blender or fork to cut it into the mixture until crumbly.

After the French toast has baked for 35 minutes, remove it from the oven and sprinkle the topping evenly over the surface. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly crisp.

A Few Things to Know

This bake is meant to be soft and custardy, not dry or fluffy like regular toast. Using sourdough helps balance the sweetness from the bananas and sugars, but other sturdy breads will also work if needed.

The bananas will soften significantly as they bake, which gives this French toast a banana bread–like flavor. Letting the dish rest for a few minutes before serving helps it set slightly and makes slicing easier.