Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole
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Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole, get ready to transform your breakfast game with this delightful culinary creation! This make-ahead recipe is great for the holidays and lazy weekends.
Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole recipe is bound to elevate your morning dining experience. The comforting aroma of vanilla custard soaking into pillowy slices of French bread, topped with a luscious pecan praline mixture that caramelizes to perfection. Trust me, this dish is a breakfast dream come true!
This French toast is great for a brunch crowd served with Pancake Charcuterie Board.
If you enjoy pralines, you’ll also like this Easy Pecan Praline Sauce!
Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole
There’s a blend of flavors and textures with every bite. You’ll encounter the delightful interplay of creamy custard, softened bread, and the crunchy, caramelized pecan topping. As you savor each bite, you’ll notice how the sweetness of the praline mixture harmonizes with subtle notes of vanilla. This delightful casserole balances decadent richness and sweetness. It is an irresistible delight for your morning palate.
Ingredients
The full Pecan Praline French Toast recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and the recipe to your personal and private recipe box here on Call Me PMc. This way, you’ll never misplace it.
- Whole milk. You can use 1%, 2%, or non-dairy milk, but it won’t be as rich and luscious.
- Heavy cream. You can substitute evaporated or whole milk, but it won’t be as rich.
- Large eggs.
- Pure vanilla extract. Pure vanilla tastes better than imitation.
- Ground nutmeg.
- French bread cut into eight slices or 1-inch cubes. Or any plain bread.
- Unsalted
butter + 1-2 tablespoons. I recommend realbutter , not margarine. - Light brown sugar, packed. You can use dark brown sugar.
- Light corn syrup* (like Karo). Or, you can use all maple syrup.
- Pecans, chopped. You can substitute any nut; walnuts would be good.
- Pinch of salt, optional.
- You can also add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you want.
- You can also add 1 cup of chocolate chips if you prefer. I would stir these into the mixture with the pecans.
A note regarding corn syrup. This isn’t high fructose corn syrup that you hear all the negative things about. Many people confuse regular corn syrup with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), but these are two different products. First, fructose is sweeter than glucose. Manufacturers developed high fructose corn syrup, processed with enzymes to create a sweeter syrup. Regular corn syrup is 100 percent glucose, while HFCS can be 42 or 55 percent fructose. Because it’s sweeter than regular corn syrup, manufacturers don’t have to use as much of it in their products, which helps reduce production costs.
Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole Method
The beauty of cooking is it’s all up to you! You can alter and adjust it to make it just how you like. I baked my French toast for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you like it drier and more crusty, bake it for longer. If you like it softer and not as crusty, bake it for less time.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut a 16-ounce loaf of French bread into 10 to 12 slices. Each slice should be about 1 inch thick. Arrange sliced bread in your prepared pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the milk, cream, eggs, and vanilla. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the bread. Press the bread down to cover most of it with the egg mixture.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
When you’re ready to bake…
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You can either melt the
butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave for the sauce. I added thebutter , brown sugar, and syrup to a microwave-safe measuring bowl. I then microwaved it for 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to whisk. - Next, I stirred in the pecans and spooned this mixture evenly over the top of the slices of bread.
- Finally, I cut cold
butter into small squares, lay them on the bread, and bake it for 45 minutes. If the bread begins to get too brown tent it with foil. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm!
Helpful Tips
- Ensure the bread slices are thick and slightly dry for optimal absorption of the custard mixture.
- Leave your bread on the counter for a few hours if it isn’t dry. You can also dry it out in the oven. Cut the bread into slices or chunks and cook at 200 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes. Dry bread absorbs the custard better and prevents it from being soggy and mushy.
- Cover the casserole with foil for part of the baking time to prevent the top from getting too brown while baking. I prefer to cover it after it’s gotten as brown as I want it.
- You can serve the casserole with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of maple syrup for an extra touch of decadence.
- Store covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’ll last three days.
Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole FAQ
Absolutely! This casserole can be assembled the night before, allowing the bread to absorb the custard mixture overnight. Simply cover it tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it in the morning for a hassle-free breakfast.
Yes, you can customize this recipe to suit your preferences. I have noted several substitutions above for you.
While French bread works wonderfully due to its texture, you can experiment with other bread varieties like brioche or challah for a slightly different taste and texture.
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast Casserole are more make-ahead breakfasts you’ll enjoy. Try CHOCOLATE PRALINE BUNDT CAKE for an easy dessert.
In conclusion, the Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole is a breakfast masterpiece that will undoubtedly elevate your morning routine. Its irresistible combination of flavors and ease of preparation make it a go-to dish for special occasions or leisurely weekend mornings. Whether shared with loved ones or savored solo, this indulgent treat is sure to leave a lasting impression and keep you coming back for more.
Pecan Praline French Toast Casserole
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground, fresh nutmeg
- 1 16-ounce loaf French bread cut into 8 slices*
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1-2 tablespoons
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed. Or dark brown sugar.
- 1/2 cup *light corn syrup like Karo
- 1 cup pecans chopped. You can sub any nut, walnuts would be good.
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cut a 16-ounce loaf of French bread into 10 to 12 slices. Each slice should be about 1 inch thick. Arrange sliced bread in your prepared pan.1 16-ounce loaf French bread
- In a large bowl, beat the milk, cream, eggs, nutmeg, and vanilla. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the bread. Press the bread down some so that most of it is covered with the egg mixture.1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 6 large eggs, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
When you’re ready to bake…
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the sauce, you can either melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. I added the butter, brown sugar, and syrup to a microwave-safe measuring bowl. I then microwaved it for 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to whisk.6 tablespoons unsalted butter + 1-2 tablespoons, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup *light corn syrup
- Next, I stirred in the pecans and spoon this mixture evenly over the top of the slices of bread. Sprinkle salt over the top.1 cup pecans, pinch of salt
- Finally, I cut cold butter into small squares, lay them on top of the bread, and bake it for 45 minutes. If the bread minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve warm!
Notes
- *Or all maple syrup. You can also do light brown syrup and molasses. (Molasses have a strong flavor, so you may not want to do all molasses.)
- You can also cut or tear the bread into cubes.
You mention nutmeg in the description at the beginning, but I don’t see it in the recipe.
it’s 1/2 teaspoon of ground, fresh nutmeg. Thanks for alerting me to this.