High Protein Brioche French Toast Casserole
This brioche French toast casserole is the perfect recipe for special occasions with the little bit of added protein you’re wanting at breakfast time. It’s made with buttery brioche bread, egg whites, protein powder, and the warming spices of vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, it’s like having dessert for breakfast.
Casseroles are a host’s best friend because you can cut them into individual servings and feed a lot of people at once. This French toast recipe is great for holidays because you can prep it ahead of time and pop it in the oven the next morning. So many readers love making this for Christmas morning along with my Cinnamon Roll French Toast Egg Bake.
Top with maple syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruit and a side of maple chicken sausage for the perfect brunch spread.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 15g of protein per serving.
- It can be made ahead of time or quickly put together in the morning.
- Perfect for weekend mornings and one the whole family will love!
Ingredients and Substitutes:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions for Brioche French Toast Casserole.
- Brioche Bread: I used Signature Select brioche bread. Challah, sweet rolls or day old French bread are good alternatives.
- Egg and Egg Whites: this recipe calls for a mixture of eggs and egg whites. To omit egg whites completely, add 3 additional eggs. To use only egg whites add an additional 1/2 cup egg whites.
- Milk: use any milk or non-dairy milk you prefer. I used 1% but whole milk is fine. For a more decadent casserole use heavy cream.
- Vanilla Protein Powder: I like baking with PEScience protein powder, and the gourmet vanilla complements this recipe well. Use code OHSNAP to save.
- Maple Syrup: you can use lite syrup as well but overall spread out it won’t save much on your macros just so you know! You could also substitute with honey, agave or your favorite syrup substitute.
- Almond Flour: I used Bob’s Red Mill. It can be replaced with all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio for this recipe. The almond flour adds a smidge of protein though.
- Nuts: I used chopped walnuts. Substitute for pecans, walnuts or almonds or omit all together.
Variations
- Add fruit like fresh blueberries or strawberries.
- Add pumpkin spice for a fall holiday twist.
- For an extra sweet flavor, add a drizzle of maple syrup or chocolate chips on top prior to serving.
- Try cinnamon roll French toast casserole.
Dietary Modifications
- To make this recipe gluten-free try using a gluten-free brioche bread or sweet roll. I like Canyon Bakehouse.
- For dairy-free use plant-based milk and a dairy-free protein powder.
How to make this baked French toast casserole:
Step 1: prep the bread and egg mixture
Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray, being sure to get all edges well. Cube the brioche bread and arrange the cubed bread across the bottom of the dish (image 1). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, protein powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined (image 2).
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes, making sure all the bread is soaked (image 3). Use a spatula to gently press down on the bread to help it absorb the liquid (image 4). Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. This allows the bread to really soak up the egg mixture!
Step 2: add the cinnamon topping
When you’re ready to cook the casserole, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and remove it from the fridge. Prepare the topping by mixing the melted butter, almond flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl (image 5). Using a spoon, spoon the topping across the top evenly and using the back of the spoon spread it across the top of the casserole so the entire casserole is covered (image 6).
Step 3: bake your casserole
Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. If the topping is browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving (image 7). Cut it into equal squares and serve with maple syrup and fresh berries, if desired.
Expert Tip!
Make sure to really soak all the pieces of the bread. This ensures every bite is rich, moist and delicious. Soak for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I would use any vanilla flavor based protein powder that is nice and sweet. If you use one that isn’t too sweet you will need to account for that and up your syrup or add some honey. This recipe has just enough protein powder to keep it from drying out.
Top this Brioche French Toast Casserole with maple syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh fruit or pair with Blueberry Breakfast Sausage or maple chicken sausage for added protein.
Yes, yes, yes, it’s all about the topping on this brioche French toast casserole. Add brown sugar to the mixture for added sweetness.
There are so many ways you can add a little something to make the Brioche French Toast Casserole uniquely yours. You can add any flavor protein powder to change up the casserole. For something a little more fruity consider adding blueberries, banana or strawberries into the egg mixture before you soak the bread. Keep in mind changes may change the consistency.
Of course! Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and challah bread have similar light textures and are great bread substitutes for the Brioche French Toast Casserole. For a heavier casserole a traditional French bread works but keep in mind the cook time might vary due to the density of the bread.
This easy casserole can be assembled the night before and tossed into the oven the morning of serving. It’s best served warm right out of the oven but will reheat in the unlikely event you have leftovers. Try reheating it in the air fryer the next day for 5 minutes for a crispy outside and soft inside!
Brioche bread has more eggs and butter than regular bread resulting in a light and fluffy pastry-like bread. It makes the dish light and airy as opposed to a traditional French toast that is heavier and heartier. The lightness creates a golden brown flakey top that pulls apart easily. I used Signature select sliced brioche.
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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Brioche French Toast Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 loaf brioche bread cut into 1-inch cubes, 14 slices
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup liquid egg whites 120g
- 1 1/2 cup low fat 1% milk (or dairy-free milk of choice) 360g
- 1 cup vanilla protein powder 95g
- 1/4 cup maple syrup 60g
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Topping
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup fine almond flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup 60g
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Optional: pecans, walnuts or almonds
Instructions
- Spray a a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, being sure to get all edges well. Cube the brioche bread and arrange it across the bottom of the dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, protein powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes, making sure all the bread is soaked. Use a spatula to gently press down on the bread to help it absorb the liquid. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook the casserole, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the topping by combining the melted butter, almond flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and uncover it. Using a spoon, spoon the topping across the top evenly and using the back of the spoon spread it across the top so the entire casserole is covered.
- Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. If the topping is browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut it into equal squares and serve with maple syrup and fresh berries on top.
Notes
- Hawaiian sweet rolls or challah bread are similar substitutions for brioche bread.
- This can be prepared the night before allowing the bread to soak all the egg mixture but a 2 hour soak is all that is needed.
- PEScience Gourmet Vanilla is my preferred protein to bake with but your favorite works as well, just be sure it has a flavor you love and enough sweetness to it.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will change with any substitutions.
Every recipe we try from Danielle is a five star!! This one is no different. Everyone in my household loves it and asks for it frequently. It is great to make on a Sunday and have breakfast ready to go every day of the week. It even makes a good dessert with great macros!!
How many grams of bread? I’m not finding brioche loaves at the store and might try something a little different. Thanks! Freaking LOVE your blog, by the way!
Absolutely amazing! Restaurant quality. One of the best breakfast bakes I’ve ever made.
Love to hear that!
This breakfast is phenomenal and so easy! I made the mistake of not reading ahead. I saw it was supposed to sit for 2 hours prior to cooking to allow the egg mixture to absorb. I had 3 hungry girls waiting for breakfast though. Instead, I waited maybe 5 minutes and then gently flipped the bread around a bit. Popped that suckered in the oven and it turned out just fine. I served it with some bacon and fruit and everyone devoured it. I’m making it again this weekend.
So glad to hear it turned out just as good though! Thank you, Kara! Isn’t it just the perfect mix of sweet and salty paired with bacon??
Holy moly is this yummy! So easy to throw together in a casserole dish. Don’t get me started on how amazing my kitchen smelled while it was baking. This is a 100/10!!!
My husband made this for me for Mother’s Day! It came out so good. He put it together the night before. I would definitely make this again. Enjoyed by all.
Love that!! I’m so glad it was part of your Mother’s Day celebration.
I made this recipe right after Danielle first shared it and we’ve already made it 3 times! My entire family, including my husband and 2 & 5 year old girls love it. It’s so easy to make and I love you can make it ahead. This will be a staple in our house for sure!
Woohoo!!! Love to hear that! Thanks, Emily!
Made the brioche french toast casserole for Mother’s day, and didn’t tell anyone it had protein powder, it was a HUGE hit! Everyone absolutely loved it. It was just as good if not better left over. I plan to make this as a meal prep and eat for breakfast/lunch throughout my week!
Win!! Love that! I also love that it was a part of your Mother’s Day celebration.