My French toast bake with croissants uses day-old croissants instead of regular bread for a brunch centerpiece that looks fancy and takes about ten minutes of hands-on work. The milk-and-cream custard soaks overnight, the oven does the rest in 35 minutes, and a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries finishes it. Serves 8.
Croissants change the whole bake
Regular bread in a French toast bake gives you something solid and custardy. Croissants add layers! The outer ones crisp and caramelize where they catch the oven heat, the inner ones go soft and pillowy where the custard pools, and you get both textures in every spoonful.
This is the bake I reach for when I want one dish to carry a brunch table, and it sits at the top of my favorite vegetarian breakfast recipes for that reason.
Day-old store-bought croissants are what I reach for. Fresh ones work too, but day-old ones drink the custard faster and the texture comes out closer to bread pudding than to soggy French toast, which is the line I’m trying to walk. I keep the custard simple, eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of nutmeg, and let the croissants do the heavy lifting.
Sliced vs. torn. Halved croissants give you the layered, presentation-forward bake you see in the photos, with crisp ridged tops and pillowy middles. Tearing into rough two-inch chunks is the rustic version, and honestly the easier one. Torn pieces absorb custard more evenly and the finished bake reads closer to bread pudding. I do sliced when there’s a brunch on the calendar and torn when I’m using up croissants on a Tuesday. Both work, pick by mood.
If you want to lean richer, swap one of my fluffy blueberry cottage cheese pancakes onto the same brunch table for contrast.
Ingredients worth noting
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Day-old croissants are the move. Fresh ones work but skew softer. Day-old ones absorb the custard without falling apart, which is what you want in a bake.
- Whole milk and heavy cream is the version I make most often. Half-and-half works as a one-for-one swap for the cream if that’s what you have. Skim milk and almond milk both produce a lighter, less rich bake — fine if that’s your preference, but you won’t get the same body.
- Brown sugar over white. It carries a faint molasses note that lands closer to caramelization than plain sweetness.
- Vanilla extract, not vanilla flavoring. The flavoring versions taste flat once baked.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg together, or cardamom if you like that flavor.
Shruthi’s top tips
A few things I’d tell you in the kitchen
- Overnight soak is genuinely better than thirty minutes. The croissants pull custard deeper into their layers, and the bake sets evenly. If you only have thirty minutes, press the croissants down into the custard with a spatula every ten minutes.
- Press the top layer of croissants into the custard before you cover and chill. Any croissant edges sticking up dry will burn before the bake sets.
- Cover with foil for the first twenty minutes. Then uncover for the last fifteen so the top crisps without the rest going dry.
- Test for doneness in the center, not the edges. A knife inserted into the middle should come out with moist crumbs, not wet custard.
- Make the toppings the variable, not the bake. The bake stays simple; the toppings are how you change the dish. Berries, my mixed berry compote with citrus, powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, toasted sliced almonds.
How to make croissant French toast bake
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter. Either halve the croissants lengthwise with a serrated knife and arrange the bottom halves in a single layer (the presentation version) or tear them into rough two-inch chunks and scatter half in the dish (the rustic version). Pick one approach for the whole bake.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt until well combined. Then whisk in the heavy cream and milk until smooth.
- Pour half of the custard mixture evenly over the croissant halves in the baking dish. Use a spatula to gently press the croissants into the custard so they soak it up.
- Place the remaining croissant halves in another even layer on top, then pour the remaining custard over everything. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight.
- Place the remaining croissant halves in another even layer on top, then pour the remaining custard over everything. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar, berries, nuts, or your favorite toppings.
How to serve croissant French toast bake
Serve warm with maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fresh berries for an easy brunch centerpiece. For a more indulgent breakfast, add whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Pair it with fresh fruit, yogurt, or a hot cup of coffee for a balanced brunch spread.
Swap in chocolate or maple-pecan croissants (cut the brown sugar by a tablespoon), sprinkle cinnamon-sugar or a brown-butter crumble over the top before baking, or make it vegan with plant butter, vegan croissants, Just Egg, and almond milk.
Keeps 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat individual portions in the microwave (60 to 90 seconds), oven (325°F, 10 minutes), or air fryer (325°F, 5 minutes). Don’t freeze. The custard goes watery once thawed and the croissant layers separate.
For meal prep, this is a strong make-ahead candidate alongside my vegetarian slow cooker breakfast casserole when I want one sweet bake and one savory bake on the same brunch table.
French Toast Bake with Croissants
Ingredients
For the croissants:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for greasing
- 12 medium croissants, ideally 1-day old
For the custard:
- 8 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk, 2% works
For serving
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, optional
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup, optional
- ½ cup fresh berries, optional
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds, optional
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with the tablespoon of unsalted butter.
- Halve the croissants lengthwise with a serrated knife (presentation version) or tear them into rough two-inch chunks (rustic version). Arrange half in a single layer in the baking dish.
- Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in the heavy cream and milk until smooth.
- Pour half the custard evenly over the bottom layer of croissants. Press them down gently with a spatula so they start to soak.
- Add the remaining croissants on top. Pour the rest of the custard over everything, pressing again so no edges stick up dry.
- Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight. If chilling overnight, take the dish out 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off.
- Set the oven rack to the center position and preheat to 375°F.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and the center is set (a knife inserted in the middle should come out with moist crumbs, not wet custard). If it browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
- Cool for 5 minutes. Finish with powdered sugar, maple syrup, fresh berries, or toasted nuts. Serve warm.
Notes
- Making this the night before is the version I prefer. The croissants pull custard deeper into their layers and the bake sets more evenly.
- Brown butter crumble topping: mix 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cubed and cold), 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt until crumbly. Sprinkle over the bake right before it goes in the oven.
- Storage: keeps 2 to 3 days covered in the fridge. Reheat at 325°F until warmed through, or 60 to 90 seconds in the microwave for individual portions. Don’t freeze, the custard goes watery once thawed!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great tips! Adjusting the dairy ratio for a perfect custard consistency is key, and using store-bought croissants is a fantastic time-saving option. Thanks for sharing your expertise! This is also a yummy recipe 10/10!!!
I just made two pans of this for the world cup final. I subbed 25% egg nog in the cream/milk mixture. People loved it! 12 Costco croissants were sufficient for two pans.