breakfast

Make-Ahead French Toast Recipes

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. While that may make me unusual, there’s no denying that there are some pretty delicious breakfast foods out there. One example that comes to mind is French toast. Today I’m sharing with you some recipes for make-ahead French toast and french toast casseroles. Some of these are overnight recipes to make the day before and some can actually be made as a freezer meal weeks or months ahead. The work is done ahead and they are ready to bake in the morning. These are great for brunch, hosting company, quick family breakfasts, bringing to potlucks, or special occasions such as Christmas morning. In our house, a French toast casserole has become a bit of a holiday tradition.

Make Ahead French Toast Recipes

Make Ahead Cinnamon Freezer French Toast

The special ingredient in this recipe is the orange zest. It gives this such a nice flavour.

French Toast Casserole - Make Ahead Freezer Breakfast

While this breakfast casserole may not look the prettiest, it's got that down home comfort food element that is guaranteed to be a winner for your family.

Photo Credit: www.simplyhappyfoodie.com

Instant Pot French Toast Casserole

Make a delicious French Toast Casserole in your Instant Pot! Make it ahead and pressure cook it when you are ready.

Photo Credit: www.awickedwhisk.com

Overnight Challah French Toast Casserole

Overnight Challah French Toast Casserole is the perfect breakfast casserole to prepare the night before to serve up to a hungry household. Ideal for holiday mornings, this Overnight Breakfast Casserole will take all the stress out of breakfast and brunch with family and friends.

Photo Credit: snappygourmet.com

Cannoli Overnight French Toast Casserole

Yum! Cannoli Overnight French Toast Casserole, an easy breakfast twist on the popular Italian pastry.

Photo Credit: www.powered-by-mom.com

Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Recipe

This cinnamon roll French toast casserole is perfect for making ahead of time for a scrumptious family breakfast the next morning.

Photo Credit: www.powered-by-mom.com

Easy Raspberry Peach Baked French Toast Recipe

Peaches and raspberries make this French toast casserole a tasty breakfast or brunch any time of the week. You can prepare it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you're ready to bake it.

Photo Credit: www.justataste.com

Baked French Toast Sticks (Freezer-Friendly)

Kids will love having their favourite breakfast food in cute little sticks they can pick up with their fingers.

Photo Credit: houseofnasheats.com

Berry Breakfast Bagel French Toast Casserole - House of Nash Eats

This simple, no-fuss, make-ahead Berry Breakfast Bagel French Toast Casserole is just the thing for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Prep it the night before and it’s ready to go in the oven when you wake up!

Photo Credit: pintsizedtreasures.com

Lazy Baked Maple Cinnamon French Toast · Pint-sized Treasures

Lazy, baked, maple and cinnamon French toast has all the flavours everyone loves to wake up to! It's such an easy breakfast and can be made ahead so breakfast tastes like it took hours to make, but only took minutes!

Photo Credit: www.awayfromthebox.com

Nutella Stuffed French Toast Cups

Make french toast in handheld form! These Nutella stuffed french toast cups can be made ahead and enjoyed all week.

Photo Credit: www.attainable-sustainable.net

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

This easy blueberry French toast casserole is nice enough for company.

Photo Credit: www.trialandeater.com

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Overnight French Toast Casserole with cinnamon, vanilla and a secret ingredient. Prep the night before and bake in the morning. As healthy as french toast can be while still being an easy and delicious breakfast to feed a crowd.

Photo Credit: foodmeanderings.com

Baileys Irish Cream Overnight French Toast Casserole

This Baileys Irish Cream Overnight Baked French Toast Casserole is the perfect St. Patrick's day breakfast or brunch dish for a potluck. (Non-alcoholic substitute included)

You can find other make-ahead breakfasts in our Freezer Meal Breakfast Meal Plan. It includes the recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels.

Scrambled Egg Bites (freezer breakfast idea)

By Sharla

It’s so nice to have breakfast foods in the freezer ready to go. These scrambled egg bites are great for busy weekday mornings. You can grab them on your way out the door for work or you can heat them up for the kids before school.

The other thing I really like about this particular recipe is how many variations you can make of it. You can try different combinations until you find your favorite. You can also customize them for each person in the family.

This is a great recipe to have kids help with. It’s super easy and older kids can even make them on their own. They can add in the mix-ins they like best. Inviting the kids to participate in making the egg bites really allows them to explore their culinary creativity. It also makes them more likely to be willing to try new foods.

Scrambled Egg Bites Recipe:

Ingredients:

12 eggs
salt and pepper
whatever you want to add in such as vegetables, meat, and shredded cheese

Assembly instructions:

Grease muffin tins with butter or cooking spray.
Break one egg into each muffin tin.*
Lightly whisk each with a fork to break the yolk.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drop-in your choice of mix-ins.
Press the mix-ins down with a fork or spoon.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
Cool.
Place in a large, resealable freezer bag. Seal. Freeze.

*You can substitute egg whites if desired.

It’s important to allow the egg bites to cool before you add them into the bag or it will create moisture in the bag which will affect the texture of the egg bites. We learned this lesson the hard way.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Reheat in the microwave on a paper towel or napkin. Cooking times vary depending on the microwave oven but approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes if frozen or 30 seconds if thawed.
If you want, you can top the egg bites with salsa, some hot sauce, guacamole, or cottage cheese.

Suggestions for what to put in egg bites:

diced green or purple onions
chopped red or green pepper
diced tomatoes
pre-cooked deli ham
pre-cooked sausage
crumbled cooked bacon
cooked diced turkey
shredded cheese (cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, jalapeño jack, or a blend)
feta or goat cheese
diced jalapeños
baby spinach
broccoli

It can be difficult to get the egg bites out of the muffin tin cleanly, so be sure to grease the tin well. Alternately, you can use stoneware or a silicone mold. I usually use a stoneware muffin tin for mine and they come out beautifully.

My husband loves the egg bites at Starbucks, but he finds them a bit small. Also, Starbucks is a farther drive than our freezer! He’s loving having these handy whenever he wants to grab a quick breakfast. He is on again-off again with his Keto diet and these are low carb so he can eat them no matter what.

Scrambled Egg Bites

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

23 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: egg bites, scrambled egg bites

Servings: 12

Calories: 70 kcal

Ingredients

12 eggs *You can substitute egg whites if desired.
salt and pepper
whatever you want to add in such as vegetables, meat, and shredded cheese

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Grease muffin tins.
Break one egg into each muffin tin.*
Lightly whisk each to break the yolk.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Drop in your choice of mix-ins.
Press the mix-ins down with a fork or spoon.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
Cool.
Place in large, resealable freezer bag. Seal. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Reheat in the microwave on a paper towel or napkin. Cooking times vary depending on your microwave oven, but approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes if frozen or 30 seconds if thawed.
If you want, you can top the egg bites with salsa, some hot sauce, guacamole, or cottage cheese.

Recipe Notes

It's important to allow the egg bites to cool before you add them into the bag or it will create moisture in the bag which will affect the texture of the egg bites.

Suggestions for what to put in egg bites:
diced green or purple onions, chopped red or green pepper, pre-cooked deli ham, pre-cooked sausage, crumbled cooked bacon, cooked diced turkey, shredded cheese (cheddar, Gruyere, Swiss, jalapeño jack, or a blend), diced jalapeños, spinach, broccoli

Check out some of our other make-ahead breakfasts:

Everything Bagels Breakfast Muffins

French Toast Casserole

Pancake Mini Muffins

Homemade Granola Bars (freezer friendly)

By Sharla

These delicious homemade granola bars can be made ahead and frozen. This makes them perfect for school lunches or snacks. They are so much fresher and healthier than what you can buy in the store. The week before my kids went back to school, I spent an afternoon making things ahead that they could take for school lunches or snacks. I made these granola bars, mini corn dog muffins, mini pumpkin muffins, and I froze bags of rhubarb for making rhubarb muffins in the future.

I’m so glad to have these snacks made ahead. It’s making our mornings so much easier. I’m not getting complaints about there being “nothing to put in my lunch” anymore either!

If your child attends a school that is peanut-free and nut-free or if there are any allergies in your house, you can substitute the peanut-butter for SunButter or WowButter.

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
3 cups honey
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups peanut butter (or SunButter)
4 tsp. vanilla
8 cups Rice Krispies
5 cups old fashioned oats
chocolate chips
optional: flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, or hemp

Instructions:

In a medium pot on the stovetop, bring the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
Add in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir.
Put the oats and Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl. If you’re adding any of the optional ingredients, mix them in.
Pour the mixture from the pot over the oats and Rice Krispies. Stir.
Let sit for 5 minutes or so.
Spread parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.
Lay the granola bar mixture on the parchment paper.
Press a second cookie sheet on top to flatten. Sprinkle chocolate chips over and press again.
Cool in the fridge. Cut.
Freeze flat on the tray. When frozen, transfer the granola bars to freezer bags, remove the excess air, seal, and freeze again.

You may also be interested in these other make-ahead snack recipes:

Corn Dog Mini Muffins for School Lunches English Muffin Pizzas

Mini Pancake Muffins

Homemade Granola Bars

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Keyword: granola

Servings: 24 bars

Calories: 327 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
3 cups honey
2/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 cups peanut butter
4 tsp. vanilla
8 cups Rice Krispies
5 cups old fashioned oats
chocolate chips
optional: flaxseed pumpkin seeds, or hemp

Instructions

In a medium pot on the stovetop, bring the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
Add in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir.
Put the oats and Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl.
Pour the mixture from the pot over the oats and Rice Krispies. Stir.
Let sit for 5 minutes or so.
Spread parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.
Lay the granola bar mixture on the parchment paper.
Press a second cookie sheet on top to flatten. Sprinkle chocolate chips over and press again.
Cool in the fridge. Cut.
Freeze flat on the tray. When frozen, transfer the granola bars to freezer bags, remove the excess air, seal, and freeze again.

Recipe Notes

You can make these homemade granola bars peanut-free by substituting the peanut butter for WowButter or SunButter.

French Toast Casserole – Make Ahead Freezer Breakfast

By Sharla

This make-ahead French Toast Casserole is great to pop in the oven for an easy weekend breakfast. It also works well to take with you to a potluck brunch. I like that it’s also a good way to use leftover bread. You can use whatever type of bread you happen to have on hand in this recipe. Try it with different varieties such as white, sourdough, wheat, and rye.

Our weeks are so busy. I would like to say that our weekends are relaxing, but with so many kids, it’s not as relaxing as I’d like. Every little thing that can be done to make it easier helps though. That’s why it’s so nice to have some breakfasts like this one made ahead. I can pull one out of the freezer and have a nice weekend breakfast or brunch without having to do any work.

French Toast Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 loaf of bread (about 18 slices)
1/2 cup sugar (brown, white or any sweetener you prefer – I used monk fruit sweetener)
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 milk (cow’s, almond, coconut or any milk you prefer – I used cow’s milk in this recipe)
2/3 cup flavoured coffee creamer (I used hazelnut, but you can use cinnamon vanilla, Irish cream or any flavoured creamer you like best)
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For serving:

additional maple syrup

Optional for topping:

1/2 cup oats
cinnamon

Assembly Instructions:

Cut up the bread slices into small bits.
Put the bread pieces, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mix in all of the wet ingredients (milk, coffee creamer, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla).
Gently pour the liquid onto the bread pieces.
Fold over carefully until all of the bread has absorbed the liquid.
Use a large spoon and gently transfer the wet bread into a large resealable freezer bag.
Squeeze all the air out and seal. Lay flat and freeze.
If you are using the oats and cinnamon topping, put that in a medium-sized resealable bag and staple it to the large bag above the seal.

Cooking instructions:

On the day of baking, move from the freezer to the fridge the night before or thaw for 30 minutes so you can pour it out of the bag into a 9×13 glass oven-friendly container.
Sprinkle the oats topping and bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Pour maple syrup over the entire casserole or over individual portions when serving.

For storage:

Cool completely.
Put a lid on the container and save it in the fridge for 5 days.
Reheat before serving.

This recipe makes 8-12 servings.

Check out some of our other delicious make-ahead breakfast ideas:

On the Go Breakfast Taco Cups

Everything Bagel Breakfast Muffins

Breakfast Sausage Hand Pies

French Toast Casserole

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: breakfast casserole, french toast

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 228 kcal

Ingredients

1 loaf of bread about 18 slices
1/2 cup sugar brown, white or any sweetener you prefer
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 milk cow's, almond, coconut or any milk you prefer
2/3 cup flavoured coffee creamer I used hazelnut, but you can use cinnamon vanilla, Irish cream or any flavoured creamer you like best
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter melted
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For serving:

additional maple syrup

Optional for topping:

1/2 cup oats
cinnamon

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Cut up the bread slices into bite-sized bits.
Put the bread pieces, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mix in all of the wet ingredients (milk, coffee creamer, eggs, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla).
Gently pour the liquid onto the bread pieces.
Fold over carefully until all of the bread has absorbed the liquid.
Use a large spoon and gently transfer the wet bread into a large resealable freezer bag.
Squeeze all the air out and seal. Lay flat and freeze.
If you are using the oats and cinnamon topping, put that in a medium-sized resealable bag and staple it to the large bag above the seal.

Cooking instructions:

On the day of baking, move from the freezer to the fridge the night before or thaw for 30 minutes so you can pour it out of the bag into a 9x13 glass oven-friendly container.
Sprinkle the oats topping and bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Pour maple syrup over the entire casserole or over individual portions when serving.

For storage:

Cool completely.
Put a lid on the container and save it in the fridge for 5 days.
Reheat before serving.

Make Ahead Everything Bagel Breakfast Muffins

By Sharla

Busy weekday mornings don’t have to be so chaotic. Making these everything bagel breakfast muffins ahead allows you to grab one on your way out the door.

They pack the flavors of the everything bagel into a breakfast muffin you can hold in one hand while you hold your coffee or phone in the other. This is the very definition of breakfast on the go.

Everything Bagel Breakfast Muffins Recipe:

Ingredients:

4-5 everything bagels, cut into cubes
1 package of bacon sausage or 1 pound of ground sausage, browned until no longer pink
2 cups of half and half
10 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Everything Bagel Seasoning, divided
4 oz. of cream cheese, diced
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Assembly instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with oil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half and the eggs.
Add in the salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the Everything Bagels Seasoning into the egg mixture. Set aside.
Lay out all the other ingredients.
Layer each muffin cup in this order: 3-4 bagel cubes, cooked sausage, 4-5 pieces of cream cheese, a sprinkle of the Swiss and cheddar cheeses.
Pour the egg mixture to about halfway.
Add 4-5 bagel cubes and a bit more sausage and sprinkle the remaining Everything Bagels Seasoning over each muffin.
Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until browned and the muffins are no longer soft in the middle. If you like your muffins more browned, you can place them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes in the end, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
Remove from the oven and cool. Top with a sprinkle of the Everything Bagels seasoning.
Take the muffins out of the pan and move them to a cooling rack. Once the muffins have cooled, transfer them to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and freeze.

Eating instructions:

Take one muffin (or more) out of the bag. Be sure to take out the extra air before sealing the bag up again.
Eat slightly frozen or reheat in the microwave.

Some other freezer breakfast recipes you may be interested in:

Taco Breakfast Cups

Cinnamon French Toast

Everything Bagels Breakfast Muffins

Course: Breakfast

Keyword: cinnamon, french toast

Servings: 12

Calories: 407 kcal

Ingredients

4-5 everything bagels cut into cubes
1 package of bacon sausage or 1 pound of ground sausage browned until no longer pink
2 cups half and half
10 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Everything Bagels Seasoning divided
4 oz. cream cheese diced
4 oz. Swiss cheese shredded
4 oz. cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with oil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half and the eggs.
Add in the salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the Everything Bagels Seasoning into the egg mixture. Set aside.
Lay out all the other ingredients.
Layer each muffin cup in this order: 3-4 bagel cubes, cooked sausage, 4-5 pieces of cream cheese, a sprinkle of the Swiss and cheddar cheeses.
Pour the egg mixture to about halfway.
Add 4-5 bagel cubes and a bit more sausage and sprinkle the remaining Everything Bagels Seasoning over each muffin.
Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until browned and the muffins are no longer soft in the middle. If you like your muffins more browned, you can place them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes in the end, but keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
Remove from the oven and cool. Top with a sprinkle of the Everything Bagels seasoning.
Take the muffins out of the pan and move them to a cooling rack. Once the muffins have cooled, transfer them to a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and freeze.

Eating instructions:

Take a muffin (or more) out of the bag. Be sure to take out the extra air before sealing the bag up again.
Eat slightly frozen or reheat in the microwave.