A slow cooker version of a classic breakfast, this Crockpot French Toast is an easy and delicious family favorite!
There’s just nothing better than a lazy Saturday morning breakfast is there? This Crockpot French Toast definitely needs to be added to your weekend brunch rotation. It’s easy, it’s a fun twist on classic french toast, and it’s loved by everyone!
Ingredients
There are two parts to today’s recipe: the french toast and the streusel topping. Both made with every day ingredients that you probably have on hand already!
French Toast
- Eggs – help to bind the casserole together and gives that slightly eggy taste and texture found in classic french toast. Be sure to use large eggs.
- Half & Half – a dairy product made with half heavy cream half whole milk that soaks into the bagel cubes making them soft and creamy. It’s richer than milk, but lighter than cream, so it’s the best of both worlds! If you’d like an extra rich casserole, feel free to use heavy cream.
- Brown Sugar – dark brown sugar is used in the original recipe, because of it’s rich molasses-y flavor, but light brown sugar will work as well.
- Vanilla Extract – provides depth of flavor that is so important in sweet recipes. Pure or imitation vanilla may be used.
- Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Salt – our homemade, very simple spice blend that really brings out the flavor of the cinnamon-raisin bagels. Want to mix it up? Replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with pumpkin pie spice instead!
- Cinnamon-Raisin Bagels – our “toast”! Typically, another bread is used, but the cinnamon-raisin bagels makes this dish so much more flavorful and the hearty, chewy texture holds up really well in the slow cooker. Not a fan of raisins? Try blueberry bagels! Plain bagels may also be used, but you’ll likely need to add additional spices.
Streusel
- Old Fashioned Oats and All-Purpose Flour – held together by the butter, these two ingredients form the base of the crumble. The oats add heartiness and chew, while the flour gives it that classic crumbly texture.
- Pecans – add some much needed crunch to an otherwise soft and chewy dish. Feel free to use another nut, such as walnuts, if pecans aren’t available.
- Brown Sugar – dark brown sugar is approximately 20% molasses and light brown sugar is 10%. Dark brown sugar is called for in the recipe, but again, either can be used.
- Spices: Cinnamon and Salt – cinnamon provides a warm, slightly spicy flavor and salt helps to cut the sweetness of the sugars, while also bringing out the other flavors in the casserole.
- Butter – unsalted butter is used in the original recipe which allows you to control how much salt goes into the recipe. If salted butter is the only butter available, simply reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon per 1/2 cup butter called for.
How to make
This slow cooker breakfast casserole comes together so quickly and is loved by adults and kids alike!
- Grease a 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined, then stir in cubed bagels. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together oats, flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter until combined. Set aside.
- Pour half the French toast mixture into the prepared crockpot, sprinkle with half the streusel, repeat the layers, then cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours.
- Scoop and serve with your favorite French toast toppings and enjoy!
What bread to use
Typically, french toast casserole uses crusty French baguette, because the mild flavor and hearty, slightly dry, yet chewy texture holds up well to the wet ingredients. Today, we’re using cinnamon-raisin bagels. The chewy, hearty texture and sweet, cinnamon flavor is absolutely perfect for this crockpot french toast.
French baguette or sourdough may also be used. Some people prefer this for the sour flavor, which helps to balance out the sweetness from the other ingredients. Others have had success with brioche or challah, but be sure they’re not too soft.
If using something other than the bagels in the original recipe, make sure it’s high quality bread from your grocery store bakery or favorite local bakery that is slightly stale.
Fresh bread, or loaf bread (like white sandwich bread), is too moist for french toast casserole and you’ll end up with a soggy mess.
Why is my crockpot french toast so soggy?
If you followed the recipe exactly, your french toast should be soft in the middle with crispy edges. If it IS soggy, here’s what may have happened:
- Egg size was wrong. Make sure you’re using LARGE eggs, not small, medium, or jumbo eggs. If there’s too much egg-mixture, it won’t cook and it will leave the bread wet and soggy.
- You didn’t use the right bread. Bagels are a really hearty and soaks up the egg-mixture perfectly. If the bread you used is too soft or thin, it won’t be able to hold its shape under the weight of the liquids.
- You cut your bread chunks too small. Cube the bagels into 1/2-1 inch chunks. If the pieces are too small, they’ll get soggy much faster because there’s not enough bread in each piece to properly soak the liquid.
- You didn’t cook it long enough. If your french toast is still super wet, your crockpot may run cooler than mine. Simply add an additional 30 minutes or more until the french toast has set.
Can you bake french toast?
Yes! If you’d like to bake french toast in the oven, check out my french toast casserole.
What to serve with crockpot french toast
French toast is amazing plain or topped with melted butter, whipped cream, maple syrup, and fruit! If you’re looking to bulk it up try one or more of these yummy sides:
- Eggs: Chaffles or Instant Pot Egg Bites
- Sausage Gravy (don’t forget the air fryer biscuits!)
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Bacon
- Fruit Salad
How to store
Cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To enjoy again: thaw in the fridge, if frozen, then microwave until warm.
– Jennifer
Crockpot French Toast
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
French Toast
- 6 large eggs
- 1 pint half-and-half
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (20 oz) package cinnamon-raisin bagels cubed into 1/2 - 1 inch chunks
Streusel
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
French Toast
- Grease a 6 quart crockpot with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
- Stir in cubed bagels until fully coated in the mixture.
- Set aside while you make the streusel.
Streusel
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together oats, flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter until combined. Set aside.
- Pour half the French toast mixture into the prepared crockpot, sprinkle with half the streusel, then repeat the layers.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours.
- Scoop and serve with maple syrup or your favorite French toast toppings and enjoy!
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Faith
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
Faith
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy